Feature: 10 Essential Wii U And 3DS Platformers

After Rayman Legends, all other platformers pale in comparison. It's just too much fun, and the controls are so good.

@edcomics
It totally is. Fun autoscrollers, awesome music/levels, great replay value... it just can't be beat.

I love platformers. A Wii U highlight was certainly Yoshi's Woolly World - there was just something about it that made me keep coming back.

Good list! But I will swap Megaman for Azure Striker Gunvolt

Platformers are my favorite genre, the original Super Mario trilogy was my first introduction into video games. I can not recommend the 3D Land/World games enough! They are amazing! But is it just me or have some of the recent Mario games been a little too easy?

"Essential". Right. There aren't even 5 essential platformers this gen, let alone 10, the 2D, linear style platformers have for the most part run out of ideas, instead option to just be collections of new levels with no new mechanics or interesting quirks, and the 3D collectathon style is nonexistent right now, with Yooka-Laylee being the first proper collectathon in a decade. Needless to say, I'm extremely underwhelmed by the genre this gen, I expected much more. Kirby Planet Robobot is good and Mario Maker is passable, but the rest can easily be forgotten once the next iteration of them does exactly the same thing.

@Dawn-Shade I'm with you on that one

@NintyFan IKR! I think DKCTF is WAY better than NSMBU in gameplay, graphics, soundtrack and everything ! But I hope Retro will make a new IP for Switch or maybe new Metroid

Really not that keen on 2D platformers, especially the very stale NSMB series where one entry looks almost identical to the next. The only essential game on this list is imo Rayman Legends. Everyone with a console should no matter what at least have tried out this amazing game and its predecessor.

I love platformers but ended up never getting Yoshi Wooly World after watching a friend play it. The art was cute, but everything else about it looked mediocre. The lack of difficulty wouldn't be an issue of the gameplay wasn't so passive, and I hated the completely abitrary invisible switches for collectables.

I loved 3D World though, and appreciated how it was just 3D platforming, not collecting junk in a 3D environment like some other allegedly 3D platforming games.

Shovel Knight is just amazing all around.

Not really sure there's much call for a top 10 when nothing misses out on it. Rayman Legends was the top pick for me. Utterly amazing game. Mario 3D Land was also great, but 3D World was a bit of a let down, despite being so close. That was the problem for me. There's room for so much more scope and ambition on a console, and it may as well have just been on the handheld if not for the HD resolution.

Super Mario maker 3ds.
Amazon.co.uk for 28 pounds.

Fantastic games

Those are all good games. The only thing here that disappoints me is that there's so few 3D platformers these days. Other than Super Mario 3D Land and World, these are all 2D platformers. I'm hoping that someday 3D platformers will become popular again, and I'm still excited for the upcoming Yooka Laylee game.

Out of them all. I enjoyed super Mario 3D land the most.

DKC: Tropical Freeze is easily my favorite of these. I'm glad this article didn't say "Well, it should have been Metroid."

Love all of them - but never bought Megaman Legacy cause it was released in Europe and because it doesn't have as many games as the anniversary edition. Would have been great if the collection would consist of Megaman 1-10.

@2CUTE4YOU there is also the fact you could have just become so accustomed to them that your just very good at them not. Though its to bad they didn't mention new super luigi u, that had more difficulty for some level's.

Giana Sisters is a surprisingly decent platformer that I'd recommend for the Wii U.

Every single spot should just be filled with Shovel Knight really. An incredible game just by itself, and the continuous addition of entirely new campaigns make it the best investment I've ever made in a video game. Seriously, if you have ever even had the slightest interest in platformers, you owe it to yourself to play this game

One day I will go back to "Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze" and finish it. I completed the Wii game and I want to complete this one. It really is one of the most hardcore platformers I ever played.

Only one I still need to get is Shovel Knight

btw - DKC:TF is easily my favourite 2d platformer to date. It's so perfect in every way.

@UK-Nintendo

Damn straight. I've replayed that game maybe 8 times. It's the most pure-fun platformer for me in ages.

I declare today "Back To The Feature". XD

audience groans

I haven't played the full list, but a special shout-out to the underrated Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and to Super Mario 3D Land!

Just here to make sure DKCTF made it. Ya did good.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is the greatest 2D platformer of all time.

