10 Platformer Video Games Nobody Admits Are Better Than Mario

Let's not beat around the pixelated bush: The games industry has a pro-Nintendo bias.

That's the only reason games like Breath of the Wild can get perfect scores, and why aggressively mediocre games like Kirby Star Allies have a 73% on Metacritic. Nintendo simply gets a pass despite being stuck in the past, rarely crafting exciting new IP.

The best possible example of said bias is the company's mascot, Mario. To be clear, almost all of the Super Mario games are great, they're just nowhere near as good as you're led to believe. In fact, there are many better platformers out there, and many on the Switch alone that are better than any of Mario's.

[SIANSLOW]

Or a company that has made and sold more games than any other company might actually know how to make games

[Xasthirion]

By your logic, Marvel movies are cinematic masterpieces and Justin Bieber is our Lord and saviour.

Sales numbers do not a good game make.

[EDKICK]

They do also have like 4 of the 5 highest rated 3D platformers of all time (64, Galaxy 1 & 2, Odyssey) and two of the greatest 2D platformers of all time (3, and World) plus the platformers that saved the industry. So let's not act like they're all sales no quality.

[Retroman]

Ratchet and Clank, Jax and Daxter, Sly Cooper better platformer. in my "Personal" opinion.

[KeenBean345]

Sly Cooper is such an underrated series, games are great fun.

[fr0sty]

My current favorite is Astro Bot. It brought some fresh new mechanics into the genre that are only possible in VR, which breathed new life into the genre for me. Plus the aesthetic and soundtrack are awesome.

[SCW1982]

Best 2D platformer of all time is Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze. Hollow Knight is also phenomenal but thats more than just a platformer as well.

[PhantomTommy]

I assume the people voting you down have never played Tropical Freeze. Yes, it is absolutely one of the best 2D platformers ever made. Celeste, Tropical Freeze and Rayman Legends are the top three for me, though Mario Bros 3 and World aren't far behind. Can't think of too many 3D platformers In the same class as the 3D Mario stuff but To the Top on PSVR comes pretty damn close.

[Positivelypositive]

A hat in time is amazing. If you want a really good 3D platformer it really does fill the 3D mario style void.
Its to bad the newest Ratchet and clank was a remake. A crack in time and tools of destruction took R&C to a new level that was downgraded in the PS4 game. Still a fun play but no candle to the final PS3 saga games.

[Juusterey]

Don't be one of those people
"If you disagree with me you don't can't have played the game"

[drpepperdude]

Huge DKC fan of the original 3, I had Tropical Freeze preordered on the Wii U since it's announcement. I thought the game was very disappointing and after beating it (years ago) I don't feel the need to ever replay it or hundred percent any of the levels. I never played returns so maybe that's why I was more disappointed than I should have been. It just seemed like none of the enemies had any originality. I also didn't like the weight/physics of the gameplay compared to the original games. Also I would call this game 2.5D rather than 2D.

[SCW1982]

Never tried To the Top. Might have to give it a shot.

[Concertoine]

+1 for DKCTF. Returns is good, probably not better than most mario games. TF is still the best platformer ive played. Praying for a new DK.

[WOLFofWALLSTREET]

Rayman Legends

[Yi-Long]

Super Meat Boy, Hollow Knight and Sonic the Hedgehog 1 & 2 (and Mania) are all amazing to me.

My favourite Mario platformer is Super Mario World, which is still gorgeous, and just fantastic to play.

All of these games are tremendous in their own way, but I wouldn't really put 1 of them above any of the others I listed.

[FanboySpotter]

-deleted-

[FanboySpotter]

Nothing comes near mario maker numbers. Mario maker 2 is close and I'm exciteddd

[Fluttershy77]

No. Mario as a series is the King of platforming, of course now and then you have an excellent platformer that you can compare with a Mario game, but Nintendo games are always the standard of quality.
You can't compare Ratchet and Clank with Mario 64, because one was the first of its kind, AND its the definitive 3D platformer, and established how all games from then on should be... And the other one appear like 5 years later
- The Messenger, Super Meat Boy You can't compare them with Mario Platformers Because they are SO different... Nintendo never tried to do something in the style of The Messenger.

