Feature: Best Nintendo Switch 3D Platformers

Did Fe ever get a physical release? It looks lovely.

Is there a glitch with your Amazon links or are you really trying to sell games with that huge markup?

Snake Pass and Human Fall Flat are very reasonably priced....

fe is garbage

Yet another unnecessary list. So many of those games are mediocre and we don’t even have A Hat in Time yet.

Why is it that whenever Crash is mentioned nintendolife feels the need to put the game down and make unnecessary fanboy comments against it?
"This is definitely worth a look if you're a fan of 3D platformers, but just as was the case back in the '90s, Crash isn't in quite the same league as Mario when it comes to playability, inventiveness and entertainment. "
Just like they did in their review of the game.

Is it just me or are some of those affiliated links rediculusly over priced

Snake Pass is a definite go for me. I definitely hope for a sequel.

Now if Mushroom Men ever get a sequel too...

Breath of the wild!

@FragRed Pretty sure the games that are crazy expensive had are eShop only games that had very limited physical copies sold. So they are pretty rare and expensive.

Ahhhh, Snake Pass... the origin of icon-gate.

"Please note that some of the links on this page are affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale... "
Snake Pass - $149,95
Human Fall Flat - $179,99

Nice try, Nintendo Life, nice try.😎

"Just like Vanessa Williams"

raises eyebrow

Yooka laylee and snake pass? Yeah no

I wouldn’t really call captain toad a 3d platformer

Love snake Pass! Enjoyed it more then Yooka-laylee.

But what about Spyro Reigni--

Oh, wait...

Not much question about which of these games should come out on top.

...

Obviously I'm talking about Poi, an utterly indisputable masterpiece of 3D platforming. Unquestionably the best 3D platformer to release on October 24, 2017.

@1UP_MARIO Captain Toad isn't really a 3D platformer, it's more of a puzzle game. I find it hard to call it a platformer when you can't even jump.

Why are you linking to overpriced physical versions of some games? They were part of limited release runs. It's better to recommend the eshop versions instead.

Need to try Poi. To be honest I was disappointed with Super Mario Odyssey but that's just me.

I was close to pulling the trigger on Snake Pass and Human Fall Flat yesterday for a combined $335 but here they are on Nintendolife for only $330. Bargain! So glad I waited.....

Can't believe you included those links.

@1UP_MARIO It's just there to make this list look better than it actually is.

I don't know if I have $150 to spend on watching a snake with partial paralysis die every two seconds.

Where’s turok 😆

@sandman89 Turok is a first person shooter, not a platformer.

DO NOT BUY SNAKEPASS.
It's a misleadingly infuriating game that isn't worth its sale price. It's frustrating and boring and all the artistic charm in the world can't save this disaster of a game. Lack of puzzle verity, lack of features and content. cute protagonist? Maybe. But for the love of God, stay away from this train wreck.

@OorWullie don't bother with snakepass. Save yourself the money and frustration.

@OSS-701 are you a masochist? How does anyone enjoy this game? Such a disappointment.

@OorWullie I agree captain toad does make every list great 😉 @wazlon correct. I’d say human fall flat and snake pass shouldn’t be there too

Putting in rubbish games like Fe in this list and passing it off as a Best Of feature is a whole new level of low.

This list is simply a reminder that quality 3D platformers are mostly missing from the Switch.

This is a terrible list, where is Knack?

Never liked snake pass

@OorWullie @redDK snakepass is hard and that’s half the fun. I get sweaty palms playing it because I have to concentrate so hard. Get it if you’re up for it! Reminds me of hard games of yesteryear.

@beazlen1 more power to ya! Glad you had fun.

DAFUQ! I've been waiting for Yooka Laylee to have a physical release on the Switch only for it to be a limited run??? UGH

You guys should do a best Switch "walking simulator"/"first person exploration" games list. That would be interesting.

@redDK @beazlen1 I actually own Snake Pass already. I was just making a joke about the ridiculous prices of the Amazon links. I played it for a few hours when I first got it and thought it was alright. I'll go back to it eventually.

Yooka Laylee is an underrated gem.

$150 for Snake Pass, what a deal!!!

Jokes aside, Yooka-Laylee gets too much hate. It’s not as bad as people make it out to be - if you didn’t like collectathons like Banjo Kazooie or Donkey Kong 64 it WON’T change your mind, it’s literally made as a BK clone (complete with all the flaws), but it does exactly what it sets out to do and, after playing through it to 100% twice, I will continue to defend it. I hope it gets a sequel. That being said, the Rextro minigames and minecart level’s are pretty awful. I will say that much.

@iLikeUrAttitude probably because it's true

Poi and Odyssey are really the only games I'd put on this list, therefore making this article pointless. Hat in time looks nice

Maybe i'm happy already with those that i have, didn't get interested in any of those others.

@Paraka Mushroom Men did actually get a sequel, called Truffle Trouble, but it's PC only sadly.

Poi has been excellent so far. Simple but perfectly executed and you know, fun.

Crash is solid, and perhaps the best if your just in it for genuinely good platforming - except for the somewhat blurry visuals - especially handheld (same visual issue plague Snake Pass)

Oddysey felt all glitter and not enough gold (with gold being plenty of actually engaging platforming sections, and glitter being an over obsession with costumes). I didn't dislike it – but it didn't have much wow for me. For a Mario game it was weak. For me 3D Land is the most under-appreciated game in terms of nailing the 'essence' of what makes Mario fun.

I enjoyed Snake Pass - but it does get very frustrating in later stages.