Not just the best on Wii U, not just the best of the 8th generation... there is not a single 2D platformer in existence that can top it. And to attest to that fact, just read all the comments above mine from people who have played the game.

@edcomics @GoldenGamer88
I've played Rayman Legends, and it's definitely one of the best 2D platformers this generation. The only other platformers that can top it are DKC Tropical Freeze and New Super Mario Bros U. And if you haven't played those games, I highly recommend you do so. DKC is one of the only games I've ever played I could call perfect, and wouldn't change a single ledge or pit. And as for New Super Mario Bros U, just because there's a couple other games made in the same style, don't think that makes it any less fun to play. NSMBU is a huge cut above the rest- the other three pale in comparison

Woolly World & 3D World for me

I've kept trying to go back to Rayman, and it's fun and a beautiful game, but there's something odd about it, that I just can't fall in love with. 3D Land is great, but World with its co-op cats just has it beat.

Tropical Freeze and Shovel Knight are also great, but again, I can't commit to finishing them, maybe one day.

One of the few lists where I have all games.

I am currently playing thru Rayman Legends. It really feels like a modern Earthworm Jim without the guns, from art style to music to stage design and humour, but having its own stamp as a co op platformer.

@edcomics I personally like Tropicall Freeze more because is more challenging.

@JaxonH Wow. I love the game, but am I the only one who thought DKCR was better?

I need to redownload Tropical Freeze, I deleted it for Pikmin 3. My favorite 3D platformer might be 3D Land, those bonus levels got haaard, but I did it and got all the star coins, it drew me in so much.

Kirby: Triple Deluxe
Kirby: Planet Robobot
Shovel Knight
Yumi's Odd Odyssey
Yoshi's Woolly World
Super Mario 3D World
Super Mario Maker

Dang, these games I'll love the Wii U and 3DS for...

@edcomics As good as Rayman Legends was for me, Shovel Knight, Triple Deluxe, and Yumi's Odd Odyssey make the decision on which is better tied for me.

Tropical Freeze is more overrated than underrated. All of its "improvements" are incredibly minor and it's really not that much of a step forward for the series. All it did was bring back some mechanics from the classic trilogy and, like every other platformer on this list, focus on levels and level gimmicks instead of new mechanics.

The genre in general's been so stale this gen. Every game on this list is just go from A to B, from level to level, fighting a boss at the end and then moving onto the next world until you reach the end. Rinse and repeat 50 times. Boring. We really need a game that does for platformers what Sun and Moon is currently doing for Pokemon, something that really shakes up tired conventions and feels fresh. Hopefully Mario Switch is doing exactly that, it looks promising from what little we've seen of it.

@Dr_Corndog
Lol maybe...

Don't get me wrong, I love DKC Returns, but it had difficulty spikes in the cavern world (world 3 or 4?) and was overall much more typical. Not to say the worlds were all typical, just... more typical than Tropical Freeze. I did love the tar pit dinosaur world and the 7th world of blue/red switches.

But with Tropical Freeze, it was a breath of fresh air. Autumn leaves and frozen tropical islands, 3D minecart and barrel segments, balanced difficulty (and no Nunchuk needed to roll, which the 3DS version of Returns addressed but had a horrible frame rate).

The levels in Tropical Freeze were so perfectly balanced for time trials... it still amazes me how excellent the level design was. That said, Returns is my 2nd favorite platformer of all time, right behind TF.

3D WORLD THE BEST WITH THE HOMIE TOAD IN THE CAT SUIT THAT I WOULD LOVE TO FONDLE!

Great list. I've played 8/10 of these (not yet got round to Kirby and Rayman) and they're all great fun.

I really wish we see the return of 3D platformers with the Switch, however.

@JamesR

I know! I've just recently come back to it in an attempt to 100% it, and it's so much fun! Pure joy, like all Nintendo EAD developed titles.

Both DK and Rayman beat Mario this generation, Tropical Freeze and Legends are fantastic games.

If I may suggest an honorable mention (or two): Gunman Clive 1 & 2.

Woolly World all the way.

Great list! The Shantae games are also platformers to check out

Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze and Rayman Legends are the two best platformers of the generation!!!

I also put Super Mario 3D land for third place.

I suck at platformers and have 7 of these bad boys.

Ohh yeah Shovel Knight is also fantastic!

