Contra: Hard Corps 1994
Why it still holds upDifferent characters and different routes still give each new run its own shape today.
Platformers that still hold up
Jumping, which is far harder to get right than it looks
Games
Contra: Hard Corps 1994
Why it still holds upDifferent characters and different routes still give each new run its own shape today.
Mega Man X2 1994
Why it still holds upBosses that are weak to each other's weapons make the order you choose the main puzzle, so a second run is still worth a try.
Child of Light 2014
Why it still holds upA firefly that slows enemies and heals allies, and a surprise strike for whoever reaches an enemy's back first, still give every battle a small tactical choice.
Cave Story 2004
Why it still holds upWeapons that lose levels when you are hit still make every fight about avoiding damage today.
Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight 2016
Why it still holds upA leaf for melee, a bow for range and a boss in every area give it a simple rhythm of exploring and then fighting that is easy to learn even now.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 1992
Why it still holds upRings you can win back and acts built around a ride give it a pace of its own, and six hidden emeralds still give a reason to search every act.
Aquaria 2007
Why it still holds upExploring the sea is still a puzzle of what to try where, because songs are built from notes and forms open new barriers.
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within 2004
Why it still holds upA rewind that undoes a fatal mistake, and portals between two eras, let you recover from a wrong jump and plan a route, so the acrobatics are easy to retry today.
Sonic the Hedgehog 1991
Why it still holds upEvery run is a mix of momentum and caution, with rings that protect you from one hit and slopes that carry your speed, and it plays that way still.
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow 2005
Why it still holds upEven now, souls you can swap and a castle that opens as you find items give you reasons to explore every room.
Kirby's Return to Dream Land 2011
Also known as Kirby's Adventure Wii
Why it still holds upFour players can drop in and everyone shares the lives, so it is still easy to pick up with friends or family.
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee 1997
Why it still holds upIt still plays as a careful puzzle platformer: rescued Mudokons follow your commands and checkpoints are the only saves.
Mega Man ZX Advent 2007
Why it still holds upBringing the right form to each new boss, from forms taken off the last ones, still gives it variety today.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time 2003
Why it still holds upA hard jump that can be retried at once, by rewinding, still keeps its acrobatics easy to enjoy today.
Supraland 2019
Why it still holds upPuzzle ideas that rarely repeat, and landmarks to navigate by instead of a map, give you a reason to explore it today.
A Hat in Time 2017
Why it still holds upLevels without a timer, and hats that each add a new move, still let you explore each stage at your own pace today.
Metal Slug 1996
Why it still holds upAnimation that answers everything you do still gives each level its pace today.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom 2003
Why it still holds upThree characters with different moves, and areas that the spatulas open, make a stage worth revisiting with a new ability today.
Elasto Mania 2000
Why it still holds upA bike that springs over the terrain still makes every level a puzzle of route and balance today.
Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus 1998
Why it still holds upAllies in different moods that need different handling make each rescue a small puzzle of its own, and the variety still lasts.
Donkey Kong Country Returns 2010
Why it still holds upAfter eight lives are lost in one level, a Super Guide lets a computer controlled Super Kong complete it, so a hard level can still be finished.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night 2019
Why it still holds upWith every defeated enemy a possible new skill, exploring still pays off today.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze 2014
Why it still holds upPartners with different moves, and help bought in a shop, still let you choose how hard a level is for you today.
Super Mario Sunshine 2002
Why it still holds upOne water backpack with several movement modes drives every level, while the secret courses without it test pure platforming, which still gives the game two kinds of jumping today.
SteamWorld Dig 2 2017
Why it still holds upDigging down for resources and coming back to spend them makes every trip a loop of risk and reward today, with a choice of how far to go each time.
Little Nightmares II 2021
Why it still holds upSlow stretches of sneaking that give way to desperate escapes, with a companion at your side, still keep the tension today.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii 2009
Why it still holds upIt is friendly to play with a group now: a Super Guide helps with hard levels and bubbles bring back fallen players.
Sly 2: Band of Thieves 2004
Why it still holds upEvery job still has more than one way in, because three thieves with different skills let you pick the one that suits each heist.
Gunpoint 2013
Why it still holds upA cross section that shows every guard and circuit lets you plan a route before moving, and that planning still pays off.
LittleBigPlanet 2 2011
Why it still holds upA game that hands you the tools to make games still puts a maker behind every level today.
AM2R: Return of Samus 2016
Why it still holds upA fan remake of a handheld game is still worth a look today.
Kirby & the Amazing Mirror 2004
Why it still holds upA cellphone that calls other Kirbys to help, and a hub that leads to nine areas, make it easy to enjoy with friends today.
Scaler 2004
Why it still holds upForms include a pterodactyl for flight and a ball for races, and giving energy to the pterodactyl unlocks upgrades such as stealth.
Limbo 2010
Why it still holds upEven now, hazards that show themselves only by killing you turn each death into a lesson about the next attempt.
N++ 2015
Why it still holds upWith every jump shaped by speed and slope, each level is still a small physics problem today.
Fez 2012
Why it still holds upEvery room is still a puzzle about perspective, with a view you can turn to realign the world.
Shadow Complex 2009
Why it still holds upEach return to an old room still has a new purpose, in a world that opens as new tools arrive.
Velocity 2X 2014
Why it still holds upEach level still has two ways to move, with a ship that teleports and ground sections between flights.
Metroid: Samus Returns 2017
Why it still holds upCounters to time and hidden paths to uncover still make exploring the planet a matter of watching closely today.
Spelunky Classic 2008
Why it still holds upCaves that change every run still have to be read as they come today.
Flashback: The Quest for Identity 1992
Why it still holds upEven now, a hero with human limits and a shield for health makes every drop and jump a measured risk.
Prince of Persia 1989
Why it still holds upA fixed clock that keeps running through your deaths, and traps that kill at once, still reward careful, repeated attempts today.
Yoku's Island Express 2018
Why it still holds upGetting around the island is still fun, because a hero who cannot jump has to use flippers, bumpers and ramps, and every route is worked out with the ball.
Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land 2002
Why it still holds upCopy abilities that turn each enemy into a possible power still keep every stage open to a different way of playing.
Ratchet & Clank 2002
Why it still holds upA pile of strange weapons to buy and find still gives every fight a new toy to try today.
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom 2018
Why it still holds upExploring is still a matter of trying each form: five forms each open a different path and dying costs nothing.
The End Is Nigh 2017
Why it still holds upWith each screen a small, separate problem, it still suits playing in short bursts today.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time 2020
Why it still holds upPlayed today, the platforming is the draw, with the masks and the other characters changing what each jump asks of you.