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10 Best Platforming Games on Xbox Game Pass (February 2026)

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Stylized combat scene in a 2D Game Pass adventure platformer

Want to dive into some of the best Xbox Game Pass platformers in 2026? Game Pass is packed with amazing adventures where you can jump, climb, and fight through beautiful worlds. So, whether you love fast action or slow exploration and puzzle solving, there’s something perfect waiting for you.

What Defines the Best Platformers?

Great platformers go beyond just jumping across gaps. The best ones bring sharp level design, solid mechanics, and a world that feels fun to move through. Some hit hard with fast combat and big challenges. Others take their time with deep stories or clever puzzles. What matters most is how each part of the game stays interesting.

List of 10 Best Xbox Game Pass Platforming Games in 2026

These platformers bring something unique, with gameplay that’s both fun and easy to get into. Here’s the full list.

10. Limbo

Guide a small boy through deadly puzzles and dark traps

The world of Limbo pulls you straight into a black-and-white path where silence says more than words. The game sets a mysterious tone right away with its shadowy world and simple movements. It has no tutorials or pop-ups. You figure out what to do by watching how objects behave. It starts off slow, but soon you understand how to move forward and what things might help or harm you. The puzzles range from easy to tricky, and small changes in patterns make you think differently every few minutes.

The challenge increases at a steady pace that feels fair. New obstacles appear one after another, and each puzzle adds a new layer of logic to solve. The difficulty never spikes too high; it rises in a way that helps you adjust smoothly. Here, the world itself acts like a quiet teacher, showing what must be done without a single word. It’s simple to follow, yet complex enough to hold your attention until the very end. That’s why it still appears in discussions about great puzzle-platformers, even a decade after its release.

9. Another Crab’s Treasure

Search the seafloor for shells and defend against enemies

This game sets you inside a strange ocean world made of trash, where the main character, a small crab, goes on a chase for its stolen shell. The water is full of objects that act as gear or cover, and you have to figure out what works best for your situation. The action happens in short bursts as enemies show different patterns and tricks. The seafloor is dense with detail, as broken cans and plastic items turn into useful equipment. Also, the challenge level keeps rising as the crab meets new kinds of creatures that move differently and behave in new ways.

Sometimes you block, sometimes you dodge, and other times you just wait for the right moment to strike. There’s always something happening as new moves come into play without slowing the pace. Shells also change often as they wear down in battle, so you constantly adapt to what’s nearby. The whole experience stays engaging till the end. If you’re searching for the best 3D platformers on Xbox Game Pass, you shouldn’t hesitate to try this one.

8. Celeste

A climb about persistence, reflexes, and pinpoint platform precision

Celeste is one of those games that feels simple when you start it, then slowly shows how deep it actually is. You play through a tall mountain full of platforms, spikes, and tight spots that need careful moves. The main idea is to reach the top, but what makes it so interesting is how every section teaches you something new without saying a single word. The challenges begin easy and get tougher in a smooth way. Mistakes are part of the process here because the restart is instant, so you can try again straight away.

Later, it turns into a true test of consistency. Climbing higher means learning new ways to read the screen and react faster. Patterns grow trickier, and each zone adds a fresh twist that never repeats what you already learned. Every jump must be planned clearly, and every surface behaves differently, so paying attention becomes the key. For those who enjoy strong platform challenges, Celeste is one of the best Game Pass platformer games to test steady hands and fast thinking.

7. Rain World

A survival side-scroller built around instinct and observation

Rain World is a survival platformer that throws you into a harsh cycle of life where every creature fights for food and safety. You control a slugcat trying to stay alive in an environment that never stays still for long. Movement through narrow passages and tall structures requires careful attention, as bigger creatures roam the same paths. Instead of clear direction, you figure things out through repeated attempts, watching how other creatures act. This game completely revolves around learning the behavior of the surroundings and understanding when to move or hide.

Hunger plays a big role, as finding food between dangerous moments becomes a constant part of the routine. Death happens fast here, and that’s what makes every run so gripping. You collect small food items to store energy before the rain arrives again. Once the storm begins, the slugcat must rush to a shelter or lose progress. Each time you leave a safe spot, you discover more creatures. They can chase or ignore you depending on how near you are. The more time you spend, the clearer the world’s rhythm becomes.

6. Little Nightmares II

A surreal adventure full of puzzles, stealth, and strange creatures

Up next on our best Xbox Game Pass platformers, we have another popular 3D game that brings a strange twist to puzzle-solving. Little Nightmares II gives you control of Mono, a small boy wearing a paper bag mask, joined by a quiet partner named Six. Together, they move through large and unsettling places full of strange figures and mysterious objects. The whole journey feels like a strange dream that never slows down. Each area has something unexpected waiting, like puzzles that depend on positioning, timing, and the right use of the environment.

