Before first-person shooters and open-world RPGs took the lead in the video game industry, platformers were the premier video game experience on most platforms. During the 90s and early 2000s, many of the most iconic video game characters of all time either debuted or rose to their highest heights.
While many of these pop culture icons have endured into the 2020s as forces within the video game market, others have fallen into relative obscurity. Long time gamers may recognize all of these titles, while younger players may discover classics worth exploring as they learn more about the history of games.
10 Strong: Super Mario Bros
Few games or series of any genre have ever reached the heights that the Super Mario Bros franchise has. While everyone’s favorite Italian plumber has explored nearly every genre out there in his decades of dominance, Mario first made his name through quality platforming games.
While it is possible that no Mario game will ever top the magic and nostalgia that Super Mario Bros. 3 managed to contain, it is not for lack of trying. Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Galaxy 2, and Super Mario Odyssey all boast an extraordinary score of 97 on Metacritic.
9 Dead: Geometry Dash
The only series on this list to lack a star character for marketing purposes, Geometry Dash makes its mark for its addictive nature. The phone game, which has also released on computers, exploded onto the video game scene during the heyday of mobile video games when games such as Clash of Clans and Flappy Bird were at their peak popularity.
While Geometry Dash released several sequels, the series failed to innovate enough in its spin-offs to keep the momentum rolling. As a result, no new games in the series have been released since 2017 with Geometry Dash SubZero.
8 Strong: Rayman
An important long term franchise for mega-publisher Ubisoft, the Rayman series sits in stark contrast to fellow Ubisoft productions such as Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry. Their more family friendly counterpart has inspired dozens of games and spinoffs, including the Raving Rabbids franchise.
While Rayman may not enjoy the same video game superstardom as some of his fellow heroes on this list, he is still the protagonist of a mainstay series in popular video games for over two decades.
7 Dead: Mega Man
One of the most popular franchises in the world during the late 80s and through the 90s, Mega Man has spanned over 50 games during an impressive three decades. Capcom’s signature hero is rivaled by only a small handful of fellow icons, such as Mario and Bomberman, in the number of video game appearances he has made.
Unfortunately for fans, original games in the franchise have been few and far between for years. While there have been some recent remakes and a spiritual successor in Mighty No. 9, Mega Man just has not been able to return to his once respectable position within the industry.
6 Strong: Kirby
The pink blob’s franchise may have always lived in the shadow of more popular Nintendo properties such as Mario and Pokemon, but that doesn’t mean that Kirby hasn’t been one of the most popular Nintendo stars out there.
Unlike most series, which either die out after a few entries or feature long waits between titles, a new Kirby game has been released nearly every year since the franchise’s inception in 1992. Like Rayman, Kirby’s longevity is impressive for a series that is rarely considered a must-play experience with each new edition.
5 Dead: Earthworm Jim
Perhaps the strangest member of this list, Earthworm Jim was created after Playmate Toys witnessed the success of series such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Sonic the Hedgehog. The series managed to succeed in the midst of other popular platformers, and the eccentric and parodical platformer became a minor icon of 90s gaming.
Fast forward to today, the franchise is not what it used to be. A new game will apparently headline the Intellivision Amico later this year. Unfortunately for Jim and the Amico, however, the console will probably be a niche purchase.
4 Strong: Sonic
The Sonic series, once the cornerstone franchise of the Sega family of consoles, has struggled for years to return to the former heights it reached on the Genesis system. Even if the series has failed to reach the same stratosphere it formerly resided in, there has still been a steady stream of games for fans to play.
One of the best games to have starred the blue hedgehog was even released within the last few years to the delight of fans. Sonic Mania Plus, which returned to the classic 2D style of the original titles, was one of the best games in years and gave hope to fans weary from the avalanche of mediocre experiences using the beloved title for sales. The hedgehog’s new movie is getting more love than many expected, even though many outlets found it far from perfect.
3 Dead: Crash Bandicoot
During the 90s, platformers often featured the console mascots and were a valuable asset to any video game platform. While shooters and RPGs may form the backbone of the industry today, every console creator was looking for the next Mario to lead the charge for their company.
For Sony, Naughty Dog’s hit, Crash Bandicoot, became one of their pillar franchises. The marsupial may have suffered from several mediocre games, putting the series on hold for almost a decade, but a recent remaster of the original games and a remaster of its accompanying racing game could indicate a future for the long-dormant franchise.
2 Strong: Ori and the Blind Forest
When the Xbox One was beginning to flounder in its competition with the Ps4 because of a lack of quality exclusives, Microsoft had at least one bright spot: Ori and the Blind Forest. Ori may not be the kind of game that sells consoles by itself like its Microsoft sister franchises like Halo or Gears, but it is the kind of game that contributes to the conception of a platform as host to quality games.
With the expected release of Ori and the Will of the Wisps coming up later next month, the series will look to prove that it can recreate the magic of the first game. While it will be a tall order considering the critical success of Blind Forest, the title will undoubtedly be one of the best games released by Microsoft all year.
1 Dead: Prince of Persia
Beginning with a release on the original Nintendo console, Prince of Persia was a popular franchise through the 90s and early 2000s. Partially inspired by the classic Arabian Nights, the series led to a number of quality titles and one of the most successful video game movies of all time.
After the release of the movie in 2010, however, there hasn’t been much activity for the formerly prolific franchise. Apart from a 2013 remake of one of the older games, the only release has been a mediocre endless runner for mobile in 2018.
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