Yooka Laylee I haven't played and with such split opinion I still don't know whether to bother. I'd like to be encouraged to get it.

A Hat in Time looks great but I'm still hurt by the developers being totally deceptive d**ks to Mac Kickstarter supporters at the beginning. I don't really trust the company – but the game will likely be done right on Switch.

This is my favourite genre - but man, it's still one with the fewest modern real gems. I hope developers change this in the future – especially Indie devs need to move away from the 2D space more now.

I was just thinking of some great platformers I’ve played on Switch but realized they’re 2D. Hmm... I agree with others that are saying that this list brings to attention that there aren’t many good ones.

@brandonbwii not to mention some aren’t what I would call 3D platformers. Here’s an idea nintendolife if you have to stretch the definition it is probably better to wait on publishing the list. Captain toad??? Not a platform we also some of these games are rubbish so there’s that too

@Stargazer That may be true to you but there is no reason for you or nintendolife to be complete fanboys about it.

You can review a game or mention it without having to talk down about it saying how your preferred game is so much better.

@1UP_MARIO Now you mention it I wouldn't class Snake Pass or Human Fall Flat as 3D platformers either. It's a bit of an odd list really.

@GetShulked It could have been so much better. The camera makes this game almost unplayable. I guess they all can’t be Mario.

@Toadie - It's also an endless runner, so I cannot say it'd do the franchise justice to get ported.

Love Snake Pass, Yooka Laylee, Mario Odyssey, Crash, Toad and can can't wait for a Hat in Time!

Still curious about Fe.

How about a list of most overrated games...

The list only goes to show that Switch BEGS for more decent 3D platformers. Every review stated Yooka Laylee was a nice try that didn't get close to the results intended. Captain Toad is a favorite for me but it's far from being a platformer. It's a puzzle game with almost no platforming in it....

While we have a nice little bunch of great 2d, we really need more good 3d platformers! There is hardly any....

@sandman89 France.

I'm not as upset as some other commenters seem to be, but this definitely is a lackluster list.

Not the best genre on the Switch or even in general it would seem. I also tried to love Mario Odyssey more than I ended up loving it in the end. Not a bad game by ANY means, but I don't know, not that special either in my book.

Got paid to advertise crap games? Some are not even platformers, Captain Toad is more of a puzzle game.

Steamworld Dig 2 is still the best platformer on Switch

There's a typo in the headline. It should read "The Best 3D Platformers [Are] On Nintendo Switch".

@Al_Godoy I agree this is a pretty meh list. Most games are average and that's sad when you see them in a best of list. On the other hand, I just love Mario Odissey. Fell in love with it instantly, great gameplay in my opinion

Mario Odyssey is pretty much it for me when it comes to this list.

@GetShulked @ShadJV Agreed with you guys. I have watched videos of this game and I am going to buy it in a few weeks.

@pigwarts5ever Rare yes, Expensive? Those are just pathetic overprice asking prices and not worth it even if it is very rare.........

@SamusLv7 enjoy! As I mentioned, the minecart stages and Rextro minigames might drive you a bit batty, and the game is certainly a little rough but no more than Banjo Kazooie was. I really hope this becomes a franchise; now that the characters and world are established, they can move forward and iron out the kinks.

@IceEarthGuard I didn't set the prices. I'm just explaining them.

Mario Odyssey is by far and away the best on that list. It’s just really disappointing that it never had DLC. I keep hopping into it every few weeks and I’m finally getting close to 750

Edit: and then I saw the 3D part haha.... well that explains a lot.

Solid list, but I prefer 2D like Embers of Mirrim and N+. I know they might be an aquired taste, sometimes it just gets a bit too obvious what's gonna be on these kind of lists. I wiuld include Embers because of the very different dual stick mechanics, and N+ because it is so much fun in co-op with a gazillion levels.

@Fake-E-Lee interestingly Yooka is 50% off both in the US and the UK and very few people are mentioning it. As long as some very bad games on sale are being commented, why not this one, which seems to be better than average?

@iLikeUrAttitude because Crash has clunky controls and feels very awkward to control versus Mario games.

@pigwarts5ever I know. I am just going on a small outrage heheh.

@Whalehome Actually it did got DLC though. (New costumes and that mode with Luigi. Free DLC basically.)

@IceEarthGuard I know it was free, but for such a fun game, this was lackluster dlc. Grinding more coins to get new costumes isn’t my idea of a good time. I really wish we could’ve seen new levels in a paid DLC

+1 for Yooka Laylee - once I accepted that it would never be as tight and fresh as Banjo Kazooie 1, I found myself having a ball.
-1 for Snake Pass - that game is nothing but stress and frustration. How anyone is classifying it as a joy to play, is beyond me.

@joex Again you can review a game or mention it without having to talk down about it saying how your preferred game is so much better.

I have no problem with nintendolife criticizing other platformers but when the tone of their review is just a fanboy mentality like "Mario rules Crash drools" then thats where a problem is occurring. Not only was that mentality in their review of the game but also in this article.
What you said was just your preference of the game.

@iLikeUrAttitude yeah, good point..

"However, despite having a reputation for hosting the finest of the genre, none of Nintendo’s platforms have hosted the breadth of 3D platformers we saw back during the genre’s N64 heyday."

... The Wii?

@GrailUK unfortunately not, did ask the devs of Fe but they said it was too expensive for their little company.

I got it when it was on offer, it is a gorgeous little game, the camera needs a little time to get used to but loved it all the same and glad it made it on this list

Crash > Mario Odyssey

Title should be:
Some games, half of which are 3D platformers.

Added A Hat In Time

Added 3D All-Stars.