Nintendo should be aware with some 3rd party Platformer. While some 3rd party platformer can deliver Full Dynamic Camera Angle (Let's say Kao the Kangaroo Round 2) Super Mario 3D Land / 3D World can't deliver that full dynamic camera angle (Mario Galaxy deliver full dynamic camera angle but looks different with 3rd party switching view). Only Super Mario 64 and the remake on NDS deliver full dynamic camera angle.

@Anti-Matter also super Mario sunshine

@Bolt_Strike i am with you man. The 2 smb games on wii u are pretty crappy standard affairs that do nothing for the genre. I was soooo disappointed when i got thw first mario game on wii u to find out it was just a hd rip off of smb 3 from nes - i mean wtf!

The only game on this list worth being on it is shovel knight, but i have not played rayman.

Had the Megaman collection been on Wii U I would have bought it in a flash.

@bolt05 I agree. The two SMBU were both a rip-off. Rayman Legend was much better.

I can believe people trashing nsmbu. They not as good as others, but they are fun and solid controls and more levels. Nothing wrong with that.
I also own every game on that list. All great games. Shovelknight was def my personal favorite.

@UK-Nintendo
Oh, yes. I forgot about Mario Sunshine.

@bolt05 What I'm saying is that that's the entire genre, the genre is just going nowhere right now. They're just recycling the formulas in new levels and they all feel like an indistinguishable blur. This lineup really needed a 64/Sunshine/Galaxy like experience. Not just because they're not linear platformers, but because those games weren't allergic to originality.

Oh, about 10 essential Platformer. Sadly, only 2 titles I played (Mario 3D Land and 3D World) from 10 titles. Also, those 3D Mario games still not so temptating enough compared with Mario Galaxy. I mean, something missing, too repetitive, needs some fresh ideas.

@JaxonH
I agree, New Super Mario Bros Wii U is the best of the series. This game is brutal and appears daunting as you play through it because I believe it might be the most difficult but also rewarding of the series.

@Bolt_Strike I think people love TF because is a classic sequel, beeing Returns again,an already excelent game, but with better graphics, music, an overall more interesting level design and more ways to play it. A sequel doen't need to be 100% different, but also not the exact same, and TF is not the exat same. DKC 2 for example is a classic and is not completely different from DKC 1.

For the price I think Gunman Clive 1 and 2 could have been close to making the list as well. One of my favorite platformers on the system along with Castlevania 3d which seemed to make a bad name for itself but in fact is awesome

@Oscarzxn TF is pretty close to being exactly the same. The mechanics are pretty much the same, the only real difference being that they brought back swimming and grabbing/throwing from the Classics and that they introduced new characters. Not exactly game changers there. You're still going through levels exactly the same, using the same abilities over and over, collecting the same items, progressing the same way. And if you're doing all of that the same as the last game, how can you call it a good game that's fulfilling its purpose to entertain?

But again, it's not just Tropical Freeze. The entire genre is becoming painfully formulaic, there's been so many games that are just taking the same approach and it's just tiring. Go through a 2D level from A to B jumping across obstacles, hopping on enemies, and getting to the goal. Unlock the next level and do the exact same thing over again. Go through all the levels in that world until you reach the boss, then unlock the next world. There's no attempt to shake up conventions, no expanding on the characters' abilities, no changing the dynamic of the level design, no changing the progression system, none of that.

Again, I have to compare to Pokemon here. For a while, Pokemon had a lot of complaints of rehashing, primarily because of how they handled the Pokemon League system and the evil teams. Now, the Pokemon series did have some elements that made each game feel unique, various features and side quests did differentiate the games a bit, but that didn't really help the situation for some people. The core formula just felt repetitive after several games. So now in Sun and Moon they've actually addressed some issues with the formula with changes such as replacing gyms with Trials, replacing HMs with Poke Ride, etc., and the games have been very well received because of it. Now, the platforming genre is in a similar situation. New games do some minor things like a gimmicky ability or an interesting level gimmick, but the games are all feeling repetitive because they're all following the same formula and people are getting tired of it.

@Bolt_Strike "And if you're doing all of that the same as the last game, how can you call it a good game that's fulfilling its purpose to entertain?"

Well, if the last game was good ...

I hear you about innovation, but many find classic, familiar platforming entertaining. Obviously some (like yourself) are growing tired of it. But as long as sales are strong ...

