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00:09Welcome to MojoPlays and today we're counting down our picks for the 20 hardest 3D platformers
00:15of all time. Before we begin, we publish new content all week long, so be sure to subscribe
00:27and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
00:32Penny's Big Breakaway
00:43Penny's Big Breakaway is challenging for one very specific reason. Unless you master its eclectic
00:49and tough to grasp yoyo-based platforming and momentum parkour, then you likely will have a
00:55hard time seeing all this game has to offer. It's a vibrant, energetic, and cheerful adventure with
01:01some stellar level design, but make no mistake about it, it fully expects you to take to the
01:06creative repertoire of moves Penny has. This isn't easy, not by a long shot, especially so if you hope
01:12to collect all the hidden goodies and knickknacks. Don't get me wrong here, the game is an absolute
01:17blast. A superb 3D platformer, but it's got a hefty learning curve when it comes to traversing each
01:23meticulously designed stage. Plus, those sections where you have to avoid and fend off the robotic
01:28penguins can be straight up brutal.
01:38iNinja
01:45This often forgotten 3D action platformer is downright awesome and is a real blast to play. It certainly
01:52deserves more time in the spotlight. And it's also a surprisingly tough game. Our ninja pal might have
01:58a great arsenal of moves and weapons at his disposal, but the baddies he faces and the platforming
02:04intervals he encounters can really challenge you. Knowing when to use your shurikens or darts is
02:09critical for both combat and environmental puzzles, but you also need to know when to just go in sword
02:15swinging to dole out some punishment. There will be some platforming areas here that might break your
02:20brain as you try to wall run, double jump, and clamber around in order to try and proceed.
02:25To top it all off, the game cleverly intersperses other gameplay activities such as ball rolling,
02:31platforming, on rail shooting segments, and more which are fun, but can be tough to contend with,
02:36especially those ball parts.
02:46Croc Legend of the Gobbos
02:56Now keep in mind here we are specifically discussing the OG 1997 version of this game,
03:02not the HD remastered version from 2025, which slightly helps with some of the game's overall
03:08challenge. You see, Croc was one of those mascots that hoped to always be in the limelight,
03:13much like Crash, Spyro, Mario, Sonic, etc. Yes, his games are good, but they are also quite janky
03:20and unfairly tough from time to time. The first game, Legend of the Gobbos, while certainly a beloved
03:25cult classic 3D platformer, can be brutal to get through. On the surface, it might look super
03:30simplistic and even easy. However, this couldn't be farther from the truth. Yes, the levels are quite
03:36small and self-contained, but it's the way in which Croc just feels so darn rigid to control.
03:41Movement and platforming, and heck, even your tail attack, never quite feels fluid or natural.
03:46These aspects can lead to massive difficulty spikes when you need to platform flawlessly through a
03:51given area, while still trying to collect crystals in Gobbos. It can lead to loads of quick frustrating
03:57deaths and restarts. Croc is just one of those early 3D platformers that, while fun, hides a ton of
04:03challenge beneath its cartoony exterior. Glover.
04:23This one probably isn't a surprise to anyone who's actually played Glover, or even seen gameplay of
04:28it. Eschewing the traditional running and jumping around like you do in most platformers, although,
04:33yes, you do still of course do some of that as Glover, the majority of your experience here is
04:38actually moving about and controlling various balls in order to platform, solve puzzles, and
04:44generally just progress. Glover's controls are wonky and often unintuitive. It's hard to get
04:49into any sort of rhythm in this game, since you always need to bounce the ball around, hop on the
04:54ball, move the ball, change the ball, do some platforming simply as Glover, figure out a puzzle
04:59solution with the ball, and often a combo of all of these at the same time. It's honestly a lot
05:04to deal
05:04with in tandem with a janky camera and less than stellar framerate. Now, these things don't make
05:10the game bad, it's a great game, but it takes a lot to get used to, more so if you
05:14want to collect everything.
05:24Get more awesome gaming content over at our 24-7 live stream right here on Mojo Plays,
05:29just scan that QR code on screen. Spirits and Spells, also known as Castleween.
05:40Spirits and Spells might seem like an odd left-field pick here for this list,
05:45but unless you've actually played this 3D Halloween platforming adventure, then you have no idea what a
05:51brutal time you are in for. The Halloween whimsy and autumnal aesthetics falsely lull you into thinking
05:57this is just one of those easy-peasy platformers that won't provide any challenge. I promise you,
06:02though, this game will certainly punish your hubris or your naivety. You see,
06:07as Alicia and Greg, it's up to you to rescue your friends from the bogeyman on Halloween night.
