Interesting 2D Platforming games

Games about precisely executing the navigation of your character through two dimensional level filled with obstacles.

Bumpy's Arcade Fantasy (link)

You bounce from platform to platform, collecting all items and finally making it to the exit. There are many different types of platforms like invisible ones, one way only, breakable, moving, spiked that kills you, teleporting ones and more. There are also enemies moving around the level, which must be avoided.

Circus Lido (link)

You play as a chameleon which can not jump, but can pull up on platforms with its tail. You have to swallow enemies and feed them to carnivorous plants to unlock the next level. Enemies are spit out in a bubble, which sticks to surfaces and can be grabbed with the tail as if it is a platform.

Color Clash (link)

You play as a chameleon which can not jump, but can destroy blocks and enemies or float or move blocks with its tongue, depending on what color it has. The color changes by eating special colored blocks. The goal is to collect all insects in the level.

Crush! (link)

A crane is dropping blocks on top of you. You have to avoid the blocks in such a way, that they will stack up to the required height. Some blocks have special properties, like making you jump higher or destroying blocks it lands on.

Cyraid (link)

The goal is to collect all energy blocks in the level to progress to the next one. The character can kick around blocks and ladders to traverse the level and kill enemies. Sometimes a rock monster appears and respawns destroyed blocks.

Dandara (link)

You jump indirectly by aiming towards the direction you want to go. There also enemies to shoot at of course.

Deadlight (link)

Standard platformer with edge hanging, object pushing and enemies in your way. But fighting enemies here is very risky, so you are encouraged to avoid them instead.

Devious Designs (link)

You have to pull and throw shapes to the right spots to form an object. You can jump and walk on walls and ceiling. You can pick up power ups that randomly appear. Enemies also periodically appear, but they can be shot.

F.Godmom (link)

You can scan objects, like a wall or a ladder, and temporarily transform other objects or enemies into that object. Your goal is to collect a set number of coins and get to the door. You can also scan the coins and turn something else to coins, so that you can make the door appear faster, but when a coin turns back it is dropped where you are, killing you if it was a wall. If you make two objects overlap like this it will cause an implosion.

Frantic (link)

You have a plate with a drink that you hold over your head and you have to bring it to end of the stage. You must protect the drink from enemies and environmental hazards and avoid losing all your health. The plate can be placed down and pushed around. Enemies can be killed by spitting on them. There are items that refill your health and spit, bombs to destroy walls and platforms, and power ups like a temporary lid that protects the drink.

Glider PRO (link)

You move a paper plane left or right. The plane keeps falling down, except when being over vents, which cause it to rise up. You have to avoid hitting the ground and obstacles and collect certain items, some of them help you by making you faster or allowing you to move the plane up.

Icy Tower (link)

Challenging game where you keep going up for as long as you can. Jump height is tied to your movement speed.

Ikasuze! Koi no Doki Doki Penguin Land MD (link)

You have to move an egg to the bottom of the level. The egg can fall only a certain distance without breaking. Some blocks can be removed, some break or fall on contact, move around or allow only you or the egg to pass. There are also enemies and other hazards.

Jump (link)

You control a robot that walks on a wall of blocks. Jumping enough times frees the block beneath you and it drops down. There is a moving spiked ball which can destroy a falling block. There are bugs crawling up, which will drain your health and can be killed by the blocks. The goal is to kill enough bugs, prevent them from crawling all the way up and to not fall down.

Jumpala (link)

Players jump between platforms that appear from the top and disappear at the bottom. Platform gets the color of last player that jumped on it. When a platform is removed, it will give points to the player of its color. Platform is worth more when it changed color multiple times. Getting score fills player’s energy, that can be spent on activating their special abilities.

Kick Master (link)

You have a few different kick attacks and you can cast spells for mana. When you kill an enemy, three random items fly out of them and you have a one time opportunity to catch them. Items can restore your health or mana, give you experience or even hurt you. As you level up, you learn new kick attacks and have more health. Spells are found during play.

Little Bug (link)

Platformer where aside from jumping around with your character you can also swing around on a rope created between her and a flying light ball.

Mable and the Wood (link)

Through the game you gain various forms you can temporarily shift into to move in a different way and attack enemies. In the beginning you attack by dropping your sword, flying behind enemy and calling the sword to you.