Good list. I'll throw in a few more Wii U games for the sake of discussion: Trine 2, Child of Light, Guacamelee!, DuckTales Remastered, Shantae, Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush.

Good list. I'd add Cave Story for the 3ds and Guacamelee! for the WiiU.

Super Mario Maker ftw! But, also I'd like to add Runner 2.

@JaxonH Played both of these. I've already voiced my distaste for the NSMB series (yes, they are good games but technically always the same game minus the 4 player multiplayer for the handheld titles). Tropical Freeze was great, too, just like DKCR and the original trilogy, but I don't know, the only 2D platformers that keep me coming back to them are Origins and Legends. It may be my always full backlog, the fact that I grew up with N64 and GC where 2D games were a rarity or that I am just bad at most of these. For whatever reason, this kinda genre just doesn't make me feel truly invested.

I checked Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze and Rayman Legends and those prices are a little higher than labelled unless the advertisement of low prices impacted the sales enough to change them before I made it to Amazon.

@edcomics Came here to post exactly that!
Rayman Legends is the best 2D platformer of the last 5 years or even more, period! Graphics, controls, level design, music, the whole package! Utterly fantastic! I hope there's a new one coming soon for Switch maybe?

@JaxonH Yeah. DKCTR was really awesome, but gets overlooked because it is a 2d platformer and most people don't consider them to be serious games. I would probably put the Swapper on this list too.

@GoldenGamer88
I love platformers- the truly excellent ones anyways. But I don't play them often. Most of my time is spent with all the other genres that exist... JRPG's (Final Fantasy XV, Xenoblade X, Lost Odyssey), Western RPG's (Dragon Age Inquisition, Skyrim Remastered, Witcher 3), 3rd and 1st person shooters (Titanfall 2, Gears of War 4, Doom), various Nintendo games (Paper Mario Color Splash, Pokémon Sun/Moon, Mario Maker), SRPG's (Fire Emblem Fates, Valkyria Chronicles, X-COM 2), VR games (Robinson The Journey, Eagle Flight, DriveClub VR), racers (Mario Kart 8, Forza Horizon 3, Burnout Paradise), Fighters (Street Fighter V, King of Fighters XIV, Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3), and so on.

But maybe 3 or 4 times a generation, a truly remarkable platformer drops on the scene. Those I always make time for.

@Bolt_Strike i agree except for shovel knight. That game is pretty original.

@TG1 but the sales arent nor werent strong...

Shantae and the Pirates Curse and Shovel Knight are the best 2D platformers I've played in years.

Would have been a better article of you restricted it to Third Party games only - Imagine how much more interesting this would have been to read (and write) about Steamworld Heist, Azure Striker, Gunvolt, Runbow, BoxBoy, Fractured Soul...

These may not have the appeal Mario and DK, but at least it would offer something a little different from reading about those franchises for the gajillionth time.

For me, DK:TF and rayman are way above the rest.
There are lots of good games in that list and I've enjoyed all the Wii u ones with the exception of shovel knight (I'll get round to that soon😉). However the only 2 games I'd call 'special' were rayman and DK. They were simply the most original, fun, rewarding and perfectly crafted games of their type I've ever played and I couldn't think of a way they could be better. Both even have incredible soundtracks!! Hard to choose between them but I'd probably say if I could have played only one, I'd pick DK:TF as I remember distinctly the the buzz of getting to 100% being just so satisfying, hard but rewarding game!

@ULTRA-64 100% this

For once, a mostly good NL list. Rayman Legends is better on other platforms, though.

Rayman Legends is my most favourite game, ever (PC version).
It has so much content, so much heart and soul put into the presentation and good lord, the controls are so responsive. Everyone should own this game on one platform or another.

You're advertising a link to buy Megaman Legends physical in the UK, when it won't even play on EU consoles? Desperate for ad money?

Everyone needs to play Yoshi's Woolly World.

@KIREEK Yeah, I highly recommend Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams too, it's great fun really easy on the eye. A unique platformer too.

Bit Trip Runner 2 never gets mentioned, but I think it may be the pinnacle of what an auto runner can be. And it is really, really pretty to look at.

I agree with this list; these are essential. One of my favs is Rayman Origins on 3DS. Also Steamworld Dig, of course.

