Best Platformers With High Replay Value

I grew up with video games, and the first genre I played was the noble platformer. As a result, I really grew to appreciate that genre over most others, and to this day, play tons of platformers.

Even though platformers are seen as somewhat archaic, there are a lot of modern ones worth playing. This list features those, as well as some more classic examples of the genre.

There are all sorts of platformers here, from adrenaline-filled run-and-guns to magical 3D platformers to delightfully modern retro experiences, and even super hard games. Either way, you'll find something to love in this list of platformers with high replay value!

10 Contra: Shattered Soldier

Beautifully Broken

Though Contra III was the first game in the series I enjoyed, Contra: Shattered Soldier is still one of my fondest memories. Sure, it was brutally hard, but it was also entirely fair. I spent hours and hours not just mastering the game, but playing well enough to unlock the final boss and true ending!

Unlike Contra III, Shattered Soldier doesn't feature weapon pickups. Instead, you can cycle through three default weapons — machine gun, flamethrower, and grenade launcher. Though these can be charged up into more powerful forms, the game pretty much gives you all the tools you need to win.

That said, winning won't be easy. Contra: Shattered Soldier features some of the most brutal bosses in the series, including one I still think of as Angry Sperm. This is a relatively short game, lasting only a couple of hours for a single playthrough, but it's one you'll be playing again and again to master the patterns and beat the bosses while racking up a high hit rate percentage.

9 Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines

Doggone Bionic Fun

The original Grapple Dog game was a pleasant surprise, and in the sequel, they doubled up on everything that made the first game a platforming success. Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines has a sort of Sonic the Hedgehog meets Bionic Commando energy, and features Pablo (a good boy), as well as newcomer Luna, the naughty dog.

While Pablo primarily uses his grappling hook to maneuver through 2D levels, Luna is a gun-toting anti-hero, and thus plays pretty differently. No matter who you prefer, you'll find lots of engaging levels to explore, punctuated by eye-catching big bosses.

Each level features tons and tons of collectables, but if you really want to try your luck, there are even Time Trials to make your hands sweat as well as the sneakily well-hidden Duck Bands. Meaning that this simple and colorful platformer will stay with you for a dozen or so blissful hours.

8 Super Meat Boy

So Meaty...

I might consider myself a platforming expert, but even I'm scared of Super Meat Boy. A platformer where a single scratch instantly kills you, and where each level is full of deadly traps? That earns this platformer a serious yikes factor.

Despite the intense difficulty, Super Meat Boy is still an exceptional hardcore platformer. Better yet, it has a unique visual style, at once both grimy and cute. If that wasn't enough, the entire game is chock-full of extras you can unearth across some 300 levels.

Maybe you'll keep playing to get new playable characters or to warp into different game worlds. No matter what your reasons are, Super Meat Boy is a truly meaty platformer experience that offers at least 45 hours of intense gameplay.

7 Donkey Kong Bananza

Barrel Full of Fun

Initially, I had doubts about Donkey Kong Bananza. I don't always love 3D platformers, and the Donkey Kong Country series had such a great run of 2D platformers. But after I finally got my grubby mitts on the Switch 2 exclusive, I was converted to this gloriously fun 3D adventure.

The underground world of Donkey Kong Bananza is a marvelous one, and it's equally fun to smash your way through it as you unearth hidden treasure. There's just so much to discover, from fossils to Banandium Gems, not to mention all the optional content like new outfits and abilities.

Even though you can beat the game in 20 or so hours, there is a ton to do afterward, from discovering Banandium Gem sequestered away to returning to worlds with new twists. Somehow, this new take on a classic hero was a marvelous adventure, and one I hope gets a proper sequel. But if that doesn't happen, you still have nearly 50 hours of replay value in this Donkey Kong Bananza.

6 New Super Lucky's Tale

One Foxy Platformer

I first played New Super Lucky's Tale at E3. Yes, that E3, the one that folks either speak fondly of or mock as some artifact of a long-gone era. And within moments of putting my hand on the controller, I knew I was in love with this 3D platformer.

Sure, New Super Lucky's Tale might not be a hardcore adventure, and it is essentially an enhanced port of Super Lucky's Tale, but there's plenty of challenge in the main campaign and even more afterward. The real hook of the game, aside from its goofy humor and cute aesthetic, is how approachable it is. Not to mention a variety of platforming techniques borrowed from other games, but with a wink and a nod.

