The Nintendo Switch is one of the best homes for platformers ever made, pairing Nintendo's own masterclasses in level design with a deep bench of indie precision platformers and metroidvanias. Handheld play suits the short, replayable structure of the genre, and local co-op is built into the hardware. Whether you want a joyful 3D playground, a punishing 2D test of reflexes or a moody exploration game, the console has a standout.
1. Super Mario Odyssey#
Nintendo EPD released Super Mario Odyssey in October 2017, sending Mario across a string of sandbox kingdoms with Cappy, a sentient hat that can capture enemies and objects. Every kingdom hides hundreds of Power Moons, and movement feels wonderfully fluid, with jumps, dives and rolls that chain together naturally. The variety of ideas per minute is remarkable, from a jazz festival in New Donk City to a desert under ice. The main story ends quickly, and the real challenge sits in the post-game moons. Motion controls are optional but occasionally awkward in handheld mode.
2. Super Mario Bros. Wonder#
Nintendo EPD released Super Mario Bros. Wonder in October 2023, returning to side-scrolling after the New Super Mario Bros. era with a new sense of surprise. Wonder Flowers twist a level mid-run, turning Mario into an elephant, flipping the landscape or sending a stampede through the screen. Equippable badges add options for different skill levels, and up to four players can play together. The art is expressive and full of animation. The difficulty is gentle until the special worlds, so veterans may wish the harder levels came sooner.
3. Celeste#
Matt Makes Games released Celeste in January 2018, the story of Madeline climbing a mountain while confronting her own anxiety. The platforming is tight and built around a dash, a wall climb and a stamina meter, with hundreds of small screens that let you retry instantly. The pixel art and synth score are memorable, and Assist Mode lets players adjust speed, stamina and invincibility so anyone can finish. The optional B-Side and C-Side levels and the free Farewell chapter are brutal. If you dislike precision trial and error, the later stretches may frustrate.
4. Kirby and the Forgotten Land#
HAL Laboratory released Kirby and the Forgotten Land in March 2022, the first fully 3D mainline Kirby adventure. The pink hero explores a ruined world that mixes nature and abandoned human buildings, inhaling objects for Mouthful Mode transformations such as a car or vending machine. Copy abilities can be upgraded at Waddle Dee Town, adding a gentle progression loop. A second player can join as Bandana Waddle Dee. It is friendly and inventive, but it is easy: experienced players will rarely be tested outside the optional challenges and the post-game.
5. Ori and the Will of the Wisps#
Moon Studios developed this sequel to Ori and the Blind Forest, released on Switch in September 2020 after its Xbox and PC launch in March. You guide the small guardian Ori through a hand-painted forest full of fluid movement, from bounce attacks to gliding and burrowing. The combat is more developed than in the first game, and the orchestral score supports a moving story. The Switch version runs at a lower resolution than on other platforms and can feel less smooth in busy scenes. It is still a stunning game, but expect some compromises.
6. Hollow Knight#
Team Cherry's Hollow Knight reached Switch in June 2018 after launching on PC in 2017. You play a nameless knight exploring Hallownest, a vast insect kingdom of caverns, ruins and boss fights, in a hand-drawn metroidvania with tense, exact platforming and combat. It rewards exploration, with charms that allow many builds and dozens of hours of secrets. Its storytelling is quiet and cryptic, which suits patient players. Difficulty spikes are steep and the game does not guide you, so newcomers may get lost or frustrated.
7. Shovel Knight#
Yacht Club Games released Shovel Knight in March 2017, an 8-bit styled platformer that borrows from Mega Man, DuckTales and Castlevania. You swing a shovel, bounce on enemies like a pogo stick and work through a map of themed stages, each guarded by a knight boss. The chiptune soundtrack is excellent and the controls are pin-sharp. Treasure Trove adds extra campaigns that change the hero and the structure, offering a lot of content. It leans heavily on nostalgia, and some deliberate retro conventions, such as losing gold on death, can feel old-fashioned.
