Though they may look rudimentary, there’s a great deal of art as well as skill in a good 2D platformer. One of the earliest video game genres (pretty much the entire Mario canon comes under the 2D umbrella), players move right to left across the screen over a series of multi-levelled platforms, smashing baddies and collecting loot as they go.
Though technology has moved on, this underappreciated genre still packs in plenty of charm – while their easy controls mean they’re perfect for picking up and whiling away a few hours on. With more than 30 years of titles to look back on, here’s our pick of some of the best.
