Best PlayStation Games Like Mario

Since his first appearance in the 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong, Mario has gone on to become one of the most recognizable characters in not just gaming but all media. Mario's success stems from the incredible lineup of games that he has featured in over the years, many of which have helped elevate the gaming industry to where it is today.

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One of the plumber's few downsides is that he only appears on Nintendo consoles, preventing millions of gamers from enjoying his many excellent adventures. Thankfully for PlayStation users, there are many great games like Mario on the PS5 they can enjoy to have a great time and elicit a lot of what makes everyone's favorite Italian plumber such a joy to control.

Updated on November 23, 2024, by Usama Ali: Nintendo’s Mario franchise is one of the most successful in gaming history, especially the platformers, where Mario jumps through levels to rescue Princess Peach. Even though Mario has been a beloved gaming icon for decades, PlayStation gamers have often missed out on his adventures. Thankfully, many fantastic platformer games like Mario are available on PS5 and other Sony consoles that offer similar levels of fun and excitement. This list has now been updated with a few more classic platformers, with challenging missions, colorful worlds, and memorable characters that players will like if they’re Mario fans.

18 The Messenger

A Challenging Platformer Perfect For Fans Of Hard Classic Nintendo Games Like Mario

An action-packed platformer that pays homage to both the 8-bit and 16-bit eras of this genre, it's easy to see why The Messenger deserves all its plaudits and then some. The game's tough-as-nails gameplay makes it perfect for fans of games like Ninja Gaiden and Mario.

The quirky writing of The Messenger coupled with its excellent presentation makes it a great game like Mario on the PS4. It's a love letter to the golden era of this genre that fans will find easy to get into and hard to tear themselves away from.

17 Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time

The Latest Game Featuring This Beloved Marsupial Is Perfect For Players Seeking Out Modern Platformers

Crash Bandicoot fans loved the recent turnaround of this marsupial. Not only did they get a remaster of the original trilogy that rivaled Nintendo's mascot, but they were also treated to a brand new game in the series that brings some unique ideas to the table.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time features an amazing level of presentation and fun levels that fans of this character love. It's one of the best games like Mario on the PS5 players can check out if they want to enjoy an excellent platformer on this console.

16 Fez

Perfect For Platforming Fans Who Love Mario's Creative Level Design

An indie platformer that blew everyone's minds when it launched, Fez shows the power of perspective and how it alters a game's level design for the better. Featuring hallmarks of both the puzzle and platforming genre, it's easy to see why so many players hailed Fez as one of the best games like Mario on the PS4.

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It's a shame that this title's sequel was canceled since the developer hated how much this game was pirated. Players who have yet to check out this imaginative platformer are doing themselves a huge disservice.

15 Spelunky

Platforming Action With A Roguelike Twist

Spelunky was first released in 2008 on PC before arriving on a range of other consoles. The game is one of the most influential indie releases of all time, both for popularizing the roguelike genre and for showing consumers how great indie games could be at a time when they were looked down upon for a perceived lack of quality compared to AAA titles.

Spelunky's procedurally generated levels, along with its wide range of weapons and enemies, have given the game tremendous replayability and were instrumental in showing just how much value-for-money roguelike games could provide. Players who love the revolutionary nature of Mario games will love Spelunky's charming formula. The game's sequel, Spelunky 2, is also well worth playing.

14 Psychonauts 2

Channel Your Psychic Powers in This Platform-Adventure Game

Psychonauts 2, the sequel to 2005’s Psychonauts, has been praised by critics as an even better game than its predecessor. This platform-adventure game continues the story of Razputin Aquato, a young boy with extraordinary psychic abilities. The game is set in the world of the Psychonauts, an international agency of psychic spies, where Raz is now a trainee.

Players go on a journey through the minds of various characters, each with their own unique and bizarre mental landscapes. These mental worlds are full of creative puzzles and challenges. As Raz explores people’s brains and battles their inner demons, he unlocks hidden memories and resolves their emotional baggage.

13 Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

A Beautiful 3D Platformer That Makes The Most Of The PS5's Advanced SSD

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the latest release on this list, having hit stores in June 2021. The game was released exclusively on the PlayStation 5 and features some of the most eye-catching visuals on the system thus far.

Rift Apart maintains the series' unique blend of platforming and third-person shooter gameplay, making it perfect for players seeking out games like Mario on the PS5 with gameplay that involves guns. It also implements a few new features for good measure, such as Rift Tether, which lets players seamlessly warp between areas. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is one of several games that were once PlayStation exclusives but have since been released on PC.

12 Sonic Mania

A Solid Platforming Title From Mario's Biggest Competitor Back In The Golden Age Of Platformers

Although Sonic's 3D games have divided opinion, the hedgehog's early 2D games are still highly thought of and remain great fun to play today. So, a team comprised of notable fan game developers teamed up to release Sonic Mania, which features several "remixed" levels from the classic games and a handful of new ones.

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Granted, Sonic Mania lacked the innovation of Sonic Team releases, but it succeeded in its aim of simply giving fans a modern take on the classic Sonic experience -- something that many had been asking for, resulting in one of the most highly-praised Sonic games of all time. It's a perfect title for fans seeking out games like Mario on the PS5, given the history these two mascots share as rivals during the classic years of gaming.

11 Super Meat Boy

Perfect For Players Who Love Mario's Gameplay But Want A Substantial Challenge

Like Spelunky, Super Meat Boy is one of the most influential indie releases of all time for its impact on indie gaming and for revitalizing the side-scrolling platformer genre.

Prior to Super Meat Boy's release in October 2010, platform games were struggling to justify their price tag compared to the ever-expanding open-world and adventure games. Super Meat Boy's lower price tag gave Team Meat the freedom to offer a classic linear platforming experience without having to worry about justifying an inflated price.

Super Meat Boy was also influential for removing Game Over screens and letting players instantly restart upon dying -- a common feature in platformers today. Mario's Game Overs may have more impact but the moment-to-moment gameplay is pretty similar in both titles.

10 Shovel Knight

Elicits The Classic Goodness Of Platformers In The Past, Like Mario

Shovel Knight was initially released on PC in June 2014 before arriving on a plethora of other consoles. The game adopts an 8-bit graphical style reminiscent of classic NES platformers, such as Mario's classic games.

The crowdfunded indie game was a huge commercial success, which led to the release of multiple well-received DLCs. December 2019's Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is the best way to play Shovel Knight today, as the value-for-money package comes with the original game and four DLC packs.

9 Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair

A Collectathon Perfect For Fans Of Mario's Simple Gameplay Loop

It's fair to say that the Yooka-Laylee franchise didn't get off to the best of starts. The original game had a ton of hype behind it and broke records with its Kickstarter backing, though the final product failed to impress, exemplified by the PlayStation 4 version scoring just 68 on Metacritic.

Many people thought that the lackluster reviews and fan response would mark the end of the franchise. However, a new game was released just a couple of years later with a significant change of direction. Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair ditched its Banjo-Kazooie influences in favor of side-scrolling action similar to Donkey Kong Country and Super Mario Bros. And was a far more enjoyable experience.

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