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

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.

With that in mind, this list ranks top 10 Xbox Game Pass platforming games that offer different strengths, from tight challenge-based stages to slower, more atmospheric journeys. Starting at number 10, here are the platformers worth checking out in 2026.

10. Another Crab’s Treasure

Fight underwater enemies with trash as your shield

Somewhere on the ocean floor, a tiny hermit crab named Kril has lost his shell to a greedy loan shark, and the adventure to reclaim it is one of the most delightful surprises in the Game Pass library. Kril is absurdly small compared to the creatures around him, so he scavenges discarded human garbage to wear as makeshift armor. Soda cans, thimbles, bottle caps, and even old tennis balls all serve as wearable protection, and each piece of trash comes with its own unique defensive ability. Meanwhile, the combat follows the style of tough action games where precise dodges and well-timed parries matter above all else.

You can swap your shell at any moment by picking up fresh junk from the ocean floor, and this constant hunt for better garbage keeps the loop entertaining across hours of play. Beyond the humor, the game carries a surprisingly earnest message about ocean pollution. Kril’s journey cuts through sunken cityscapes, coral reefs tangled in fishing nets, and sandy beaches buried under plastic waste. Boss encounters are equally creative, with fights against massive lobsters, furious crabs twice your size, and enormous deep-sea creatures. Overall, Kril’s journey in Another Crab’s Treasure is funny, strange, and surprisingly emotional by the end, and it is absolutely worth experiencing on Game Pass right now.

9. Celeste

Climb a mountain while battling anxiety, fear, and gravity

Celeste tells the story of Madeline, a young woman who decides to climb the fictional Celeste Mountain for deeply personal reasons. The controls are simple enough that anyone can understand them in seconds: you run, you jump, you dash once in midair, and you grab onto walls. These four tools are all you need, yet the game builds hundreds of levels around them with brilliant creativity. Rooms start out manageable and then gradually layer in hazards like gusting wind, crumbling platforms, and crystal-powered launchers that fling Madeline across the screen.

The challenge escalates steadily, and by the midpoint of the game, your fingers will be performing sequences that would have seemed impossible an hour earlier. The story is equally important. Madeline’s climb is a metaphor for dealing with anxiety and depression, and the game handles these themes with tremendous warmth and care. Celeste proves that small-scale indie games can tell stories just as powerful as the biggest blockbusters, and it remains one of the best platformers Game Pass has available today.

8. Rain World

Survive as a vulnerable creature in a harsh ecosystem

Rain World is unlike any other game on this list. You play as a slugcat, a small, squishy animal near the bottom of the food chain, trying to survive in a ruined industrial world filled with predators, harsh weather, and very little mercy. There are creatures here that will hunt you, eat you, and forget about you within seconds. The ecosystem runs on its own logic, with predators chasing prey, rain cycles flooding entire regions, and food sources appearing and vanishing based on timing. Your survival depends on observation, caution, and quick reflexes, because brute force is almost always off the table.

The movement in Rain World takes time to learn, and that learning curve is part of the experience. Slugcat can crawl through pipes, slide down slopes, throw spears at threats, and perform acrobatic flips through tight spaces. Once your body starts to understand the weight and momentum of this little creature, every successful escape from a predator feels incredible. The world itself is enormous and interconnected, with dozens of regions ranging from overgrown ruins to deep underwater passages. Rain World is difficult and deliberately mysterious by design, and some players will bounce off it quickly. Those who stick with it, however, will discover one of the most original and immersive survival experiences on Xbox.

7. Little Nightmares II

Guide two tiny children through a world of monstrous giants

Little Nightmares II casts you as Mono, a small boy wearing a paper bag over his head, who teams up with Six, the protagonist of the first game. Together, they move through a series of grotesque environments filled with oversized enemies and eerie silence. The scale of everything around you is the central source of tension. Doors are impossibly tall. Hallways stretch into darkness. The adults who inhabit this world are distorted and hostile, and your size means that even basic objects like a television or a wooden door become serious obstacles. The game leans into this sense of vulnerability, and the platforming is built around problem-solving more than raw skill.

Certain chapters stand out as masterclasses in interactive horror. The school sequence, where a monstrous teacher with an impossibly long neck patrols rows of desks, is one of the most memorable set pieces in recent gaming history. You crawl under furniture, time your movements to her patrols, and hold your breath as she stretches her neck around corners to search for you. The hospital chapter is equally gripping, filled with mannequin-like figures that move when you look away. The game is also short enough to finish in a single evening.

6. It Takes Two

Solve creative challenges together with a co-op partner

It Takes Two requires two players at all times, and that rule is absolute. Cody and May are a married couple on the verge of divorce, but their daughter’s tears magically transform them into tiny dolls trapped inside their own home. From that moment forward, you and your co-op partner must guide these two stubborn humans through a house, a garden, a tree, and even the inside of a snow globe. The environments are enormous because you are small, and ordinary household objects become full-scale obstacles.

