Best games
Best Platformer games of 2016
The 24 best Platformer games released in 2016, ranked from 10,283 critic and player ratings.
The best Platformer game of 2016 is Inside, with a critic score of 92/100 — 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: 2016.
- 24 games are listed on this page, carrying 10,283 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 24
01
Inside
An atmospheric 2D side-scroller in which, hunted and alone, a boy finds himself drawn into the center of a dark project and struggles to preserve his identity.
92
/100
02
Owlboy
Owlboy is a platform/action-adventure video game created by Norwegian developer D-Pad Studio. Explore a vibrantly crafted pixel world in this flying adventure platformer. Being a mute, Otus struggles living up to the expectations of owl-hood. Things spiral from bad to worse with the sudden appearance of sky pirates. What follows is a journey through monster infested ruins, with unexpected encounters, and burdens no one should have to bear.
89
/100
03
Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition
NEW IN THE DEFINITIVE EDITION • Packed with new and additional content: New areas, new secrets, new abilities, more story sequences, multiple difficulty modes, full backtracking support and much more! • Discover Naru’s past in two brand new environments. • Master two powerful new abilities – Dash and Light Burst. • Find new secret areas and explore Nibel faster by teleporting between Spirit Wells.
88
/100
Inside
An atmospheric 2D side-scroller in which, hunted and alone, a boy finds himself drawn into the center of a dark project and struggles to preserve his identity.
92
/100
02
Owlboy
Owlboy is a platform/action-adventure video game created by Norwegian developer D-Pad Studio. Explore a vibrantly crafted pixel world in this flying adventure platformer. Being a mute, Otus struggles living up to the expectations of owl-hood. Things spiral from bad to worse with the sudden appearance of sky pirates. What follows is a journey through monster infested ruins, with unexpected encounters, and burdens no one should have to bear.
89
/100
03
Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition
NEW IN THE DEFINITIVE EDITION • Packed with new and additional content: New areas, new secrets, new abilities, more story sequences, multiple difficulty modes, full backtracking support and much more! • Discover Naru’s past in two brand new environments. • Master two powerful new abilities – Dash and Light Burst. • Find new secret areas and explore Nibel faster by teleporting between Spirit Wells.
88
/100
04
B
Ratchet & Clank
Ratchet & Clank is a new game based on elements from the original Ratchet & Clank (PS2), featuring more than an hour of new cinematics (including footage from the film) in vibrant 1080p, new locations, weapons, bosses and more. Join Ratchet, Clank, Captain Qwark and new friends as they embark on an intergalactic adventure, and experience the start of an epic friendship (again) on PlayStation 4.
85
/100
05
The Last Guardian
In a strange and mystical land, a young boy discovers a mysterious creature with which he forms a deep, unbreakable bond. The unlikely pair must rely on each other to journey through towering, treacherous ruins filled with unknown dangers. Experience the journey of a lifetime in this touching, emotional story of friendship and trust.
82
/100
06
GoNNER
"Gonner is a tough as hell procedurally-generated 2D platformer with roguelike elements, following the largely misunderstood and altruistic Ikk on a journey to cheer up his only friend in this world—a giant landbound whale named Sally—by searching for just the right trinket in the deep and dark places nearby. With Death as his mentor, supplying both a multitude of abilities and arsenal for Ikk to use, Ikk traverses an ever-changing land full of unwieldy creatures who don’t appreciate his trespassing or his friend Sally. Several different environments, arduous bosses, hidden secrets, multiple endings, and more await Ikk on his journey to make one person happy even if it kills him—which it certainly will."
81
/100
07
Shadow Complex Remastered
ChAIR’s fresh twist on classic side-scrolling design with modern, cutting-edge gameplay is amplified in Shadow Complex Remastered, featuring all the content from the award-winning original game, updated with graphical enhancements, all-new dynamic melee take-downs, and additional Achievements and Master Challenges. Through 10+ hours of exploration and fast-paced combat, you’ll discover game-altering power-ups to overcome obstacles, thwart legions of enemies, and delve further into a mysterious and challenging, non-linear game world.
78
/100
08
Unravel
Unravel is a game about Yarny, a tiny character born from a single thread. Yarny embarks on a big adventure into the nature, inspired by the beauty of Northern Scandinavia. Without any spoken words, the character will have to solve puzzles and use tools to overcome tough challenges. All this, in order to find memories of his lost family. Only Yarny can be the bond that ties everything together in the end.
