Best Xbox Games That Are Like Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury

Exclusivity is the pet peeve of many gamers. Not only does it prevent players from enjoying some of the most critically acclaimed single-player franchises of all time, like The Legend of Zelda or God of War, but it can also cause them to miss out on multiplayer fun with friends if they own different systems. Unfortunately, exclusive titles don’t seem to be dying out, and they will likely continue to be a prominent feature of the ninth generation of home consoles.

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However, one of the great things about the gaming industry today is that the enormous amount of games released yearly provides players with many alternative options to exclusive titles. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury is one example of a game that was released exclusively on the Nintendo Switch to the envy of many gamers. Thankfully though, there are tons of games like Mario on Xbox that offer similarly enjoyable platforming experiences for fans of Microsoft’s home console.

Updated on January 17, 2025, by Mehrdad Khayyat: Nintendo Switch is home to platformer masterpieces, as most internal studios of the company excel at this genre. But the problem is all Nintendo-developed games are exclusive to their consoles, leaving players of other platforms to look for similar experiences.

Thankfully, platformer is such an established genre in gaming that so many developers around the world would love to choose it as the framework for their new project, especially indie developers who have to deal with limited budgets and resources. So, it’s not that difficult to find a replacement for the Mario franchise on other platforms.

17

Psychonauts 2

A Sequel To One Of The Most Imaginative And Beloved 3D Platformers Around

Systems

Released

August 25, 2021

Franchise

Psychonauts

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

After what felt like eons, Psychonauts finally received a sequel that was a long time in the making. People were glad to enjoy more of Razputin’s mind-bending adventures, using a wealth of psychic powers to traverse the minds of others in levels that are as creative as they come.

It’s one of the best titles for players who want games like Mario on the Xbox with a psychological edge. With improved visuals, gameplay, and a story that lets players learn the history of the Psychonauts themselves, it’s easy to see why so many people found this sequel to be a worthwhile addition to the legacy of Psychonauts.

16

It Takes Two

A Co-op Game That Integrates 3D Platforming With A Wealth Of Different Gameplay Loops

It Takes Two is a delectable co-op adventure where a huge chunk of the gameplay involves players using tight platforming mechanics to explore the many levels present in the game. By switching the tools players have at their disposal numerous times to keep things fresh, the game makes up for a rather lackluster narrative and is certain to keep gamers enraptured until the very end.

People who loved the varied powers present in Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury will find this title’s shifting gameplay systems to be a perfect fit. Players must compete both with and against each other in mini-games to make for an entertaining time that further establishes this title as one of the best co-op games ever made.

15

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy

Classic Platforming Goodness That Requires Great Precision

Crash Bandicoot was created by Naughty Dog as Sony’s answer to Nintendo’s Mario and Sega’s Sonic. Although the orange marsupial never quite reached the heights of the Italian plumber, he still became an iconic character and featured in one of the best platforming trilogies of all time on the PlayStation 1.

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy was released in 2017 and is a remaster of the classic trilogy that gives a wonderful new look to the games that is bursting with charisma and color. The games still hold up today, making the N. Sane Trilogy an obvious choice when looking for games like Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury.

14

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake

A Simple & Easy Platformer That’s Perfect For Players Who Love Laidback Levels

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is a sequel to SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom and was made by the same studio that developed the Rehydrated remake of the cult classic game.

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake doesn’t disappoint, offering Battle for Bikini Bottom fans a similar brand of gameplay to its predecessor while massively increasing the size of levels and offering more variety to gameplay. Players who love the colorful and cheery nature of Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury will find a lot of things to like about The Cosmic Shake.

13

Sonic Frontiers

The Open-Ended Levels Make It A Perfect Fit For Fans Of Bowser’s Fury

Systems

Released

November 8, 2022

OpenCritic Rating

Fair

Sonic Frontiers was released in November 2022 and saw the Sonic The Hedgehog franchise join the open-world trend with its wide open zones that players were free to explore. The mix of open zones and platforming could have been a hot mess, but most Sonic fans will find the game to be an absolute blast despite it being a little rough around the edges.

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Those who enjoyed the Bowser’s Fury portion of Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury should consider giving the Sonic game a try. The open world does a great job of establishing this title as one of the best games like Mario on Xbox.