Marshmallow Duel Reloaded (link)

Two players try to push each other off platforms into marshmallow lake below. They can save themselves by throwing rope that sticks to platforms. A dispenser on top drops random power ups that can be for example weapons that directly kill the opponent or destroy platforms, it can make you invisible but also switch your movement keys or kill you. Pushing the death power up into opponent is always great fun.

Nail 'n Scale (link)

You can throw nails that kill most enemies and also get stuck in most blocks. You can use the nails to scale blocks and to break some blocks. You can also get a limited amount of explosive nails and nails that don't break blocks.

Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus (link)

You control a character with a bit sluggish movement. You can roll, pull up on ledges, jump and sneak to traverse the levels filled with traps and enemies. Your goal is to safely lead your enslaved people into exit portals. You can command them around and use them to solve puzzles but they might not listen to you depending on their state. In a save location you can use your possession power to take control over enemy and use them to get rid of other enemies or interact with things, like levers.

Outland (link)

Platformer where you also fight enemies and gradually gain various abilities and attacks. The game is focused around a mechanic of changing between two colors which changes how you interact with the environment.

Putty (link)

You control a ball of putty, which can move around, stretch across gaps, jump, melt to absorb enemies and items, inflate to the point of exploding (killing enemies on screen and losing some health), punching enemies and transforming into absorbed enemies. Your goal is to absorb and carry friendly robots to the safe point. You can carry only one at a time and getting hit by enough explosions will destroy the robot inside you. Robots might move around the level and some enemies might attack them. Enemies can not harm you when you melt, but not all can be absorbed. Absorbing things heals you. Some items help you, like giving you more time to complete the level, making you invulnerable, or allowing you to absorb large enemies.

Pyramid Magic III (link)

Player can jump, destroy blocks, kick them around and also pick them up and put them somewhere else. When carrying a block, the player is crushed if they fall down, and they can fit into single block tall space while leaving the block behind. The player has to collect keys and move a special block they start with to the level exit.

Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure (link)

You can jump and create a rainbow in front of you, which will kill enemies, destroy certain blocks, pick up items and, after a while, disappear. You can walk on the rainbow and by jumping into it from below you can break it and cause it to fall and kill enemies below. You have a time limit. You will lose a chunk of time by getting hit by enemies and gain back time from items. Some items will improve your speed and the size of your rainbows temporarily. You are also chased by the boss, which slowly raises from the bottom of the level. It is invulnerable until you get close to the end of the stage, where it will become vulnerable and attacks you. Defeating the boss gives extra time and a new boss arrives.

Rain World (link)

Simulates an ecosystem on and off screen. Enemies behave differently, have a personality on top of that, make mistakes and most prey on the player. They might catch the player and carry them to their den, but they might also fight each other, giving the player chance to escape. Some enemies hunt in packs, which communicate and have their leader. Others can use tools like the player can. Enemies can also be befriended by helping them in fights and giving them food or valuables.

Spanky's Quest (link)

The player attacks enemies by throwing a magic ball in the air. When the player bounces the ball on their head, it will result in different attacks when released.

Spelunky (link)

You have to get through all the levels on one attempt and level layout is randomized every time. It is easy to die to enemies and traps, if you are not careful, but in each level you have only limited time before an invincible ghost starts following you. You need to navigate to the exit while collecting treasure to spend in random shops on items that will make this easier. You can also attempt to save a lost girl to gain back health.

The Adventures of Shuggy (link)

You run and jump in many levels with various mechanics. Some can be turned around, changing the gravity. Other have timer that will create copy of you that repeats what you did. There are also small creatures you need to herd into specific places, multiple copies of you of different size to control or swinging on a rope. Your goal is to collect all gems in the level and avoid enemies and traps. Has cooperation mode.

The Pedestrian (link)

Levels consist of rooms which can be rearranged, the exits connected and can overlap. You then move your character through, moving boxes, carrying keys to open doors and connecting wires, so you can proceed to next level. Eventually you also have to switch to a first person view to move things in the environment so they appear in the right spots in the level’s rooms.

Unbound: Worlds Apart (link)

You can open portals that change how the level environment around your character behaves – inverting gravity, turning projectiles into platforms and more.

Honorable mentions

Blade
Georg Glaxo
Heatse
Top Banana

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