Best games
Best Platformer games of 2012
The 20 best Platformer games released in 2012, ranked from 7,529 critic and player ratings.
The best Platformer game of 2012 is Journey, with a critic score of 94/100 — 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: 2012.
- 20 games are listed on this page, carrying 7,529 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 20
01
Journey
A third-person adventure game in which the player, controlling a robed figure, makes a pilgrimage through a desert landscape to a rugged mountain with a beacon of light in the distance while uncovering the history of their people, rescuing and cooperating with friendly creatures, avoiding predatory ones and communicating with other travelers.
94
/100
02
Mark of the Ninja
Mark of the Ninja is a side-scrolling action stealth video game developed by Klei Entertainment and published by Microsoft Studios. It was announced on February 28, 2012 and later released for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade on September 7, 2012. A Microsoft Windows version was released on October 16, 2012. It follows the story of a nameless ninja in the present day, and features a themed conflict between ancient ninja tradition and modern technology. Cutscenes for the game are rendered in Saturday morning cartoon animation style.
91
/100
03
Spelunky
Spelunky (also known as Spelunky HD) is a remake of Spelunky (now known as Spelunky Classic), an open source indie platformer video game created by Derek Yu and originally released as freeware for Microsoft Windows. The player controls a spelunker who explores a series of caves while collecting treasure, saving damsels, fighting enemies and dodging traps. The caves are procedurally generated, making each run through the game unique. Spelunky is one of the first examples of a roguelike-like, borrowing concepts from the roguelike genre, and was the influence for many later roguelike-like games.
90
/100
Journey
A third-person adventure game in which the player, controlling a robed figure, makes a pilgrimage through a desert landscape to a rugged mountain with a beacon of light in the distance while uncovering the history of their people, rescuing and cooperating with friendly creatures, avoiding predatory ones and communicating with other travelers.
94
/100
02
Mark of the Ninja
Mark of the Ninja is a side-scrolling action stealth video game developed by Klei Entertainment and published by Microsoft Studios. It was announced on February 28, 2012 and later released for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade on September 7, 2012. A Microsoft Windows version was released on October 16, 2012. It follows the story of a nameless ninja in the present day, and features a themed conflict between ancient ninja tradition and modern technology. Cutscenes for the game are rendered in Saturday morning cartoon animation style.
91
/100
03
Spelunky
Spelunky (also known as Spelunky HD) is a remake of Spelunky (now known as Spelunky Classic), an open source indie platformer video game created by Derek Yu and originally released as freeware for Microsoft Windows. The player controls a spelunker who explores a series of caves while collecting treasure, saving damsels, fighting enemies and dodging traps. The caves are procedurally generated, making each run through the game unique. Spelunky is one of the first examples of a roguelike-like, borrowing concepts from the roguelike genre, and was the influence for many later roguelike-like games.
90
/100
04
Fez
Gomez is a 2D creature living in a 2D world. Or is he? When the existence of a mysterious 3rd dimension is revealed to him, Gomez is sent out on a journey that will take him to the very end of time and space. Use your ability to navigate 3D structures from 4 distinct classic 2D perspectives. Explore a serene and beautiful open-ended world full of secrets, puzzles and hidden treasures. Unearth the mysteries of the past and discover the truth about reality and perception. Change your perspective and look at the world in a different way.
86
/100
05
New Super Mario Bros. U
New Super Mario Bros. U is a side-scrolling 2.5D platform game, and the fourth and latest installment in the New Super Mario Bros. series. As the sequel to New Super Mario Bros. Wii, the game is a follow-up game of New Super Mario Bros. 2. It uses new, more detailed background styles and models and introduces the Flying Squirrel power-up, acquired by Mario and his friends from an item called the Super Acorn, as well as utilizing the Wii U GamePad in Boost Mode. In addition to the core campaign, there are also challenge modes.
84
/100
06
Orcs Must Die! 2
Orcs Must Die! 2 thrusts players and their friends back into battle against a terrifying mob of orcs and other monsters. With a redesigned spellbook, players will have a broader range of options to build a deadly arsenal of defenses. Investing hard-earned skulls in an enormous new upgrade system will allow players to cater to their favorite methods of burning, grinding, tossing, or dismembering orcs. Orcs Must Die! 2 begins days after the ending of the original game. With the rifts closed and the magical Order dead, the War Mage finds himself suddenly thrust into a new battle against the mindless orc mob. He has a powerful, if questionable, new companion in the Sorceress, an ex-War Mage responsible for the destruction of the Order.
83
/100
07
Deadlight
The world has ended. There is no hope. No new beginning. Only the survivors. DEADLIGHT follows the journey of Randall Wayne, a man searching for his family across Seattle during the aftermath of a 1980s event that has decimated life on earth. This visually stunning Cinematic Survival Platformer will challenge you to run, jump, climb, and struggle for your life as you look for answers and the ones you love.
