Xbox has long been a home for platformers that mix tight jumping with bigger ideas, from atmospheric Metroidvanias to couch co-op adventures built around two players. Both the Xbox One and Series X|S libraries are packed with hand-drawn art, expressive animation and demanding controls, and the standouts often pair a striking visual identity with precise movement. The games below cover the range, from classic 2D runners to cooperative showpieces.

1. Ori and the Will of the Wisps#

Moon Studios released Ori and the Will of the Wisps in March 2020 as a follow-up to Ori and the Blind Forest. Ori explores the glowing land of Niwen, running, gliding and bashing off enemies in some of the smoothest movement in the genre. The hand-painted art and Gareth Coker's score are stunning, and combat is far more developed than before, with swappable Spirit Shards. It is also a deeper Metroidvania with side quests and a friendlier map. Its weakness is a heavier story tone and a few rough boss fights. Newcomers may want to start with the first game.

2. Hollow Knight#

Team Cherry's Hollow Knight launched on PC in 2017 and reached Xbox One in 2018. You play a silent bug knight exploring Hallownest, a sprawling underground kingdom of caves, cities and fungal forests, fighting bosses with a nail. Its hand-drawn art, haunting music and deliberately sparse storytelling reward patience, and it offers dozens of hours of exploration. It has a steep difficulty curve, and you must buy or find maps, which can leave newcomers lost. Players who dislike punishing combat or backtracking should skip it, but fans of the genre will find few better examples.

3. Celeste#

Celeste, from Maddy Thorson and Noel Berry's Extremely OK Games, arrived on Xbox One in January 2018. Madeline climbs Celeste Mountain across short, brutal screens that teach a few precise moves: jump, dash and wall-climb. The story about anxiety and self-doubt is told with warmth, and Lena Raine's soundtrack is superb. Assist Mode lets players tweak speed and invincibility, which makes it more accessible than it looks. The extra B-Side and C-Side levels are hard even for veterans. It is a game about persistence, and the trial-and-error design may frustrate anyone who wants a relaxed jump-and-run.

4. Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition#

Moon Studios first released Ori and the Blind Forest on Xbox One in March 2015, with the Definitive Edition following in 2016. The tale of a small spirit trying to save a dying forest opens with one of gaming's most affecting prologues. Controls are sharp, the Bash ability is brilliant, and the escape sequences are thrilling. Its painterly visuals still hold up. The Definitive Edition adds new areas, abilities and difficulty options. Its main flaws are simple combat and a shorter length than its sequel, but it remains a beautiful entry point into platformers.

5. Cuphead#

StudioMDHR released Cuphead on Xbox One in September 2017, and it was made to look like a 1930s rubber-hose cartoon, hand-drawn and painted with watercolor backgrounds and a jazz big-band score. It is mostly a run-and-gun boss rush, with a smaller set of platforming stages, and two players can tackle it together. Bosses are inventive, multi-phase set pieces. It is brutally hard, and the limited checkpoints make it demanding. Those who expect a traditional jumping game should note that platforming is only part of it, but the style and animation are unmatched.

6. Inside#

Playdead, the studio behind Limbo, released Inside on Xbox One in June 2016, first on that platform. A nameless boy sneaks through a bleak, dystopian world of guards, dogs and strange experiments. The game has no dialogue and no on-screen text, yet its physics puzzles, stealth and chases carry a story that stays with you. Animation is impressive, the sound design is chilling, and the ending is widely discussed. It is short, often finished in about four hours, and it leans towards puzzle-solving more than jumping, so pure platforming fans may want more.

7. It Takes Two#

Hazelight Studios released It Takes Two in March 2021 and it won Game of the Year at The Game Awards. It is a co-op-only adventure in which Cody and May, a couple heading for divorce, are turned into dolls and must work together. Each level brings new abilities and mechanics, from nails and hammers to time manipulation, and the variety is remarkable. The Friend's Pass lets a second player join for free online. It has a cartoonish, sometimes cheesy story, and it cannot be played alone, so solo players should look elsewhere.

