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00:11Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we're counting down our picks for the 10 most innovative 3D
00:17platforming mechanics. Strap in, because this is going to be a super meaty deep dive into some
00:22truly revolutionary games that shape this beloved genre. And yes, of course, Super Mario 64 is going
00:28to be featured here many, many times. Let's do this. Before we begin, we publish new content all week
00:40long, so be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
00:47Parkour Platforming, Mirror's Edge, an Assassin's Creed franchise.
00:59Okay, yes, while we know that Mirror's Edge and the Assassin's Creed franchise aren't pure 3D
01:04platformers, there's simply no denying that the parkour platforming and traversal both series
01:10pioneered have helped shape the way we enjoy many platformers today, games such as Donkey Kong Bonanza
01:15and Prince of Persia the Lost Crown specifically coming to mind. The parkour-based platforming in
01:21both Mirror's Edge and the Assassin's Creed games transformed movement itself into a core gameplay
01:26system rather than a simple means of just getting around an environment. In Mirror's Edge, parkour is
01:32presented from a first-person perspective, emphasizing things like momentum, flow, and physicality as
01:37players chain wall runs, vaults, slides, and precision jumps into smooth, uninterrupted motion that
01:43feels almost athletic in nature. This design encourages speed, spatial awareness, and mastery of
01:53the environment, making movement both a challenge and a reward. Assassin's Creed games, on the other hand,
01:58especially the older titles, similarly revolutionized traversal by allowing players to fluidly climb,
02:04leap, and scale entire cities and landscapes with minimal interruption, turning historical landscapes
02:09and cityscapes into vertical playgrounds, always encouraging experimentation and fun. The franchise's
02:16free-running system prioritizes accessibility and cinematic spectacle, enabling complex parkour actions
02:22through intuitive controls, while still maintaining a sense of realism and character agility. In both
02:27of these series, parkour is not merely just a stylistic flourish, but a defining mechanic that reshapes
02:33level design, player agency, and immersion, proving that how a player moves through a world can be just as
02:38innovative and immersive and impactful as combat or even narrative.
02:54Dual analog platforming and gadget usage, Ape Escape
03:04Ape Escape's dual analog mechanic was groundbreaking back in 1999, and really can't be understated,
03:10because it redefined how players interacted with characters and tools in a 3D space,
03:15at a time when most platformers still relied on a single control stick and the face buttons.
03:20By mapping character movement to the left analog stick, and assigning gadget actions to the right stick,
03:25the game made physical motion and gadget usage feel distinct, simultaneous, and spatially intuitive.
03:31Players didn't just press a button to use a gadget, they swung, aimed, or spun it with analog precision here,
03:37enhancing the whole monkey-catching shenanigans with a finer degree of control.
03:47This design allowed for more expressive and context-sensitive interactions, such as subtly angling a net,
03:53rotating the stun club, or controlling a propeller with variable speed, which of course added depth
03:58without over-complicating the inputs. Additionally, Ape Escape was the first major 3D platformer to
04:04require the PlayStation DualShock controller, effectively demonstrating why dual analog sticks mattered here,
04:10specifically in a genre that is all about free-form movement and character expression.
04:15For 3D platformers in general, this approach expanded the genre's vocabulary, showing that platforming,
04:20camera movement, and actions could be decoupled, and layered in some more sophisticated ways,
04:25paving the way for more complex control schemes in later action and adventure games.
04:37EXPLORATION FIRST OPEN LEVEL DESIGN
04:40SUPER MARIO 64
04:50Super Mario 64's EXPLORATION FIRST OPEN LEVEL DESIGN
04:54philosophy was a groundbreaking thing, because it redefined how players interacted with 3D spaces and
05:00platformers. Instead of guiding players through linear stages with a singular objective, each course
05:05here functioned as a small open environment where experimentation and curiosity were central to
05:11progress, both of which enhanced the game's charm and playfulness overall. Players could freely roam
05:16around each painting world, discovering multiple goals within the same level, including scooping up
05:21oodles of coins, uncovering hidden nooks and crannies, and solving environmental puzzles. Heck,
05:26they could even choose the order in which they tackled challenges, namely getting the coveted power
05:30stars in the game, making movement itself a form of play rather than just a means to an end.