12

New Super Lucky’s Tale

A Relatively Easy Game And The Best Version Of This 3D Platformer

As the title suggests, New Super Lucky’s Tale is an expanded and improved version of Super Lucky’s Tale, which was released at the end of 2017. New Super Lucky’s Tale ‘s improvements include better-designed levels and much-needed tweaks to the game’s camera.

New Super Lucky’s Tale certainly isn’t the most challenging platformer in the world, but it manages to remain interesting for more experienced players with its collectathon elements. To complete the game 100%, players need to complete multiple objectives in each level, such as collecting 300 coins and solving a hidden puzzle. As long as players aren’t into the more challenging levels of Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, they’ll love what New Super Lucky’s Tale brings to the table.

11

Celeste

A Challenging 2D Platformer With Tight Mechanics That Feels As Polished As Mario

From one of the Xbox’s most laid-back platformers to one of its most intense, Celeste was released at the start of 2018 and quickly drew comparisons to Super Meat Boy for its punishing but rewarding difficulty. Beating Celeste normally provides a tough platforming challenge, though it only tells part of the story. Completing the game 100% is one of modern gaming’s hardest tasks, as players need to collect difficult-to-reach strawberries, complete tricky B-side tapes, find the well-hidden Crystal Hearts, and much more.

Celeste‘s difficulty is far from just a gimmick, as it ties into the game’s touching story. It may lack the freeform movement of Bowser’s Fury, but the tight movement mechanics and high challenge of Celeste make it perfect for fans who want to check out games like Mario on Xbox that are more difficult than the average platformer.

10

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time

A Crash Bandicoot Entry That Fans Of Modern 3D Platformers Will Love

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time was released in October 2020 with a large weight of expectations on its shoulders from the marsupial’s loyal fan base, who had waited many years for a new platform game in the series.

Thankfully, the game didn’t disappoint, as it provided players with one of Crash’s best adventures yet. Much like Celeste, beating the game normally is challenging enough, yet the difficulty still manages to crank up far higher when attempting to complete it 100%. When it comes to checking out games like Mario on Xbox, Crash Bandicoot 4 couldn’t be a better fit.

9

Psychonauts

A Creative 3D Platformer Where Players Explore The Minds And Psyches Of Others

Systems

Another classic platformer that delighted fans with a grand return is Psychonauts. The original Psychonauts was published by Majesco Sales and differentiated itself from other platformers with its emphasis on psychic themes.

Not only does the story revolve around a summer camp of gifted psychic children, but the playable character, Razputin, has multiple abilities that players can utilize. Raz’s psychic powers through the game include invisibility, telekinesis, and levitation. Players who loved using the many unique powerups in Super Mario 3D World will find Razputin’s varied moveset in Psychonauts to be a great fit.

8

A Hat In Time

A Great 3D Platformer With Smooth Movement That Fans Of Mario Will Find Easy To Get Into

A Hat in Time is one of gaming’s many crowd-funding success stories. The game was advertised on Kickstarter, where it smashed its $30,000 goal with an eye-watering $296,360 pledged. Although the game doesn’t reach the heights of some of the platforming genre’s top titles, it was still well-received by both fans and critics.

As for the game itself, A Hat In Time takes inspiration from classic collectathon titles like Banjo-Kazooie. The game makes great use of the money pledged, with its visually impressive and well-designed open levels for players to explore. It’s one of the more charming games like Mario on Xbox players can check out.

7

Ori And The Will Of The Wisps

An Emotional Metroidvania Platformer That Isn’t Afraid To Ramp Up The Difficulty

Systems

Released

March 11, 2020

Developer(s)

Moon Studios

The Metroidvania genre has had a fairly impressive resurgence in recent years, with games like Hollow Knight and Guacamelee 2! revitalizing the style. Another title that has helped recapture the Metroidvania magic is Ori and the Will of the Wisps.

The game has beautiful, nature-inspired visuals, just like its predecessor. Will of the Wisps expands upon its predecessor with its enormous map that is a delight to explore and has numerous side quests for players to complete. It may feature more combat than the average Mario game, but it’s still a great recommendation for fans of 3D World.

