5 2D Platformers You Forgot Were Awesome

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I remember getting into 2D platformers way back when, and everyone talks about Space Panic being the first. But honestly, Donkey Kong was the game that really grabbed me – and a lot of other people, too! It was huge in the arcades in ’81, and that’s where we all met Mario, who obviously became a total legend. The genre’s had its peaks and valleys over the years, but there are still amazing 2D platformers coming out, especially if you look beyond the big names and check out the indie games. It’s a shame, though, because so many really good ones just don’t get the attention they deserve – they’re fantastic games, but they fly under the radar for no real reason.

Here are five 2D platformers everyone forgot.

5) Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero?

Nippon Ichi’s platformer is a funny game, but it’s surprisingly challenging. You start with a whopping 1,000 lives, and for good reason! Beyond the great humor, Prinny features levels that constantly change as time runs out, even affecting the boss you have to defeat at the end of each stage.

The game has a cool feature that rewards players who become skilled at the gameplay, encouraging them to explore everything it offers. While the controls feel a bit loose, the rest of the game is a creative and enjoyable platforming experience. Sadly, many players didn’t discover it or its sequel originally because they were released on the PSP, which was most popular in Japan. Luckily, both games are now available on the Switch, giving players a chance to enjoy them today.

4) Hue

The best thing about Hue is how beautiful it looks. You play as Hue and journey through a world that starts out in shades of gray. Luckily, you have the power to change the colors around you! As you find eight color fragments, you’ll unlock a wide range of colors that you can use to create pathways and solve puzzles throughout each level.

Changing colors throughout the game reveals and hides different parts of each level, allowing you to access new areas. The game is visually stunning and becomes especially engaging as you progress. Later on, the developers at Fiddlesticks introduce more complex puzzles, creating truly challenging sections for players to solve.

3) Mischief Makers

Let’s be honest, Mischief Makers isn’t a visually stunning game, even for the Nintendo 64. It’s also fairly easy and doesn’t have a lot of lasting appeal. That was a bigger issue back in the 90s when games weren’t as plentiful and affordable.

Despite its flaws, Mischief Makers is a hidden gem thanks to its unique personality, which developer Treasure poured into the game. The boss battles are also a lot of fun, and it’s clear Treasure was striving for something new and innovative. While not every attempt lands perfectly, their creativity deserves recognition.

2) Drill Dozer

Game Freak is famous for creating the Pokémon series, but they also made a fantastic platforming game for the Game Boy Advance called Drill Dozer. In it, players take control of Jill and her Drill Dozer as they navigate 17 huge levels, battling enemies and figuring out puzzles along the way.

Game Freak, the company behind Pokémon, rarely makes entirely new games these days, so a sequel to this title is unlikely. However, the character Jill has appeared in other games, and the original was made available on Virtual Console, which means it could potentially be added to Nintendo Switch Online, giving it a chance to be rediscovered by a new audience.

1) Klonoa

During the 1990s, Sony was searching for a signature character to rival Nintendo’s Mario and Sega’s Sonic. The PlayStation needed a mascot, and many game developers tried to create one. While Namco’s Klonoa: Door to the Phantomile didn’t quite achieve that iconic status, it was as successful as any of the other contenders.

While technically a 2.5D platformer, Klonoa feels like a classic 2D game, and that’s why it deserves to be here. It’s a beautifully crafted platformer that both honors the games of the past and pushes the genre forward with its unique visual style.

Unlike many games from its era, Klonoa received several sequels and even a manga adaptation. It’s also seen a few attempts to bring it to new audiences, most recently with the 2022 release Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series, which updated the first two games for modern consoles.

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2025-12-07 01:40