This means gamers of various skill levels can jump into this with confidence, and even old horses like myself can replay it again and again to enjoy this vibrant platformer world. Plus, now that I own a Switch 2, I can enjoy another replay session on my updated console to see how everything holds up!

5 Super Mario Bros. 3

NES Love Letter

In case it's not already painfully obvious, I'm a gamer who's been around for a while. But the console I grew up with, and thus loved, was my NES. Sure, I was pretty bad in the first two Mario games, but once Super Mario Bros. 3 rolled around, somehow everything clicked.

I loved all the different costumes, the Koopalings, the Airships, even the nonsense with Peach being whisked away to different castles. The world of Super Mario Bros. 3 was just so compelling, with each world being unique and offering all sorts of fun challenges to withstand. Especially a certain murderous Sun.

But perhaps my favorite thing about Super Mario Bros. 3 is just how easy it is to play again and again. It's the perfect level of difficulty, so it offers a good challenge to gamers old and new, and there are plenty of hidden goodies you'll have to play multiple times to discover (or at least I did before the Internet).

4 Mega Man X2

Putting Zero Back Together

I'll just admit that I'm a huge Mega Man fanboy, and have been ever since I kept dying in the original series of games. But in the X series, suddenly I felt equipped to finally put the hurt on those wicked Mavericks.

I still remember how distraught I was when Zero sacrificed himself to save X from Vile in the first game. So being given the chance to literally put him back together, Castlevania II style, was incredible. Mega Man X2 also featured better visuals than the first game, and some fun new upgrades for X.

While any Mega Man game is fun to play in the perfect order to use weapons that bosses are weak against, the true rush is replaying games like Mega Man X2 multiple times and just beating Mavericks with your regular Buster. I've made a habit of doing just that with the first four games in this futuristic series.

3 Kirby Super Star Ultra

Kirby To the Max!

While the original Kirby Super Star was a heck of a game on the SNES, there's a reason I'm instead including Kirby Super Star Ultra on this list. Namely, it took everything that made the original version great, and somehow made it even flashier and more fun. That included adding new cinematics, new modes, and even some fun post-game content.

What makes Kirby Super Star Ultra so fun is how inventive it is, tossing different styles of Kirby adventure at you at a rapid clip, and offering different story beats all the while. Best of all, this version of the game was exclusive to the DS, which meant the whole thing was portable.

I can't even count how many times I've replayed Kirby Super Star Ultra, but I know it's more than any other Kirby game. This is just such a welcoming and colorful quest, and in my opinion, one of the best games in the pink hero's repertoire.

2 Metroid Fusion

Samus Transformed

Although the first Metroid game I played was Super Metroid, an amazing example of the genre, the game that sticks with me the most is Metroid Fusion. For one thing, this was a much more cinematic adventure, not to mention a portable one. For another, this was a captivating and utterly inventive entry in the long-running series.

Usually, I prefer Metroidvanias that aren't too linear. But in Metroid Fusion, the linearity doesn't hurt the experience, and makes it a much quicker burn than other entries. This means that it's easy to pick up and play Metroid Fusion in a single session, something I've done a handful of times over the years.

The best part about Metroid Fusion is that it's available as part of the GBA Expansion Pack. Meaning it's super easy to boot up your Switch or Switch 2, and dive into this nightmarish adventure. Best of all, the events of the game later got new life in the long-delayed Metroid Dread!

1 Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove

Dig Into Adventure

Let's just be honest — Shovel Knight was already one of the best modern takes on retro platforming when it first launched. But when you add in all the content featured in Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, including 4 different campaigns and Shovel Knight Showdown? Then you have a truly legendary adventure.

Each of the different DLC campaigns is focused on a different character, including Shovel Knight, Plague Knight, Specter Knight, and King Knight. Better yet, they all play very differently, from the bombastic insanity of Plague Knight to the fierce rail grinding of Specter Knight.

On top of that, each game features a ton to do, including finding hidden goodies and artifacts, and acquiring dastardly achievements. Sure, I probably beat the game the first time in a dozen or so hours. But I'm still replaying them all again and again just for fun. True fans of Shovelry can spend endless hours in this fantastic adventure.