Top Ten 3D Platformers

The crowd-funded Yooka-Laylee released last week, and it hopes to bring back the same feelings of fun and excitement that players had with old school 3D platformers of the collect-a-thon style. While SuperPhillip Central will be covering Yooka-Laylee at a later date to determine if that hope springs something true, for now we're going to take a look at the top ten best 3D platformers ever made. The only rule here outside of the obvious "they have to be 3D platformers" is that only one entry per series is allowed. Once you've checked out my picks, debate which ones you think deserved the top spot or if one of your favorites missed the list.

Want more 3D platformer goodness? Check out the Top Ten Underrated 3D Platformers!

10) Ape Escape 3 (PS2)

In Ape Escape 3, your goal was simple: capture all of the loose monkeys in each level. Starting levels were quite small in scope, but by the end of the game you were searching through massive expanses on your search for those dastardly unruly simians! The game used the right analog stick as your means to control the net. Careful precision and timing enabled you to nab a monkey, instantly capturing it. Some apes were in plain sight while others required a good deal of exploring, some platforming to do, and searching. Ape Escape 3 didn't have as many gadgets to assist on the journey, but instead there were abilities to morph instantly into different forms. Each form offered advantages and disadvantages in how to capture the various monkeys seen in the levels. It was an atypical 3D platformer for sure, but Ape Escape brought me lots of joy from not only finding and capturing apes, but also with its Metal Gear Solid tie-in mini-game.

9) Spyro the Dragon (PS1)

It's amazing how much Insomniac Games has moved up in the gaming ranks since Spyro the Dragon. From creating a wonderful duo with Ratchet and Clank to now creating the first great-looking Spider-Man game in ages, Insomniac is a giant. That's not to say that Spyro the Dragon is beneath the developer now, as the original PS1 games are tremendous to play. I have nostalgia and lots of fun to this day playing the very first Spyro the Dragon, whether it's entering the worlds to find gems from treasure chests, saving Spyro's crystallized dragon elders, or taking time to take to the skies in the numerous flight segments. Spyro had but two means to attack, but they were good enough to get the job done-- a charge attack that rams his horns into enemies and the ability to char foes with his fire breath. I prefer Spyro the Dragon compared to the still-amazing sequels due to how much simpler the adventure is in scope.

8) Sonic Generations (PS3, 360, PC)

After getting half of the game right with Sonic Unleashed and an entire game done right with the Wii's Sonic Colors, it seemed that Sonic Team had a good handle on what fans wanted out of 3D Sonic the Hedgehog games. For the 20th anniversary, the developer wanted to set out to make the ultimate Sonic the Hedgehog game, and that game was none other than Sonic Generations. The HD versions sported magnificent levels based on every major Sonic the Hedgehog, such as Sonic 1's Green Hill Zone, Sonic 2's Chemical Plant Zone, Sonic Adventure's Radical Highway, and even making a level from the worst 3D Sonic (Sonic 2006), Crisis City, actually playable AND enjoyable. Combining two play styles, Classic Sonic's 2.5D levels with Modern Sonic's mostly 3D levels, Sonic Generations turned out to be a stellar entry in the series even with a poor final boss battle and some annoying in-game missions.

7) Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (PS1)

Crash returned from his original 1996 platforming adventure with Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back. While the gameplay of the original didn't see much in the way of tweaking (after all, if it ain't broke, don't fix it), something that did receive tinkering with, the awful save system from the original Crash Bandicoot, was. This offered a much more enjoyable experience without the headaches and annoyance the original save system caused. The corridor-like levels returned with Crash Bandicoot 2, giving players challenging obstacle course-styled levels that demanded precision and carefully timed jumping. Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back remains my favorite of the Crash Bandicoot trilogy for the original PlayStation.

6) Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus (PS2)

Before Sucker Punch showed us an open world setting with explosive powers from the main character in the Infamous series, they made a trilogy of 3D platformers incorporating careful stealth and action gameplay with the Sly Cooper series. The team of Sly Cooper the Raccoon, Bentley the Turtle, and Murray the Hippo joined forces to commit several capers throughout the series, but the game that stands out for me is the original, Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus. Featuring less open world shenanigans and more straightforward level design, Sly Cooper's first platforming/stealth offering delivered amazing level design, a cast of fun characters, and a great dynamic between the Sly Cooper squad. From avoiding deadly laser grids to hiding from colossal enemies, Sly Cooper's premiere outing was a fantastic adventure.

5) Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (PS2)

After parting ways with Crash Bandicoot, Naughty Dog designed a new duo of platforming icons in the form of the silent Jak and his comic relief, Daxter. Built as a game modeled after 3D platformers like Super Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie where the goal was to collect special objects from doing specific platforming tasks and other challenges, Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy delivered a copious amount of difficult but always fair platforming, expansive interconnected worlds (with seldom a loading screen), and intense boss battles. It's just a shame that Naughty Dog lost the plot for the series by turning it in a cringe-inducing, tryhard, edgy take on the 3D platformer inspired by Grand Theft Auto III with the following sequels.

4) Rayman 2: The Great Escape (Multi)

A game so nice that Ubisoft ported it not just twice, but a massive amount of times to a great deal of platforms. The first releases came to the Nintendo 64 and PC. Then it launched on a varied amount of systems for over a decade. We're talking the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, iOS devices, and more. There was a good reason for this, though, as Rayman 2 is one of the better 3D platformers around, giving players linear 3D obstacle courses to run and jump through as they search for Lums and Teensies-- the latter of which are captured in cages. The worlds' colors were vibrant and popped out, being immensely pleasing to the eye, and the soundtrack was stellar too. Whether rushing down a series of slides in one level or being bombarded with bombs from an attacking airship as you run away, Rayman 2 delivered delightful platforming challenges and tight gameplay.

3) Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (PS2)

I hold a special spot in my gaming heart for Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando. With so many terrific games in the series to choose from (Up Your Arsenal, A Crack in Time, the 2016 reboot) I finally decided on my first foray with the series, Going Commando. It greatly improved on the original Ratchet & Clank by giving players lots of updates such as the ability to strafe enemy fire, level up weapons and guns through repeated use, and had much more interesting worlds to explore with much more intriguing gadgets. Going Commando combined traditional platforming with a wide repertoire of weaponry to give a pleasant 3D platforming/third-person shooter hybrid. The charm and wit of the series continued from the original Ratchet & Clank, and the adventure in Going Commando remains one of my favorites not just in the Ratchet & Clank series itself but in any 3D platformer to date.

2) Banjo-Kazooie (N64, XBLA)

My personal favorite collect-a-thon-style 3D platformer, I actually prefer Banjo-Kazooie to Super Mario 64. While there is no question that Rare's first 3D platformer would not exist without Mario's first foray into 3D, Rare managed to take the lessons learned from Super Mario 64 and create a wonderful game. Perhaps I like Banjo-Kazooie more than Mario's premier 3D outing because it was not just platforming-centric but it also featured a ton of exploration through its expansive worlds. Collecting the Jiggies to open up new worlds, gathering Musical Notes to open doors in Gruntilda's Lair-- the hub world of the game, finding Jinjos that had five each in every world, and transforming into a wide array of objects and animals thanks to local voodoo magician Mumbo Jumbo were all enjoyable things to do in Banjo-Kazooie. Banjo-Tooie would release several years later, but it proved that bigger doesn't necessarily mean better. Instead, it can show that a game too big can overwhelm the player.

1) Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)

Despite Super Mario 64 being a much greater revolution to gaming than Super Mario Galaxy, I hold the Wii's first 3D Mario with higher esteem due to how much it absolutely blew me away with both its astonishing, masterful level design and the gravity mechanic the game displayed. Each planetoid no matter how big or how small incorporated some kind of gravity to it. This meant Mario could leap from planetoid to planetoid or even make a huge long jump that saw him fly around the planetoid in midair for several seconds without ever touching its surface. The various platforming challenges that the gravity mechanic gave players were tremendous in design and execution, constantly showcasing new obstacles and tests for players' skills. The inventiveness of the level design was something that never failed surprise, while the controls were as top notch and as great-feeling as ever. Super Mario Galaxy may not have revolutionized the 3D platformer or gaming as much as Super Mario 64, but I find the game to a much better, more imaginative outing for Mario and the genre than ever before or after.