05:41This was especially innovative in a 3D context, where understanding depth, camera control, more on
05:46that one later, and spatial relationships was still new territory for most players out there, especially
05:51when platformers were primarily set on a 2D plane prior. By emphasizing exploration first and foremost,
05:58and weaving power stars into the whole exploration thing, Super Mario 64 taught players how to navigate
06:043D worlds intuitively, and with a greater sense of freedom of player expression. Setting a sort of
06:09foundation for future 3D platformers and influencing countless games that embraced non-linearity, player
06:15choice and environmental discovery as core design philosophies. Time manipulation blinks the time sweeper.
06:47While your mind might first conjure up Prince of Persia the Sands of Time, more on that great game
06:52later, when it comes to time manipulation in 3D platforming adjacent games, it actually blinks the
06:58time sweeper for the OG Xbox that truly pioneered this innovative mechanic in the 3D platforming space.
07:04The time manipulation mechanic was, and still is honestly, remarkably innovative because it made control over
07:10time the core mechanic of the 3D platforming puzzle gameplay, rather than just a situational gimmick.
07:16By giving players the time sweeper vacuum, they could hoover up time crystals that could then rewind,
07:21record, pause, fast forward, and selectively replay certain actions. The game then allowed it time
07:26itself to function as a sort of malleable resource in the game, effectively turning mistakes into strategic
07:32opportunities, and turning forward thinking planning into a solid tool as you navigate each whimsical and
07:38colorful stage as Blinks. This was especially novel in an era when most 3D platformers emphasized precise
07:55movement and trial and error design, often punishing failure with restarts rather than encouraging fun
08:01experimentation. Blinks' mechanic enabled players to solve environmental puzzles, navigate enemies, and
08:07refine platforming sequences by actively editing the flow of gameplay via time, which blurred the line
08:13between player performance and system manipulation, again via the whole time mechanic. This mechanic is
08:18still quite novel in gaming as a whole. In toying with time itself, the game treats time as an interactive
08:24system and demonstrates how temporal control could deepen player agency, reduce frustration through
08:30creative experimentation and environmental interaction, and just expand the expressive possibilities of 3D
08:36platformers as a genre. Great job Blinks, you earned yourself some well-earned catnip.
08:49Gravity Shifting Super Mario Galaxy
08:58What goes up must come down, right? Well, not in the case of Super Mario Galaxy. The gravity shifting mechanic
09:04in this game was
09:05innovative because it fundamentally rethought how players navigated 3D spaces, turning gravity itself,
09:11a common denominator of course in any 3D platformer, or heck any game for that matter, from a static by
09:17-the-books rule into
09:18a dynamic and highly intuitive gameplay system, while keeping in line with the whole sci-fi cosmic narrative throughline of
09:24this game.
09:25By allowing Mario to run seamlessly around various sized planets with their own gravitational pull, and in some areas to
09:32experience shifts tied to movement or perspective, such as walking upside down, the game replaced traditional
09:38flat levels with fully spherical environments that players simply had to understand spatially rather than
09:43directionally, which often broke our brains at times if we're honest, at least it did for me.
09:58This design encouraged constant reorientation, forcing players to think in terms of momentum,
10:04camera control, and spatial awareness in ways that earlier 3D platformers rarely demanded, but it never
10:09made the game harder in the traditional sense. Importantly, the mechanic was intuitive despite its initial
10:16sort of sense of complexity. Now, we say complex because you really did have to try to retrain your
10:21brain to move differently when walking on the underside of a planet, for example. Nintendo's careful
10:26camera behavior and visual cues made radical gravity shifts feel natural, rather than spatially
10:32confounding for our brains. For Super Mario Galaxy specifically, this mechanic enabled highly imaginative
10:38level design that supported the game's cosmic out-of-this-world theme, while keeping Mario's controls
10:43precise and familiar. For 3D platformers as a whole, it demonstrated that the genre could move beyond
10:49linear planes and fix gravity without sacrificing accessibility, opening the door for more experimental
10:55uses of things like space, physics, and player perspective in future games, which of course was
11:00expanded upon in the great Super Mario Galaxy 2. Gliding plus airborne traversal, Spyro the Dragon.
