6 Platform Franchises Never Below 75 On Metacritic
They have never failed a jump in any platform game.
Platform games have been around for a long time. Almost everyone likes the idea of jumping over things. It’s not surprising that an easy idea has led to so many TV shows. But, just like any other trend, not all of them have been the best. Even well-known IPs have gotten so bad that it’s hard to know where to start. Some brands, thankfully, don’t follow this pattern.
Several platform series have high standards and have never made a bad game in their history. Most of these are underground hits or lost gems, not big names like Mario or Sonic. This might surprise some people. Some people might see that as a sign that the AAA market has lost its unique edge. At the end of the day, though, these are just fun games that are full of new ideas and twists on the old recipe for platform games. The IP must have at least three mainline records for it to be on this list. That doesn’t count spin-offs, which could be the start of their own shows. Also, all candidates must have a Metacritic score of at least 75. This rule shouldn’t be a problem, though, as long as competent people are always in charge.
Sly Cooper
The Sly Cooper games aren’t like most platformers, neither in their ideas nor in how they are made. Players take control of a sneaky raccoon who sneaks into the hideouts of tough crooks.Then, Sly and his crew steal their stuff in risky heists that cement their reputation as master thieves.
This means that the platform is unlike anything else. The sneaky thief jumps with ease over rails, cables, spires, and other tight places. He keeps his balance like a cat, which works well with the stealth tactics. When people use these moves, they feel just as smooth as Sly himself. This makes the heist and the prize for it even better.
Rayman
Rayman comes from the crazy mind of Michel Ancel. It is about a hero with no arms or legs who travels through a dream world that is both strange and fun. There are a lot of bad guys in that world, so Rayman uses his flying arms and helicopter hair to stop them. The events that follow are just as random as they sound.
How strange that the games came out at the same weird time. The platform games have gone from 2D to 3D and back again, and each version is quickly appealing. That’s not just because it’s fun to jump and glide, but also because you never know what weird thing is around the next turn. Even Rayman: Raving Rabbids, the first game in a spin-off series about the Rabbids, has a good set of minigames. Still, it was best for Rayman to get away from the annoying abominations because it let him take his platforming roots to new heights.
Uncharted
In Uncharted, Nathan Drake, a brave treasure hunter, travels all over the world in search of magical artifacts and lost towns. The game is like a modern version of Indiana Jones. His drive to prove himself worthy and his love of history keep him going, but they also put him in conflict with warlords and other bad people who want the riches for their own bad reasons. This can lead to some of the most exciting games ever.
Players move through a lot of big-budget set pieces and beautiful places. Even though the platform is fairly easy (jumping and climbing on fixed handholds), it does a great job of showing off the different environments. The game’s creators also add gunplay, chases, and tasks to make sure that none of the parts get old. Fans are on the edge of their seats from the beginning to the end of Uncharted.
Shantae
Animals have a wide range of skills that are suited to different settings. The half-genie hero of the Shantae series was made with that in mind. With her unique belly dances, she changes into different animals and uses them to get around platform areas with many levels. She has to deal with pirates, monsters, and even other genies along the way. It’s easy to see how this could work.
Shantae’s changes give her a lot of different looks. Her movement never stays the same for long, and that includes the levels. She has to use all of her skills to do them. She has to use her animal forms to climb towers, break down doors, squeeze into caves, and do a lot of other things. The show always comes up with new ways to look into things, which is more than enough to keep it going.
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong has had his ups and downs, just like Mario. Still, his new series is the thing he’s most proud of. In Donkey Kong Country, the game’s namesake ape barrels (no pun meant) through a real jungle gym’s worth of platform challenges. On the surface, it looks the same as other books in the same field. Players still run and jump on a 2D plane, but that’s just the base.
Donkey Kong Country stands out because of its unique style. Rolling into enemies is fun and different from jumping on them. The team-based movement is the same. It might seem easy and unnecessary to switch between Donkey Kong and his friends, but their different strengths and weaknesses urge trying new things. To beat a level, you have to beat each of these apes. This changes Funny Shooter 2 play enough to make it feel different without taking away from its main draw. Monkey business has never done so well.
LittleBigPlanet
Media Molecule has always put a high value on player creation, and the three LittleBigPlanet games show that. As the cute Sackboy, players travel through savannahs, towns, temples, and other strange places. This isn’t new for platform games in and of itself. The twist is that these places are made of art materials like fabric, stickers, and other things. In the process, people get a whole new look at these places. In addition, it sets up the real selling point.
Players can use these things to help themselves. The main character and the world around him can be changed in a lot of ways, and a player’s progress often relies on how they change these things. In this way, LittleBigPlanet is both a shooter and a puzzle game. Fans can even make their own levels to test themselves or share with friends. These names are a huge toolbox of possibilities that keeps getting bigger as more and more are added.