Top Ten Underrated 3D Platformers

Several weeks ago I compiled a list of ten of the most underrated 2D platformers of the past 20 years. Now, I'd like to delve into the third dimension, talking about those underrated 3D platformers. Because the genre isn't as well cultivated or as rich with games as the 2D platforming genre, I won't be designating a specific time period this time around. From well known franchises with under-appreciated entries to one-off games that don't get their rightful due, this list of ten underrated 3D platformers should have something for every jump and run fan.

10) Tak and the Power of Juju (PS2, GCN, XBX)

We kick off this countdown of underrated 3D platformers with a game that spawned a Nickelodeon television series and some sequels. However, Tak and the Power of Juju is still quite underrated and for some, unheard of completely. This colorful 3D platformer has you using a creative ability: the ability to interact with different animals to progress in the game. For instance, orangutans can influence trees to bend backwards and spring Tak forward to reach otherwise inaccessible places. Tak and the Power of Juju isn't perfect, but it's a wildly interesting and clever 3D platformer that isn't just for kids, albeit it's definitely meant for that demographic.

9) Secret Agent Clank (PS2, PSP)

The name's Clank... Secret Agent Clank. Join Ratchet's faithful friend Clank on a mission to clear Ratchet's name after he's caught stealing a precious gem from a museum. The game focuses on three different characters, offering different gameplay experiences. Whether it's Clank's platforming and stealth-based gameplay, Ratchet's arena-based combat, or Captain Qwark's atypical action scenarios, the variety in Secret Agent Clank is immense, and it all equals a secret mission that is definitely worth participating in, regardless of which version you play, home console or portable.

8) Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier (PS2, PSP)

The famed duo returns again in this originally PSP-exclusive title. Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier has a combination of gun-toting goodness and platforming-based gameplay that all adds up to a worthwhile adventure. When the world's eco supply is shrinking down to nothing, Jak and his comedic relief Daxter head out to see what the problem is. Like Secret Agent Clank, The Lost Frontier features three types of gameplay: Jak and Daxter together, special Were-Daxter levels, and ship-based combat. While The Lost Frontier doesn't reach the same highs as Naughty Dog's works, the game is quite the fun distraction for PSP and PS2 owners itching for an engaging 3D platformer.

7) Maximo: Ghosts to Glory (PS2)

A mix between the action-adventure genre and the platformer, Maximo: Ghosts to Glory expands on Capcom's famous and well known Ghosts 'n' Goblins series with this enjoying 3D romp. Ghosts to Glory takes the series into 3D territory with running, jumping, crouching, and hacking and slash zombies, skeletons, and so much more. However, enemies just won't stand there while you slice them up. No, they'll attack our hero as well, having him lose pieces of armor with each attack until he's in nothing but those iconic heart-filled boxer shorts! A difficult game that stays true to the Ghosts 'n' Goblins name, Maximo: Ghosts to Glory is a fantastic take on the formula Capcom had created so many decades ago.

6) Ape Escape 3 (PS2)

Generally it's the first Ape Escape from the original PlayStation and then ported to the PSP that gets the most attention from fans. It's understandable, as the game introduced the concept of dual analog gameplay to the PS1. However, the late release on the PS2, Ape Escape 3, delivers a lot of excellence and good times as well, regardless of whether or not it's as revolutionary as the original. The goal of Ape Escape 3 is the same: move through mostly nonlinear levels, catching monkeys through a variety of means. This time around, our heroes can transform into one of many powerful forms, able to hunt down and capture monkeys much more easily. Add in a Metal Gear Solid spoof that is its own mini-game, and you have a title that is perfect to monkey around with.

5) Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc (PS2, GCN, XBX)

This next game on the list is here because it's one of the least talked about entries in the Rayman series. Generally, fans relish the good times they had with Rayman 2, one of the most endearing 3D platformers ever created, or they talk about the more recent 2D outings with Rayman Origins and Legends. However, Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc, while not as important to the history of the Rayman franchise, offers so much stellar gameplay that it's definitely worth talking about. A colorful adventure that features Rayman and friends, Hoodlum Havoc plays just as well as its predecessor, this time offering five different, albeit temporary power-ups to enhance Rayman's arsenal of moves. Those evil Black Lums won't know what hit them when Rayman's through with them!

4) Ty the Tasmanian Tiger (PS2, GCN, XBX)

On his journey to collect the Thunder Eggs in order to free his family from another dimension, Ty the Tasmanian Tiger uses his boomerangs to defeat foes and solve environmental puzzles. The game features a multitude of expansive stages that are a pure delight to explore. Thunder Eggs are essentially the Power Stars of Super Mario 64 that grant him access to new levels and are acquired by completing various in-level tasks like saving five of a specific animal or maneuvering Ty's way through a platforming obstacle course of some sort. With different powered boomerangs such as ones that are lit on fire, ones that electrocute foes, and the like, Ty is one mighty Tasmanian tiger that is a force to be reckoned with.

3) Vexx (PS2, GCN, XBX)

While this next game on the list has an edgier feel to it, don't let that fool you. Despite its darker appearance (whether needless or not), Vexx for the sixth generation of gaming consoles is one seriously fun and well made 3D platformer. The main goal of our titular hero is to gather magical hearts in order to unlock new worlds to explore. Equipped with powerful war talons as his main means of attacking foes up close and personal, Vexx can also use these to swim underwater as well as occasionally take to the skies, Banjo-Kazooie style. If you can get beyond the edgy appearance of Vexx, you'll find a very capable and tight-controlling platformer that is more than worth sinking your teeth into.

2) Rocket: Robot on Wheels (N64)

Developed by the team that would go on to create the Sly Cooper and inFamous franchises, Rocket: Robot on Wheels might not be as well known as your Super Mario 64's and your Banjo-Kazooie's, but it's quite the terrific 3D platformer. The levels are sprawling and a blast to explore, the challenges and tasks to acquire the tickets needed to learn new moves and reach new levels are varied and fun, and the gameplay itself, having you control different vehicles to solve physics-based puzzles is enjoyable (Rocket was one of the first games with its own realistic physics system to influence gameplay), and the level design is terrific. Rocket: Robot on Wheels is one of many Nintendo 64 era 3D platformers that could be on this list, but Rocket is the one that plays the best.

1) Jumping Flash! (PS1)

Given the accolade by Guinness for being "the first platform video game in 3D", Jumping Flash! is quite the interesting game. It's a first-person perspective 3D platformer that has you leaping around levels searching for missing jet pods that have been strewn around the game's levels by Jumping Flash's antagonist. Our hero Robbit can leap while in mid-air up to three times, granting players the ability to reach high up platforms and areas. While in mid-air, the camera looks downward towards the ground, giving players the ability to see where they're going to land, a great implementation to make sure players land where they want to, especially considering the first-person perspective. Despite being one of the most important games in the 3D platforming genre, Jumping Flash! isn't well known or much talked about. A shame, considering how influential the game was and still is to this day.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - Phil's Birthday Blowout 2016 Edition

No, this edition title has nothing to do with SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs or even SuperPhillip Central. Instead, it selfishly has to do with yours truly, who turns the big 3-0 this Saturday. This edition is my own pre-birthday celebration of hitting this age milestone of three decades on this earth.

This birthday blowout edition is full of bright, bouncy, and cheery themes. We begin with the Toytown level theme from Ape Escape 3. Then we enter the Dream Forest of the original Rayman. Konami Krazy Racers then drives us to our next theme. Following those three games, we wrap up this celebratory edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs with music from Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts.