8. Split Fiction#

Hazelight Studios followed It Takes Two with Split Fiction in March 2025, and it is again a co-op-only adventure. Mio and Zoe are writers who get trapped inside a machine that steals ideas, and they move between science-fiction and fantasy worlds in short, inventive chapters. The platforming, combat and set pieces change constantly, which keeps the pace high. The Friend's Pass allows a friend to join for free. It is linear, and the characters are less endearing than the pair in the studio's previous game. You will need a partner.

9. Hollow Knight: Silksong#

Team Cherry released Hollow Knight: Silksong in September 2025, and it was one of the most anticipated sequels of the decade. You play Hornet, who is captured and brought to the kingdom of Pharloom, a vertical, richly detailed world full of bosses and side quests. Movement is faster and more acrobatic than in the original, with crafting tools and quests. It is harder than its predecessor, and some sections are unforgiving. Newcomers should probably play Hollow Knight first, but fans will find a huge and confident Metroidvania.

10. Psychonauts 2#

Double Fine released Psychonauts 2 in August 2021, sixteen years after the cult original. Razputin Aquato now works as an intern at the Psychonauts, and explores the minds of others, each rendered as a colorful and unusual level. Tim Schafer's writing is sharp, the art direction is inventive, and the levels range from a surreal game show to a garden of obsessions. The platforming is loose and forgiving rather than demanding, and combat can feel clumsy. It suits players who want a funny, heartfelt 3D platformer with personality.

11. Sonic Mania#

Sonic Mania, released on Xbox One in August 2017, was made by Christian Whitehead and the PagodaWest Games team together with Headcannon and Sega. It is a love letter to the Mega Drive era, remixing classic zones such as Green Hill and Chemical Plant and adding brand-new ones with tricks up their sleeves. Pixel art and soundtrack are excellent, and Tails and Knuckles return as playable characters. Some later stages can be long and cheap, and it is rooted in nostalgia, but it is the best 2D Sonic in years.

12. Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time#

Toys for Bob developed Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, which Activision released in October 2020 for Xbox One. It continues the series after the original trilogy and adds Quantum Masks that bend reality, including one that slows time. Levels are colorful, creative and varied, with extra characters such as Tawna and Dingodile. The difficulty is high, and the N. Verse challenges are demanding. A Modern mode removes the lives limit, so it is accessible to newcomers. Those who dislike tough precision jumping will probably find some stages frustrating.

13. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown#

Ubisoft Montpellier released Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown in January 2024 and changed the series into a 2D Metroidvania. You play Sargon, a young warrior of the Immortals, chasing a kidnapped prince across the time-twisted Mount Qaf. Combat is fast and flashy, traversal is fluid, and time-based powers open up clever puzzles. The map tools are helpful. The story is uneven, and some bosses can be tough. It is a polished action platformer for players who want a modern take on the series.

14. Shovel Knight#

Yacht Club Games released Shovel Knight in 2014 and brought it to Xbox One in 2015. It is a tribute to the NES era, with chunky pixel art, chiptune music and a hero who bounces on enemies with a shovel. The original campaign is tight, and the later Treasure Trove edition adds further campaigns with new playable characters. The design is cleverly balanced between challenge and fairness. Its retro style and difficulty spikes may not suit everyone, and a few later additions are less polished than the base game.

15. A Hat in Time#

A Hat in Time, from Gears for Breakfast, appeared on PC in 2017 and on Xbox One in late 2017. You play Hat Kid, a young space traveler who has lost the fuel for her ship and explores colorful worlds with a sharp sense of humor. It is a love letter to 3D collect-a-thon platformers such as Super Mario 64, and its levels are packed with secrets and variety. The camera can be awkward, and some areas feel rough. It is a charming pick for fans of classic 3D platforming.