06:12This means you get to play as both characters, Alicia, a witch, and Greg, a devil.
06:17They control mostly the same apart from attacking, but gosh darn it, no matter who you play as here,
06:22you will have a doozy of a time making it through the perilous platforming gauntlets and brutal enemies
06:27that never go easy on you, not at all. Plus, the boss fights in this game are needlessly unfair and
06:33demand absolute perfection from you. Crash Bandicoot.
06:52Probably not a surprise here on this list, right? Well, the very first OG Crash Bandicoot from 1996
06:59was, and still is, considered to be one of the hardest 3D platformers around. It doesn't play
07:05or feel like any other platformer of its era. It feels demanding in an almost sort of arcade-like
07:10fashion. While Crash's levels might be fairly straightforward and linear apart from a branching
07:15path here and there, it's everything you encounter from point A to point B that will often send you
07:20back to your nearest checkpoint box with ease. Crash's jumps and spins do feel good and are
07:26natural to use, but it's required that you quickly master them since there are so many hazards to deal
07:31with in short order. The game becomes especially tough during the levels where you're running towards
07:36the camera, which, as you can imagine, means you have to almost perfectly predict what's going to
07:41pop up next that try to foil your run. Plus, it's just super easy to die in this game. I
07:45mean,
07:45between the different level styles, the boatload and we mean boatload of collectibles, and demanding
07:50boss battles, it's kind of no surprise that this 1996 game remains a tough-as-nails but awesome classic.
08:04The Legend of Spyro Dawn of the Dragon
08:15Since every late 2000s video game seemed to go down the path of just being more grim and gritty,
08:21I guess it's no surprise really that Spyro did the same thing. Here in Dawn of the Dragon, the gameplay
08:26moves away from the traditional, upbeat 3D platforming hijinks into, I don't know, more of
08:32like an action-focused brawler and a tough one at that. While you do still have traditional platforming,
08:38flying around, exploration, and puzzle-solving segments, the game more so focuses on combat.
08:43As both Spyro and Cinder, you must engage in lengthy, grueling battles of attrition that barely leave you
08:49any room for breathing, and no, we don't mean just breathing fire. Even with two dragons battling it out,
08:54you still feel outnumbered during most fights, and oftentimes you have to do all of this while
08:59trying to figure out some wacky, wild environmental puzzle.
09:10Jack 2
09:15Now, we've featured Jack 2 on a bevy of our hardest games list because,
09:23well, no surprise, it's really hard. So, of course, we are going to have it here on the hardest 3D
09:28platformers list. Now, make no mistake about it, we love this game here Mojo plays, and it's an
09:34excellent action platformer, but it's brutal, especially compared to the more breezy and
09:38lighthearted first game, the precursor Legacy, or even the tamed down difficulty of Jack 3,
09:44somewhat. Jack 2 just leans hard into being a dark and moody, often somber affair.
09:49This translates into the gameplay since you are thrust into some tense combat encounters,
09:54tricky platforming segments, finicky vehicle sections, and some odd stealth adjacent scenarios.
10:00Again, this stuff is fun here, and we appreciate how the game mixes things up from the first game,
10:05but it certainly seems like giving Jack a more macabre demeanor must also mean the game's
10:10challenge level should ramp up too.
10:20Vex
10:29This highly overlooked early 2000s 3D platformer is both massive in scale and varied in its gameplay.
10:35It's an utter blast that we wish more people talked about when it comes to all-around
10:39solid 3D platforming adventures, but it comes with a caveat, an asterisk if you will.
10:45It's a deeply challenging game, full stop. The difficulty here in Vex comes from three central
10:50aspects. Sprawling stages that are easy to get lost in with little direction given,
10:55pummeling combat that while fun can get quite tricky, and lastly a handful of platforming intervals
11:01that feel like they were built to make you want to break your controller in frustration.
11:05Vex is a fluid and agile character, to be sure, and he's a real blast to play as. This, in
11:11combo with
11:11a ton of awesome collectibles to find, makes it a solid and worthwhile adventure. But you will only
11:16really get the most out of Vex if you are a patient gamer, taking your time to explore every massive
11:21area,
11:22and are perfectly okay with oodles of trial and error in your platforming.
11:34Super Meat Boy 3D
11:43It's Super Meat Boy, but in 3D. I mean, we could just leave it at that and that would be
11:47enough,
11:47at least for those of you who have actually played Super Meat Boy and know how brutal it is.
