Are we in a second golden age of 3D platformers?

Best 3D platformer of the past decade?

  • Total voters
    153
RetroGamingUK

RetroGamingUK

Member
A decade ago it felt like the genre was dead.

After Mario Galaxy games we got the, by comparison, meh 3D Land and World

Sonic Adventure had given way to trash like Forces and Boom.

Donkey Kong hasn't had a 3D platformer for nearly 2 decades.

Sony's 3D platformer roster had been reduced to the shooter series; Ratchet & Clank.

Crash, Spyro, Banjo, Conker were all dead and Yooka Laylee was a big flop.

Fast forward to now and the genre has been revitalised rivalling its late 90s glory days

 
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can Rift Apart even be called a platformer? I feel like it's more a third person shooter than a platformer. there's honestly more challenging platforming in Doom Eternal than in Rift Apart
 

Best 3D platformer of the past decade?

Astro Bot for me. Absolutely loved that game. One of the best games this generation, imo
 
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Need more Ratchet and Clank and maybe another big AAA Mario game.

So far Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart is the best one but there really needs to be at least one more for this gen, at least.
 
This shouldn't even be close. I'm not sure it's possible for Super Mario Odyssey to ever be topped.

EDIT: Astro Bot winning this poll says a lot about this place. :messenger_tears_of_joy:
 
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Mario Odyssey is definitely the best in my opinion, but I'd probably put Astro Bot right behind it. Astro Bot had some of the most creative levels and gimmicks, and it was just a joy to play all the way through. If the traversal mechanics in Astro Bot were more robust, like in Odyssey or Bananza, it might take the top spot.
 
Bowsers Fury has been my favorite. The way they design unfolding levels and its traversal is brilliant. Yes Fury Bowser needs some work but the framework is incredible.
 
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Astro Bot hooked me like few games have lately. Played to 100% in that game over a very short period of time. It was just fantastic.
Mario Odyssey was fine, but I tried twice to pick it up and it just didn't impress me at all.
Currently working through DK Banaza, and its very good, but not up to Astro Bot level.

I hope we continue to see more 3D platformers, its definitely been a forgotten genre the past few generations.
 
Gotta give the edge to Odyssey on this one, Bananza a close second with Astrobot in 3rd.

If astrobot:

1. Got rid of the Sony museum vibe
2. Added some horizontal jump moves/combos like Mario and incorporated them into the puzzles

it could compete for the second, but that Odyssey playground is still gonna win. These are 3 fucking badass games and everyone should play them immediately even if they hate platformers.
 
Maybe a silver age for me. Like I see a few good ones, but I see many putting nice polish on old ideas already done before to be a golden age for me.

I'm hoping over time that only leads to a better place in the next decade though, it's a genre I like alot. I'd give a lot for another actually good Spyro game.
 
Dacvak said:
Mario Odyssey is definitely the best in my opinion, but I'd probably put Astro Bot right behind it. Astro Bot had some of the most creative levels and gimmicks, and it was just a joy to play all the way through. If the traversal mechanics in Astro Bot were more robust, like in Odyssey or Bananza, it might take the top spot.
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I liked odyssey but some times those controls could drive me nuts.
 
Hard to say, I mean we've had some pretty fantastic / genre-defining ones in back to back years now (Astro Bot and DK Bananza) but prior to that you'd have to reach back to Mario Odyssey in 2017 for that tier of game. Some of the others on your list are also great games in their own right, but not quite at that level (and the Sonic games are trash).

Now if we do it three years in a row with a new 3D Mario game next year, maybe we're on to something.
 
Donkey Kong Bananza is a master of gameplay and level design. Genius.

But it would be criminal not to mention the BETTER Astro Bot game that is missing from that list- Astro Bot Rescue Mission on PSVR. Easily one of the best 3D platformers I have ever played helped by the fact it's in VR but it is SO damn good! I'd kill for a port of this to PSVR2 and even a sequel on PSVR2...
 
Banjo64 said:
Half of these are mid brother.
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Half ? you're being too kind. I've played all of them except the last DK and... in that list I'd keep
  • Sonic Frontiers
  • Psychonauts 2
  • Crash Bandicoot 4
I'm being kind for Sonic Frontiers but I really liked it. Psychonauts 2 is a classic and Crash 4 is a pure gem too. The others are mediocre to acceptable at best (like Astrobot).
 
Trogdor1123 said:
I liked odyssey but some times those controls could drive me nuts.
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That just means you need to level up your autism. Go get a few vaccines and give it another try.
 
Sonic Frontiers. Probably the best Sonic since Sonic Adventure. Cant speak for Mario or Donkey Kong as I dont buy Nintendo games. Zero interest in Astro Bot. $60 for a playstation nostalgia trip? No thanks.
 
There's also Yooka-Replaylee. I know this first game was regarded as nothing special but I think this remake looks really compelling. Movement looks more enjoyable, seems like like there is more of a focus on good platforming with additional collectibles to pursue. I'm feeling good about it. Bubsy 4D also looks awesome.
 
