Best Platform Games of 2024

You know it's been another strong year for the platform genre when it presents a game that is not only up for Game of the Year in various award ceremonies but also a very capable contender too. Needless to say, there are probably no surprises this year as per who sits at the top of this list, but the other slots are going to a handful of other promising and well-received platformers as well. These are what we consider to be the Best Platform Games of 2024.

5. Akimbot

The folk behind Pumpkin Jack returned in 2024 to debut an old-school-feeling platformer that revolved around a robotic duo. Akimbot looked to capitalise on the ease-of-access of the genre to present an experience that balanced challenge, simple mechanical depth, and vibrant art direction to create a whole that stands out as a firm example as to why we continue to love platformers year-after-year. Sure, the voice acting could have done with a bit of work, but the action continued to entertain and the theme was unique enough to make Akimbot stand tall as one of the year's best in this genre.

4. Sonic X Shadow Generations

Frankly, it's the fact that this game is mostly a remaster that holds it back from being higher up on this list. Sonic X Shadow Generations takes the fantastic original platformer, improves and updates it, and then expands it further with an entirely new Shadow the Hedgehog-themed storyline. If you found that Sonic Frontiers was a bit too different for your taste, this game returns to the type and style of gameplay that Sega's most famous character is known for and once again proves that Sonic feels as fresh and exciting as he did 30 years ago.

3. Nikoderiko: The Magical World

In a similar vein to Akimbot, VEA Games' Nikoderiko: The Magical World was a game that nailed all the core elements that we expect from a platformer. This 3D experience switched between top-down, side-scrolling, and third-person perspectives, all while proceeding to show true depth and variety of mechanics, boss fight flair, and art and biome direction. For a fresh IP, Nikoderiko proved that there are still plenty of legs and space to innovate in this time-tested genre.

2. Neva

Following the truly stunning Gris, we had no doubt whatsoever that Neva would blow us away in an artistic and graphical sense, and boy did it not disappoint. This lovely indie game continues to wow with fantastic visuals and set pieces, but it's also the emotional narrative and the increasingly-important meaning at the game's core that allows Neva to rise above some of the others on this list. This is a truly amazing project, one of the best indies of the year, one of the best platformers of the year, and also one of the best games of the year as well, and the reason it didn't take the top spot on this list is because Team Asobi exists.

1. Astro Bot

Wow, what else is there left to say about this game. Team Asobi's platformer reminded many of us, in a year that felt quite starved for true titans, why we love video games and just how important it is that a video game is both innovative but also simply... fun. Astro Bot is everything that a platformer should be. It's sweet and charming, ideal for all ages and players, visually a treat, audibly a delight, and in terms of mechanical depth and level structure and design, completely unmatched. Astro Bot is one of the finest platformers we have ever played, which is why it's not only a Game of the Year contender for many awards ceremonies, but also a clear winner in many cases too. PlayStation has had a brutal 2024 with crazy community choices, abominable flops, and unusual hardware launches, but Astro Bot was a winner in every conceivable metric, which is why it can't be anywhere but at the top of this list.