Throughout this game, you will argue about who missed the jump. You will celebrate when a difficult sequence finally clicks. The cooperative design is so tightly woven into the experience that the game would fundamentally break as a solo adventure. The variety on display here is staggering, and it separates It Takes Two from nearly everything else in the genre. You might be piloting a tiny plane through an obstacle course in one section, then ten minutes later you both get access to magnets that attract and repel each other across platforms. If you are searching for the best 3D platformers on Xbox Game Pass right now, this one is an evergreen option.

5. Limbo

Guide a silent boy through a dangerous monochrome world

Limbo is one of the games that helped define the modern indie movement, and its black-and-white silhouette style remains iconic well over a decade after its debut. You control a small boy who wakes up in a dark forest and begins walking to the right. There is zero explanation for where you are or why you are here. The game communicates entirely through its visuals and its puzzles, and both are remarkably effective. The early sections of the game are dominated by a giant spider that stalks you through the undergrowth, and the way the game reveals this creature through shadow and movement is deeply unsettling.

Traps are hidden everywhere, and you will die frequently and suddenly, learning the rules of each room through failure. As the game progresses, the puzzles shift in tone. The forest gives way to industrial environments filled with gravity-bending machinery, rotating platforms, and electromagnetic fields. Limbo is also remarkably brief, and most players will finish it in three to four hours. This makes it an ideal entry point for people who are curious about platformers but wary of committing to a 40-hour adventure. The ending is ambiguous and open to interpretation, which has fueled countless discussions and essays over the years.

4. MOTORSLICE

Run, chainsaw-surf, and parkour across a brutalist megastructure

MOTORSLICE is all about momentum. You play as Slicer P, a young woman armed with a chainsaw and a talent for parkour, who must tear through a massive concrete structure filled with hostile machines. The movement is the star here. Slicer P can wall-run, vault over barriers, swing from bars, and scale cracked surfaces with acrobatic speed. Her signature ability lets her drive her chainsaw into electrified golden walls, essentially riding along vertical and horizontal surfaces while the motor roars and sparks fly.

The sensation of chaining these moves together, leaping from a wall-run into a chainsaw-surf and then vaulting off the end into mid-air, is super thrilling. Slicer P swings her chainsaw with a short combo, and the parry mechanic allows her to deflect attacks from enemies of all sizes, including massive construction vehicles that serve as the game’s towering boss encounters. These boss fights are standout moments, requiring you to climb onto enormous machines, find weak points, and tear them apart from the inside. MOTORSLICE has rough edges, particularly in certain camera angles during tight spaces, but when the movement flows and the drum-and-bass soundtrack kicks in, this game is pure adrenaline from start to end.

3. Planet of Lana II

Solve puzzles with your cat-like companion on an alien world

Planet of Lana II is a hand-painted puzzle-platformer set on a planet called Novo, where nature, machines, and human tribes coexist uneasily. You play as Lana, who is older and more capable than in the first game, alongside her loyal companion Mui, a small cat-like creature with telepathic abilities. The game has zero spoken dialogue in any recognizable language and relies entirely on music, animation, and body language to tell its story. This time, Lana’s sister falls ill early on, and the quest to find a cure expands into a much larger adventure.

Puzzles require cooperation between Lana and Mui, and this partnership is the heart of the experience. You can direct Mui to crawl through tight spaces, hack into machines, or distract enemies while Lana moves past them. Lana herself has gained new movement abilities, including wall-jumps and dashes. Planet of Lana II is a gentle, thoughtful game among the best platformers Game Pass subscribers can enjoy right now, and it will stay with you long after the final scene.

2. Super Meat Boy 3D

Die a million times chasing your girlfriend through deadly obstacle courses

Super Meat Boy 3D takes one of the most beloved precision platformers in gaming history and rebuilds it from the ground up in full 3D. You still play as Meat Boy, a small red cube of meat chasing after Bandage Girl, who has been kidnapped (again) by the villainous Dr. Fetus. The levels are short, brutally difficult, and full of spinning saw blades, crumbling platforms, and industrial shredders that kill you on contact. Death is instant, respawns are instant, and the loop of die-try-die-try becomes almost meditative once you settle into the rhythm.

The transition to 3D adds a whole new layer of spatial awareness to the challenge. You need to judge depth, arc, and distance in ways that the original 2D game did require, and the camera perspective sometimes shifts between behind-the-character views and more angled layouts depending on the level. Wall-jumping returns as a core mechanic and works beautifully in 3D space. You can bounce between parallel walls, ride along curved surfaces, and launch yourself off ledges with precise momentum. But this 3D version also brings several new mechanics too. Super Meat Boy 3D is another great pick among the best Game Pass platformer games in 2026 for anyone who craves precision and speed.

