10. It Takes Two
One of this year’s biggest hits so far, in It Takes Two you and a partner play a married couple accidentally transformed into toys by their daughter. This sets up a novel platforming experience as you navigate their home, now full of surprisingly ordinary obstacles like vacuums, stairs, and the garden. Unfortunately, this game can’t be played single-player, but the multiplayer is available both local and online.
9. Sonic Colours Ultimate
Sonic Colors is back - updated, upgraded and made much more widely available across consoles. The original was released to celebrate 20 years of the Sonic franchise and was a return to the classic Sonic loop in many ways - stripping out a lot of extra characters and mechanics that bogged down the Sonic games before it, with great results. Sonic Colours is a fast-paced adventure that recaptures the magic that turned Sonic into a worldwide icon.
8. Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time manages to recapture the magic of playing the original trilogy for the first time. It strikes the perfect balance between timeless, nostalgic gameplay and enough new innovations to create something truly special. Plus it looks like a flipping Saturday morning cartoon! It’s not just a worthy entry in the series, but dare we say the best yet.
7. Spyro: Reignited Trilogy
Classic childhood remasters are truly a treat. You get to enjoy the nostalgia, and your kids love to play them for all the reasons you did. In this case, it’s because Spyro is awesome. It’s console platforming at it’s finest, and this remaster has improved every jump, every glide and every charge. Spyro: Reignited is, of course, also three platforming games in one. So cancel all your plans for the next few weekends.
6. Ratchet & Clank
It follows the storyline of the very first game, but Ratchet and Clank for PS4 is so far improved that it’s a totally different game. This remastering isn’t just graphical - it updates the original with all the best features of later games in the series. Expect the usual - silly jokes that wink and nod to all ages, tricky puzzle platforming and a large roster of insane weapons to clear levels with.
5. Rayman Legends
Rayman Legends isn’t a remake but is full of so much familiarity that you’ll still be awash with nostalgia while playing it. Simply one of the best platforming games available right now full stop, Rayman Legends will have you running, jumping and punching for days. The difficulty curve is so gradual that it’s perfect for hardcore platformers and casuals alike, and the art is so uniquely Rayman that every new level will become your favourite.
4. Little Nightmares II
Beware - Little Nightmares II turns the usually jovial platforming genre on its head with a horror-heavy, Tim-Burton-ish creepy aesthetic - part of what made the first game in this series such a hit. Playing as a boy named Mono, you’ll discover the dark secrets of Pale City. Packed with puzzle, stealth and classic platforming, those brave enough to play Little Nightmares II will find an excellent story and truly creepy visuals.
3. Mirror’s Edge Catalyst
In Mirror’s Edge Catalyst, you control Faith Connors as she explores the open-world, futuristic city of Glass, which is beautiful in its simplicity. Almost unique among the fantastic platforming experiences on the PS4, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst is played in a first-person view - but still manages to pull off freerunning and Parkour in a way that feels natural and rewarding. You can lose an hour just enjoying the flow of freerunning around the city!
2. SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated
A complete remake of the original 2003 game, SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated is a welcome return of a beloved franchise, and a worthy remake of the best Spongebob game ever made. THQ Nordic has done a great job in making some of the most vibrant, beautiful levels ever found in a platformer, and there’s enough variety to keep you from ever getting bored. It’s dripping with all the charm that made the show iconic, and that alone makes it worth playing for gamers of any age.
1. Hollow Knight
The critically-acclaimed Hollow Knight is tricky, spooky, and absolutely essential platforming. Set in the solemn world of Hallownest, you play as a little bug-like knight in Metroidvania style gameplay. Other bugs will try to kill you, and let me tell you - they will succeed many times. The interconnected maps are huge and don’t require you to fully explore them to succeed, meaning you build your own experience as you play.
