In the mid-1990s, Super Mario 64 did more than sell consoles. It kicked open a door, and a stampede of 3D platformers rushed through. For roughly a decade, the genre was everywhere. Then the industry changed its appetite. Shooters and online multiplayer games grabbed the spotlight, and 3D platformers became a rarer breed. By 2021, though, the genre was wide awake again. From the vantage point of 2026, that year stands out as a turning point, a stretch of months when developers proved that running, jumping, and collecting could still feel electric.

A Sleeping Giant Stretches

At the time, the year did not just offer one or two bright spots. It delivered a lineup that reminded players why they fell in love with the genre. Some games were polished ports, some were bold originals, and a few were passion projects that had been cooking for years. Together, they made 2021 feel like a victory lap for 3D platformers.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury

The Wii U was a sales disappointment, so a huge portion of the gaming audience never played the original Super Mario 3D World. That made the Switch port a genuine event. Nintendo did not just toss the game onto a new system and call it a day. It improved the gameplay, added online co-op, and then went further with Bowser's Fury, a completely original experience. Bowser's Fury turned the usual 3D Mario formula into something closer to an open world, and many players compared it to a Super Mario take on Breath of the Wild. It was short but sweet, and it made the package worth buying even for veterans of the Wii U version.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time first launched in 2020, but 2021 gave it a second lease on life through next-generation ports. The game already looked impressive, yet the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions looked phenomenal and performed even better. They did not add substantial new content like Bowser's Fury did for Mario, but they became the definitive way to play Crash's latest adventure. For the 3D platformer genre, that still counted as a notable moment.

It Takes Two

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury and Crash Bandicoot 4 were great, but they were essentially re-releases. Players hungry for something original found it in It Takes Two. From the studio behind A Way Out, the game was built from the ground up for co-op. Co-op was not a side dish here. It was the whole meal. It Takes Two could not be played solo at all, and that restriction became its greatest strength. The game earned rave reviews for embracing cooperation and using it to create 3D platforming scenarios that would not work in a traditional solo adventure. Its variety was the cherry on top. Each level introduced a fresh gameplay hook, so no two stages felt alike. The pacing was brilliant, moving on as soon as an idea had been fully explored. That is why it became one of the highest-rated games of 2021.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Another original 3D platformer arrived with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, a PlayStation 5 exclusive that brought back two of PlayStation's most beloved platforming icons. It was quite possibly the best-looking 3D platformer ever made at the time, with jaw-dropping visuals powered by the PS5. But it did not rely on graphics alone. The console's SSD allowed for near-instant loading, and the rift mechanic let players teleport between completely different areas in a blink. The DualSense controller's adaptive triggers and haptic feedback added another layer of polish. The result was a phenomenal platformer and one of the best entries in the entire long-running franchise.

Psychonauts 2

Psychonauts 2 was the most recent release on that list, and it was also the one fans had waited the longest to play. The original Psychonauts launched in 2005 to strong reviews but poor sales, which put Double Fine's sequel plans in jeopardy. Over the years, the game built a dedicated following, and that fandom helped make crowdfunding a reality. After multiple delays, Psychonauts 2 finally arrived. Reviews were largely positive, with praise for Double Fine's sharp writing, engrossing story, and insanely creative 3D platforming levels. It became one of the highest-rated new releases of 2021. Its availability on Xbox Game Pass starting August 25 helped it reach a much bigger audience than the original ever did.

More on the Horizon

At the time, more 3D platformers were still on the way. Sonic Colors: Ultimate and Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania were both re-releases, but they came with significant enhancements. Sonic Colors: Ultimate remastered a fan-favorite Sonic adventure, while Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania collected the original three games with improved graphics and a bevy of guest characters. Even if those were the final treats of the year, 2021 already had an impressive lineup.

Why 2021 Still Matters in 2026

Looking back from 2026, 2021 remains a high-water mark for 3D platformers. It mixed nostalgia with innovation, proving that the genre could honor its past while still finding new ways to play. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, It Takes Two, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Psychonauts 2, and the next-gen version of Crash Bandicoot 4 all pushed in different directions. Some were funny, some were heartfelt, and some were pure technical showpieces. Together, they reminded the industry that 3D platformers were not a relic. They were a living, breathing part of gaming's future. In 2026, that lesson still holds.