1. Hollow Knight: Silksong

Explore a vast hand-drawn kingdom as the warrior Hornet

Hollow Knight: Silksong was the most anticipated indie game in years, and it delivered on nearly every ounce of that anticipation. You play as Hornet, the former princess-protector of Hallownest, who has been captured and transported to the unfamiliar kingdom of Pharloom. The game is a Metroidvania, which means you explore a massive interconnected world, unlock new abilities that let you reach previously inaccessible areas, and gradually build your character’s power over the course of a long, rich adventure. Hornet is also faster and more aggressive than the Knight from the first game.

The world of Pharloom is enormous and interconnected. The difficulty curve is steep, and the game earned a reputation for challenging even experienced players, but the satisfaction of mastering a difficult encounter is immense. Silksong sold over seven million copies in its first few months, with millions more exploring it through Xbox Game Pass, and its success made it the Steam Game of the Year for 2025. If you are hunting for a good action platformer on Xbox Game Pass, Hollow Knight: Silksong is an absolute must-play in 2026.

FAQs

Do I need to be good at video games to enjoy these Xbox Game Pass platformers?

Several titles on this list welcome newcomers with open arms. Celeste has a robust assist mode that lets you slow down the game speed, add extra dashes, or become invincible. Another Crab’s Treasure also includes a full accessibility suite that tones down combat difficulty. It Takes Two is naturally approachable because a co-op partner can help carry you through tougher sections. Even Hollow Knight: Silksong allows you to tackle the world at your own pace, since most difficult encounters are optional.

Can I play any of these best platformer games on Xbox Game Pass with a friend?

It Takes Two is the standout co-op experience and actually requires two players at all times, either locally or online. The game also offers a free friend’s pass, so your partner can join without a separate purchase. Little Nightmares II features AI-controlled companionship rather than true co-op, so that one is a solo experience. The remaining titles on this list are all single-player adventures.

Which game on this list is the shortest to finish?

Limbo is the quickest experience here, with most players able to complete it in three to four hours. Little Nightmares II comes next at roughly five to six hours. On the other end of the spectrum, Hollow Knight: Silksong and Rain World can each consume well over forty hours if you explore thoroughly and pursue optional content.

Are these games available on all tiers of Xbox Game Pass?

Availability varies by tier and can change over time. Hollow Knight: Silksong was initially exclusive to Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass before it expanded to the Premium tier in March 2026. Your best approach is to check the current Game Pass library directly through the Xbox app or website, as Microsoft regularly rotates titles between tiers.

Which of these platformers work well on a handheld or portable device through Xbox Cloud Gaming?

Games with shorter levels and quick restart loops perform especially well on cloud devices. Super Meat Boy 3D, Celeste, and Limbo are all excellent portable choices because their levels are brief and responsive controls matter less over a slight stream delay compared to story-heavy games. Planet of Lana II and Little Nightmares II also translate well since their pacing is slower and more deliberate.

What age group are these platformer games appropriate for?

The range here is broad. Planet of Lana II, Celeste, and It Takes Two are suitable for younger players and families, with gentle themes and accessible gameplay. Little Nightmares II and Limbo feature darker visual themes that may unsettle very young children, so parental discretion is wise there. MOTORSLICE and Hollow Knight: Silksong contain combat violence, though both stay within a teen-appropriate range. Another Crab’s Treasure blends cartoon humor with moderately tough combat, so it sits comfortably in the middle.

I loved Hollow Knight: Silksong. Which other game on this list should I try next?

Rain World shares a similar sense of discovery and environmental mystery, though it leans much harder into survival mechanics. Celeste delivers comparable precision and satisfaction through its movement system, even though the structure is level-based rather than open-world. If the hand-drawn art style appealed to you most, Planet of Lana II offers a gorgeous visual experience with a focus on puzzle-based progression instead of combat.

Do any of these games support keyboard and mouse on Xbox or PC Game Pass?

All ten titles on this list are playable with a standard Xbox controller, which is the recommended input method for platformers in general. On PC Game Pass, Celeste, Limbo, and Super Meat Boy 3D all support keyboard controls effectively. However, a controller tends to offer smoother movement and more comfortable precision for this genre, especially during fast-paced sequences in MOTORSLICE and Hollow Knight: Silksong.

Will these games leave Xbox Game Pass soon, or are they safe to start?

While Microsoft can remove titles at any time, several games on this list have remained in the library for years. Limbo and Celeste have been consistent fixtures in the Game Pass catalog. Hollow Knight: Silksong is expected to stay long-term based on its popularity and Microsoft’s relationship with the franchise, as the original Hollow Knight has been available since 2019. Newer additions like Super Meat Boy 3D and Planet of Lana II launched as day-one Game Pass titles, which typically remain for at least twelve months.

Is there a particular order I should play these games in?

You can jump into any title on this list independently, as each one is a standalone experience. However, if you are new to platformers entirely, a comfortable path would be to start with It Takes Two or Planet of Lana II for gentler introductions, then move to Celeste and Limbo for tighter precision challenges, and work your way up to Hollow Knight: Silksong and Rain World once you feel confident with the genre’s demands.