[Fluttershy77]

Mario and Nintendo are the kings of platforming: 2D and 3D... The only one I accept that has come close to it is Rayman Legends, to my surprise...
But this article is a joke: comparing indie games with Nintendo games? Come on!
And Tropical freeze is a Nintendo game, they were there through the whole process (same when the series was made by Rare) so of course is Excellent.
And you can't compare Ratchet and Clank with Mario 64, one was revolutionary and set the gold standard for future games - to the point that to this day some people thing is the best platformer ever, and even it's the most popular speedrun game - and the other one is a fine , excellent platformer (released 6 years later)

[PhoenixUp]

I wish Nintendo would flex their talent and make some non Mario 3D platformers

[SegaGamer]

I'll get downvoted I'm sure, but I completely agree. Mario has become oversaturated. People moan at Sega for relying on Sonic games and they moan about Microsoft when it comes to Gears, Halo and Forza, but Nintendo have such a ridiculous amount of Mario games or games featuring Mario that it's laughable that they don't get the same criticism.

On the Switch they must have about 10 games that are Mario games or feature Mario in them. The console has only been out for 2 years.

It's why I have become bored of Mario and never really taken to Mario games. They overuse the series.

[KeenBean345]

The majority of the games listed are definitely not better than Mario games. The only ones listed that come close are Rayman Legends and Tropical Freeze, maybe throw an honourable mention at Ori and Celeste as well. All are fantastic games but to say they are better than Mario platformers is a big stretch.

Cant help but feel there is some heavy bias here. You talk about Nintendo getting a free pass and using that as justification for why their games genuinely review highly, which isn't true. Nintendo games are filled with charm, innovation and have been consistent for decades, and sales reflect that. The main gripe with Kirby is that it is stupidly short. For a full price game it's insulting to be a couple hours long but the game itself is very good and easily earns it's 73%.

Maybe it's not a free pass but it's the fact that their games are just very well made and stand the test of the time? Wouldn't surprise me to see people using this argument against Sony in the coming years as they are building a reputation like Nintendo of always releasing quality, well made games.

[NotanotherReboot]

Glad Rayman is finally getting the praise he deserves

[franwex]

Wow 11 pages for that? Ok

Anyway some of those games are really good. I would add Owl Boy to that or Rocket Knight or even Genesis Sonic games.

But there’s still not as good as Mario Bros. 3. The power ups, the different worlds make it a masterpiece even today.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

Rayman better

[Steppenwolfmother]

Personally none of those are better than my favourite Mario games. And I wouldn’t call Rayman Legends the best platformer of all time at all. But it’s your opinion to have, I just disagree

[King_Noctis]

This article sound like it was written by a N4G member. Nintendo had made multiple new IPs in the past and recently including games like Splatoon, Xenoblade, Arms, Town, alongside other third party exclusives such as Astral Chain and Mario+Rabbids.

These so called “journalists” should have already been awared of this.

[silkylove]

So he's going to include Mega Man 2 but exclude SMB 3, Super Mario World, Yoshi's Island and Mario 64? Seems like he's purposefully avoiding those seminal platformers because they would counter his narrative.

[Positivelypositive]

This is a 2D platformers list.

I have played and enjoyed every single game on this list. I loved each one for what it was and had a blast!

Still:

Celeste is pretty much the only one I agree does it better though that might just have been the amazing story that hooked me in so deep.

I am glad mario has never shifted to the metriodvania genre. That type of format does not help make the platforming Fun. Its mostly mazes and jumping up or down with very little variety in the actual jumping. I want to be thrown around the level and land on crazy weird platforms. I want to find secrets like super mario world did so amazing. Metroidvania cannot compete with mario level design at all.

