10 Best 3D Platformers in 2026: 3D Platforming Perfection!

If you want to get into 3D platformers but are not sure where to start, I’ve got you covered. In this list, I’ve curated the best 3D platformer games out there.

Our Top Picks for 3D Platformers

Some games are simply better than the rest of the field. Although all titles listed here are worth your time and money, these top games in particular are the ones that definitely won’t disappoint you. They stand out with their unique gameplay mechanics and distinctive visual styles.

Super Mario Odyssey

PLATFORMER

A 3D Super Mario game oozing with charm and creativity. The story is familiar, but new gameplay mechanics give a fresh element to the series. Features a huge amount of content and fair challenges for both Super Mario fans and beginners.

Astro Bot

PLATFORMER

A PS5 exclusive game that pays homage to the long history of PlayStation, with cameos from many popular franchises. Notable for taking full advantage of the DualSense controller’s features for an immersive gaming experience. It’s a top-notch 3D platformer that also serves as a tech demo for your PS5 console.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure

PLATFORMER

It’s LittleBigPlanet but now in full 3D! Features a beautiful, handcrafted-like world full of playful and imaginative details at every corner. Includes a vast number of collectibles and a four-player co-op mode for enjoying with your family and friends.

You can’t go wrong with any of these top picks. All three titles are award-winning games that rank as some of the best 3D platformers of all time. But if you want something different, take a look at the rest of the list below and see if any of the other games are more up your alley.

10 Best 3D Platformers With Stunning Worlds and Gameplay

From immersive gameplay to exciting multiplayer modes, all the games on this list bring something special to the table.

Find out if your favorite games made the cut! Dive into the full list below and discover the best 3D platformers that are worth buying even at full retail price.

Super Mario Odyssey [Best Game for Nintendo Switch]

Nintendo Switch Nintendo Nintendo Metacritic Score Cappy capture mechanic, sandbox-style gameplay, Joy-Con motion controls

Super Mario Odyssey

is one of the best Super Mario games and is a must-play for both platforming fans and newcomers. It blends a perfect mix of exploration, creativity, challenge, and replayability, which results in a fantastic platforming experience.

As Mario, you’re tasked with rescuing Princess Peach from Bowser. To achieve this, you must visit different kingdoms and collect Power Moons, which are needed to move from one kingdom to the next.

Introduced in

Super Mario Odyssey

is a new capture mechanic that allows Mario to use his sentient hat, Cappy, to capture specific objects, enemies, and NPCs to acquire unique abilities. You can use these abilities to access more areas and solve puzzles.

With the Cappy capturing mechanic, you can use creative ways to complete levels and reach your goal. If you love playing with friends, there’s also a two-player mode where one player controls Cappy separately.

You don’t need to have played previous Super Mario games like Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy to enjoy this game. Yes, you’ll miss out on the many easter eggs and references, but it won’t make your experience less enjoyable.

It’s not surprising that

Super Mario Odyssey

is widely considered one of the best platformers of all time. It has everything you’d want from a 3D platformer, from creative levels and well-designed controls to memorable characters and a ton of collectibles. You won’t regret buying a Nintendo Switch just for this game alone!

Astro Bot [Best Game for PS5]

• PS5
• Team Asobi
• Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Metacritic Score
• Extensive DualSense utilization, PlayStation special levels, and cameos
• A follow-up to
• Astro’s Playroom
• ,

Astro Bot

is the best platformer on PS5. It’s an excellent game that makes you remember what gaming is all about: having fun!

The game starts with Astro and his crew of Bots being attacked in their mothership by the alien Space Bully Nebulax. This results in the Bots and the mothership parts getting scattered across different galaxies and planets. Your mission is to retrieve them all and defeat Space Bully Nebulax.

Astro Bot

takes full advantage of the DualSense controller’s features to give you a more immersive and unique gaming experience. It’s a real shame that not many PS5 games do the same.

It uses the adaptive triggers feature to make you feel the weight of certain actions, like when pulling a lever. With the haptic feedback feature, the game lets you experience more varied sensations compared to a traditional controller vibration.

Motion controls are also used effectively throughout the game. You can use them to steer the Dual Speeder, Astro’s DualSense-themed spaceship used for traveling between levels.

