Platformers largely began to become popular thanks to the NES and Super Mario Bros. when they debuted in North America in 1985. Nintendo, from there, became a trendsetter in games, especially in the platforming department. Super Mario 64 showcased how one could develop a 3D platformer competently as another example.
There have been great 2D and 3D platformers but there is an in-between genre that doesn’t get as often highlighted: isometric platformers. When it comes to top-down games, most tend to think of Diablo or classic entries in The Legend of Zelda series. Are there any good recent or retro isometric platformers? Let’s take a look and find out.
8 Frogun
A PS1 Homage To Platformers
Frogun is a newer title that actually just got a big update in 2024. Co-op was added to the game, giving players new ways to interact in levels. The game overall is an homage graphically to the PS1 era of cel-shaded polygonal models akin to the Mega Man Legends games. Each stage is short, consisting of platforms, puzzles, and enemies that one would expect in a game like this. The big gameplay hook is a frog tool that can attack enemies or grapple onto things which is a simple but well-applied mechanic.
7 Kingdom Hearts: Chain Of Memories
A Cad-Based RPG Platformer
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories was the first spinoff and direct sequel to the original game, meant to bridge the gap between it and Kingdom Hearts 2. Sora wanders into a mysterious castle and starts to lose his memories as he dives deeper into past Disney worlds like ones based on Aladdin and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Players will use cards to unlock rooms filled with monsters and a few platforming segments. Combat uses cards too but from a 2D perspective rather than the top-down angle used for exploration.
6 Brave Fencer Musashi
Square’s Copycat Samurai Adventure
Brave Fencer Musashi is another game from Square Enix although it is more forgotten than any of the Kingdom Hearts game. It was a PS1 title still under the Square umbrella wherein a kingdom called upon a hero to save them. This hero is a young samurai named Musashi which is not what they were expecting.
The perspective changes in different sections of the game from top-down to 2D. It’s an action RPG with quite a bit of platforming with the big gimmick revolving around Musashi’s ability to steal abilities temporarily from enemies.
5 Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One
Exchanging Gun Variety For Multiplayer
Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One was a spinoff that was created for the sole purpose of adding multiplayer to the Ratchet & Clank series. Players could inhabit the roles of Ratchet, Clank, Captain Qwark, and Dr. Nefarious through a series of linear levels. Most stages went in and out of top-down l and 2D perspectives and incorporated all of the gameplay elements that fans loved from shooting enemies with weird weapons to grappling around with a hookshot. Instead of buying weapons from vendors, players were rewarded as they progressed through the game and the weapons remained as wacky as ever from whips to typical machine guns.
4 Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Ditching Level Creation To Focus On Platforming
Sackboy: A Big Adventure was one of the launch titles for the PS5 and it was a bit different compared to other entries besides the more isometric perspective. Players could still customize their Sackboy or Sackboy with fun costumes and the levels looked handcrafted. Plus it supported four-player co-op like the other games. What was eliminated was the player-created levels which was the gimmick the series was built on. While that was removed, the game was still full of creativity and some may argue it was better for it.
3 Kirby And The Forgotten Land
Kirby’s First Big Open Area Adventure
Kirby and the Forgotten Land was Kirby’s first big platformer, and it was more open than previous titles. It was also one of the few examples that gave Kirby the freedom of 3D albeit from a top-down perspective mostly. This gave players a better sense of navigation which is why isometric games are so appealing to a lot of fans.
Also, Kirby’s sucking powers were upgraded wherein players could boost classic power-ups like the sword or bomb forms. Furthermore, Kirby could possess other objects like cars to go for a cruise, creating a large swathe of memes when Kirby and the Forgotten Land was unveiled, and some creative leaps in the gameplay mechanics.
2 Moss
One Of PSVR’s Must-Play Titles
Moss, alongside Astro Bot Rescue Mission, is one of the few PSVR games that platformer fans have to play. It sells the hardware without making players feel nauseous. The controller will move around the mouse heroine, Quill, but players are also a disembodied entity that can help out Quill. For example, they can move specific pillars using motion controls to create platforms for Quill to navigate across. What makes the game cool is that each area of the game is like a diorama that players are viewing from above. It’s an experience that needs to be played to understand.
1 Super Mario 3D Land
The 3DS Standard
Super Mario 3D Land is another instance of a game that needs to be seen to be believed. It’s also a game that utilizes hardware well, but in this case, it’s the 3DS. Even though most games had the 3D effect overlaid, very few of them took advantage of the perspective. Nintendo knew exactly how to use it though, giving players an awareness of space for the first time in a Mario title. It was easier to judge where players could jump in a stage, for example. Unfortunately without the 3DS, Super Mario Land can never be properly emulated. That’s why it’s worth tracking down the game and a 3DS to own forever as a reminder of a benchmark Nintendo hit.
