The PS5 has become an unexpectedly strong home for platformers, from Sony's own showcase for the DualSense controller to tight indie metroidvanias and inventive co-op adventures. Fast load times and sharp frame rates suit a genre that depends on precise timing. The games below cover 3D collectathons, 2D classics and cooperative experiments.
1. Astro Bot#
Team Asobi's Astro Bot arrived in September 2024 and is a love letter to PlayStation history, with hundreds of cameo bots and themed levels. It makes inventive use of the DualSense, with haptics you can feel through every surface and ability, and it won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2024. Levels keep introducing new gadgets, from frog gloves to a bulldog booster, and rarely reuse them. Difficulty stays gentle, so veterans may want more challenge outside the hidden late-game stages. It remains the best single-player platformer on the console.
2. Hollow Knight#
Team Cherry's Hollow Knight is a hand-drawn metroidvania set in the insect kingdom of Hallownest, with a native PS5 version. It combines exploration, precise nail combat and a melancholy world full of optional bosses and secrets. The map is large and rewards patient players, and the soundtrack by Christopher Larkin is a highlight. Early navigation is demanding, since you must buy maps and can get lost easily. Some boss fights and the Path of Pain platforming challenge are brutally hard. It is still one of the great indie games of the decade.
3. It Takes Two#
Hazelight Studios, led by Josef Fares, made It Takes Two as a co-op-only adventure released in March 2021. Two players control a couple turned into dolls who must repair their relationship, and nearly every level brings a new mechanic and genre twist. It won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2021. The Friend's Pass lets a second player join for free online. The story is broad and somewhat clumsy, and it cannot be played alone, so skip it if you have no partner. As a shared experience on PS5 it is hard to beat.
4. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart#
Insomniac's Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart launched in June 2021 as a PS5 showcase and was built around the console's SSD, letting you jump between dimensions almost instantly. Rivet joins Ratchet as a second lombax hero, and the weapons, from the Topiary Sprinkler to the Bomb Glove, are creative and satisfying. It looks stunning, and adaptive triggers give each gun distinct resistance. Platforming is simpler than in many peers and the campaign is relatively short. It is still a dazzling mix of third-person shooting and platforming.
5. Hollow Knight: Silksong#
Team Cherry released Hollow Knight: Silksong in September 2025, putting players in the role of Hornet as she climbs through the kingdom of Pharloom. Movement is faster and more acrobatic than in the original, with a needle, silk abilities and crests that change your style. Its world is huge, with a large cast of characters, side quests and bosses. Difficulty is punishing, with steep damage and long runs back after a death. It asks for patience but rewards it, and is an essential metroidvania on PS5.
6. Split Fiction#
Split Fiction is Hazelight's follow-up to It Takes Two, released in March 2025. Two writers, Mio and Zoe, get trapped inside their own stories and must cooperate through science-fiction and fantasy worlds that swap genres constantly. Its set pieces are more ambitious than those of its predecessor, and it has more variety in its mechanics. Online play works with the Friend's Pass, so only one copy is needed. As before, it is co-op only, and the writing is sometimes cheesy. For two players looking for a thrilling shared adventure it is excellent.
7. Animal Well#
Animal Well is a solo creation by Billy Basso and was released in May 2024. A small blob explores an eerie cave network filled with animals and puzzles, with no traditional combat and almost no guidance. Tools such as a frisbee, a yo-yo and a bubble wand open up the map and its many secrets, and the deeper layers of the game are remarkable. The atmosphere and pixel art are superb. Backtracking can feel slow, and the cryptic later puzzles may frustrate players who dislike guides. It is a fascinating, memorable discovery.
8. Psychonauts 2#
Double Fine released Psychonauts 2 in August 2021, and on PS5 it is played via the PS4 version, with Tim Schafer returning as director and Raz now an intern at the Psychonauts agency. Each level is set inside somebody's mind, making for wildly imaginative and funny spaces, including a casino-themed hospital. The writing and voice acting are sharp, and the powers give platforming fluid variety. Combat is the weakest part, since fights are simple and camera issues appear occasionally. It is a witty, heartfelt 3D platformer that is best enjoyed with some familiarity with the original, though not required.