11:25While Super Mario 64 did indeed have moments where you could soar through the skies for a brief period
11:31of time, it wasn't intrinsically tied to the entire platforming experience and level design as it was in
11:371998's Spyro the Dragon for the PS1. Now, in Spyro, gliding and airborne traversal were quite revolutionary
11:43mechanics that helped redefine how 3D platformers could use space, especially vertically speaking.
11:49Spyro's ability to leap from high points, or, you know, low points if you wanted to get spicy about it,
11:54and smoothly glide forward transform verticality from a simple obstacle and platforming challenge
11:59into a core part of exploration here, encouraging players to think in terms of height, distance,
12:05and momentum rather than just linear jumps. This, of course, led to highly creative platforming maneuvers
12:11for our favorite purple dragon.
12:18Unlike many early 3D platformers that struggled with imprecise camera controls and awkward mid-air
12:23movement, Spyro's Glide was predictable. Well, mostly. It was readable and telegraphed,
12:28and it was tightly integrated with the game's level design, allowing wide chasms, layered vistas,
12:33and sweeping pathways to feel intentional rather than intimidating, especially in a level,
12:38for example, say, treetops. This mechanic reduced frustration and increased immersion into the
12:43vibrant world by giving players a sense of control after leaving the ground, instead of, you know,
12:48just flailing around like a goofball, while simultaneously inviting risk-taking and experimentation.
12:53Which kind of means missed jumps often actually became alternative routes rather than just outright
12:58failures, which was fun. In doing so, Spyro demonstrated that 3D platforming could be fluid and
13:04expressive, using air space as a navigable environment instead of a brief transitional state.
13:09Yes, I know. We're getting quite esoteric here. Just bear with us. We're almost finished.
13:13And it basically just helps set a strong template for other games to come down the line. Great job, Spyro.
13:27Physics Driven Momentum Crash Bandicoot.
13:37Okay, this one is honestly a lot harder to decipher and pin down, since by its very nature,
13:43it's a lot more about the whole feeling of moving a character through a 3D space.
13:47Thus, it's harder to define in words, but we shall do our very best here.
13:51Crash Bandicoot distinguished itself through a physics-driven sense of momentum
13:55that felt unusually and enjoyably tangible for an early 3D platformer.
13:59Rather than treating movement as purely static or grid-like, the game gave Crash a real sense of
14:05weight, inertia, and acceleration. So, jumps carried forward velocity, slides preserved speed,
14:10and landings demanded anticipation rather than just instant correction.
14:14This meant players had to think about how fast they were moving and how their motion would carry
14:18through space, creating a sort of rhythm closer to real physical motion than to the rigid stop-and-go
14:24controls common in other 3D platformers of the time.
14:34Of course, this meant a major retraining of our brains as we navigated Crash's tricky first outing
14:40on the PS1. At a time when many 3D platformers struggled with wonky and unclear movements and
14:46some awkward camera perspectives, Crash's momentum-based physics provided a deeper sense of clarity and
14:51overall consistency, as well, of course, as a boatload of challenge.
14:55Once players learned how speed and direction interacted, the game felt a heck of a lot more
14:59fair, readable, and purely skill-based. This approach was innovative not only because it made Crash's
15:05levels feel fast and fluid and satisfying, but because it demonstrated that 3D platformers could
15:10embrace momentum as a core design principle instead of just a random throw-away gimmick, influencing
15:16later games to treat movement physics as a sort of depth and mastery rather than a technical obstacle
15:22to overcome.
15:30Wall jumping and wall running, Super Mario 64 and Prince of Persia The Sands of Time.
15:43Now we are giving you a nice two-for-one deal here, since both of these mechanics are innovative and
15:49intrinsically tied to their respective gameplay experiences. Now in the case of wall jumping,
15:53by allowing Mario to rebound off vertical surfaces with well-timed jumps, the game gave players a
15:59powerful tool for vertical exploration that was not tied to things like rigid ladders or scripted paths,
16:05reinforcing the sense of freedom that defined its open level design. Plus, if we're honest,
16:10it just made you feel uber cool whenever you pulled it off, kind of like you were ready to,
16:13you know, compete in the Olympics or something. This mechanic encouraged experimentation and mastery of
16:18movement, as skilled players could chain wall jumps to reach areas that felt daring or even slightly
16:24beyond the intended route, enhancing player agency. Now, moving over to the wall running side of this
16:29entry, Prince of Persia The Sands of Time excelled in many areas of gameplay innovation, including,
16:34but not limited to, time manipulation for platforming and puzzle solving, much like Blinks,
16:39and in the case of this very entry, the excellent wall running mechanic.