8. Sonic Mania#
Sonic Mania, released in August 2017, is a love letter to the Mega Drive era by Christian Whitehead, Headcannon and PagodaWest Games. It remixes classic zones with new acts and surprises, running at high speed with Sonic, Tails and Knuckles. The pixel art and soundtrack recapture the 16-bit originals while adding fresh ideas, and Mirage Saloon and Studiopolis are highlights. Bosses are clever, with several twists on old fights. The level design can occasionally undercut momentum with cheap hazards, and the speed can be hard to read for newcomers.
9. Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time#
Toys for Bob developed Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, which came to Switch in March 2021. It is a direct sequel to the original PlayStation trilogy, sending Crash and Coco through multiple dimensions with Quantum Masks that change the rules, such as slowing time or flipping gravity. The levels are creative and the set pieces are lively, with plenty of hidden collectibles and N. Verted replays for completionists. Some stages are very demanding, and load times can slow repeated attempts. Fans of tough, classic 3D platforming get the most out of it.
10. Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition#
Moon Studios released Ori and the Blind Forest in 2015, and the Definitive Edition arrived on Switch in September 2019. It follows a small spirit through the dying forest of Nibel, with elegant platforming, rising difficulty and a touching opening. You gain abilities such as Bash and Double Jump that turn the map into a flowing puzzle. The painted visuals are among the most beautiful on the console. Its escape sequences can be punishing, and the Soul Link save system demands planning. It is shorter and simpler than the sequel, making it a good starting point.
11. A Hat in Time#
Gears for Breakfast released A Hat in Time on Switch in October 2019, a 3D collectathon inspired by Super Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie. You play Hat Kid, who travels chapters that include a murder mystery on a train, a movie studio run by owls and a forest of spooky ghosts. The jumping and hat-swapping abilities feel good, and the humour and art style have a charm of their own. The Switch port is less smooth than on PC, with loading times that can drag. It suits fans of 3D platformers looking for something beyond Nintendo's own.
12. Yoshi's Crafted World#
Good-Feel released Yoshi's Crafted World in March 2019, a side-scrolling platformer set in a world made of cardboard, paper and craft supplies. Each level can be replayed from behind, where you can find hidden collectibles in a flipped version of the stage, which adds replay value. Yoshi throws eggs and swallows enemies, and the soft, handmade look is very relaxing. Co-op lets a second player join with a second Yoshi. The difficulty is very low, and the pace is slow, so seasoned platformer fans may be bored. It suits children, families and relaxed play.
13. Inside#
Playdead's Inside first appeared in 2016 and reached Switch in June 2018. It is a dark puzzle platformer from the makers of Limbo, in which a boy runs through a hostile, oppressive facility. There is no text or dialogue, and the animation, sound design and atmosphere tell the story, climaxing in a famously unsettling final act. The puzzles are well paced and rarely frustrating. The game is short, at around three to four hours, and it offers few reasons to return once its secrets are found. It is best for players who enjoy mood over mechanical depth.
14. Braid: Anniversary Edition#
Jonathan Blow's Braid was an indie landmark in 2008, and this remaster arrived on Switch in May 2024. Each world changes how time works, letting you rewind mistakes and manipulate objects in clever ways to collect puzzle pieces. The hand-painted visuals were redone by David Hellman, and the edition adds new levels and audio commentary about the design. It is a thoughtful puzzle platformer that fits short sessions. The story is deliberately oblique, and some puzzles can feel obtuse. Skip it if you want fast reflex-based action.
15. Mega Man 11#
Capcom released Mega Man 11 in October 2018, a modern return to the classic run-and-gun platformer formula. You choose among eight Robot Masters, taking their weapons to use against others, while the Double Gear system slows time or boosts your power. The art is a clean 2.5D look and the stage design captures the series' rhythm. Multiple difficulty modes make it more approachable than older entries. Some bosses and later stages remain tough, and the story is barely there. It is best for people who like learning enemy patterns.
16. Owlboy#
D-Pad Studio released Owlboy on Switch in February 2018, after years of development. You play Otus, a mute owl who flies through floating ruins and can carry allies whose weapons change the combat. The pixel art is some of the most detailed ever made, and the orchestral score gives the adventure a grand scale. The story has real emotional weight. Flying is more forgiving than jumping, so the platforming is less demanding than in most of the games here. Some boss fights outstay their welcome, and the pace may feel slow to players who want constant action.