Summary
- The PS3 had a slow start but eventually had great platformers and 2D platformers like Bionic Commando: Rearmed and Limbo.
- Braid, an indie puzzle game with platforming elements, gained attention for its time-rewinding mechanics and twist ending.
- Puppeteer, a wooden puppet-themed platformer, is a standout game on the PS3 but deserves more attention and possibly a sequel or remaster.
2005 was the dawn of the HD era thanks to the Xbox 360. A year later Sony would launch its competition, the PS3, alongside Nintendo’s Wii console which was in its own league. The PS3 took a while to get going, unlike the PS2 which was a hit almost from the start.
Eventually, the shooters and RPGs came around such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Fallout 3. The PS3 even had some good platformers like the Ratchet and Clank sequels along with more odd concepts like the Disney Infinity series. Those were 3D platformers but there were some great 2D platformers as well. These eight were some of the best that eventually got ports elsewhere. Sadly, many also remain trapped on the system.
8 Bionic Commando: Rearmed
Bionic Commando: Rearmed is a remake of the NES original game. Everything is updated visually, but the gameplay remains the same. Players cannot jump as they instead have to swing around with a cybernetic arm which was unique for the NES at the time. The direct sequel to this nostalgic remake did add jumping controversially but that doesn’t diminish the quality of it. Both games are worth checking out, but Bionic Commando: Rearmed is the must-have for any Capcom fan’s collection.
7 Limbo
Limbo is more of a puzzle game than a platformer. Platformers may actually be the third genre someone would describe it as because Limbo is also a horror game. Players have to discern what is going on as they wake up in the forest, completely unaware of how they got there. The protagonist is a young boy who has to look out for pitfalls, bear traps, giant spiders, and more. It’s a nightmare but it’s also quite enriching as an indie game thanks to the balanced challenge of the puzzles.
6 Braid
Braid is a puzzle game as well, but platforming is definitely a more key component than Limbo. Players are seemingly an ordinary guy who has to save their girlfriend from an evil captor. The key gimmick to this indie game is the ability to rewind time akin to Prince of Persia.
Remind time to slow down projectiles or to get out of a hole. It was engaging for an indie game not to mention the colorful visuals. The mechanics are solid but the twist at the end was the talk of the town in 2008 when it first launched on Xbox 360.
5 DuckTales Remastered
Despite the name, DuckTales Remastered was more of a remake than a simple remaster. It was the NES original born anew with graphics to make it look more like the classic Disney cartoon. It also featured the entire original voice cast from it as well, giving it an even more authentic feel. It’s a shame this version wasn’t added to the Disney Afternoon Collection along with it mostly being forgotten to time. A lot of remakes remain trapped on PS3, but maybe one day new fans can play it to enjoy the many misadventures of Scrooge McDuck.
4 Spelunky
Spelunky was a hardcore roguelike that gave players a run for their money. The concept was simple enough. Players chose a character and then spiraled down into a cavern to look for treasure. This cavern randomly generated itself every time a new run would begin. The cave led to a temple, jungle, and various other areas. It was filled with traps, snakes, spiders, NPCs, and much more. It was a game that demanded patience and platforming perfection and the same is true for its sequel, but the addition of co-op did help.
3 LittleBigPlanet 2
LittleBigPlanet 2 was everything players loved about the first game but bigger. The big hook of this series was the addition of creator tools. Players could make their own levels be it a platformer, a racing game, or even an RPG.
The sequel expanded things so much that it grew the community to phenomenal levels. The costume packs were fun too like the tie-ins to Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy. The cute aesthetic of the Sackboys and Sackgirls made it co-op-friendly for the whole family.
2 Rayman Legends
The Rayman franchise made a huge comeback with Rayman Origins. Thanks to its success Ubisoft greenlit a sequel aka Rayman Legends. The UbiArt Framework seen in the previous game was even more stunning in the sequel. The level design was more inventive, the co-op offered more features, and it was overall a more polished experience. Ubisoft would go on to make pseudo sequels for mobile devices but there has yet to be a console sequel for it.
1 Puppeteer
Puppeteer is absolutely one of the best 2D platformers on PS3 as well as one of the best platformers on the system full stop. It’s a shame more people didn’t play it when it came out in 2013, two months before the PS4 launched. By that time everyone must have moved on mentally or something. Those who did play it knew there was something special about the wooden puppet design of the characters, the inventive levels that looked like play stages, and the humor. A sequel or a remaster has to happen at some point because it is a first-party game. Puppeteer deserves more than what Sony is currently doing for it.