Summary

  • The PlayStation excelled in platforming games with rich art and engaging gameplay, rivaling N64 classics.
  • Croc, Pac-Man World, Mega Man X4 showcase diverse mechanics and great level design for PS platformers.
  • Spyro 2, Rayman, Crash Bandicoot: Warped offer polished experiences with varying challenges on PlayStation.

When you think of fifth generation gaming, you likely recall the innovative Super Mario 64 or other N64 platforming contemporaries such as Banjo-Kazooie and Kirby. However, the 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:PlayStation was the true king of platforming during this era, offering its own variety of 3D platformers alongside a steady rﷺoster of 2D platformers that have aged wonderfully.

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Many platformers from the original PlayStation emphasized art, high production values, and cinematic experiences. Once developers became accustomed to ℱcreating games with the DualShock controller, 3D platformers on the PlayStation achieved the level of excellence and fluency that remains impressive even today.

10 Croc

Croc leaping toward a key in Croc.

Released
September 29, 1🌳997
Developer
ജ Argonaut Games, Virtucraft ltd.

For its ꦉtime, Croc boasted incredible graphics. On the original PlayStatio𝓀n, it rivaled the visual quality of the stronger N64 platformers. The levels were cleverly designed to optimize the PlayStation’s capabilities while preserving the illusion of exploring one expansive world.

Croc’s learning curve requires adjustment due to its tank controls. Similar to Tomb Raider, running and changing direction simultaneously can be challenging, but this approach🐎 adds🐽 a unique and more methodical gameplay style. While Croc’s controls aren’t the most precise, once you adapt, it’s still possible to navigate stages at a fast tempo.

9 Pac-Man World 🤪

Pac-Man in midair in Pac-Man World.

Pac-Man is one of the most iconic video game characters of the '80s and '90s, alongside Mario and Sonic, so 🀅it’s fitting that he would step into the 3D platforming market with Pac-Man World. The game frequently shifts perspectives, blending a '2.5D' approach with occasional tunnel-based designs reminiscent of the Crash Bandicoot series.

A standout feature of Pac-Man World is its bird’s-eye view levels, which evoke the traditional puzzle-based Pac-Man games. While Pac-Man World leans on the easier side, mechaཧnics like Pac-Man’s jump for bouncing off the floor and power-ups that let him grow gigantic to engulf enemie▨s add plenty of engaging and enjoyable moments.

8 🌞 Mega Man X4

Mega Man X leaping and shooting  gigantic green mecha boss in Mega Man X4.
Mega Man X4
Action
Platformer

Released
🔴 September 25, 1997
Developer(s)
Capcom

The 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Mega Man X serie✱s' first Play💧Station game became its best one. Mega Man X4 was the first game in the series to allow you to control Zero throughout the entire adventure. Playing as Zero emphasizes melee combat with t💯he Z-Saber, which dramatically changes hꦕow you navigate and engage with the levels.

Although Mega Man X4 is among the easier entries in the series, it offers an incredible sense of movement, with diverse movement options such as dashes and double jumps that enhance iꦡts dynamic gameplay.​​​​​​​

7 Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage

Ripto Boss Fight from Spyro Reignited Trilogy.

Released
Oct𓄧ober 31, 1999 🥂

Any of the Spyro games could be 🃏considered a benchmark for 3D platforming during the 32-bit era🐼. Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage excels in exploration and collection by providing expansive, open worlds and smooth, fast transportation options such as sprinting and gliding.

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Compared to its more renowned sequel, Spyro: Year of the Dragon, Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage avoids overstaying its welcome by minimizing repetitive level replays and the overuse of underdeveloped characters. Both games 🌊feature a robust selection of mini-games, but in Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage, the minigames serve as a complement to the core platforming experience rather than overshadowing it, which may appeal more to purists of the genre.​​​​​​​

6 Rayman

Rayman using a helicopter jump against the final boss in Rayman.
Rayman
Platformer

Released
♓ ⛄ September 1, 1995
Developer(s)
Ubisoft, Digital Eclipse, Ludimedia 🌄

When most studios were transitioning away from 2D platforming, Ubisoft boldly launched Rayman in 1995. Unlike the crude, blocky visuals common in many 32- and 64-bit platformers, Rayman stands out with its vibrant colors, intricate artwork, and a polished soundtrack that perfectly complements the exotic atmosphere of its🎉 levels.

