5 Best Platformers on the Xbox 360

The Xbox 360 is much better known for its shooters than traditional platforming games. By this point in time, most developers had moved away from the genre, but that doesn’t mean it completely went away during this era. In fact, some of the most inventive games on the Xbox 360 came from platformers, as developers were looking for ways to expand beyond what was possible on older consoles. That means more diverse gameplay mechanics, a greater focus on story, and even better puzzle-solving. You wouldn’t call 360-era platformers the peak of the genre, but it was from a wasteland.

Here are the five best platformers on the Xbox 360.

5) Shadow Complex

Shadow Complex is a classic Metroidvania from the team at Chair Entertainment. You might know them for their work on mobile sensation Infinity Blade, but in 2009, Chair put out one of the best XBLA games of all time. Shadow Complex is a 2D platformer with plenty of combat. However, the game world is in full 3D, giving Shadow Complex a nifty 2.5D look.

While the combat (most notably the aiming) leaves a little to be desired, anyone looking for a great Metroidvania platformer will quickly fall in love. At the time, it was only 15 bucks, making it an easy recommendation. Shadow Complex is one of the many games that helped kickstart the indie Metroidvania onslaught, but it also might be the best one.

4) Rayman Legends

Rayman Legends is more of a throwback platformer. Ubisoft released this one at the tail end of the Xbox 360’s lifespan, so some players might’ve missed it as they were looking ahead to the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. However, it’s worth going back to for fans of the genre.

Four players can jump into Rayman‘s various levels, and it really is at its best in multiplayer. There are over 120 levels to work through, including 40 remastered levels from Rayman Origins. Ubisoft also added Invaded Levels, which must be completed quickly, upping the challenge for players who want to test their platforming skills. It’s a gorgeous game that’s a must-play for anyone needing a family-friendly platformer.

3) Limbo

Limbo is another indie breakout. Playdead’s signature style was created with its first game, and while the team’s follow-up, Inside, improved on the formula in some respects, this first game is special. The haunting aesthetics alone make Limbo a must-play, though, younger and more squeamish players might want to hold off. Playdead isn’t afraid to hit you with a few gruesome deaths.

The puzzle-platforming gameplay isn’t game-changing, but it’s more than adequate for what Playdead is trying to do. The developers took a genre often known for its difficulty and instead tried to blend in a moving storyline and beautiful visuals. The review scores and sales numbers more than prove that Playdead knocked this one out of the park.

2) Braid

In some ways, the success of XBLA can be traced back to Braid. Sure, games like Geometry Wars and Castle Crashers also played their part, but Braid was one of the first games to push beyond the usual arcadey goodness of the service. The team at Number None blended tight platforming action and puzzle solving with a moving story that is sure to break your brain with its big twist.

Toss in a fun rewind feature that lets you retry jumps and puzzles almost instantly, and you have one of the best games on the system. The puzzles are innovative, and the moment-to-moment action is appropriately thrilling. It also doesn’t hurt that Braid‘s eye-catching visuals and soothing soundtracks made it stand out from the jump.

1) Portal 2

Portal 2 is widely regarded as one of the best games of all time, so it’s easy to put it on this list. The original game is a wonderful puzzle-platformer, but the team at Valve truly outdid itself with the sequel. Not only does it give you new ways to solve puzzles, but the new cooperative mode lets you add a friend for extra brain power, which you’ll need for some of the later puzzles.

It’s also fair to say that the storyline of this puzzle-platformer didn’t need to go so hard. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad they did, but the writing, acting, and overall humor of Portal 2 have rarely been topped in the years since. Making it even better is the community content that’s come along over the years. Even after finishing everything Valve had to offer, players have years of content to dive into. It’s not all up to the developer’s quality, but if you love Portal 2, there isn’t a shortage of things to do well after the credits have rolled.

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