Astro App took best honors at the 2024 Game Awards, and we don’t get prouder of the little man and his many friends. But Astro Bot doesn’t occur in a vacuum – Team Asobi’s award-winning warrior comes from an illustrious tradition of PlayStation platformers spanning means back to the original PlayStation, from first-party producers and third-party developers and publishers alike. There is no better way to explore the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog and Classics Catalog than by digging into the tradition of the PlayStation platformers from the beginning to the present. Here are a few well-known platformers that you can enjoy right then. *
The” collectathon” style of 3D platformer, emphasizing the hunt for thousands of miscellaneous doodads in sprawling rates, was very popular around the turn of the millennium. A Hat in Time is a sweet remembrance of the time when people controlled the Hat Kid in a sizable and incredibly foolish film world, searching every corner and every corner. Consider Yarn Balls to create new hats and gain new abilities, battle foes to collect Pons for improvements, look for hidden Relics and Rift Tokens, and discover what Mustache Girl’s complete deal is.
Publisher: Humble Games | Developer: Wheels for Meal
Available for some chimpanzee business? It’s your job to bring these overly intelligent humanoids back home after scientific gone crazy has created a group of hyper-intelligent monkeys that cause chaos through period. Ape Escape is one of the first video game series to utilize the dual analog stones on the DualShock controller to its full potential. You can use cautious movement and cool gadgets to smuggle these sleazy aliens. Get careful–you’ll need to pay close attention to the apes ‘ masks to evaluate their feelings before you approach.
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Developer: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Ah, the polite run: a truly beloved platformer movement. Celeste, an independent pixel artist, elevates the practice of using the basic dash to new levels to cross large screens full of challenging hazards. Ground dashes, multidimensional mid-air dashes, dashes from a wall climb, items to give many dashes–you’ll had loads of fun mastering the game’s strong movement to get around and grab all of its secrets. This is one hill you’ll love to hike.
Publisher: Maddy Makes Games| Developer: Maddy Makes Games
If you enjoy platforming with an emphasis on open-world adventure and remarkable world-building, Gravity Rush is the game for you. Amnesiac Kat discovers that her kitten partner allows her to shift weight in the area of Hekseville in the middle of a devastating storm. She’ll apply these skills to manage Hekseville’s beautiful architecture, fight off strange monsters, and support the populace–all while delving deep into the mysteries around her.
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Developer: Sony Interactive Entertainment
One of the most wonderful platforming duos of the PS2 era is featured in this traditional Naughty Dog film. Jak’s friend Daxter has a difficulty: he fell into a strange pool when the trio snuck onto Misty Island, and now he’s become small and quite soft. The two are now searching for the Dark Sage Gol Asheron to repair things and save the world. Vibrant animations, colorful environments, and a then-revolutionary environment design that minimized load times keep Jak and Daxter feeling classic to this day.
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Developer: Naughty Dog
Day one PlayStation fans will yell their eyes off about how cool Jumping Flash was and how it showcased the power of the original PlayStation, but why not try to understand what all the fuss was about? This unique first-person platformer starts Robbit, a mechanical rabbit who can jump really, really high. Explore bizarre foes, amazing weapons, and numerous floating platforms that allow you to jump to absurd heights in surreal settings. There was nothing like it then, and it’s still a unique and fun game.
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Developer: Exact, Ultra
Who says you need limbs to perform incredible platforming feats? Rayman, Globox, Barbara, and the Goth Teensy have to deal with the aftermath of a century-long nap, rescuing the Teensies and once again saving the Glade of Dreams from evil forces. Besides gorgeous hand-drawn HD visuals, Rayman Legends offers up to four-player local co-op, so gather friends for a fantastic sidescrolling adventure.
Publisher: Ubisoft | Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier
Here’s the other well-known duo of PlayStation platforming, whose adventures have continued into the current generation. With the new Rift Tether gadget allowing for very quick travel, Rift Apart makes the most of the PS5’s capabilities to give players the biggest and most graphically stunning Ratchet and Clank release to date. Prepare for shooting, gadget-driven navigation, and interdimensional hijinks, and the introduction of Ratchet’s alternate-dimension lady Lombax counterpart, Rivet.
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Developer: Insomniac
He might be made of fabric, but Sackboy’s as tough as nails when it comes to adventure. Our stuffing-filled hero has a lot of new skills to show off when he rescues his fellow Sackpeople and Craftworld from the evil Vex. You’ll be rolling, diving, fluttering, and smacking foes around as you search for precious Dreamer Orbs. It won’t be easy, and you’ll need some help along the way. Fortunately, you can play with up to three other adventurers in online and local co-op to surmount the toughest obstacles.
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Developer: Sumo Digital
Who’s the stealthy, suave thief with a family history of heisting and a bushy, ringed tail? Sly Cooper, that’s who, and he’s on a mission to get back the missing pages of the Thievius Raccoonus–his family’s book of secrets–from the shady paws of the Fiendish Five. As you scurry through the Fiendish Five’s lairs, using Sly’s distinctive sneaking and thieving skills to avoid guards, security systems, and other traps, platforming and stealth are at play.
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Developer: Sucker Punch
Looking for more entertaining platform games? Check out this in-depth analysis of some of the best PlayStation 3D platformers.
*Some regions ‘ PlayStation Plus Game Catalog lineups may be different.