Best games
Best Platformer games of 1999
The 9 best Platformer games released in 1999, ranked from 2,539 critic and player ratings.
The best Platformer game of 1999 is Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, with a critic score of 91/100 — updated September 2026.
How this ranking is built
- Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
- A game only enters the ranking with at least 80 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
- Each game is ranked in one genre only, the one that defines it best, so the same title never tops two different genre charts.
- Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
- Release window covered: 1999.
- 9 games are listed on this page, carrying 2,539 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 9
01
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
A third-person action-adventure game set after the events of Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (1996). Kain has established a vampiric empire in the world of Nosgoth, but when his lieutenant and progeny, Raziel, evolves wings before him, Kain casts him down in jealousy. Centuries later, Raziel awakens in a corrupted form and sets out to take revenge against his former brethren.
91
/100
02
Donkey Kong 64
K. Rool has kidnapped the Kongs! Can Donkey Kong rescue his friends, reclaim the Golden Bananas and save his homeland from certain doom? Take out some Kremlings with Chunky's Pineapple Launcher or Lanky's Trombone. Float through the air using Tiny's Ponytail Twirl. Even rocket to the sky with Diddy's Jetbarrel!
90
/100
03
Worms Armageddon
Those intrepid invertebrates return with a vengeance in the much-loved Worms Armageddon. It’s a whole new can of worms! It’s hilarious fun that you can enjoy on your own or with all your friends. Worms Armageddon was originally developed as an expansion pack to Worms 2 and initially titled Wormageddon before it was released as a standalone game. Worms Armageddon was acclaimed by critics, who praised the refined gameplay and stylized graphics, and it has been featured in a number of "greatest games of all time" lists. Worms Armageddon is still updated periodically as of 2020, and was released on the Steam platform in 2013.
83
/100
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
A third-person action-adventure game set after the events of Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (1996). Kain has established a vampiric empire in the world of Nosgoth, but when his lieutenant and progeny, Raziel, evolves wings before him, Kain casts him down in jealousy. Centuries later, Raziel awakens in a corrupted form and sets out to take revenge against his former brethren.
91
/100
02
Donkey Kong 64
K. Rool has kidnapped the Kongs! Can Donkey Kong rescue his friends, reclaim the Golden Bananas and save his homeland from certain doom? Take out some Kremlings with Chunky's Pineapple Launcher or Lanky's Trombone. Float through the air using Tiny's Ponytail Twirl. Even rocket to the sky with Diddy's Jetbarrel!
90
/100
03
Worms Armageddon
Those intrepid invertebrates return with a vengeance in the much-loved Worms Armageddon. It’s a whole new can of worms! It’s hilarious fun that you can enjoy on your own or with all your friends. Worms Armageddon was originally developed as an expansion pack to Worms 2 and initially titled Wormageddon before it was released as a standalone game. Worms Armageddon was acclaimed by critics, who praised the refined gameplay and stylized graphics, and it has been featured in a number of "greatest games of all time" lists. Worms Armageddon is still updated periodically as of 2020, and was released on the Steam platform in 2013.
83
/100
04
Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage!
Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! is the second game in the Spyro the Dragon series. In this game, Spyro is placed in the land of Avalar rather than the Dragon Worlds. Gameplay flows like the original game Spyro the Dragon, with few variations in control and Spyro's main abilities intact. The only notable difference is the removal of Spyro's side-rolling ability, previously activated by L1 and R1.
80
/100
05
Ape Escape
Ape Escape is a single-player 3D platformer released in 1999 for the Playstation. Using the analog stick, you must capture apes that have escaped throughout time to stop them from screwing up the fabric of time and space.
77
/100
06
Half-Life: Opposing Force
Return to the Black Mesa Research Facility as one of the military specialists assigned to eliminate Gordon Freeman. Experience an entirely new episode of single player action. Meet fierce alien opponents, and experiment with new weaponry. Named 'Game of the Year' by the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences.
70
/100
07
Disney's Tarzan
The player takes control of the eponymous Tarzan who ultimately has to save his home, the jungle, from Clayton, a hunter for gorillas. Tarzan starts up as a child learning the skills of the apes. The game has 3 difficulties: easy, medium and hard. In the easy and medium difficulties, little Tarzan gets tips from his friend Turk. Tarzan's enemies are monkeys, baboons, eagles, and different animals, including some humans and Clayton.
70
/100
08
Rayman 2: The Great Escape
With its enchanted storybook look beautifully translated into 3D, lush, vibrant colors, funny enemy designs, and clever jumping puzzles, Rayman 2 is platforming perfection. No arms, no legs, no problem for the little French creation that could.
68
/100
09
Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue
Woody has been stolen from the bedroom, ready to be sold to the highest bidder by an evil toy collector. It's up to good friend Buzz Lightyear to fight his way through from the bedroom to the outside world in order to save Woody from the toy market and bring him home. All of the character from the 3D animated movie appear through-out the side scroller to help Buzz get to where he is needed. Along with the use of his cannon, Buzz can jump to hard to reach places, also useful in collecting the hidden coins that open bonus levels.
57
/100
Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage!
Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! is the second game in the Spyro the Dragon series. In this game, Spyro is placed in the land of Avalar rather than the Dragon Worlds. Gameplay flows like the original game Spyro the Dragon, with few variations in control and Spyro's main abilities intact. The only notable difference is the removal of Spyro's side-rolling ability, previously activated by L1 and R1.
80
/100
05
Ape Escape
Ape Escape is a single-player 3D platformer released in 1999 for the Playstation. Using the analog stick, you must capture apes that have escaped throughout time to stop them from screwing up the fabric of time and space.
77
/100
06
Half-Life: Opposing Force
Return to the Black Mesa Research Facility as one of the military specialists assigned to eliminate Gordon Freeman. Experience an entirely new episode of single player action. Meet fierce alien opponents, and experiment with new weaponry. Named 'Game of the Year' by the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences.
70
/100
07
Disney's Tarzan
The player takes control of the eponymous Tarzan who ultimately has to save his home, the jungle, from Clayton, a hunter for gorillas. Tarzan starts up as a child learning the skills of the apes. The game has 3 difficulties: easy, medium and hard. In the easy and medium difficulties, little Tarzan gets tips from his friend Turk. Tarzan's enemies are monkeys, baboons, eagles, and different animals, including some humans and Clayton.
70
/100
08
Rayman 2: The Great Escape
With its enchanted storybook look beautifully translated into 3D, lush, vibrant colors, funny enemy designs, and clever jumping puzzles, Rayman 2 is platforming perfection. No arms, no legs, no problem for the little French creation that could.
68
/100
09
Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue
Woody has been stolen from the bedroom, ready to be sold to the highest bidder by an evil toy collector. It's up to good friend Buzz Lightyear to fight his way through from the bedroom to the outside world in order to save Woody from the toy market and bring him home. All of the character from the 3D animated movie appear through-out the side scroller to help Buzz get to where he is needed. Along with the use of his cannon, Buzz can jump to hard to reach places, also useful in collecting the hidden coins that open bonus levels.
57
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Platformer game of 1999?
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver currently tops the ranking with a score of 91/100 across 243 ratings. Ranking updated September 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.