9. Dead Cells#
Motion Twin's Dead Cells was released in 2018 and combines roguelite structure with fast 2D platforming and combat. You fight your way through randomly arranged levels, collect new weapons, and unlock permanent upgrades across runs. Combat is fluid and the pixel art is gorgeous, with a real sense of speed. Free updates and DLC have added large amounts of content. Its difficulty is steep, and since runs reset your gear, players who dislike repetition may bounce off. On PS5 it runs smoothly, and it remains one of the most replayable action platformers around.
10. Nine Sols#
Red Candle Games, the Taiwanese studio behind Devotion, released Nine Sols on PC in May 2024, with the PS5 version following in November 2024. It is a 2D action platformer set in a taopunk world, where Yi seeks revenge on nine powerful rulers. Combat revolves around parrying and talisman attacks, and boss fights feel like duels that reward learning patterns. The art style blends ink-like detail with sci-fi, and the story has real depth. Its difficulty spikes are sharp and save points can be far apart early on. For fans of Sekiro-style combat in a platformer it is a superb choice.
11. Neon White#
Neon White is a first-person speedrunning platformer from Angel Matrix, first released on PC and Switch in June 2022 and brought to PS5 in December 2022. You play as an assassin in heaven who uses cards as both weapons and movement tools, racing through short levels against the clock. The premise is clever, and chasing gold and ace medals becomes addictive. The anime-flavored visuals and soundtrack are a bonus. Its dialogue can be grating and it has a steep learning curve, so casual players may lose interest. If you love speedrunning, few games match it.
12. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound#
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a 2D action platformer released in July 2025, developed by The Game Kitchen and published by Dotemu. It brings back the series' fast, unforgiving style while adding a two-character system, with Kenji and Kumori, and a stylish pixel look. Stages are tightly designed and boss fights are memorable, and the soundtrack is strong. It is relatively short and difficult, with only modest replay incentives beyond harder modes. For fans of classic 8-bit action with modern polish it is a great pick.
13. A Hat in Time#
Gears for Breakfast's A Hat in Time began as a Kickstarter project and launched in 2017, reaching PS4 that December and playing on PS5 through backward compatibility. It is a cheerful 3D collectathon in the tradition of Super Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie, where Hat Kid recovers time pieces across charming themed worlds. Its cast of eccentric characters, from the Mafia of Mafia Town to the Conductor, makes each chapter feel distinct. Controls are responsive and the soundtrack is lovely. Camera problems and some uneven difficulty appear in places, but it is a delightful throwback that remains fun today.
14. Tinykin#
Splashteam's Tinykin was released in August 2022. You play Milo, a tiny astronaut exploring a giant house in a setting that feels frozen in the 1990s, collecting creatures called tinykin that carry objects and build bridges. The hand-drawn characters in 3D spaces are charming, and movement with a soap-powered skateboard is delightful. The game mixes exploration with light puzzle solving. Some tasks require lots of backtracking, and the platforming is forgiving rather than demanding. It is a warm, relaxing choice for players who want a cozy, inventive adventure.
15. Gris#
Gris is a watercolor platformer from Nomada Studio in Barcelona, released in December 2018, with a PS5 version added in December 2022. A young woman navigates a world shaped by grief, and new abilities unlock gradually, changing how you move and see the world. The art direction and score by Berlinist make it one of the most beautiful games available. There is no failure state or combat. The puzzles are easy and the experience is short, so players who want a challenge may find it too gentle, but as an emotional artistic experience it is unmatched.
16. Planet of Lana#
Planet of Lana, from the Swedish studio Wishfully, was released in May 2023, reaching PS5 in April 2024. A young girl and her cat-like companion Mui journey across a beautiful alien world, solving environmental puzzles and avoiding machines. The painterly backdrops and gentle score set a moving tone, and the cinematic platforming recalls Another World and Inside. It is short, with light challenge and little replay value once finished. A sequel, Planet of Lana II, followed in March 2026. It is a gorgeous, atmospheric pick for a relaxed evening.