Astro Bot wasn’t 2024’s only great platformer. Try these 5 underrated gems

digitaltrends.com:

While all eyes have deservingly been on Astro Bot and its spectacular platforming thrills in 2024, it’s easy to forget that a lot of lesser-known platformers have been quietly killing it this year. From completely unexpected sequels to 30-year-old games that you’ve probably never heard of to top-tier VR adventures and nostalgic fishing journeys that nearly live up to the games that inspired them, it’s been a heck of a year for one of gaming’s most popular genres.

As we reflect on the best games of 2024 throughout this month, we wanted to take a moment to highlight some lesser known platformers that didn’t get a spotlight this year. These five games may not have gotten the same attention as Astro Bot, but they’re proof that it’s not just gaming’s biggest companies that are keeping a classic genre alive.

Nikoderiko: The Magical World

Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, PC

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Capitalizing on nostalgia isn’t always an easy thing. Developers have to nail all of the fundamentals of what players love about an older title while also providing enough modern flair to meet today’s standards. I haven’t seen many games pull this off as well as VEA Games’ Nikoderiko, a love letter to classic platformers like Donkey Kong Country and Crash Bandicoot that doesn’t shy away whatsoever from embracing the best parts of those experiences — even if it means essentially copying/pasting their features. The former is perhaps Nikoderiko‘s largest influence, as various parts of Donkey Kong Country have been lifted and placed into this title with great success, such as blasting between barrels, finding golden