10 Best Platformers on Nintendo Switch (2024)

Some of the best platformers on Nintendo Switch are cult-classics you may have played before but revamped for the modern day. Alternatively, you’ll find some excellent brand-new platformers that put a unique twist on tried-and-tested mechanics. Developers are often pushing the envelope of the norm, allowing you to experience exciting new takes on the genre. So, if you’re looking to challenge yourself to some running and dashing across stages, here are the best platformers on Nintendo Switch that are worth your time.

What is a Platformer Game?

A platformer game is a branch of action games where the goal is to move a character from point A to B. Between the points, the environment will be packed with obstacles and enemies to fight. Most of all, the obstacles will require jumping and climbing levels of varying heights, with precision at the forefront of the mechanics, as well as avoiding falling into spike traps or pitfalls. While retro games often used side-scrolling 2D levels, modern games have transitioned into creating fully-fledged 3D worlds.

Best Platformers on Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch is prime with lots of platformers. However, these best platformers on Nintendo Switch stand tall above the rest.

10. Kaze and the Wild Masks

Play as Kaze, a rabbit on a quest to save her friend Hogo. However, you’ll need to get past some pretty menacing vegetables that want to eat you alive. Overall, the presentation draws inspiration from 90s classics. Yet it still retains a unique flavor and charm. The visuals are vibrant, with exciting challenges and diverse biomes. Whether you’re soaring in the air, sprinting across varying platforms, or swimming through shark-infested seas, Kaze and the Wild Masks remains constantly refreshing.

9. Cuphead

Cuphead really turned a lot of us on our heads with its distinct charm and aesthetic. It did what few platformers manage to do: standing out from the sea of similarly-looking and mechanically generic games. At its core, the game is a classic run-and-gun action-packed adventure. You’ll fight lots of enemies and bosses in the spectacular 1930s cartoon aesthetic. And when you want to switch things up, you can always play as Mugman, scooping up weapons, explore strange worlds, and pay off your debt to the devil.

8. Mega Man 11

Mega Man has been around for quite a while, and Mega Man 11 only elevates the experience. It’s still a side-scrolling spree, with tons of platforming and a deep gear system. However, the art style looks better, and Mega Man himself is quicker on his feet. Moreover, you wield more power as you take on the robotic enemies coming your way.

7. Celeste

Celeste won lots of awards and stole many gamers’s hearts. It’s simply far more than a platformer, incorporating an emotionally-provoking story to boot. You play as Madeline, who needs your help to get to the top of Celeste Mountain. But Madeline has issues: anxiety and depression. And when you face the high-precision and tight-platforming sections of the game, your mental health will be stretched thin. Still, you’ll overcome your struggles, syncing gloriously with beating the game.

6. Ori and the Will of the Wisps

An owlet needs your help battling the dangers of an alien world. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is perfect for gamers looking to explore a different world where fantasy and towering enemies are everyday concepts. Can you help Ori discover her true destiny?

5. Rayman Legends

Rayman Legends is a return to the classics while revamping graphics and gameplay. But the core charm of the series remains, with Rayman, Globox, and the Teensies back at it again. When they walk into a mysterious tent and discover paintings that open up into entire worlds, well, it’s all uphill from there.

4. A Hat In Time

If you’re looking for a cute game to soothe the soul, you can check out A Hat in Time. It focuses on a little girl stitching hats for a living. However, these aren’t just normal hats; they unlock exciting powers. Set out on an epic journey, exploring vast worlds and recovering Time Pieces that unlock new space adventures.

3. Super Mario Maker 2

Most platformers are made possible by Super Mario, and Super Mario Maker 2 is just one way to scratch the itch for the cult classics. You can create your own courses that unleash brain-teasing challenges. But even without user-created courses, you’ll find over 100 courses in single-player story mode. Alternatively, you can take on multiplayer with friends locally or online. So, what are you waiting for? Push your wild imagination in one of the best platformers on Nintendo Switch to date.

2. Yoshi's Crafted World

Yoshi is an extension of Super Mario Adventures, with Yoshi’s Crafted World sending you to repair the Sundream Stone. You’ll platform across world-standard hand-crafted levels packed with treasure and exciting collectibles. The levels vary a great deal, with exotic islands made from cartons, paper, and all manner of crazy stuff. But watch out for Bowser and Kamek racing against you on your grand treasure hunt. Can you retrieve all the magical gems of the Sundream Stone? Can you stop baby Bowser and Kamek from getting to the gems first and stealing them?

1. Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Another Super Mario platformer that’s a must-play is Super Mario Bros. Wonder. It lets you switch characters from Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, and even the Toads. Each character has different skills and abilities, keeping your playthrough fresh. This can be the perfect starting point for beginners. Soon, though, the adventure expands into in-depth systems. You’ll unlock wild power-ups that let you drill through platforms or transform into an elephant and use your trunk to beat enemies. Every level is an uphill climb toward earning higher badges and unlocking new, exciting powers.

So, what's your take? Do you agree with our best platformers on Nintendo Switch? Are there more platformer games we should know about? Let us know over on our socials here.