With over 80 levels and more than 300 Bots to find,

Astro Bot

will certainly keep you busy. The game also includes a dose of nostalgia in the form of levels and Bots based on classic PlayStation games like Ape Escape, God of War, Uncharted, and LocoRoco. If you’re a big PlayStation fan, you’ll be in for a real treat.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure [Best for 4-Player Multiplayer]

• PS4, PS5, PC
• Sumo Digital
• Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Metacritic Score
• Lovely handcrafted world design, 4-player co-op mode, character customization

Sackboy: A Big Adventure

• is part of the
• LittleBigPlanet

series that originally launched on the PS3 console. But instead of the usual 2.5D side-scrolling gameplay in previous games, it features a 3D world that allows for more exploration.

As with previous LittleBigPlanet games, you control Sackboy, who is out to stop the villainous Vex from taking over his world, called Craftworld. The basic gameplay is simple, but the game stands out due to its unique visual design.

Exploring Craftworld is an absolute delight. It’s like a DIY handcrafted world created with random everyday objects like zippers, books, fabric, beads, and popsicle sticks. From the interactive objects to the background details, everything is colorful and imaginative.

The game is also notable for its co-op multiplayer mode, which allows for up to four players to play together either locally or onlin e. Playing with others can be chaotic, but it makes collecting items and solving puzzles more fun. All the story levels are playable in co-op mode, so you can play the entire game with your friends.

If you’re a trophy hunter or completionist, the multiplayer mode is essential. In addition to the multiplayer-related trophies, some levels are only accessible with multiple players.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure

is an excellent multiplayer game, with one of the most fun co-op multiplayer experiences in the genre. So if you’re looking for the best 3D platformers that you can enjoy with your friends, this one’s a must!

It Takes Two [Best for Split-Screen Multiplayer]

• PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
• Hazelight Studios
• Electronic Arts
• Metacritic Score
• Strictly 2-player gameplay, emotional story, varying gameplay mechanics

It Takes Two

• is unique among all the other games on this list. While the others have a traditional single-player mode, this one is
• only playable in two-player split-screen co-op mode
• , which is pretty rare in games. It’s an amazing 3D platformer that also makes a strong case for one of the
• best adventure games

out there.

In the game, you and another player control Cody and May, a couple who are having problems with their marriage. The two plan to divorce but end up getting trapped inside their daughter Rose’s dolls, which resemble them. To regain their human bodies, they must work together and fix their relationship.

Each level will require you to communicate and coordinate extensively with your partner to navigate platforming sections, activate switches, solve puzzles, and defeat enemies. You can’t finish the whole game on your own.

As you go through each level, you’ll be introduced to different gameplay mechanics and new abilities for Cody and May. For example, in one area, the couple acquires magnets with opposite polarities, which they must use collaboratively to overcome obstacles.

• I highly recommend this game if you want a fun two-player 3D platformer with clever co-op gameplay. And if you end up loving it, there are also other
• awesome split-screen games
• and
• games like

It Takes Two

that are worth looking into.

Sonic X Shadow Generations [Best for Sonic Fans]

• Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
• Sonic Team
• Sega
• Metacritic Score
• Includes both side-scrolling and 3D gameplay, levels based on other
• Sonic
• games
• Like

Super Mario Odyssey

• ,

Sonic X Shadow Generations

• comes from a long-running franchise. It’s a bundle that
• includes
• Sonic Generations
• and
• Shadow Generations

. The former is a remaster of the 2011 game of the same name featuring the blue blur Sonic the Hedgehog, while the latter is a new adventure featuring Shadow.

Both games offer fast-paced gameplay where you regularly switch between side-scrolling and 3D gameplay. Your reflexes and patience will be tested here, but the rewards and feeling of satisfaction are worth it.

• As an additional treat to fans, both games feature
• level designs based on other
• Sonic
• games
• , like the classic 1992 title
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• , considered one of the
• best
• Sonic
• games of all time

.

If you want the best platformer that combines classic 2D gameplay and modern 3D platforming, this bundle is for you. Both Sonic Generations and Shadow Generations have challenging levels and plenty of collectibles to keep you busy.