I am also extremely glad Mario has never shifted to make the combat more important than the platforming. That to me is what will always keep mario on top as a "platformer". Its pure, its fun. Never change.(though I would love for them to shift up the bowser format, Add a new villains and force mario into world types he has never been to before)

Mario platformers sell me on nintendo systems every time. I am sad there has not been a new one accounts. One port I already played on the Wii U. New Mario Maker which I do not find any appeal in. I heard this one has a story mode so I might rent it. I want another 3d new platformer on the switch and another new 2D one. I would also love a new 3D donkey kong game. That right there is a bunch of wasted potential.

Also A hat in time is amazing. If you want to play pure platforming fun. It really is the 3D match for Mario.

[Tross]

Another one of those one item per page articles? Argh!

[fonger08]

I love whatculture YouTube videos particularly on movies and tv, their video game videos are heavily influenced by PlayStation games (which are great and all) but when they stray from the PS topics they definitely lose me.

[Platformgamer]

crash and spyro in primis

[Sgt_Slaughter]

"Let's not beat around the pixelated bush: The games industry has a pro-Nintendo bias."

Immediately didn't go further than that. I expect clickbait and exaggeration from WhatCulture in both wrestling and gaming at this point.

[Imortus_san]

Rayman Legends is number 1 for me.

[SinkingSage]

Rayman 2: The Great Escape.

[GOULDYBOBS]

Breath of the wild was a masterpiece

[Pooker100]

No platformers will ever beat the 3D Mario platformers but Trine, Donkey Kong, Cuphead, and Inside are all better than the recent 2D ones.

[Chumdiddy]

Completely true. Re-skin most Nintendo 1st party games and they'd immediately fall 1-2 points in reviee score. They can make some amazing games but they also make more mediocre games passed off as great games than anyone.

[Neonridr]

what? Don't tell me that Mario Odyssey felt the same as Galaxy. Don't say that Galaxy was the same as Sunshine, etc. Usually every game involves new mechanics and ways to play. Sure it's a platformer, so how can you deviate much from that. But Nintendo has proven time and time again that Mario is king when it comes to these types of games. Each one is always up for GOTY and receive countless praise and awards. Not hard to see why they are considered some of the best when they perform as some of the best.

That being said, there are tons of great platformers out there, but to say an entire series is better than the Mario series? I would raise my eyebrow at such a statement.

[Bleucrunch]

Maaan Mario 64 was the titan, after that the maybe Mario Galaxy the others were just decent. As far as better platformers:

Ratchet and Clank
Kid Chaemelon
Comic Zone
Spyro the Dragon
Sly Cooper
Donkey Kong Country
Hallow Knight (A beautiful GAME IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF)
Sonic (1,2,3)
Sonic and Knuckles
Sonic Adventure
Earthworm Jim (1&2)
Vector Man

OMG there is sooo much though, I will stop here and let you all sink in the aforementioned.....

[EDKICK]

If we're talking 2D platformers, Mario 3 and Super Mario World are still the king's of the genre imo. But the modern Mario platformers are solid if a bit safe and boring (the "new" series specifically) and have definitely been surpassed by a number of modern 2D platformers: Hollow Knight, DKC Tropical Freeze, DKC Returns, Celeste, Inside, Super Meatboy, Cuphead, Ori, Rayman Legends, Rayman Origins, Guacamelee 1 & 2, Shovel Knight, The Messenger.

However with 3D I'm sure anything is really dethroning Mario... I mean Super Mario 64, Galaxy, Galaxy 2, even Odyssey are all top 10 all time in the genre arguably top 5 and don't fall in the sameyness trap of the "New" series. I also have a personal love of Mario Sunshine and for the hate the "New" series gets even from me 3D World is pretty fantastic. Apart from a couple really good Ratchet and Clank games and Banjo I'm not sure anything is even close to the top 4 3D Mario game honestly.