My favorite genre by far. I will only add Shantae to the list. I wish there were more 2d platformers on 3DS.
It's Yumi's any good? @StephenYap3

Edit: How could I forget about BoxBoy. Another gem.

Rayman Legends, 3D World, Legacy Collection and Shovel Knight were great games. The only platformer on the list that i think is JUST good is Yoshi Woolly World. The music was too boring for me to play it beyond finishing the main game.

@Mahe that's a strange thing to say!?! The game has been universally praised for embracing the Wii u hardware to great effect. Obviously everyone has their own preference, but I'm really curious to know your reasoning on why it's better on other platforms as it's such an unusual opinion in this case?

@Billsama Yumi's Odd Odyssey may not pop with everybody, but it's one of my personal favorite 3DS platformers. You use a fishing roe to grapple onto surfaces to get to and fro, as well as combat enemies with it. I haven't 100%ed it yet due to its high challenge, but I got my full money's worth in the end (was originally $29.99 before being permanently cut down to $19.99).

The only other platformer I'd be playing that is as good as that (as far ss 3DS and Wii U games go) would be Super Mario Maker, Yoshi's Woolly World, Shovel Knight, and Kirby Triple Deluxe (Planet Robobot was amazing, but not as amazing as TD in my book).

@ULTRA-64 I don't know where you've seen that "universal" praise? I haven't read NL's own review, maybe there? But whatever the case, the Gamepad features are a blight on an otherwise good game. It would have been a travesty against gaming if this had only been a Wii U exclusive.

Does Freedom Planet count as a Platformer?

Lol, I still don't have rayman legends. I was burned by the whole multi plat fiasco and then had other games to play by the time it came out.

I have all these except Planet Robobot.

@bolt05 "but the sales arent nor werent strong..."

Really?

Given the Wii U's lower installed based, I'd say some of the sales #'s are especially strong. Overall this list is made up of more strong sellers than not.

Why didn't they add the Megaman Legacy collection to the Wii U wtf?

@Mahe the consensus that the game was better on Wii u was picked up from multiple reviews. I spend allot of time on metacritic 😉
I guess it just comes down to personal preference really. Assuming the views I read were based on the features you prefer not to have, it's obvious you wouldn't come to the same conclusion. There's nothing wrong with that. I 100%ed the game on Wii u and then later helped a friend on on an Xbox one and found it had ,imo , over simplified the element of skill in co-op play. That timing of a button press was easier that sliding a block up for example and I liked the difficulty harder. So long as you enjoyed the game like I did, who cares eh? 😁

@edcomics I never thought I'd say that Mario pales in comparison to any platformer, but in this case you're right Rayman Legends was off the charts!!!

@2CUTE4YOU Yes they have been too easy (except 3D Land where the first 8 worlds were WAY TOO EASY and then it ramped up quickly for the last 8 worlds) but that's why I loved Super Luigi

Cave Story? No Cave Story?

@bolt05 It's a new IP, it's got that going for it, but beyond that what exactly is groundbreaking about Shovel Knight (except you know, literal groundbreaking)? It's a standard platformer, all of Shovel Knight's abilities have been done before, the map has been done before, what's really original about that?

@edgedino Yeah, that about sums it up. I picked up Super Mario All Stars recently, and just now tried it over the weekend with my Dad. We sucked. Apparently, classic Mario was far more difficult than we remembered.

@Bolt_Strike The whole shovel-knight concept is original, its the hook. It drew me in and millions of others which is arguably the most successful platformer in at least several years then I'm not so sure that platformers are your genre man. Heck Nintendo made the only non-Nintendo amiibo out of a shovel knight. Shovel Knight is witty and funny and enjoyable to play alone or co-op.

You can only innovate jumping across platforms so far, the genre is based on a simple concept but all genres are. You cant tell me every other game genre like FPS and RPG have abrely had innovation this decade either. At least shovelly brought some fresh giggles to the scene.

@Bolt_Strike Cool man I respect that. For the same reason i am extremely choosey with RPGs nowadays. i know what I like, except I prefer traditional RPGS that are narrative driven with characters you care about. Chrono trigger and Seiken 3 are the last of the best RPGS, and not much else since then has been able to improve upon that formula, and to be honest their best qualities were their dynamic story lines, the game play mattered but got you through to the next bit of story.