As always, check out the VGM Database for past VGMs featured on this weekly segment.

v1081. Ape Escape 3 (PS2) - Toytown (Part 1)

Ape Escape 3 was a PlayStation 2 game I had overlooked. In fact, I overlooked the entire series until its PlayStation Portable port of the first game in the form of Ape Escape: On the Loose. While that makes me ashamed (though slightly, as how much shame can a person have for not playing Ape Escape?), I'm glad I finally warmed up to the franchise.

v1082. Rayman (PS1, SAT) - Dream Forest

Rayman released on iOS devices last week, and I sort of have trouble thinking how a game that was already difficult even with analog controls could be played with competence and no frustration with touch controls. Regardless, most players might only get acquainted with this theme of the first world, Dream Forest, as the original Rayman is indeed one challenging game.

v1083. Konami Krazy Racers (GBA) - Main Theme

This theme might become grating after hearing its short twenty second loop repeat on and on, but for the most part, Konami Krazy Racers' main theme is catchy as all get out with its infectious rhythm and voice samples. Konami Krazy Racers was a great launch title for the Game Boy Advance that was the perfect time waster until Mario Kart made its handheld debut.

v1084. Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light (DS) - Main Theme

We go old-school Final Fantasy with this soundtrack. Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light may have released in the past decade, but it hearkened back to more classic Final Fantasy games. Its soundtrack was a mix of retro and modern, a really well done mix, now that I mention it.

v1085. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (360) - Jinjo Challenge

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts was not the Banjo-Kazooie game fans were expecting from Rare and Microsoft, but the game itself is quite the joy to play and build fantastic vehicles to clear the game's multiple challenges. Jinjo Challenge is but one of these challenge types, and it is an orchestrated version of Banjo-Tooie's Jinjo Village theme.

Ape Escape 3 (PS2) Retro Review

Once again from SuperPhillip Central, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! This is a season of giving, so I'm going to give some more to you guys and gals, my readers! It's a retro review of Ape Escape 3, a PlayStation 2 game from 2006. Next month, the game will have its tenth birthday here in North America. Seems like a good reason as any to take a look at this title, then!

Monkey See, Monkey Catch

I came to the Ape Escape series quite late, with my first entry being the PSP port of the original Ape Escape. Since playing that game and very much enjoying it, I quickly attempted to seek out the other installments of this underrated Sony gaming series. Now, I have reached Ape Escape 3, and with it celebrating its ten-year anniversary in North America next month, there is no better time to get funky with these monkeys.

The basic premise of Ape Escape 3 has the main villain of the series and highly intelligent monkey, Specter, coming up with a new plan to try to take over the world. This time his monkey cohorts have created a series of television stations to put their viewers into a drooling daze. Thankfully, not every human is under Specter's television station spell, and heroes Kei and Yumi (you're able to choose between which character you want to play as at the beginning of the game) set out to take down each of Specter's television stations broadcasting monkey mayhem. With each station under watch by a member of the Freaky Monkey Five, the adventure is going to be no cakewalk.

Ape Escape 3 utilizes full motion video cutscenes, using more intricate character models than what is seen in-game. The movie direction is competent enough, and the voice acting is suitably cheesy, as is the dialogue. This is a very kid-friendly game, from its story to its gameplay.

As for the gameplay, Ape Escape 3 follows the same structure of past Ape Escape games. You enter a level with a set of tools that increases as you progress through the game. The goal is to capture a set number of monkeys strewn about more and more complicated levels. At first you'll enter smaller, more linear levels, but by the end of the game, you'll be traveling through multi-room, multi-level, and hidden area-filled, expansive levels. If you're looking for a heavy challenge, Dark Souls this ain't.

Yikes! Mad monkey on the loose!

Controlling your character of choice feels good for the most part, but there is a learning curve to be had. You don't jump with a face button-- instead, you utilize either the R1 or R2 shoulder buttons. Both characters have the ability to double jump, though there is a moment after initializing a jump where you can no longer do a double jump. This gave me a few aggravations, as I was thinking I'd have enough clearance to leap over a chasm, only to not have a double jump register because I hit the jump button for the second time a split second too late. Furthermore, anything concerning vehicles like tanks, robots, and boats controls horribly. The decision to utilize a dual analog control scheme and only a dual analog control scheme for vehicles was not the smartest idea by the developers. While these sections in Ape Escape 3 didn't cause me to curse in frustration due to cheap hits or deaths, they made for moments where I was just befuddled by the fussy and complicated controls.

