Summary

The PlayStation 2 era was known for its plethora of 3D platformers, ranging from first-party classics to smaller indie titles. But thePlayStation 3era was the start of a more prestige Sony and the silliness of 3D platformers was a bit more far and few between.

That said, quite a few platforming mascots from the PlayStation 2 era made the jump to the third Sony generation. In addition, other developers still struck some gold with the genre in the late-2000s/early-2010s period and there are quite a few fantastic 3DPlayStation 3platformers to choose from.

Lisa with her back towards the camera standing near the Sea Captain as they fight dolphins in The Simpsons Game

7The Simpsons Game

In conjunction with the movie that came out around the same time,The Simpsons Gameis surprisingly separate from the plot of the film. In fact, the main plot revolves around the Simpsons family recognizing they are in another video game and dealing with new powers they have possessed.

Throughout the game, each family member either tackles a new weird situation alone or with another relative. There aremany referencesto the mainThe Simpsonsshow, as well as a handful of popular video games, many of which are developed by Electronic Arts since they are the main developers.

Ray in a hospital bed looking around nervously with his head wrapped in Stick It to The Man

6Stick It To The Man

Indie games in modern times have tried to keep the3D platforminggenre alive, but there are some developers who were trying their hand at it during the PlayStation 3 era. One of these attempts came from Zoink Games calledStick It to The Man.

After an accident, Ray has grown a pink wiggling arm that comes out of his head. Since the world around him is made of paper, he can use this arm to tear off pieces of the environment and stick them in other places to solve puzzles or get over obstacles.

Sonic riding a rail vertically down a tower with hot air balloons surrounding him in Sonic Generations

Over the years,Sonic the Hedgehoghas had an up-and-down history of 3D platforming releases. However, one of Sega’s better 3D releases in theSonicuniverse isSonic Generations. While there areclassic side-scrolling sections, there are also many 3D-focused levels in the vein of entries released around the same time period.

The plot revolves around Eggman using an entity called the Time Eater to go back in time and work together with his past counterpart to defeat Sonic and follow through with his evil plans. It is up to the player to go through these levels as both Classic Sonic and Modern Sonic, along with his friends.

Clank using a time travel mechanic to create different colored versions of himself in Ratchet & Clank: A Crack In Time

4Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time

PlayStation is known for being the origin of many 3D platforming mascots. One that has persisted for four generations isRatchet & Clank. The3D platformer franchisehad many major entries during the PlayStation 3 period. The series' seventh entry,Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time, is considered one of the better entries during the era.

After the events of the previous game,A Crack In Timehas Ratchet working with Captain Qwark to find Clank after he was kidnapped by Dr. Nefarious. Players will have action-packed sequences playing as Ratchet as well as puzzle-focused gameplay where Clank creates time loops with his movement to get through scenarios.

Sly Cooper swinging his hook at an enemy on top of a roof in Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time

3Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time

Another popular PlayStation mascot that first debuted on PlayStation 2 wasSly Cooper, a series that combined platforming with stealth gameplay. There was only oneSly Coopergame on the PlayStation 3 calledSly Cooper: Thieves In Time. However, it was developed by a different team than the original trilogy, with Sanzaru Games behind this fourth entry.

Taking place after the third game, Sly Cooper reunites the members of his gang to get back the pieces of the historical book that told the story of Sly’s family’sthieving heritage. The gameplay revolves around navigating open spaces and hiding from enemies to put the pieces of the book back together.

Ratchet and Clank surrounded by other aliens in Ratchet And Clank: Tools of Destruction

2Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools Of Destruction

Among the handful of 3D platformers on the PlayStation 3,Ratchet & Clankhad seven titles released on the hardware. While there was a good mix of main installments and spin-offs, the best entry out of all of them was the fourth main entry in the series calledRatchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction.

Ratchet and Clank look to stop Emperor Tachyon after he and his armies invade Metropolis. They travel to the Polaris Galaxy to find more information about lombaxes. The gameplay is mainly focused on the third-person shooter elements the franchise is known for, with avariety of toolsfor Ratchet to use on enemies.

A robed figure with a glowing scarf floats across a glowing cloth bridge in Journey

One of the more fascinating titles to come out during the PlayStation 3 era,Journeyis an indie title that puts players in control of a robed individual who is walking across a desert. Occasionally, players will be joined by a random other player with communication only through musical chimes.

The game’s main focus ison exploration, with platforming being a central aspect of the game.

In addition, a scarf allowsJourneyplayers the ability to fly. The main goal of the short game is to reach the mountain that is seen in the distance early on while discovering specific landmarks and other creatures along the way.