Between the massive names in the video game sphere, no company cares more about platformers than Nintendo. With multiple games that fall under the genre, the Nintendo Switch is the platform to go after if players are a fan of the genre.
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One type of platformer is the collect-a-thon, which is a variation that focuses on the player looking for large groups of objects to advance them further into the game. While there are a couple of Nintendo games that fall under this category, there are also plenty of indies and third-party collect-a-thons on the Switch.
Most times, collect-a-thon platformers tend to include colorful characters and lighthearted themes. That is certainly not the case with Hell Pie, which centers around a demon and his pet angel as they look for ingredients for Satan's birthday pie.
Separated into four worlds, Hell Pie has players use Nate the Demon's unique moveset to tackle difficult platforming sections. There are also numerous gory scenes and intense subject matter, which is a departure from other 3D platformers in the Nintendo Switch library.
One notable indie developer who has made a name for themselves making shorter 3D platforming experiences is Siactro, who most recently came out with a delightful take on a Nintendo 64-era game with the release of Super Kiwi 64.
As Kiwi, players can maneuver around in a variety of ways. That includes gliding with a little jetpack or using their beak to attach themselves to a wall and fling them upwards. Levels can be played in whatever order the player chooses, as long as they collect enough gear pieces to unlock the game's ending.
Having 2D characters living in a 3D world is such a beloved artistic choice made popular by games such as Paper Mario. But it's rare for a game to incorporate this while also being a platformer where character positioning is crucial to detect. Demon Turf pulls it off while innovating in the genre.
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The gameplay loop of Demon Turf revolves around making it to the end of levels, but there is so much more to the game than just that. As Beebz, players are able to set up their own checkpoints as they play, making for a more tailored experience. In addition, levels change after beating them, opening more possibilities for exploration.
Given the Nintendo Switch is a great family console, one of the most popular cartoons has its own collect-a-thon platformer on the system that is actually pretty good. In fact, it is a remake of a classic 2003 game and is called SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated.
After Plankton's robot-making machine goes haywire, it is up to SpongeBob, Patrick, and Sandy to go around Bikini Bottom cleaning up his mess. This includes visiting famous locales from the game including Jellyfish Fields and Goo Lagoon. The goal of Battle for Bikini Bottom is to keep collecting Golden Spatulas to unlock new areas.
It is clear from the moment the player picks up Tinykin that the indie game took a lot of inspiration from various Nintendo staples, from Pikmin to Paper Mario. But since it is a 3D-platforming collect-a-thon, it differs from these games significantly and stands out on its own.
As an astronaut named Milo who lands on Earth to find that he is the size of an insect, he must explore a large house to find all the pieces needed to make a ship to find his way home. Along the way, he will meet little creatures called Tinykin that will assist in overcoming obstacles and solving puzzles.
Many Nintendo games have the inherent sense of adventure, and Lil Gator Game channels what it is like for little kids to go out on their own pretend journeys while playing outside. With Big Sis returning from college, Lil Gator is eager to play games with her again, but she gets busy working on a school project on her laptop.
The goal of the game is to round up a bunch of kids scattered around the island and convince them to go to the playground to set up an ultimate adventure that will convince Big Sis to put her laptop down and have some fun. The collect-a-thon nature of Lil Gator Game comes with breaking a bunch of monster standees that have been set up to "fight" Lil Gator.
Collect-a-thons are an old-school approach to 3D platforming, which is why there have been so many games that have been re-released from the era when these games were far more prevalent. Ty the Tasmanian Tiger is one of these games as it was originally released on systems such as the GameCube and PlayStation 2.
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Looking to find his family, Ty goes around each of the 17 levels looking to find five Talismans that will ultimately unlock the door to Dreaming, an alternate dimension where other Tassie Tigers have been locked in. Players are able to wield 13 different boomerangs, each with their own set of skills to advance in the adventure in Ty the Tasmanian Tiger.
While Super Mario 3D World is a typical Mario game that puts a focus on making it to the end of a level, its Nintendo Switch port includes a standalone title called Bowser's Fury that implements the platforming mechanics of 3D World in an open world collect-a-thon setting.
Taking place at Lake Lapcat, Bowser has turned into a horrifying inky monster and Bowser Jr. asks Mario for his help. Bowser's Fury revolves around collecting Cat Shines that will help unlock a special Cat ability that can help take down Bowser. Occasionally, while Mario is busy collecting Shines, Bowser will show up and attempt to mess with Mario.
One of the most iconic platforming mascots of the late 1990s was Spyro the Dragon, who has not had a brand-new adventure since 2008. However, the team over at Toys For Bob decided to take on the classic Insomniac Games trilogy that was on the original PlayStation and release it as Spyro Reignited Trilogy.
Featuring many quality-of-life improvements, Spyro Reignited Trilogy is a gameplay loop that is familiar to most collect-a-thon fans as levels are all about collecting gems, freeing dragons, and various other missions and challenges that take advantage of both the world and Spyro's unique moveset.
While collecting a certain number of shiny objects has always been part of the main 3D Mario games, Super Mario Odyssey took it to the next level as players could just wander around a stage for hours on end completing challenges or simply reaching specific checkpoints to earn Power Moons.
With his new friend Cappy serving as Mario's hat, the player has the ability to throw the cap and take control of the subject of the thrown hat. This added another layer to the collect-a-thon gameplay and truly made Super Mario Odyssey a unique experience.
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