History Main / PlatformGame

** ''MushroomKingdomFusion''

** ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankAllForOne''

* ''VideoGame/SlyCooper''

Subgenres include CinematicPlatformGame (which has a more realistic style), PlatformHell (which is [[HarderThanHard really, really freaking hard]][[hottip:*:Let's put it this way - NintendoHard is an understatement!]] - no, ''seriously''), EliminationPlatformer, and PuzzlePlatformer (which combines elements of {{Puzzle Game}}s).

[[quoteright:256:[[VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1 http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/smbpfg_7703.png]]]]

[[quoteright:256:[[VideoGame/SuperMarioBros http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/smbpfg_7703.png]]]]

[[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog4 http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sonic_platform_334.png]]]]

Like most game genres, platformers are steadily {{evolving|Trope}} with the times; they started as linear obstacle courses, but gradually became less linear, with multiple level paths, [[HubLevel playable overworld areas]], and/or map screens with different routes; eventually, the genre even began branching into the {{Metroidvania}} genre. They became much less linear with the jump to 3D, and became known as '[[GottaCatchEmAll collectathon]]' titles. [[VideoGame/SuperMario64 The]] [[VideoGame/{{Banjo-Kazooie}} first]] [[VideoGame/SpyroTheDragon1998 few]] were fine, but after the thousandth or so knock-off, gamers eventually began to get sick of this. As a result, "collectathon" titles began waning in popularity. As of right now, the genre is in a weird stage of either being based on particular gimmicks, or going back to its roots. The former became puzzle games of a sort (eventually becoming prevalent enough [[PuzzlePlatformer to be considered a sub-genre]]), and the latter tend to be more linear, pure platforming challenges, and spawned the PlatformHell phenomenon.

* ''VideoGame/{{Banjo-Kazooie}}''

* ''VideoGame/{{Somari}}''

** ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles Sonic 3 & Knuckles''

* ''KnyttStories''

* ''KidChameleon''

** ''VideoGame/MarioSuperSluggers''

* ''VideoGame/MarioSuperSluggers''

** ''KidDracula''

** ''CastlevaniaLegends''

* ''TheCompanyOfMyself''

** ''VideoGame/TombRaider2013''

-->-- '''[[RockosModernLife Rocko]]''', ''[[NicktoonsUnite Nicktoons: Attack of the Toybots]]''

The 3D equivalent to the platformer is almost always rendered in the third person, as with ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' and ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot1996'', but ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' and its sequels are considered by many to be hybrids of the 3D Platformer and the FirstPersonShooter (with {{Metroidvania}} elements, of course). The only straight first-person platformer series is ''JumpingFlash'' Lately, many games have been combining elements of Third-Person {{Action Game}}s as well, such as the ''VideoGame/JakAndDaxter'' and ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank'' series.

** ''[[VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles Sonic 3 & Knuckles]]''

** ''[[VideoGame/Sonic3DFlickiesIsland Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island]]''

** ''VideoGame/SonicRivals''

** ''[[VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosTheLostLevels Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels]]''