The Best 3D Platformers on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2
The best 3D platformers on Switch and Switch 2, from Mario Odyssey and Donkey Kong Bananza to Kirby, A Hat in Time and Crash, with difficulty and age notes.
The 3D platformer has had a strong run on Nintendo hardware. Over the Switch era, Nintendo released some of its most celebrated 3D games, independent studios revived the collectathon, and classic PlayStation mascots made their way to a Nintendo console. With Switch 2 adding Donkey Kong Bananza and enhanced versions of older favorites, there is more choice than ever. This guide picks out the best 3D platformers you can play on Switch and Switch 2 as of 2026, with notes on difficulty and age suitability so you can match each game to the player.
How to Read This List
3D platformers vary widely in how much freedom they give you. Some drop you into large sandboxes to explore; others offer linear courses with a clear goal. Beginners and younger players usually find linear courses easier because the camera and objectives are more predictable. We note the structure of each game below, along with its ESRB descriptors or rating where we could confirm them, so you can judge suitability. Remember that ratings are guidance: what suits one child may not suit another.
The Nintendo Essentials
Super Mario Odyssey
Structure: open sandbox kingdoms. Difficulty: easy to start, demanding post-game.
Released on October 27, 2017, Odyssey sends Mario around the world with a sentient hat named Cappy. Throwing Cappy at enemies and objects lets Mario capture them, controlling everything from a Goomba to a T-Rex. Each kingdom is packed with Power Moons, and you need only a fraction of them to reach the credits, so casual players can enjoy the main journey while completionists hunt for hundreds more. An optional Assist Mode adds guidance arrows and extra health. On Switch 2, a free update improves visuals, adds HDR and lets a second player join as Cappy via GameShare. Its store listing shows Cartoon Violence and Comic Mischief descriptors.
Donkey Kong Bananza
Structure: large, layered open areas. Difficulty: moderate. Platform: Switch 2 only.
Donkey Kong Bananza launched on July 17, 2025 as a Switch 2 exclusive. Its defining feature is destruction: DK can punch, dig and tear through almost any surface, carving his own paths through underground layers. Bananza transformations, unlocked through the help of a young Pauline, give DK new forms with special abilities. A second player can join in co-op, helping to attack enemies and break terrain. It is rated E10+ by the ESRB for fantasy violence and lists in-game purchases. It is the most technically ambitious game on this list and a great showcase for Switch 2.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
Structure: linear courses (3D World) plus a small open world (Bowser’s Fury). Difficulty: easy to moderate.
Released on Switch on February 12, 2021, this package combines one of the most accessible 3D Marios with a bold experiment. 3D World’s compact courses have clear goal poles, and up to four players can play together locally, making it ideal for families. The Cat Suit, which lets characters climb walls, is a highlight. Bowser’s Fury is a shorter, seamless open-world adventure in which a giant Bowser periodically attacks. A free Switch 2 update improves resolution and frame rate and adds GameShare support.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Structure: level-based 3D stages. Difficulty: easy, with optional challenges.
Kirby’s first full 3D mainline adventure (March 25, 2022) is one of the friendliest 3D platformers available. Kirby’s float protects against falls, and the level-based design keeps objectives clear. Mouthful Mode, in which Kirby stretches over a car, a vending machine or other objects, adds playful puzzles. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World, released August 28, 2025, improves visuals and frame rate and adds a new story. It is rated E10+ by the ESRB, but its gentle challenge suits many younger players with a parent nearby.
Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2
Structure: self-contained galaxies of small planets. Difficulty: moderate, rising sharply in later challenges.
These Wii classics arrived on Switch on October 2, 2025 and also play on Switch 2. Running around tiny spherical planets with shifting gravity remains thrilling, and many players consider these two games among the best platformers ever made. Galaxy 2 in particular gets very challenging toward the end.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Structure: small diorama-like puzzle stages. Difficulty: easy to moderate.
Captain Toad cannot jump, so each compact level is a 3D puzzle about finding the route to a Power Star by rotating the camera and manipulating the environment. It is calm, clever and very family-friendly. Released on Switch on July 13, 2018, it lists only Mild Cartoon Violence, and a free Switch 2 update adds two-player GameShare across all courses.
Beyond Nintendo: Other Publishers’ Best
A Hat in Time
Structure: collectathon with distinct chapters. Difficulty: moderate.