You might regret doing this, Kei.

Every tool used in Ape Escape 3 is done so with the right analog stick. Swiping the stick in a given direction uses the tool in the same direction. This takes some getting used to, especially with the net. Having a monkey on your right side means you should try to flick the analog stick to the right as well in hopes of catching your banana-munching prey.

You start off with a modest amount of tools available to you. Just a stun club and a net to capture monkeys. However, as you play on through Ape Escape 3, you gain more equipment to help out in tracking down monkeys. You're even able to return to past levels to reach areas that you were previously unable to because of a lack of a given tool. The amount of tools is lesser than past Ape Escape games, but what you do get is helpful nonetheless.

No worries. I'm not going to say "I told you so."

There are advantageous tools like a radar that hones in on general locations of hiding monkeys, a ring that when the right analog stick is rotated makes for a speedy way to get around levels as well as a means to take down foes, a slingshot to hit faraway panels and to knock down monkeys from high places, and there is also an RC car, great for getting into small alcoves that either character isn't able to fit inside.

One really cool example of how the RC car is implemented has you controlling the car with the right analog stick through a countryside diorama. You can easily see what's going on as the action all plays out under the glass floor your character is standing on. As you make progress with your RC car along a curvy road, your character needs to press and hold down switches to change the direction of the bridges, allowing the RC car to cross them. The whole affair leads to the RC car scaring a monkey from its hiding spot, allowing you to attempt to catch it.

It's not just the RC car that sees action in Ape Escape 3. Each tool in the game is put to good use, and you're never just relying on one or two tools throughout the game. Each one has a benefit to using it, and even though you can only have a tool assigned to each face button, changing tools is a breeze. There is no real burden to be found when you have to switch between a tool that is assigned to a face button and one that is not.

Nothing like a stun club to the face to ruin this monkey groom's wedding.

Despite the smaller than usual amount of tools used in Ape Escape 3, there is a new set of abilities that allow you to morph into various forms for a limited amount of time. From a shield-wielding knight that can push through fire like it was the wind to a otaku-styled superhero that can dash through the air, the morph abilities are very cool, offering an easier way of catching monkeys. The "catch" here is that you have up to thirty seconds in a gauge to use. Through obtaining green batches of energy, you can add seconds to the gauge. However, thirty seconds is always the max the gauge can be at.

One of seven different morph forms Kei or Yumi can take.

With all of these tools and morph abilities to utilize in Ape Escape 3, the means of finding, coaxing out, and finally catching the monkeys that horseplay around the game's levels are highly varied. Some require you to search high and low in hidden alcoves and rooms for monkeys, while others require multiple steps. Then there are some that are just plain old right out in the open. Don't think they'll just surrender without a fight (or a run in most cases). With over 400 monkeys to ascertain their whereabouts and nab them with your net, you're going to be in this for the long haul. It's just great that the game is one that is a lot of fun to play that you won't mind sinking tons of hours into it.

This girl means serious business when there are monkeys to catch.

If you haven't guessed, then, there is A LOT to do in Ape Escape 3. So much so that when you initially beat the game, you're only at around 50% completion. Through beating all of the Freaky Monkey Five twice and capturing every monkey in the game, you finally get to have the second go-round with Specter, the true final boss of the game. Even after he's defeated and captured, there are still time attacks to do. These have you try to speed through a level, capturing the specific number of monkeys as fast as possible in order to receive a bronze, silver, or gold trophy. Throw in tons of items and collectibles like music, videos, and even a Metal Gear Solid monkey-centric mini-game made by the developers of the series themselves, and you have plenty to monkey around with.

This sneaking mission might turn into a snacking one
if this monkey starts gobbling up those bananas.

Ape Escape 3 turned out to be an engaging game from beginning to 100% completion. It offered me about 10 hours of solid enjoyment, no filler, mostly nonlinear levels to indulge in and explore, and a really wacky sense of humor to coat the entire package. While the controls and sometimes problematic camera make for occasional headaches, there is no denying that for me, Ape Escape 3 was more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

[SPC Says: B+]