11:52It's a game that is designed to be super duper easy to pick up and play,
11:56and downright grueling and punishing to actually survive and get through.
12:00Well, this lovingly crafted 3D incarnation retains all of the fun bloody challenges of the OG 2D version,
12:06but ups the scale and difficulty, if that were even possible, by tossing everything into three
12:11dimensions. Yes, this now means Meat Boy, and you by extension, need to watch out for hazards,
12:17obstacles, traps, and more from every single angle, as you work to make it to the end of each inventive
12:23and progressively more bloody gauntlet of death. Boy oh boy, does it feel fluid and fun to play,
12:28for sure, but it's certainly going to make you work for it, no bones about it.
12:42Psychonauts
12:50Psychonauts has become a cult classic over the years, a game that was mostly well received at the
12:55time, but didn't garner all that much fanfare. Fortunately, time has been kind to this game,
13:00even if it's a less than perfect experience. Stepping into the psychic shoes of Raz, you must
13:06hone your budding skills as you explore various minds, uncovering the mental struggles and battles of
13:11various characters. Psychonauts is interesting, because it blends aspects of 3D platforming
13:16and adventure game tendencies, but sorta struggles to always toe the line nicely. The game's challenge
13:22lies in how tricky some of its platforming sections can be, often confusing players with some
13:27labyrinthian pathing. But it's really the game's final section, the meat circus, where the challenge
13:32level skyrockets through the roof, totally upending the more or less average skill level required
13:37earlier on in the game, as you contend with Raz's psychic powers.
13:47Banjo Tooie
13:54Alright, many might scoff at the idea of Banjo Tooie being a hard 3D platformer, but if we are honest
14:00with ourselves, this game, while amazing, can be downright brutal at times. Banjo Tooie opens up the
14:06experience quite a bit here, with lots of expansive areas, interconnected layouts, access by traversal or
14:13the train, and tons of backtracking. All of these aspects do make the game feel much bigger than Banjo
14:18Kazooie, but they certainly increase the challenge level overall. While it would be easy to just blame
14:23much of the challenge on the wonky 3D camera, even for its time, Banjo Tooie manages to challenge 3D
14:29platforming fans, with some tough platforming sections, punishing bosses, and myriad collectibles,
14:35and objectives that aren't always easy to understand or contend with. It's a fantastic game,
14:40but it's a much much harder game than Banjo Kazooie.
14:50Pac-Man World 2
14:58Who the heck would have thought that a Pac-Man 3D platformer would be tough as nails? Well, where the
15:04first game was mostly a breeze, with some challenging sections interspersed, the sequel really manages to
15:10ratchet up the difficulty with some truly brutal levels, inconsistent platforming maneuvers and
15:15sections, random difficulty spikes, and some outlandishly tough boss battles. It's an uber
15:20charming Pac-Man game to be sure, however it doesn't ease up on being incredibly hard. Knowing when to
15:26jump, slam down, flutter, or roll is never really obvious, made even more punishing by the lack of depth
15:32perception due to the somewhat isometric view here. Oh, and if you want to collect every pellet and piece
15:37of fruit and other collectibles, then you're going to need to be a master platformer.
15:49Maximo Ghost to Glory
15:59If any of you remember Ghosts and Goblins from back in the day, then you likely remember how brutal that
16:052D Capcom platformer was. Well, Maximo Ghosts to Glory takes much of that DNA from that game,
16:11and its various iterations and spin-offs, and thrusts all of it into a tough-as-coffin-nails 3D action
16:17platformer. Much like in Ghosts and Goblins, whenever you take a hit in the game, a piece of armor falls
16:23off,
16:23basically acting as the game's intuitive life bar. The game has myriad punishing enemies that relentlessly
16:29attack the player, a save and continue system that really isn't your friend at all, tricky platforming
16:34areas that aren't always clear, and just simply the fact that death can come around every single corner,
16:39even by surprise. Now, it's a blast to play, don't get us wrong, especially if you are a fan of
16:44old
16:44school arcade-style games, but don't at all expect this game to hold your hand.
16:57Snake Pass
17:03Now, we admit we might be cheating a little bit here, calling Snake Pass a true 3D platformer,
17:11since there's not actually any technical platforming, at least in the way of jumping and
17:15bounding around 3D spaces. However, for our money, we consider this 3D platforming adjacent game so
17:21unique and challenging that it definitely deserves a place on this list. The premise of Snake Pass is
17:26that you might guide your slinky, slippery snake around creative puzzle-laden playgrounds,
17:31finding collectibles, and making your way to the goal. But getting there is a whole different story.