78
/100
09
Hue
Hue is a stark puzzle platformer where you shift the hue of the world, creating rifts when colours collide. In this world, everyone sees in grayscale. Anne, a researcher specialising in colour theory, has created a mysterious ring which grants the ability to perceive and alter colour. After a fracas with her research assistant, she disappears into a coloured void. You play as Hue, Anne’s son, as he discovers fragments of his missing mother’s research and learns to perceive and alter colour for the first time.
78
/100
10
Lumo
Witness the rebirth of a genre in Lumo – a classic isometric adventure with a modern twist for gamers young and old alike!
77
/100
11
ClusterTruck
76
/100
12
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero
76
/100
13
LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens
75
/100
14
Slain: Back from Hell
74
/100
15
Headlander
74
/100
16
Bound
71
/100
17
Grow Up
71
/100
18
Super Mario Run
70
/100
19
Human: Fall Flat
70
/100
20
Mirror's Edge Catalyst
69
/100
21
C
LEGO Marvel's Avengers
68
/100
22
The Playroom VR
63
/100
23
ReCore
60
/100
24
Mighty No. 9
52
/100
B
Ratchet & Clank
Ratchet & Clank is a new game based on elements from the original Ratchet & Clank (PS2), featuring more than an hour of new cinematics (including footage from the film) in vibrant 1080p, new locations, weapons, bosses and more. Join Ratchet, Clank, Captain Qwark and new friends as they embark on an intergalactic adventure, and experience the start of an epic friendship (again) on PlayStation 4.
85
/100
05
The Last Guardian
In a strange and mystical land, a young boy discovers a mysterious creature with which he forms a deep, unbreakable bond. The unlikely pair must rely on each other to journey through towering, treacherous ruins filled with unknown dangers. Experience the journey of a lifetime in this touching, emotional story of friendship and trust.
82
/100
06
GoNNER
"Gonner is a tough as hell procedurally-generated 2D platformer with roguelike elements, following the largely misunderstood and altruistic Ikk on a journey to cheer up his only friend in this world—a giant landbound whale named Sally—by searching for just the right trinket in the deep and dark places nearby. With Death as his mentor, supplying both a multitude of abilities and arsenal for Ikk to use, Ikk traverses an ever-changing land full of unwieldy creatures who don’t appreciate his trespassing or his friend Sally. Several different environments, arduous bosses, hidden secrets, multiple endings, and more await Ikk on his journey to make one person happy even if it kills him—which it certainly will."
81
/100
07
Shadow Complex Remastered
ChAIR’s fresh twist on classic side-scrolling design with modern, cutting-edge gameplay is amplified in Shadow Complex Remastered, featuring all the content from the award-winning original game, updated with graphical enhancements, all-new dynamic melee take-downs, and additional Achievements and Master Challenges. Through 10+ hours of exploration and fast-paced combat, you’ll discover game-altering power-ups to overcome obstacles, thwart legions of enemies, and delve further into a mysterious and challenging, non-linear game world.
78
/100
08
Unravel
Unravel is a game about Yarny, a tiny character born from a single thread. Yarny embarks on a big adventure into the nature, inspired by the beauty of Northern Scandinavia. Without any spoken words, the character will have to solve puzzles and use tools to overcome tough challenges. All this, in order to find memories of his lost family. Only Yarny can be the bond that ties everything together in the end.
78
/100
09
Hue
Hue is a stark puzzle platformer where you shift the hue of the world, creating rifts when colours collide. In this world, everyone sees in grayscale. Anne, a researcher specialising in colour theory, has created a mysterious ring which grants the ability to perceive and alter colour. After a fracas with her research assistant, she disappears into a coloured void. You play as Hue, Anne’s son, as he discovers fragments of his missing mother’s research and learns to perceive and alter colour for the first time.
78
/100
10
Lumo
Witness the rebirth of a genre in Lumo – a classic isometric adventure with a modern twist for gamers young and old alike!
77
/100
11
ClusterTruck
76
/100
12
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero
76
/100
13
LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens
75
/100
14
Slain: Back from Hell
74
/100
15
Headlander
74
/100
16
Bound
71
/100
17
Grow Up
71
/100
18
Super Mario Run
70
/100
19
Human: Fall Flat
70
/100
20
Mirror's Edge Catalyst
69
/100
21
C
LEGO Marvel's Avengers
68
/100
22
The Playroom VR
63
/100
23
ReCore
60
/100
24
Mighty No. 9
52
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Platformer game of 2016?
Inside currently tops the ranking with a score of 92/100 across 1,594 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.