Use this leap year to catch up on 2D platforming games

To celebrate 2024 being a leap year, we’ve decided to gather a list of platforming games that may have you jumping for joy! But first, you may be wondering what exactly “leap year” means.

(It’s okay, you don’t have to stick around for this part. If you scroll down, you can see our list of platforming games. But if you’re sticking around:)

We commonly think of the Earth taking a year (365 days) to orbit the sun. But did you know the Earth actually takes approximately 365 days and six hours (1/4 of a day)? So, to make sure our calendar year matches the solar year (meaning our seasons stay consistent), we add one day every four years. You may know it as Feb. 29. But this extra day pushes March 1 to leap ahead. So, instead of March 1 being on a Thursday, it’s now on a Friday. Pretty neat, huh?

We hope these games help you enjoy your additional day this year!

• Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Dash into a stylish and thrilling action-adventure platformer set in a mythological Persian world where the boundaries of time and space are yours to manipulate. Play as Sargon and evolve from sword-wielding prodigy to extraordinary legend as you master acrobatic combat and unlock new Time Powers and unique super abilities.

• Super Mario Bros.™ Wonder

Classic Mario gameplay is turned on its head with Wonder Flowers in the Super Mario Bros. Wonder game! These game-changing items can make some wonderfully weird stuff happen. Witness pipes coming alive, wreak havoc as a giant Spike-Ball, and lots more!

• Celeste

Help Madeline survive her inner demons on her journey to the top of Celeste Mountain, in this super-tight, hand-crafted platformer from the creators of multiplayer classic TowerFall.

• Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight is a classically styled 2D action adventure across a vast interconnected world. Explore twisting caverns, ancient cities and deadly wastes; battle tainted creatures and befriend bizarre bugs; and solve ancient mysteries at the kingdom’s heart.

• Metroid Dread

Upon investigating a mysterious transmission on Planet ZDR, Samus faces a mysterious foe that traps her in this dangerous world. The remote planet has been overrun by vicious alien lifeforms and murderous robots called E.M.M.I. Hunt or be hunted as you make your way through a labyrinth of enemies in Samus’ most intense side-scrolling adventure yet.

• Dead Cells

Discover 2018’s Action Game of the Year and use your wits, weapons & spells to escape an ever-changing island in this colorful, exploration filled, action-packed adventure.

• Blasphemous 2

Awakened in a strange new land, and displaced from his final resting place, The Penitent One is thrust back into the endless cycle of life, death, and resurrection, with no other option than to explore this perilous new world and uncover its long-forgotten secrets.

• Gunbrella

Uncover the dark secrets of a gritty, tangled metropolis and battle diabolic villains with your trusty Gunbrella, a bulletproof brolly that doubles as a firearm.

• Donkey Kong Country™: Tropical Freeze

Barrel-blast into a critically acclaimed Donkey Kong adventure as this beloved franchise makes its Nintendo Switch™ debut with a banana-bunch of new features. Traverse islands packed with platforming perfection and nonstop action as the classic Kongs in the original game, or mix things up by playing the story as Funky Kong in new Funky Mode!

• Mario vs. Donkey Kong™

Donkey Kong has stolen all the Mini-Mario toys from the factory, and it’s up to Mario to get them back! Run, jump, and backflip your way to retrieving them across over 130 levels in this puzzle-style twist on classic platforming action.

• Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove

Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is the full and complete edition of Shovel Knight, a sweeping classic action-adventure game series with awesome gameplay, memorable characters, and an 8-bit retro aesthetic!

• Rayman Legends: Definitive Editio

Rayman, Globox, and the Teensies are off wandering through an enchanted forest when they discover a mysterious tent filled with a series of captivating paintings. The gang must run, jump, and fight their way through each world to save the day and discover the secrets of every legendary painting.

• Super Meat Boy

Super Meat Boy is a tough as nails platformer where you play as an animated cube of meat who’s trying to save his girlfriend (who happens to be made of bandages) from an evil fetus in a jar wearing a tux.

• Disney Illusion Island

Experience a brand-new Mickey & Friends adventure with hand-drawn animation, a fully orchestrated original score, and featuring performances from the authentic voice talents. Work together as you run, jump, swim, and swing your way to victory!

• Owl Boy

Owlboy is a story-driven platform adventure game, where you can fly and explore a brand new world in the clouds! Pick up your friends, and bring them with you as you explore the open skies. Overcome obstacles and greater enemies, in one of the most detailed adventures of this era.

• Ori and the Will of the Wisps

From the creators of Ori and the Blind Forest comes the highly-anticipated sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps. Embark on an all-new adventure in a vast and exotic world where you’ll encounter towering enemies and challenging puzzles on your quest to discover Ori’s true destiny.

• Sonic Origins

Relive the classic collected adventures of Sonic The Hedgehog, Sonic The Hedgehog 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and Sonic CD in the newly remastered Sonic Origins!

• Inside

INSIDE is a dark, narrative-driven platformer combining intense action with challenging puzzles. It has been critically acclaimed for its moody art style, ambient soundtrack and unsettling atmosphere.

• Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair

Yooka & Laylee are back in a brand-new platform hybrid adventure! They must run, jump and roll their way through a series of challenging 2D levels, face a puzzling Overworld and rally the Royal Bee-tallion to take down Capital B and his Impossible Lair!