Top 50 Best 2D Platformers of All Time

#10. – Sonic the Hedgehog 3

This is no doubt going to be an unpopular opinion. As far as I can tell this is largely because of hype relative to each release back in the day, because the third installment is easily the best one. Before this Sonic Team was struggling with level design. I admit that it must have been difficult with Sonic’s traditional abilities but this is the only sequel where they planned things out in my opinion. It’s the only title where speed makes sense in a situational sense. Even the opening stage is more complex than anything it’s predecessors had to offer. What’s more is that you can plug in the Sonic & Knuckles cartridge to really get the full vision Sega had for this one. It’s an incredible game, and easily one of the best 2D platformers of all time.

#9. – Adventure Island II

I’ve no doubt that this entry is sure to make some heads turn. Adventure Island isn’t exactly a household name. This was sort of an offshoot from the Wonder Boy franchise. While Wonder Boy moved in a new action RPG direction Adventure Island built upon the concepts of the original. This game focused entirely on the platforming elements in place in the original. Master Higgins was the star here, and he had Hudson did an amazing job of growing the franchise. The hunger meter is still in place, but what sets this one apart is the animal friends. Higgins can ride on the back of several prehistoric creatures, and this adds an absolute ton of new gameplay elements. These animal friends completely change the way you play. The red dinosaur shoots fireballs, the blue whips with his tail, and there’s even specific ones for aerial stages and underwater sections.

#8. – Mega Man 7

I have a real soft spot for this entry in the series. It was released to show that Capcom was still devoted to the original franchise after X, and it continued with so many of my favorite elements of the series. It also features some of my most favorite robot masters, and one of the best soundtracks of any 16-bit titles. The platforming is also top notch here. You have several stages based strictly on platforming and these areas are the real highlights of the entire series. The weaponry here continues from where it left on the 8-bit titles. Cloud Man has the best stage in the franchise as far as skill goes, and Shade Man is a vampire robot which is the single best idea the series has had up to this point. I love Mega Man 7.

#7. – Virtual Boy Wario Land

I’ve never been a fan of the Wario Land franchise. These games, as far as my experience goes, are toned down Mario titles with a focus on weird powers. With Wario Land Nintendo finally focused on stage design. This is also the only title for the Virtual Boy made proper use of the system’s strengths. Viewing the game feels like you’re looking into a shoebox diorama. What’s more is background elements played a major role in how this one was played. Seeing fish reach out from their caves to try to eat you is amazing. You can also jump into the backgrounds in some area. While it’s still the same old grab the key and find the exit that the previous Wario game made use of the level designs are hugely improved. This is by far the best Wario Land game even today.

#6. – Violinist of Hameln

It’s pretty clear to see why this one was never released in the West. For one, it was published by Enix and in the 16-bit days they sort of forgot North America existed. The second point is that Violinist of Hameln was based on an anime series. This particular show was never dubbed into English, nor has it ever been officially subtitled. It’s sad because this is clearly one of the best 2D platformers of all time. You play as the titular violinist who uses music as a weapon. He also has a partner character used for a lot of clever puzzles. The real highlight is in the variety of suits they can change into. This makes for some truly dynamic stage designs that can be approached in numerous ways. Violinist of Hamlen is one heck of an absolutely unforgettable game.

#5. – Mischief Makers

Bet you didn’t expect a 2D platformer from the Nintendo 64 to make this list, eh? It’s true that the console was not widely known for this kind of title, but Mischief Makers is truly something special. It was developed by Treasure who at the time was best known for Gunstar Heroes. It also marks the first time the company released anything on a Nintendo platform. Mischief Makers throws you into the role of a cybernetic maid who can grab and shake things. It’s more interesting than it sounds, I promise. You must use this mechanic to solve puzzles, fight enemies, and reach new areas. She can also use a jet pack (designated to the C buttons) to reach new heights or for speed boosts. In typical Treasure fashion the stage designs are absolutely incredible, and boss fights are jaw dropping. Mischief Makers is absolutely incredible.

#4. – Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest

There’s no bad blood between me and the original Donkey Kong Country game. It’s just not very good. The same can’t be said for Donkey Kong Country 2. Rare took everything they learned from the last release and pushed out an incredible title. The first good thing they did was replace Donkey Kong with newcomer Dixie. She could float through the air by spinning her hair which made many of the platforming sections far less frustrating. The animal friends have also seen some incredible upgrades and a bigger roster, and the secrets can be downright tough to find. Basically everything here is upgraded, and in most ways Rareware even outperformed Nintendo’s own best efforts.

#3. – Mega Man X

At a time when gamers were getting tired of the blue bomber (he had six releases on the NES, for reference) Capcom went and re-invented the wheel. Mega Man X was a edgier, grittier version of the friendly blue robot everyone knows and loves. This one takes place in the far future when AI is the big new thing. Unfortunately they all have been going maverick, or in other words, rebelling against their human overlords. Mega Man X is the final invention of Dr Light called to action in this futuristic version of the world. Robot masters have been replaced by mavericks. Rather than being androids based on various elements these are now huge robots based on animals. This makes for some absolutely unforgettable encounters. The level designs are top notch and have yet to be matched by other games in the series.

#2. – Super Mario World

Nintendo has a long history of releasing their best games for their platforms at launch. It’s true in this case; no other platformer on the SNES managed to ever surpass the original Super Mario World. This title built on the base of the previous iteration on the NES. The stages are bigger, the enemies more diverse, and the secrets have been improved exponentially. Super Mario World is an absolutely sublime platformer that rewards heavy experimentation and exploration. There are only a few reasons this one doesn’t doesn’t quite measure up to SMB3. For one thing the difficulty has been toned down. Also, there are fewer and slightly less interesting power-ups to be found here. Super Mario World still rightly deserves a spot at the top of any list.

#1. Super Mario Bros. 3

The iconic yellow background and raccoon Mario on the front cover of this one still gives me goosebumps. It’s also probably why that’s my favorite color. In an age where most platformers were still trying to copy the original Super Mario Bros formula SMB3 evolved the genre in absolutely landmark ways. The level designs are still the best the genre has seen. This was Nintendo at the top of their game after all. The worlds, and their themes, are a true joy to discover and I still get giddy and eager to see what’s around every corner. This is decades later even after I’ve pretty much memorized everything.

The best part of Super Mario Bros. 3 is the variety in power-ups. On top of the standard mainstays Mario (and Luigi by association) can now fly using a raccoon tail. This added so many new dynamics to the genre. In addition they can don the frog suit to swim with ease underwater, transform into an immobile statue with the tanooki suit. They can even gain the abilities of the hammer bros too! There is so much here and the power-ups keep things fresh at every turn.