Rayman is not for the faint of heart. Its difficulty rivals the most challenging stages of Rayman: Origins and Rayman: Legends across the entire game. Yet, the precise platforming mechanics and exceptional production values more than make up for the 🌺game’s demanding nature.​​​​​​​

5 🐟 Heart Of Darkness

Andy sneaking away from a dark figure in Heart of Darkness.

​​​​​​​

Heart of Darkness
Adventure
Platformer

Released
💞 July 3, 1998
Developer(s)
♍ Amazing Studio

A spiritual successor to cult classics like Another World and Flashback, Heart of Darkness focuses on puzzle-solving and cin▨ematic storytelling. Its aesthetics are a mix of the bizarre, eerie, and occasionally brutal. The d꧅ark, pre-rendered backgrounds paired with spider-like silhouette monsters still leave a lasting impression on fans of the game.

Unlike most platformers, Heart of Darkness de-emphasizes combat. Several lengthy segments r🍌equire navigating stages without the use of a weapon, introducing a survival-horror dyꩵnamic to a game already rich with haunting imagery.​​​​​​​

4 Crash Bandicoot: Warped �🌊�

Crash and his friends sitting in the living room in Crash Bandicoot Warped.
Crash Bandicoot: Warped
Platformer

Released
November 3,꧒ 199🧔8

The gameplay of Crash Bandicoot: Warped may resemble that of runner-style games, with its camera perspective and fast momentum encouraging players to keep moving forward at a brisk pace. The stage designs were meticulously crafted with running and time trials💜 in mind, delivering a smoother and more polished experience than its predecessors in the series.

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1

The Crash Bandicoot series is known for its deceptive difficulty, but Crash Bandicoot: Warped breaks from the convention of steadily increasing challenge, maintaining a consistent pace throughout the game. It also offers frequent saving opportunities and the option to replay boss stages, allowing players to fully enjoy its creative gimmicks.​​​​​​​ Crash Bandicoot: Warped's more accessible difficulty and array of vehichle gimmicks allowed Crash to recieve more mainstream recognition and 168澳洲幸运5开💖奖网:become an unofficial mascot for the P💦laystation.

3 🔥 Ape Escape

Ape Escape protagonist Spike prepares to catch an ape in the first Ape Escape.
168澳洲幸运5开奖网: Ape Escape
Platformer
Systems
Released
June 18, 1999
ESRB
E: Mild Violence
Developer(s)
꧑ Japan Studio
Publisher(s)
Sony Computer Entertainment🅘

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

It might be hard to believe, but there was a time when PlayStation consoles lacked analog sticks. Ape Escape was the first game to require Sony’s iconic DualShock controller, utili🥀zing its dual analog sticks for precise, fast-paced 360-degree movement.

Ape Escape is a throwback to an era when Sony prioritized gameplay over storytelling. The objective is straightforward: catch a bunch of apes wit𓂃h a net. However, the cleverly designed levels ensure that replayin♏g them feels fresh, offering a slightly different experience each time.​​​​​​​

2 🐓 Oddwor⭕ld: Abe’s Oddysee

Abe mind controlling a minion in Oddworld Abe's Oddysee.

Although Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee isn’t the most mechanically impressive platformer, it stands o𝔍ut as one of the most cinematic experiences within the genre. The game boasts tremendous atmosphere, and unlike its technically superior sequel, Oddworld: Abe’s Exoddus, it maint💞ains its tension without relying on excessive humor.

Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee feels more like a fine piece of art (with occasional fart jokes) than a traditional video game, featuring immersive set pieces like the deserts of Scrabania and the forests of Paramonia. The puzzles and lack of save points offer a solid challenge, heightening the sense of teꦐnsion and stakes 🥂throughout the game.​​​​​​​

1 Castlevania: Symphony O💛f The Night

Richter Belmont is fighting Dracula in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

Released
October 2, 1997 🌄
Developer(s)
Konami

The Castlevania series established itself 🐟as a straightforward platforming titan on the SNES and NES. Konami borrowed elements from Metroid and expanded on them when creating Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

The map in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is vast, filled with charismatic sprite-based demons and gothic imagery. While relatively light on traditional platforming, Symphony of the Night incorporates exploration and RPG elements, helping to create 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:one of the fin𒐪est games💜 on the PlayStation.

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