PlayStation Plus Premium has a cavalcade of platformers to choose from, and while key titles like Sackboy: A Big Adventure and the Sly Cooper series are missing, there's a great amount to select. From the gravitational powers of Kat in Gravity Rush 2 to the creativity of LittleBigPlanet 3, your platforming needs are met under the subscription service. Here are the Top 10 PlayStation Plus Premium platformers as of the time of writing.
10 - Knack
The PS4 launch title Knack has become quite the meme, especially if you watch the YouTube channels Dunkey or Easy Allies. However, there is value within this 3D platformer. The visual effects are still gorgeous today as the protagonist grows into a massive monster as it consumes blocks. He starts as a little toy-like figure into a monstrous Godzilla-like being.
The combat is also simple, so younger players can get into it. Knack 2 is arguably the better game because it features co-op, but the first game is still worth checking out.
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9 - Indivisible
From the talented developers behind Skullgirls comes Indivisible, a compelling mix of an RPG and a platformer. This game has you exploring a world torn by the threat of the antagonist goddess Kala who threatens the world once again. The main character Ajna and the many friends she meets along the way must defend civilization from this evil.
As you go through this compelling journey, you'll be faced with exciting battles along the way that have you comboing moves together with your allies. It's almost set up like a fighting game with a turn-based Paper Mario-like system.
In addition, you'll gain new abilities to improve your 2D platforming around the world. You'll uncover new items and locations by going back to prior areas with the newfound powers similar to a Metroidvania. Once you play it, Indivisible is a surprisingly great game.
Read more about Indivisible:
- Indivisible review
- Lab Zero on Creating Indivisible's Fantasy World
- Indivisible Divides by Genre to Multiply the Fun
- A Look at Indivisible's First Few Party Members
8 - The Messenger
If you're a fan of retro platformers, The Messenger is probably the best option for you with PlayStation Plus Premium. Similar to Tecmo Koei's popular Ninja Gaiden series on the NES, The Messenger has you jumping through tough environments and slashing down foes with your blade. It nails the classic look it's going for with some stunning pixelated backgrounds and riveting 8- and 16-bit inspired music that you'd expect from platformers in those days.
The Messenger has some stellar boss battles that will require your brain power to figure out and succeed. It also has great level design that has you utilize the powers and tools you have gained. One of the best parts is how good it feels to slash an item in the air and then get a double jump off of it.
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7 - Bound
Bound takes players through a whimsical mind palace filled with gorgeous scenery and imaginative set pieces. You play as a ballerina performing platforming feats as a woman thinks back on her childhood on the beach. It's an intriguing game as the ballerina is always dancing as she moves from place to place.
The game can be quite challenging as you go through this dream-like environment, but once you've finished the title in a few hours, you'll be glad you went through it. It also supports PlayStation VR if you want take the imaginative graphical style to the next level.
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6 - My Friend Pedro
Imagine a platformer that lets you flip in the air and wield dual pistols while doing so. That is what My Friend Pedro is. This unique game, published by Devolver Digital, has the player flipping, rolling, and wall jumping their way through each level, blasting foes in the face. "My Friend Pedro is like if Sonic the Hedgehog went on a drug-fueled killing spree," said Dan Hodges in his TechRaptor review for the game. "It’s a nonsensical and gleeful mess of acrobatic murder that refuses to take itself seriously."
Hodges gave it a 7.5/10, praising the game's "Flashy, Satisfying Combat." My Friend Pedro is certainly worth trying out on PlayStation Plus Premium as it's quite different from other platformers like Sonic The Hedgehog and Crash Bandicoot.
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5 - Gravity Rush 2
PlayStation used to be the harbinger of excellent 3D platformers as you can see with the rest of this list. However, the company has focused more on third-person action games instead. Still, Gravity Rush 2 is the exception in the PS4 lineup. Utilizing gravity-defying abilities in the air, you can traverse on each building, walking up the walls and leaping to get a better vantage point. Soaring through the air with Kat's powers is also exhilarating as she moves at breakneck speed across the open world.
The combat does feel too simple when compared to other games of its era, but it makes up for it with a compelling story and a gorgeous art design that stands out in the gaming industry. Gravity Rush Remastered is also available on PlayStation Plus Premium.
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4 - LittleBigPlanet 3
LittleBigPlanet 3 was the culmination of what Media Molecule wanted for the franchise. Developed by Sumo Digital as MediaMolecule worked on Dreams, LittleBigPlanet 3 provides a wide canvas of level creation tools and customization for your Sackboy. It also has a successful campaign, which has plenty of charm and shows the player some concepts they can bring to their own levels.
The cool thing is that you can share your creations online and download others'. Some magnificent levels are available online that can take hours of your time investing in. The creation tools are more primitive than what Dreams offers, but LittleBigPlanet 3 arguably has the bigger community and more refined levels.
3 - Puppeteer
You've likely played Ratchet & Clank, Super Mario 64, and/or Crash Bandicoot, but despite this competitive genre's long history, you've probably never experienced a game like Puppeteer before. This 2D platformer takes place within a fairy tale world experienced on a theatre stage. Your main weapon are scissors, which cut through items in the level and allow for exciting platforming gameplay.
For an underrated platformer like this, it's quite surprising to see such a high production value within the graphics and the cutscenes that brings the game to life on screen. The game plays with the perspective in a creative fashion as the bosses come in and out of the foreground and background. Unfortunately, Puppeteer is only available through streaming so your experience may vary.
2 - Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy is a classic 3D platformer from the PS2 that still holds up today. Before Uncharted and The Last of Us, Naughty Dog created a wondrous world in the first Jak & Daxter.
Each biome presents a large open space to find collectibles and fulfill missions with entertaining platforming sections. Jumping and rolling still feels smooth as you play this 21-year-old game on modern systems.
Daxter, Jak's sidekick on his back, also brings some fun comic relief to the game. He even taunts you when Jak falls to the ground. Don't skip this game if you're a platforming fan and have PlayStation Plus Premium.
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1 - Ratchet & Clank (2016)
Arguably the best platforming franchise from PlayStation is Ratchet & Clank. The clever minds at Insomniac Games have created a universe with inspired art design and hilarious scripts that make the lombax and robot so memorable. The 2016 remake of the first game that acted as a tie-in to the movie brought back the thrilling platforming segments and bombastic weapons we know the series by. There's nothing more thrilling than going on a rail and then switching between them, avoiding obstacles.
This game brings all the excitement of the series and makes some thrilling platforming segments that will test your skills as a fan of the genre. The game is also gorgeous, sporting vibrant visuals and impressive special effects from each weapon in the game. For example, the Pixelizer turns the immaculately detailed foes into 8-bit with each blast. Let's hope this game's sequel Rift Apart joins the PlayStation Plus Premium lineup soon.
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Even though PlayStation Plus Premium is missing some key platforming games from Sony's history, we're still fortunate to get some classic titles like Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy and underrated exclusives like Puppeteer on the service. Are there any you think are missing from this list? Let us know in the comments below.
PlayStation Plus Premium access was provided to the writer by PlayStation Canada.
Have a tip, or want to point out something we missed? Leave a Comment or e-mail us at tips@techraptor.net
The British “Canadian” Chris Penwell has been a video game journalist since 2013 and now has a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from MacEwan University.… More about Chris