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Super Mario 3D World, but I think it's technically 2013. But if this is a golden age, it's only because that succulent morsel kicked it off. Hat in Time is mad underrated too.
 
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simpatico said:
Hat in Time is mad underrated too.
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the only time I tried it it felt very unpolished...
the most criminally underrated more recent platformer is Yellow Taxi goes Vroom. unique, has depth, very polished, runs well on anything, and has a great artstyle.
 
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kevboard said:
the only time I tried it it felt very unpolished...
the most criminally underrated more recent platformer is Yellow Taxi goes Vroom. unique, has depth, very polished, runs well on anything, and has a great artstyle.
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Steam version was solid when I played it. But that was no where near launch. Heard the console versions are all rough.
 
simpatico said:
Steam version was solid when I played it. But that was no where near launch. Heard the console versions are all rough.
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it was sadly one of those Unity Engine games that ran at 30fps, because Unity engine just runs like that and because Unity devs legit don't know how the engine they use actually works...
in fact, it didn't run at 30fps, it ran at 32fps, because the devs used the default Unity Engine fps lock, which was of course broken (just like the default rigidbody physics tickrate), and which the devs of course didn't notice.
 
While I think nothing has been quite as good as Mario Galaxy 1/2, yes, I feel like there's an abundance of excellent 3D platformers to play. I'm pleased at how sharp the controls have gotten, how almost everything can be run at 60 FPS, and how most developers have embraced the SMB3/Galaxy style of throwing insane mechanical and level design variety into their games.
 
Only played Bananza so i don't have a strong opinion on best one

But the more the merrier, every genre deserves a high stream of quality games per year
 
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Dacvak said:
That just means you need to level up your autism. Go get a few vaccines and give it another try.
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Christopher Lloyd Realization GIF
 
kevboard said:
damn. I guess challenging was redefined since last time I looked it up in a dictionary. the most common enemy type can't even damage you. and I only found that out 90% through the game, as I was never hit by one of them before that lol
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The optional shape levels are hard and they have some in every world
 
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BlueManifest said:
The optional shape levels are hard and they have some in every world
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they are mildly challenging in some spots. my biggest issue with them was usually the camera, because in some moments the camera is positioned suboptimally and the max turn speed is so low that adjusting it mid jump is not that easy as you have to move your thumb to the stick.

but even with those rare spots, there are normal levels in Mario Galaxy that are harder than that. not hard mind you, just harder.
 
I still don't get the appeal of Astro Bot, to be honest, but I'm glad that it was so well-received as I feel like it opened the doors to tons of devs realizing that there's still a market for 3D platformers.
 
kevboard said:
they are mildly challenging in some spots. my biggest issue with them was usually the camera, because in some moments the camera is positioned suboptimally and the max turn speed is so low that adjusting it mid jump is not that easy as you have to move your thumb to the stick.

but even with those rare spots, there are normal levels in Mario Galaxy that are harder than that. not hard mind you, just harder.
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Mario galaxy doesn't get hard until the special world after the credits, no challenge before then

Astro gives you some challenge in each world, plus more challenge after the credits

And I'm mostly talking about Nintendos most recent platformers, Mario odyssey, Mario wonder and DK bananza
I died less than 10 times in all of bananza including post credits, was really disappointed in its challenge after coming from the snes ones and the retro studios ones, its rooms were called challenge rooms and they had no challenge at all to match their name
 
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I've had fun with DK BAnanaza. But I have petered out in the 'rainbow' sublayer. IT's a bit repetitive.

I petered out on Odyssey somewhere along the lines.

Kirby Forgotten land was fine but same dealio where I had my fill after a couple of worlds or sections whatever you want to call them.

I didn't play Bowser's Fury but played 2.5d Super Mario World. NOt sure that exactly qualifies as a 3d platformer. Fun. Wii U era though ....12 years ago it came out.
 
Of course Mario Odyssey and Astrobot will lead the poll, both very overrated games 'cause they are exclusive titles

Mario Odyssey is MUCH inferior to the Galaxy titles in every way, except graphics and move set. It's piss easy and have too many moons, too unfocused.

AstroGalaxy sorry, AstroBot, is a carbon copy of the Galaxy games with a Sony coat of paint on top. Fun to play, but Jesus it's unnoriginal. Even some of the power ups are straight from Galaxy.

Split/Fiction and It Takes Two shit on more than half of this list with ease.

My vote goes to either Psychonauts 2 or Crash 4. Probably Crash 4 cause its a blast to play, innovates the fornula and has tons of content.

Psychonauts is amazing, but its much more focused on telling a story than gameplay
 
I voted for Astro Bot but Kirby and the Forgotten Land is very good and would have been my second choice
 
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I actually hate how a lot of these nu-platformers play, especially the indie ones, with the focus on "movesets" and speedrunning autism. I just don't like it. It's also a real stretch to define a golden age here lmao. The time difference between now and Odyssey is longer than the original era of 3D platformers. Odyssey was great but it's an old game at this point. Astro Bot is... good but I really don't get the hype.

I'd love a good collectathon but YL was just bad. Hopefully the remake will be a lot better.
 
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