• 15

    Rayman Origins

    Ubisoft

    Rayman Origins is one of the few modern day AAA games to make this list. Unfortunately, it seems as if big money is in 3D titles. However, Ubisoft broke from the mold and made a fantastic new Rayman game as musical as it was innovative. This interesting style of environmentally immersive platforming is now the Rayman mold to follow, with the upcoming Rayman Legends continuing the trend.

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  • 14

    Earthworm Jim

    Shiny Entertainment/Playmates Interactive Entertainment

    Earthworm Jim manages to take a spot in this list because it’s one of the few 2D platformers in the world that we can honestly say was funny. Whether you were fighting the Evil Psy-Crow or rescuing Princes What’s-Her-Name from the Evil Queen Pulsating, Bloated, Festering, Sweaty, Pus-filled, Malformed, Slug-for-a-Butt, this game was always ready to make you laugh, and simultaneously fling cows at you.

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  • 13

    Braid

    Number None

    Braid is phenomenal on so many levels. Not only is its story just miles above every other platformer out there, but its time-based gameplay really made you think. This was a platformer that literally made you immortal and unable to die, yet it was still one of the most challenging platform games to ever be released.

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  • 12

    Super Meat Boy

    Team Meat

    Speaking of challenging platformers, HOLY HECK THIS GAME IS HARD! If you like old-school, bite-your-nails, bang-your-head, controller-chucking, 2D-platformer challenge, this is the game for you. All you have to do is get to the goal of each level without dying. Unfortunately there are walls of salt, sawblades, torches, and all other manner of horrible death traps trying to stop you. You have infinite lives, and the game is totally fine with showing you how you wasted each and every one of them in the video playback you get after you beat each level.

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  • 11

    Cave Story

    Studio Pixel

    One of the best Metroidvania style games out there is a tiny little indie game that was once available for free on the PC. Cave Story is just a phenomenal piece of platforming goodness, with a variety of weapons to choose from, tons of memorable characters, and interesting puzzles that kept you coming back for more. It’s proof that good games can be made even on the tiniest of budgets.

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  • 10

    Super Mario Bros.

    Nintendo

    How could we have a list of the best 2D platformers without including the original Super Mario Bros.? It’s almost pointless to say anything about this game because it’s such a timeless classic. If you haven't played it, what the heck is the matter with you? This is quite honestly a piece of gaming history and we wouldn’t have 2D platformers, or for that matter games in general, if not for this franchise.

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  • 9

    Kirby Super Star

    Nintendo/HAL Laboratories

    It may be that the greatest Kirby game of all time is actually a collection of many smaller Kirby games. Kirby Super Star had tons of different powers, each with different moves available to them. It was totally two-player compatible, had several complete games to play, each with their own mechanics, and even had a phenomenal mini-game collection. The only thing it was missing was Kirby’s animal friends.

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  • 8

    Super Mario World

    Nintendo

    It was unavoidable Mario would get many entries on this list. He’s one of the biggest names in platforming and video games in general. Super Mario World isn’t just a great 2D platformer, it’s also one of the best Mario games ever created. It had the perfect mix of enemy stomping, jumping, puzzles, and more, and it introduced us to one of our favorite Mario characters ever, Yoshi.

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  • 7

    Mega Man X

    Capcom

    Mega Man X was a spectacular evolution on the original Mega Man formula. The ability to cling to and jump off walls made the platforming in this game so much deeper than it was before. Finding upgrades and being able to charge enemy weapons only made it deeper. Also, stages would change based on the order that you played them in. Deadly lava could become harmless ice as long as you beat the ice stage first.

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  • 6

    Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

    Nintendo/Rare

    Of all the Donkey Kong Country games, this was easily the best. Sure, it didn’t star Donkey Kong, but Dixie Kong was a decent enough replacement. We never figured out how she picked up barrels with her hair though. Diddy’s Kong Quest had some of the most awesome platforming stages 2D platforming has ever seen, coupled with some of the best music the genre has seen as well. Just be careful of the mine-cart stages. Those are infuriating.

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