17:37Since you can't jump or move in traditional ways like other 3D platformers, you must utilize the
17:42environment and objects, and your bird friend, in order to curl up and around areas to achieve
17:47your snaky goals. It's an uber fun, but uber punishing game at times, even with its colorful
17:52and adorable visuals and whimsical music.
18:04Conquer's Bad Fur Day
18:11Surprise, surprise, another 3D rare platformer on our list. Yep, Conquer's Bad Fur Day is not an easy game.
18:18While it is more fondly remembered for its raunchy humor and sarcastic tone, many players are equally
18:24aware that it's a tough game to venture through. The plethora of platforming sections alone are
18:29enough to make you pull your hair out. Your jumps as Conquer often need to be pixel perfect in order
18:34to not fall to your demise, especially with the strict fall damage and general lack of health pickups,
18:40or so it seems. While the wonky camera doesn't always lend a helping hand, I mean even if it did,
18:45the game has so many punishing areas and bosses that your platforming skills will definitely be tested.
18:58Rayman 2 The Great Escape
19:07Gameplay diversity is king when it comes to 3D platformers, or heck, just video games in general.
19:13The Rayman series has generally done a phenomenal job with mixing up gameplay to keep things fresh
19:18throughout. Nowhere is this more apparent than 1999's The Great Escape. From traditional 3D
19:24platforming to vehicle sections to puzzle solving to on-rail areas, Rayman 2 is a textbook case of
19:30varied gameplay challenges. However, it's in these varied sections where the challenge often lies.
19:36Just when you start getting comfortable with one aspect of controlling Rayman, the game throws a new
19:41challenge your way. Now, it's an utter blast to play, even with a goofy camera and some rough first-person
19:46points of view at certain intervals, but you'll have your work cut out for you here. Sometimes,
19:51just replaying a level will be the optimal way to fully learn Rayman's moves while learning the
19:56layouts of the game's many creative stages. Super Mario Sunshine
20:15Good golly Flood, you really made Super Mario Sunshine a beast of a game to contend with.
20:20Now, for those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about,
20:23Sunshine graced Mario with a unique tool known as Flood, F-L-U-D-D, Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dowsing
20:30Device. You know, that standard thing we all are used to using in 3D platformers. Okay, okay,
20:35sarcasm aside, most of this game's challenge level comes from utilizing Flood successfully
20:40across the game's many tropical stages. Then, once you do finally, sort of, get used to using Flood
20:45successfully, the game rips it away from you, which makes those 3D platforming sections and levels feel
20:51sorta out of left field. Now, don't get us wrong, we love Super Mario Sunshine here, but my goodness,
20:56this 3D Mario game is much tougher than any other one out there. Can we please get a mop to
21:01clean up
21:02around here, please? And thank you.
21:11Donkey Kong 64.
21:20Good things come in 3s, right? Well, here we are again with yet another downright brutal 3D rare
21:25platformer, this time in the form of Donkey Kong 64. Let's just get the obvious out of the way right
21:31up
21:31front. DK64 is mostly considered a hard game because of the staggering, and we do mean staggering,
21:37number of unique collectibles that must be hoovered up by the different Kongs at different times in the
21:42game. Yes, it makes for great replayability in addition to learning the game's fun levels, but let's not
21:48mince words here. There are enough collectibles in this game to make it to the moon and back, and maybe
21:52back
21:53again. Add in the awkward controls, even for the time, the need to keep track of each Kong's unique
21:58moves, and the lack of a map to keep you on track, and you have the recipe for a super
22:03hard, yet still
22:04utterly enjoyable 3D platformer. Crash Bandicoot 4, it's about time.
22:26Okay, we could probably feature any Crash Bandicoot title in this list, and it would conjure up painful
22:32memories for many players, trying and failing to make it through the series as tough as nails
22:37platforming sections. However, Crash Bandicoot 4, it's about time, is easily the hardest of the bunch in
22:43our eyes. It's like this game was designed with some sort of arcade sensibilities, ensuring you have to
22:48constantly die and repeat in order to just make it through each stage. The game is super polished and
22:53highly fun to play, but it will often make you pull your hair out in frustration, even more so than
22:59the
22:59OG PS1 games. Memorization and pattern recognition need to be swift friends if you hope to make it through
23:05this downright brutal 3D platformer, especially if you hope to obtain all the gems, relics, and crates.
23:11Yeah, good luck indeed.
23:21So, do you agree with our picks for this list? What are the hardest 3D platformers you have played?
23:26Be sure to let us know in the comments.