Platformers Reviewed Higher Than Celeste

Celeste is one of the best indie games of all time, combining intense, rewarding platforming with an emotional, gut-punch of a story. Best of all, Celeste is able to successfully intertwine its gameplay and narrative into one cohesive package.

In the platforming genre, there are few games as good as Celeste; it's one of the best-reviewed platformers of all time, beating out iconic games such as Super Mario World, Banjo-Kazooie, and Donkey Kong Bananza.

However, it's not the only platformer that sits at the top of the mountain. Read on to find out who made the cut of the exclusive list of every platformer reviewed higher than Celeste.

7 Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

A Work Of Art

There are few better ways to launch a console than Nintendo did with the Super Nintendo and Super Mario World. It's an excellent evolution of the Super Mario series that takes full advantage of the increased horsepower of the SNES.

Then along came Yoshi's Island to put Super Mario World in its place. Of course, that's not to say that Super Mario World is a bad game; far from it, but Yoshi's Island is just that good.

Super Mario World 2 keeps the incredible platforming foundation of its predecessor intact while introducing a charming, beautiful gimmick with its art style and smooth controls for Yoshi. This all helped make Yoshi's Island the timeless classic it is today.

6 LittleBigPlanet

Little Guy, Big Dreams

Before the days of Super Mario Maker, there was LittleBigPlanet.

Whether you were creating your own levels or experiencing the work of others, LittleBigPlanet is a master class of creativity. The main appeal is most certainly that you can make your own content, but none of it would work without the tight controls and precise platforming within the game.

In an era where online gaming and content creation weren't as mainstream as they are today, LittleBigPlanet is a platformer that was ahead of its time. It delivered a new, original, and unique experience for the PlayStation 3, resulting in one of the year's very best games.

5 Astro Bot

Waii!

As much as PlayStation's games have grown over the years, there's been one genre where it feels like they remain second fiddle: platformers.

LittleBigPlanet aside, the platforming genre still feels like it belongs to the House of Mario, but all of that arguably changed last year when Astro Bot got his latest entry into the pantheon of all-time greats.

Not only is Astro Bot a celebration of all things PlayStation, but it's a platforming theme park. There's not a stone unturned when it comes to Astro Bot's attention to detail. Everything, from the gameplay to its level design, has a purpose. I'm convinced that the true goal of the game is simply to put a smile on your face and keep it there.

Play Astro Bot; you won't regret it.

4 Super Mario 64

Let's-A-Go!

I'm someone who very much resides in the camp that Super Mario 64 hasn't aged well.

Its controls, revolutionary and innovative for its time, feel clunky and awkward today, though it plays far better on the Nintendo Switch than on the Nintendo 64.

Having said that, there's no denying that when Mario 64 clicks, it really clicks. From the opening moments of jumping around in the Castle Courtyard, that iconic score on Bob-Omb Battlefield, to the precise platforming in each Bowser level, Mario 64's heights remain some of the very best in the platforming genre.

3 Super Mario Galaxy

Out Of This World

Following the success of Super Mario 64, the Nintendo GameCube's Super Mario Sunshine was a solid follow-up, even if it lacked a "wow factor."

Believe it or not, there was once a time when people wondered what the future of Mario would look like, especially as Nintendo pivoted to an underpowered console whose main selling point was motion controls. Turns out, those fears were completely unjustified.

Super Mario Galaxy not only delivers the same "wow factor" I felt with Mario 64, but it even succeeds it. Blasting from planet to planet is as much fun today as it was nearly two decades ago, and controlling Mario still feels like a dream. This is the true successor to Super Mario 64, one that delivers in every regard. It had people not only confident that Mario was back, but that it wouldn't be topped anytime soon.

2 Super Mario Galaxy 2

Better Than The Original

It turns out that Mario Galaxy would indeed be topped just a few years later.

With the foundation already in place, Super Mario Galaxy 2 didn't need to reinvent the wheel; instead, it polishes it to an immaculate shine.

There are so many new ideas being thrown at players, and somehow, all of them work extraordinarily well. From the new power-ups, the return of Yoshi, and its stellar level design, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is more than just an all-time great video game. It serves as the benchmark for game design.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 proves that not every sequel needs to tinker with a winning formula; why fix what isn't broken? Instead, good sequels should build on what makes their predecessors great, introducing new ideas that feed off the original formula, and that's precisely the case here.

1 Super Mario Odyssey

Jump Up, Super Star!

The Nintendo Switch launched with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, generally regarded as one of the best games of all time. Several months later, Super Mario Odyssey came along and said, "Look at me, I'm one of the best games of all time now too."

Odyssey is a platforming wonderland of constant delights, delivering an experience that's just as revolutionary and innovative as Super Mario 64 was back in the day. It's a celebration of all things gaming, but it doesn't flaunt what it's doing in your face.

Instead, it builds on all of its innovations and ideas, keeping a constant momentum as you progress through the game. It's constantly moving on and introducing new ideas that surpass everything that's already been introduced, all of which stem from its core gameplay mechanic of Cappy transforming Mario into a wide variety of characters or items.

It results in a wonderful open-ended gameplay experience where the only limit is your imagination.