Developed by Gears for Breakfast and released on Switch on October 18, 2019, A Hat in Time is a love letter to Nintendo 64-era collectathons. Hat Kid collects Time Pieces across wildly varied worlds, from a mafia-run town to a haunted forest. Its humor and creativity are a highlight. Note that its store listing includes Blood and Fantasy Violence descriptors, and some chapters are a little spooky for very young children.
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
Structure: linear corridor levels. Difficulty: moderate to hard.
This remake of the first three PlayStation Crash games arrived on Switch on June 29, 2018. Crash’s levels are linear, often running toward or away from the camera, and they demand precise jumps. They are rewarding but can be frustrating for beginners, especially the first game.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time
Structure: linear levels. Difficulty: hard.
The 2020 sequel, released on Switch on March 11, 2021, adds new abilities and a huge amount of content. Its Modern mode removes the traditional lives system, which helps, but it remains one of the more demanding games here.
Spyro Reignited Trilogy
Structure: open hub worlds. Difficulty: easy to moderate.
Released on Switch on September 3, 2019, this remake of the first three Spyro games offers open levels connected by hub worlds, gentle combat and plenty of gems to collect. It is generally more forgiving than Crash and suits younger players well.
Classic 3D Platformers on Nintendo Switch Online
If you have the Expansion Pack tier of Nintendo Switch Online, the Nintendo 64 library offers a history lesson in the genre. Super Mario 64, the game that defined 3D platforming in 1996, is there, as is Rare’s Banjo-Kazooie, one of the best-loved collectathons ever made. These games show how many of the ideas in Odyssey, A Hat in Time and Bananza began.
Be aware that late-1990s 3D games can feel stiff by modern standards. Cameras need more manual adjustment, and checkpoints are scarcer. The rewind and suspend features in the Nintendo Classics apps help a lot, but these are better as a second stop for curious players than as a child’s first 3D game.
Also note that Super Mario 3D All-Stars, the 2020 collection that bundled Super Mario 64, Sunshine and the original Galaxy, was a limited-time release and is no longer sold digitally. For Galaxy, the 2025 Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 release is now the way to play.
Difficulty and Age Suitability at a Glance
| Game | Structure | Difficulty | Good for younger players? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario Odyssey | Open kingdoms | Easy to hard | Yes, with Assist Mode |
| Donkey Kong Bananza | Layered open areas | Moderate | Rated E10+; check with your child |
| Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury | Linear courses | Easy to moderate | Yes, great with family co-op |
| Kirby and the Forgotten Land | Level-based | Easy | Yes (rated E10+) |
| Super Mario Galaxy 1 + 2 | Planetary stages | Moderate to hard | With help |
| Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker | Puzzle dioramas | Easy to moderate | Yes |
| A Hat in Time | Collectathon | Moderate | Older children |
| Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy | Linear | Moderate to hard | Older children |
| Crash Bandicoot 4 | Linear | Hard | Experienced players |
| Spyro Reignited Trilogy | Open hubs | Easy to moderate | Yes |
Tips for Players New to 3D Platformers
- Watch the shadow. In most 3D platformers, a shadow appears directly under your character. Using it to judge where you will land is the single most useful habit for beginners.
- Take control of the camera. Use the right stick to look around before attempting tricky jumps. Many deaths come from an awkward camera angle rather than a bad jump.
- Start with linear games. 3D World, Captain Toad or Kirby teach 3D movement with fewer distractions than open sandboxes.
- Use assist options without guilt. Odyssey’s Assist Mode and Crash 4’s Modern mode exist so more people can enjoy these games.
- Play in short sessions. 3D platformers can be tiring for younger players, so breaks help both fun and focus.
Which One Should You Buy First?
For most Switch owners, Super Mario Odyssey is the best first 3D platformer: it is approachable, endlessly inventive and runs better than ever on Switch 2. Families who play together should consider Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury. Switch 2 owners looking for something new and spectacular should go straight to Donkey Kong Bananza. If a child finds Mario’s 3D worlds overwhelming, Kirby and the Forgotten Land or Captain Toad are gentler alternatives.
Looking for side-scrolling games instead? See our list of the best 2D platformers on Switch, or read our explainer on 2D vs 3D platformers to understand the design differences.