6

Braid

Mind-Bending Puzzles Woven Into A Dark And Mysterious Story

Systems

Released

August 6, 2008

Developer(s)

Number None Inc

Created by a single developer, Braid is one of the most challenging puzzle platforms on Xbox. The game starts with simple platformer mechanics, but the player also has the ability to control the flow of time and rewind at any point.

The rewind system is key to solving the puzzles, but the player can also make perfectly timed jumps and moves to beat each level. Some levels may require hours of thinking to finally find the correct way of approaching the mission.

Aside from its interesting gameplay, Braid also features a dark and mysterious story. It’s one of those stories that the player likes to read community theories once the credits roll.

5

Spyro Reignited Trilogy

A Much-Deserved Remaster Of One Of The Most Iconic 3D Platforming Trilogies

Much like the aforementioned Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, 2018’s Spyro The Dragon was a well-received remake of a beloved PlayStation 1 trilogy. The game provides great value for money, as all three games have fantastic collection levels that take a good chunk of time to complete 100%.

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The release of Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time has unsurprisingly got fans of the purple dragon excited that the franchise will also be receiving a new entry. Although nothing has been confirmed, it does seem as though a new Spyro game could be in the works, as Crash Bandicoot 4 has a hidden Easter egg that appears to tease Spyro 4. This character may not be as popular as Mario, but fans of Nintendo’s platforming mascot will find a lot to love about Spyro Reignited Trilogy.

4

Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair

A Somewhat Challenging Title That Is Perfect For Fans Of 2.5D Platformers

Much like A Hat In Time, the Yooka-Laylee franchise began life as a highly anticipated crowd-funding project. However, Playtonic Games’ Yooka-Laylee wasn’t as well-received when it initially hit stores, with criticisms of its level design being rampant. Many people thought that the poor reception would mark the end of the franchise, though a new game was released just a couple of years later.

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair came out in October 2019 and was far better received than its predecessor. The game took a change of direction, ditching its Banjo-Kazooie influences in favor of side-scrolling Donkey Kong Country-like platforming. It may be more difficult than the average Super Mario 3D World level, but fans who love a challenge can have a great time playing through The Impossible Lair.

3

Fez

Combining 2D And 3D Worlds For An Unmatched Platformer Experience

The game begins as a 2D adventure, but it doesn’t take long until the protagonist finds out the existence of a third dimension, and that’s where the fun begins. Fez is full of challenging puzzles that require the players to use 3D dimensions to solve them while rotating around a 2D perspective.

The story might not be as deep as Braid or the Ori series, but it’s still engaging. Fez belongs to the Xbox 360 era, but the game has aged pretty well, and the pixelated visuals are just timeless, making it a perfect choice for every modern gamer who wants to burn some brain cells!

2

Banjo-Kazooie

A Classic 3D Platformer With A Lot Of Personality

Systems

Rare’s classic platformer, Banjo-Kazooie, is one of the most influential collections of all time. The game differentiated itself from the majority of platformers at the time of its release with its comparatively huge levels that were filled to the brim with things to do and collect.

Despite releasing all the way back in 1998, players don’t need to worry too much about how to play the game today, as it’s available on Microsoft’s Game Pass service. It’s an easy recommendation for fans seeking out games like Mario on Xbox.

1

Rayman Legends

An Amazing 2.5D Side-Scrolling Platformer

Rayman has always held a fairly odd place in the platforming genre. Despite the limbless hero featuring in some of the most critically acclaimed games in the genre’s history, he is often forgotten when the best franchises are mentioned, and Ubisoft seems to see Rayman as secondary to their action and adventure games. Hopes of Ubisoft giving their platforming hero a new adventure in the near future appear to be slim, but thankfully, there are numerous excellent Rayman titles already out there to keep fans busy.

Although the first two Rayman games are classics, Rayman Legends is the best pick to play today. The game has some of the most well-designed platforming stages in the genre’s side-scrolling history, with plenty of secrets hidden within. Players who are seeking out the same level of quality as seen in Nintendo’s flagship series will find Rayman Legends to be right up their alley.

Systems

Released

February 12, 2021

Developer(s)

Nintendo EPD