Top 50 Best 2D Platformers of All Time

#30. – Kirby’s Dream Land 2

Kirby games are best measured by the number of abilities our pink puff of fluff can steal from enemies. Dream Land 2 has an absolute ton of different abilities for you to use. What’s more is that it introduced animal friends to the mix. Kirby could ride atop a hamster, or in the clutches of an owl. Heck, there’s even a fish that can hold our hero in its mouth. The powers Kirby has at the time affect the animal helper in various ways. This means the sheer number of options you have are multiplied. Add to this the vastly improved stage design, memorable bosses, and what you’ve got is one of the very best Kirby games of all time.

#29. – Rocket Knight Adventures

This game is Konami at their best. Rocket Knight Adventures throws you into the role of a possum armed with a sword and jet pack. Sounds like a pretty standard set up as far as mascots with attitude go, right? That’s actually not the case. The stage designs are absolutely insane. This was one of those retro games that doesn’t hold your hand. You need to master the jetpack ability because you’ll need it to shoot yourself into all manner of directions to progress. In addition the enemies never take it easy on you. Seriously, you’ll need to master the characters abilities to achieve any level of success. Some levels even take on a scrolling shooter approach and these were my favorite areas of the game. Honestly this is one of the best games for the Sega Genesis.

#28. – Mega Man 6

Most gamers had moved on to more powerful hardware when this one was released. Mega Man already had five installments on the NES, but Capcom wanted the blue bomber to have one last outing on the aging hardware. Thus, Mega Man 6. I love this one far more than I should, admittedly. The robot masters are among my favorite the series has to offer. Weapons you gain from them are also very inspired. The real highlight here however is how Capcom handled Mega Man’s companion Rush. Typically he was relegated as an ability you could use where he would function as a vehicle or platform. Now he becomes a part of Mega Man’s armor. You can use him as a jetpack, or an extension of your fist in order to punch, and more. It’s a fantastic mechanic I wish was used more in the franchise.

#27. – Klonoa 2: Lunatea’s Veil

This is hands down my favorite platformer for the PlayStation 2 console. The original Klonoa wasn’t a big seller by any means which is why I was surprised Namco made a sequel. More capable hardware means significantly better graphics. This time Namco went with a cel shaded engine that looks absolutely fantastic. Seriously; Klonoa 2 looks better than many games released even now several generations later because of it. I’m happy to see that Klonoa is making a comeback of sorts with a compilation containing this very game. You owe it to yourself to get it because Klonoa 2 is one of the best 2D platformers of all time.

#26. – Sonic CD

For decades Sonic CD was locked behind the obscure Sega CD add-on. Most gamers, even fans of the franchise, just couldn’t play it unless they hit up the second hand market for the expensive hardware. Since then it has been released on a multitude of different platforms and most of these ports are excellent. Either way, Sonic CD is one of the most unique 2D games in the franchise. At first it appears to just be more of the same but with redbook CD quality audio, an animated intro, and some graphical enhancements. When you dive in deeper you find that Sonic Team was experimenting here. They introduced a cool time travel mechanic where you can go to the past or future, and each stage has distinct changes in the different eras. It’s cool, and it’s thankfully much easier to acquire now.

#25. – Super Mario Bros 2

With this entry I’m talking about the English version of Super Mario Bros 2. Nintendo deemed the Japanese release too difficult for the rest of the world, and instead of pushing that version out they instead re-purposed another game (Doki Doki Panic) with Mario characters and voila! It’s distinctly different from every release in the franchise because of this. It was the first time you could play as Toad, and Princess Toadstool as well as Mario and Luigi should you so choose. Each have their own abilities and you’ll want to explore the roster as you reach later areas because it makes the game much easier. What was so different about this platformer is you could ride atop the head of most foes. You fight them by picking them up and throwing them. It’s still pretty unique for the franchise even to this day.

#24. – Super Castlevania IV

In my opinion this is the most different of all the sequels. Each game they released added new elements that were seen later in the franchise. Not Super Castlevania IV. This one had a darker approach and was focused more on Simon Belmont’s abilities with the whip. This gimmick was no doubt chosen in an effort to take advantage of the rotational abilities of the Super Nintendo console. You can rotate rooms in specific areas using your whip, and some bosses are drawn entirely with the mode 7 graphics capabilities of the platform. The stage design is one of the best across the entire franchise. I also really like the dark and gritty approach and it hasn’t been the same since. Super Castlevania IV deserves all the praise it gets, and more.

#23. – Ristar

Ristar is one of the most unlucky mascot characters of all time. Sega already had Sonic to fill their need for a posterboy, and thus anything else they came up with was sure to be overshadowed. Ristar just happens to be one of the best platformers for the Sega Genesis and it overshadows many of the Sonic titles. As you may be able to surmise the main character in this title is a star. He has legs and arms, and he uses the latter to reach out and grab on to things. These can be enemies (which he can slam his body into to destroy) as well as environmental factors. There are so many things he can grab that I found myself testing this ability constantly. You can grip trees and poles, and swing yourself on them to get aerial momentum.

#22. – Mega Man X2

Honestly I’m surprised this one doesn’t get more respect. Yes, it’s not as good as it’s predecessor but it’s still one of the best 2D platformers of all time. This one is pretty much a copycat in terms of gameplay elements from the original. You choose which order you’d like to tackle each stage, but in this game your decisions change the sub bosses you fight and ultimately the ending you see. Along with this you have some of the most memorable mavericks and stages in the franchise. I was late to the party when I first played this title but I still remember slaving away struggling to complete the later areas of this title. Mega Man X2 is often forgotten in the mix because it wasn’t the first, nor was it ported to the next generation of hardware.

#21. – Splatterhouse: Wanpaku Graffiti

Splatterhouse is a well established beat ’em up franchise. So why did one of these titles make a list for the best 2D platformers of all time? This spin-off for the Nintendo Famicom bucked genres, that’s why. It also ditches the super serious gory horror motif of the mainline games and went for a more cutesy parody based approach. You still play as Rick, but now he’s a chibi form of his former self. He can jump, swipe at foes with his trusty hatchet. The best part of this title is that it references and makes fun of so many different American horror films. There’s an entire recreation of the Michael Jackson Thriller dance, and a boss fight based around the classic horror film the Fly. It’s a surprisingly fun and charming title that I’m downright sad never was released outside of Japan.