The platformer is a rather important video game genre as many iconic titles and franchises began from them, such as Mario and Sonic. Even as video games evolve and change, there will always be a few platformers among the number of releases due to the genre itself being rather classic. As a result, even in a year like 2022 that saw only a select few new platformers, there were still some impressive new entries to the collection for enthusiasts. These range from an old Nintendo favorite learning new tricks to some impressive indie darlings, leading to some excellent picks among the small lineup.
Platformers are more casually known as "jump-and-run" games for a reason, as their core gameplay mechanic is typically about getting the player character from one area to the next. Over the years, some sub-genres have appeared such as puzzle-platform games, run-and-gun platformers, isometric platformers, and more. Due to the vastness of this style, some games on this list may be different from others, but they're still the best platformers of 2022, listed in no particular order.
Tinykin
In Tinykin, as Professor Milodane, players are tasked with gathering and using an army of little but very strong creatures known as Tinykin to help Milo investigate the house he's ended up in. With the Tinykins' help, Milo can make his way across numerous everyday obstacles that look as if they'd belong in a game of Katamari Damacy with similar mechanics to Pikmin—by throwing and even stacking the little aliens. The game sees players make their way through the various rooms in the house, such as a small greenhouse area, a bathroom, and more.
Moreover, the story of Tinykin is rather intriguing. Professor Milodane has come to this strange Earth in order to find where humans truly came from, only the humans are missing and time seems to be stopped in the early '90s. On top of that, Milo has been shrunk to the size of a Tinykin somehow upon landing. As Milo makes his way through the house, he finds that the only civilization around is of bugs. Even though Tinykin is a rather small jaunt, taking about three hours to beat, it's certainly a rather adventurous and curious one.
Rogue Legacy 2
This title finally received its full release this year after spending some time in early access, so there's a strong chance it may be a game players missed earlier on in the year. However, Rogue Legacy 2 shouldn't be slept on as it's more of the rogue-like, procedurally generated platforming action that fans loved from the first game but with more depth than ever before. Not only does the game feature a new adorable hand-drawn style, but it also allows the game to evolve with the player as certain areas can only be accessed with certain skills among many other new enriching features.
As the game seems like Metroid and Mega Man were fused and transported into medieval times, this sequel brings back the mechanic that when players die, their children will succeed them. However, this time, Rogue Legacy 2 introduces Heirlooms, powerful items that get passed down between playthroughs. In total, the new content of the new sequel extends the playtime by ten more hours on average (but likely much more than that), making it quite a lengthy adventure. As rogue-likes are only growing more and more popular as the years go by, especially with hits like Hades getting their own sequels, Rogue Legacy 2 has the potential to be seen as a unique classic years in the future.
Moonscars
While fans may have gone without any proper news about Hollow Knight: Silksong for now, Moonscars is the perfect Souls-like platformer to fill the void. Moonscars features natural, flowing movement and combat that feels great to play, making cutting down enemies rather satisfying and becoming second nature as the game progresses. The simplistic controls are almost a comfort as fans explore a dark and dreary world, playing as Grey Irma, a warrior who has forgotten her past. The other clay members of her squad have been wiped out, and as she explores the world she finds herself in, she uncovers the truth of what happened to them as well as her own corrupted self.
There are many customization options that change how Grey Irma acts, allowing fans to earn a large number "Witchery" skills to reward them for their hard-earned efforts against the game's enemies. On top of it all, the game's 2D art style ignores normal pixel art conventions to treat each pixel like a brush on a canvas, giving the entire game a unique painted yet retro feel to it that adds to the run-down nature of the world. There are many things that help Moonscars stand out among the other classic titles that preceded it, making it a title worth exploring.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Kirby and the Forgotten Land marks the pink puffball's first foray into being fully 3D, and the results speak for themselves. Not only is the game loved by fans and critics alike, but it also took home Best Family Game at the Game Awards this year. The adventure begins when a strange vortex opens up over Planet Popstar, pulling everything and everyone into it. After the wormhole leaves Kirby changed and stranded on a new world, he uses his new powers to discover a land reclaimed by nature and help his newfound friend Elfilin save their friends while trying to find a way back to Planet Popstar. True to the other games in the series, there's more to this story than it seems.
This new adventure features everything that fans love about Kirby while also bringing all of it to new heights with new features such as blueprints and upgraded Copy Abilities and Mouthful Mode that are designed to add to the game's exploration in ways fans hadn't experienced before. Each location offers something new and gathers the best of each stage to present them all in one last final challenge in order for players to earn the true ending to Kirby and the Forgotten Land. Everything comes together to make one of the best platforming experiences of the year.
Neon White
When demons make their way into Heaven, it's up to the Neons to clean things up. In Neon White, players take up the role of the titular Neon White in a competition to kill the most invasive demons for a chance to be redeemed for the rest of their afterlife. While this may sound like a regular FPS game, Neon White is anything but, combining parkour platforming, shooting, and even card game mechanics to create a unique and fast-paced experience that can't be found anywhere else.
There's something for everyone to enjoy in Neon White, be it the fast-paced yet simple combat, the platforming that encourages players to pick up on speedrunning tricks as they learn, the intriguing and in-depth story, or even just gathering gifts to befriend the many other Neons in the game. Even though Neon White has so much to offer, all of it blends together into a cohesive experience that uses it all to its advantage. Ever since it launched on PC and Switch in June, it has remained one of the highest-rated titles of 2022 and is a title that shouldn't be skipped over.