Here, you often need to stay low, hide under objects, or distract enemies to move forward safely. The partner plays a small but important role in solving some areas. Puzzles are designed in a way that always makes sense, even when they look complex at first glance. You might drag boxes, climb furniture, or use objects to create a path ahead. Overall, it’s a solid pick for anyone checking out the best platforming games in the Game Pass library.

5. It Takes Two

Work side by side to clear tricky levels

The world of It Takes Two begins with two characters who suddenly find themselves inside a toy-like universe after a mysterious event changes everything. Their goal is to fix what’s broken in their real lives, which means facing all sorts of mechanical puzzles and challenges together. The game shifts constantly. One section may involve operating tools in unusual ways, while another introduces wild physics where ordinary objects act differently. Each task has its own logic that must be understood before moving forward.

Early puzzles explain basic ideas clearly, then gradually raise the difficulty through new interactions that require attention and precision. Both players share equal responsibility throughout, ensuring constant activity on both sides. You never sit idle or wait for something to happen. Even after hours, the game remains inventive without repeating itself. If you’re looking for a great puzzle game on Game Pass to play with a friend, It Takes Two is an easy recommendation.

4. Ultimate Chicken Horse

Add obstacles and try to win the round

Ultimate Chicken Horse is the only multiplayer game on this list. It brings several players into the same stage, where they must reach a finish point while facing obstacles created by everyone playing. Before the race begins, players select different objects from a shared pool and place them strategically on the level. There are multiple ways to play, from building a safe route to setting traps for opponents. Each round moves quickly, and the outcome always depends on the small choices made before the countdown begins.

Once the round starts, everyone runs across the stage together while trying to survive the hazards spread across the area. Victory depends entirely on how well players adapt to what others have added before. After a round ends, more pieces appear for placement, and the stage becomes more chaotic. The balance between simple running and smart construction gives the whole experience a mix of humor and challenge without unnecessary complexity.

3. Planet of Lana

Guide a girl and her creature friend through puzzle stages

In Planet of Lana, you guide a girl and her small companion through a strange world taken over by machines. The main purpose is to outsmart obstacles without rushing forward. The puzzles involve interacting with switches, platforms, and small objects that respond differently based on timing and order. The player often alternates between the girl and her companion to perform separate actions that depend on one another. Here, the companion supports by climbing, jumping short distances, or activating simple mechanisms, while the girl handles larger objects or pathways.

Together, they cross different areas where both characters must be used thoughtfully to progress further. Machines block narrow paths, and the player must figure out new ways to bypass them using both characters’ abilities. Some puzzles revolve around moving objects across sections to trigger platforms or shifting pieces to form a safe route forward. Planet of Lana remains one of the best Game Pass platformer games because of how deeply it engages through interaction and steady logic.

2. Egging On

The best 3D platformer on Game Pass

In Egging On, you roll across odd structures stacked in every direction. The world stretches high into the sky with platforms made from random objects like kitchen utensils, planks, or swinging barrels. You control a fragile egg that moves with weight and bounce, and every leap must be carefully placed. The main goal is to climb higher without slipping down. As you move upward, the path shifts between narrow beams and wide areas that appear simple at first but quickly become tricky once you notice how uneven everything is.

Moreover, it never stays predictable for long. One section might feature ladders stacked sideways, while another replaces steady ground with spinning barrels. You must study the rhythm of the moving parts, plan the right bounce, and time your push across surfaces that appear stable one second and chaotic the next. It’s all about movement, balance, and patience in equal measure.

1. Hollow Knight: Silksong

Play as Hornet and battle through a kingdom of insects

The first Hollow Knight drew attention for its hand-drawn art and tight design. Players loved how it balanced exploration with precise battles against unusual creatures. Its world felt mysterious without being confusing, and that reputation built massive anticipation for its sequel. Hollow Knight: Silksong continues that legacy through a completely new adventure centered on Hornet. She faces a land that challenges her in every direction, with enemies that act faster and attack in diverse ways.

Hornet’s needle weapon serves as her main tool to strike swiftly and escape danger with grace. The combat system allows flexible approaches: you can attack from above, mid-air, or directly in close quarters. Instead of long pauses, momentum carries from one fight to the next. Additionally, upgrades expand her offensive range, which adds multiple techniques for handling groups of enemies or single strong opponents. All of this helps it secure the top spot on our best Xbox Game Pass platformers 2026 list. You just cannot miss this one in the library.

Amar is a gaming aficionado and freelance content writer. As an experienced gaming content writer, he's always up-to-date with the latest gaming industry trends. When he's not busy crafting compelling gaming articles, you can find him dominating the virtual world as a seasoned gamer.

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