78
/100
08
Awesomenauts
Two teams battle each other to take down the opposing sides turrets and base. There's multiple stages and some with hidden traps in the environment. Each team defends multiple lanes, and has to plan and coordinate properly to take down the other team.
78
/100
09
New Super Mario Bros. 2
New Super Mario Bros. 2 is a side-scrolling 2.5D action-adventure platform game for the Nintendo 3DS. As the direct sequel to New Super Mario Bros., it is an indirect follow-up to New Super Mario Bros. Wii. The game's main focus is on coins, with the primary goal being to collect one million. To reach the goal, the game includes many new items to aid the player, such as the Gold Flower, which turns Mario into Gold Mario.
78
/100
10
Thomas Was Alone
Thomas Was Alone is an indie minimalist 2D platformer about friendship and jumping and floating and anti-gravity. Guide a group of rectangles through a series of obstacles, using their different skills together to get to the end of each environment.
77
/100
11
Quantum Conundrum
77
/100
12
A
Prototype 2
76
/100
13
Scribblenauts Unlimited
75
/100
14
LEGO Batman 2 DC Super Heroes
75
/100
15
Nihilumbra
75
/100
16
They Bleed Pixels
74
/100
17
Subway Surfers
71
/100
18
Papo & Yo
70
/100
19
I Am Alive
66
/100
20
HELL YEAH! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit
64
/100
Fez
Gomez is a 2D creature living in a 2D world. Or is he? When the existence of a mysterious 3rd dimension is revealed to him, Gomez is sent out on a journey that will take him to the very end of time and space. Use your ability to navigate 3D structures from 4 distinct classic 2D perspectives. Explore a serene and beautiful open-ended world full of secrets, puzzles and hidden treasures. Unearth the mysteries of the past and discover the truth about reality and perception. Change your perspective and look at the world in a different way.
86
/100
05
New Super Mario Bros. U
New Super Mario Bros. U is a side-scrolling 2.5D platform game, and the fourth and latest installment in the New Super Mario Bros. series. As the sequel to New Super Mario Bros. Wii, the game is a follow-up game of New Super Mario Bros. 2. It uses new, more detailed background styles and models and introduces the Flying Squirrel power-up, acquired by Mario and his friends from an item called the Super Acorn, as well as utilizing the Wii U GamePad in Boost Mode. In addition to the core campaign, there are also challenge modes.
84
/100
06
Orcs Must Die! 2
Orcs Must Die! 2 thrusts players and their friends back into battle against a terrifying mob of orcs and other monsters. With a redesigned spellbook, players will have a broader range of options to build a deadly arsenal of defenses. Investing hard-earned skulls in an enormous new upgrade system will allow players to cater to their favorite methods of burning, grinding, tossing, or dismembering orcs. Orcs Must Die! 2 begins days after the ending of the original game. With the rifts closed and the magical Order dead, the War Mage finds himself suddenly thrust into a new battle against the mindless orc mob. He has a powerful, if questionable, new companion in the Sorceress, an ex-War Mage responsible for the destruction of the Order.
83
/100
07
Deadlight
The world has ended. There is no hope. No new beginning. Only the survivors. DEADLIGHT follows the journey of Randall Wayne, a man searching for his family across Seattle during the aftermath of a 1980s event that has decimated life on earth. This visually stunning Cinematic Survival Platformer will challenge you to run, jump, climb, and struggle for your life as you look for answers and the ones you love.
78
/100
08
Awesomenauts
Two teams battle each other to take down the opposing sides turrets and base. There's multiple stages and some with hidden traps in the environment. Each team defends multiple lanes, and has to plan and coordinate properly to take down the other team.
78
/100
09
New Super Mario Bros. 2
New Super Mario Bros. 2 is a side-scrolling 2.5D action-adventure platform game for the Nintendo 3DS. As the direct sequel to New Super Mario Bros., it is an indirect follow-up to New Super Mario Bros. Wii. The game's main focus is on coins, with the primary goal being to collect one million. To reach the goal, the game includes many new items to aid the player, such as the Gold Flower, which turns Mario into Gold Mario.
78
/100
10
Thomas Was Alone
Thomas Was Alone is an indie minimalist 2D platformer about friendship and jumping and floating and anti-gravity. Guide a group of rectangles through a series of obstacles, using their different skills together to get to the end of each environment.
77
/100
11
Quantum Conundrum
77
/100
12
A
Prototype 2
76
/100
13
Scribblenauts Unlimited
75
/100
14
LEGO Batman 2 DC Super Heroes
75
/100
15
Nihilumbra
75
/100
16
They Bleed Pixels
74
/100
17
Subway Surfers
71
/100
18
Papo & Yo
70
/100
19
I Am Alive
66
/100
20
HELL YEAH! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit
64
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Platformer game of 2012?
Journey currently tops the ranking with a score of 94/100 across 1,142 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.