Super Mario World on the SNES. That game is just great. I love playing it every so often.
this post was submitted on 19 Mar 2025
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This for sure. There are other great examples, like Yoshi’s Island or Mario 64, but World is the one I grew up with and have the most nostalgia for.
Yes! This is my standard for a good platformer.
I think being the "free" game that comes with the system hurt it's reputation. We all got bored of it, but going back to it after playing some terrible platformers really shows you how great it really is.
Probably Mario 64, just because it was so revolutionary at the time.
It created a genre. And it was surprisingly competent at what it sent out to do. In hindsight it was a miracle. Brand new technology harnessed to birth the 3D platformer. It was amazingly ambitious all around.
I feel like I'm the only person that grew up with Mario 64 but doesn't love it. I was really excited by it initially but when I played the game properly it just had this oppressive feeling of isolation and melancholy to it that was so off-putting.
Sonic 3 & Knuckles
Sonic 2. It came bundled with a lot of Sega Genesis consoles.
A fantastic game that you can technically complete in a sitting.
Mega Man X. The first one for SNES.
It was such an evolutionary leap forward from the previous MM games. Everything was bigger and better. The graphics, the music, the controls. It blew my mind at the time.
The soundtrack is absolute fire
I spent so many hours on this game. Probably replayed it hundreds of times. The boss battles were so epic. SIGMA! And then discovering the secret shouryuken move from Street Fighter! Wow!
Sigma before the kids started saying it. 😂
Earthworm Jim deserves a mention. Remember when games were funny?
Doctor Monkey-for-a-head remembers!
Donkey Kong Country 2 will always be the pinnacle of 2D Platforming, though Yoshi's Island comes in a close second place.
Agreed. Peak platforming.
If you can call it a platformer: Spyro
Yeah. I do think Spyro is a platformer. It's a bunch of things, but I would have a hard time arguing any genre fits it better than platformer.
Edit: Also, great choice.
Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie
If it's got platformer elements, then it's a platformer, right? Yes? Then Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is it for me.
I won't say it's my favorite, but I didn't see it mentioned, yet, and it definitely deserves at least one mention: Earthworm Jim
If it's got platformer elements, then it's a platformer, right?
Yes!
But I also argue that the second half of '89 counts as 90's and that Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap was the best platformer I played in first half of the decade.
Sonic 2 or Sonic CD depending on the day for me
6 golden coins. Mario is so slippery and floaty
I'm a bit boring in terms of my favorite 90s platformer, but absolutely love Sonic 1 & 2.
The ones that were SURPRISINGLY good were the Gex games. Looks like they're getting a remaster too.
I'm rather a fan of Apogee's Secret Agent. I loved it back in the day and then enjoyed the HD remaster of it a few years back.
2D: Super Mario World. It just plays smooth af. Pretty close to a perfect videogame.
3D: Rayman 2. Platformers usually have a colorful and happy world. Rayman might still be colorful, but it stands out because it's kinda grim. Gameplay wise... I should replay it, because I'm not actually sure anymore. I think all 3D platformers of this time could be a little bit janky. I remember there were some frustrating parts, at least for a kid.
Gex: Enter the Gecko and Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko were so fun and absolutely hilarious!
I loved those too. Habe you seen the announcement of the remakes?
Yes! I'm super excited to replay them
Me too. Some levels more than others. I love the ninja level in enter the gecko
More like remaster
Yes, like that.
Super Mario Bros 3. It barely makes the cutoff, releasing jn 1990 in North America. But man, it is something special. I completely understand why people prefer Mario World, but Mario 3 feels like the peak of the 2d franchise for me, and everything after that is just reiterating what it perfected.
Sonic 2 and Crash Bandicoot 3 are up there, too. The first time I played Crash especially, my mind was blown. There are several games that scratch the same itch as Mario and Sonic, but I've not found a single game that feels like Crash Bandicoot. Gamers were spoiled in the 90s. ...unless you bought from a company that wasn't Nintendo or Sony.
I'm not really a platformer fan but Abe's Oddysee/Exodus and Kirby's Dream Land are up there.
I sometimes feel like the only American that liked Bubsy. The biggest complaint I hear about it is that the jumping is super floaty; but that's it's strength! Once you get the rhythm of the game down, you're basically Tribes style skiing through the levels. It's awesome.
Don't know about 90s, but Jet Set Willy was pretty great in the 80s