10 Platformer Video Games Nobody Admits Are Better Than Mario

Yacht Club Games is easily the best Kickstarter story in all of gaming. While so many Kickstarter's either fail to live up to their promises or...just simply fail, Yacht Club Games has over-delivered in every possible way with Shovel Knight.

The game released in 2014 on PC, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS and was met with a wave of critical acclaim right off the shovel. It went on to win many year-end awards in 2014, and the titular hero became a very recognisable character of the modern gaming scene.

The base Shovel Knight game is a masterclass in platforming with fantastic humour, memorable bosses, and a very pleasing 8-bit graphical style. It's clearly inspired by games like Mega Man, Castlevania, and yes, Mario, but an evolution of all three.

As if that wasn't enough, Shovel Knight has received two expansions, with a third on the way. While the first DLC, Plague of Shadows, was fun, it was inherently the same game as Shovel of Hope. The second and third expansions however, are basically full-blown games.

Meaning if you buy Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, you're essentially getting four of the greatest platformers ever made. If you're a fan of old-school platformers, Shovel Knight is as good as it gets.