platformer

noun

plat·​form·​er ˈplat-ˌfȯr-mər 

variants or less commonly platformer game

plural platformers also platformer games

: a video game where the play is primarily focused on moving past obstacles in real time with one's avatar by using various abilities (such as jumping and climbing) and items (such as weapons)

Mario games have traditionally been platformers, where the character has to run and jump, collect items and fight enemies.

—Raju Mudhar

… Stray is not a challenging platformer, but will instead let players safely jump from platform to beam to air conditioning window unit to makeshift gondolas without fear of falling to one's death.

—Michael McWhertor

It's a 2D platformer where you spray flames with water, use your axe to chop down obstacles, and even fly through the air with a jet of H₂O.

—Shaun Musgrave

She can walk and run and jump, like just about any other character from any other platformer game, but she is also capable of balletic dance moves.

—Colin Campbell

called also platform game

Examples of platformer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Multiple platformers have gravity-warping gimmicks. —PCMAG, 12 Oct. 2024

Also perhaps unsurprising was that Elon Musk, supporter and platformer of Trump, took to X shortly after Swift’s announcement to post a juvenile response. —Christine Emba, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2024

Ovid Works crafted an adventure platformer inspired by the short work in 2020, and now, Black Sun Productions is bringing that game to Meta Quest 2 and Quest 3. —Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2024

Each of her powers is designed to evoke the abilities of the original Yars character from the ’82 game, translating the retro shooter gameplay into something more familiar with audiences who grew up with 2D platformers like Metroid and Hollow Knight. —Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1988, in the meaning defined above