The Swap has plenty of platformers, and plenty of puzzle video games, and that extends to puzzle platformers. In the event you’re elevating your eyebrows and saying, “What are you on about, you may’t simply mix them like they’re ice cream flavours,” then persist with us. It is a factor, we promise.
Slightly than video games centered purely on working and leaping precisely, or simply utilizing your noggin to seek out intelligent options, these video games mix the 2 to reasonably charming impact. Usually you may take pause at factors to plot a manner ahead, combining ability with mind. Puzzle platformers additionally typically have a powerful strategy to storytelling, making them a comparatively impactful expertise when at their finest.
Beneath you can find our picks for the puzzle platform video games presently out there on Swap. This choice is introduced in no specific order and can proceed to develop and evolve over time. We’ll additionally proceed to verify on reader options within the feedback and from our staff, as high quality video games on this style emerge repeatedly.
Larger and extra absolutely featured than ever, BOXBOY! + BOXGIRL! marks a excessive level on this quirky puzzle-platformer sequence. It is not good – the stripped again aesthetic and torpid physics will not be everybody’s cup of tea – however followers of co-op puzzlers, particularly, ought to examine pronto. The ‘Story for Two’ marketing campaign lets a second participant take management of Qucy and it’s essential to work collectively to create strings of containers and navigate by way of every 2D stage to the exit. It stays a particular and deceptively layered puzzler very a lot in step with the trilogy on 3DS, however the truth that now you can carry a accomplice in on the enjoyable makes this the very best BOXBOY but.
A gorgeous little sport, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a winner whether or not you are after puzzling or leap button-less platforming. With lovely visuals and an upbeat soundtrack, it is is an actual gem; an exquisite and lovely 3D platform puzzler match for all ages, and one which you need to positively expertise in the event you’re but to. The 2-player co-op Nintendo added makes this providing even tastier with Toadette becoming a member of the Captain, and there is even a pleasant little nugget of DLC for as soon as you have polished off the principle sport.
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![Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker](https://images.nintendolife.com/products/7521/100x100.jpg)
One other puzzle platformer with no precise leaping, however you do clear up environmental puzzles to be able to progress. Toki Tori 2+ is a sport that had a little bit of an overhaul after its unique Wii U model (therefore the ‘+’) to assist gamers make sense of its surprisingly sizeable world, it is a charming tackle the IP’s puzzle type. After all the unique Toki Tori can also be on Swap eShop, in the event you’d desire extra standard single-screen challenges.
Inside is the non secular successor to Limbo and it builds on its predecessor in each conceivable manner. A grimly lovely platform-puzzler that, whereas transient, is packed filled with jaw-dropping highlights, its darkish tone will not be for everybody, however it’s been executed brilliantly, with gently taxing physics-based conundrums woven right into a haunting wordless narrative. It is a very comparable sport to its predecessor in some ways, with side-scrolling parts, a beautiful, moody artwork type, and a susceptible protagonist on the coronary heart of it. Every thing’s simply larger, higher, and extra affecting.
We’re very cautious once we use this phrase, however Gris is a masterpiece. Its jaw-dropping visible type and heart-wrenching rating mix for some of the emotional items of interactive artwork you’ll ever play. It might be too brief for some, its puzzles could also be on the straightforward facet and the shortage of any actual problem is probably not to everybody’s style, however it is a sport centered extra on fragility than means and so long as you’re keen to go alongside for the journey, it’s one that can persist with you for a really very long time certainly.
One other sport the place you technically do not leap, however flipping gravity does basically the identical factor. VVVVVV nonetheless feels each bit as recent on the Swap because it did on the 3DS in 2010; in the event you did not strive it again then you need to positively choose it up now. In the event you did, now could nonetheless be an excellent time to revisit. Multiplayer makes the Swap model much more fascinating, and it is a sport that also serves up an intense and fulfilling problem.
Evergate is a splendidly designed puzzle/platformer that begins off sturdy and goes from energy to energy over the course of its marketing campaign. Each new world you encounter right here provides a brand new twist to proceedings, regularly changing into extra complicated because it layers mechanics on prime of 1 one another, enabling you to experiment and provide you with your personal distinctive methods to sure throughout its intricate ranges. Pace-running right here, for us, feels prefer it was tacked on for no actual motive however, in addition to this one little misstep, this actually is a vital buy for puzzle/platforming followers and a standout instance of its style on Swap.
Horace is one thing very particular — mixing intensely difficult levels with emotive storytelling. When you have any curiosity in very good stage design, headscratching and difficult blends of tight platforming and puzzle fixing, wonderful storytelling, terrific artwork, evocative music, nice characters, hilarious conditions and emotional gut-punches, Horace is a no brainer. It is transferring with out being manipulative, intelligent with out being smug, and nostalgic with out being a lazy rehash. It is also fiendishly tough, in the event you fancy a problem.
Your complete sequence is obtainable on Swap, so this entry finally represents all of them. Except for the third launch they’re all basically 2D puzzle platformers, with fight thrown in, as you embark on fantastical adventures with our three heroes. Some rooms (particularly within the first two video games) could take some time to puzzle by way of, and mastering every character’s skills is integral to creating progress.
And in the event you like this, Trine 5’s an excellent shout, too.
![Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince](https://images.nintendolife.com/products/10379/100x100.jpg)
It is a sport that is had an awfully lengthy life, even when solely accounting for this up to date and eventual HD model. A Boy and His Blob was as soon as a little bit of a style definer, that standing is lengthy gone however it’s nonetheless a really fulfilling puzzling / platforming expertise, by which you must benefit from the Blob’s numerous skills to make progress. It is reasonably pretty in its Swap iteration, too.
FEZ is a enjoyable, difficult puzzle platformer match to burst with unique concepts and distinctive gameplay wrinkles. Its puzzles bend actuality and even leech into our personal world occasionally, however apart from a couple of choose mega-challenges it stays honest. From an earlier period of ‘Indie’ video games and one which made its mark on the trade, it is effectively value a go to on Swap.
Unravel Two was already an exquisite little sport, crammed with heartfelt moments of poignant storytelling and difficult platforming puzzles, after which it discovered a becoming new house on Nintendo Swap. Even with a couple of downgrades to the visuals, Unravel Two is much from an inferior expertise when performed on Nintendo’s hybrid system. Stuffed with appeal and character, it’s among the finest co-operative platformers you may play anyplace, and one other strong Swap port that was effectively well worth the wait.