16:42By allowing the Prince to run along walls at a precise angle, the game gave players a dynamic
16:47way to navigate horizontal and vertical spaces alike, bridging gaps and reaching ledges in ways that
16:53were previously impossible in most 3D environments, apart from just hoping your jump would make it that far.
17:09This mechanic emphasized timing, spatial awareness, and momentum, rewarding players for mastering the
17:15physics of movement rather than merely memorizing platform locations. This also ties into the parkour
17:21platforming we mentioned in the first entry. It kind of just made you feel superpowered as you chained
17:26wall runs, jumps, flips, and time powers. For 3D platformers, more broadly speaking,
17:31it was innovative because it redefined environmental interaction. Walls were no longer just static
17:36boundaries or set dressing, but active surfaces to engage with.
17:49Double jump plus vertical acrobatics, jumping flash.
17:59Ah yes, here we are, the humble double jump. It's the fantastic tool in any 3D platformer protagonist arsenal
18:05that takes them to the next level in terms of moving through a 3D space. I can't tell you how
18:10happy it
18:11makes me when a double jump is available right from the outset in a platforming game. Actually,
18:15I just told you, it makes me really happy, I love it. But did you actually know that the first
18:19real
18:19double jump in a 3D game was actually pioneered by 1995's jumping flash for PS1? Well, unlike most games of
18:27the era, which confined movement largely to horizontal planes, jumping flash gave players unprecedented
18:32vertical freedom, allowing them to chain numerous jumps to reach high platforms, cross some wide gaps,
18:38or survey the environment from crazy heights. All, of course, from a first person point of view.
18:50The double jump wasn't just a simple extra hop here. It became a core tool for exploration and
18:55strategy in the game, emphasizing things like timing, spatial awareness, and risk-reward gameplay.
19:01Plus, if we're honest, it's just a heck of a lot of fun to use in this game and in
19:05platforming games
19:05in general, am I right? This mechanic stood out because it leveraged the PlayStation 1's 3D
19:10capabilities to create a feeling of true aerial agility and responsiveness, influencing almost
19:16every single later 3D platformer that sought to combine expansive verticality with fluid player
19:21control. The double jump in this game was an absolute necessity if you wanted to progress and explore
19:27every inch of a level. It helped that the game's drop shadow, sense of predictable physics, and general
19:32layout was all woven directly into the core game design.
19:46Free roaming 3D movement plus player controlled camera, Super Mario 64.
19:59Saving the absolute best and, in our opinion, most innovative for last, Super Mario 64 once again
20:05shines brightly as a beacon for all other 3D platformers of the time. And heck, if we're honest,
20:10even to this very day when it comes to freely navigating 3D worlds with the camera in your
20:15control. I mean, at least most of the time when it wants to cooperate, of course.
20:19Unlike the fixed or side-scrolling perspectives common in earlier platformers, Mario could move
20:24fluidly in all directions across expansive 3D worlds, allowing players to approach challenges
20:30from multiple angles. The game's camera, controlled by the player via the Nintendo 64's
20:34C buttons provided unprecedented control over perspective for the time, even though it was
20:39sometimes a bit wonky. Enabling players to explore levels strategically at their own pace, avoiding
20:45hazards, taking on baddies, and planning jumps with precision. And crucially, this helped with obtaining
20:50every single coin in Power Star, since you, as the player, as Mario, always felt like you were in control
20:56of Mario. Something immediately connecting you to the game world like no other game before.
21:07This combination of unrestricted movement and dynamism when it came to the player-directed camera
21:12not only gave a sense of spatial expression in a 3D space that honestly felt truly three-dimensional,
21:18but also set a standard for almost all 3D platformers that followed. Influencing titles
21:24for decades and demonstrating that 3D environments could be navigated intuitively without disorienting
21:30the player. It was an elegant, innovative, and highly enjoyable solution to the new challenges of
21:353D platforming gameplay, and it helped establish the blueprint for modern 3D game design as a whole,
21:40not just 3D platformers. So what did you think of this list? Are there any innovative 3D platforming
21:57mechanics that we forgot to mention? Be sure to let us know in the comments!
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