Genre
Everything about cinematic platformers — what they are, where they came from, and why they still matter.
Cinematic platformers are one of gaming’s most distinctive genres: part platformer, part interactive film, part technical magic trick. This section explores the genre itself — its origins, defining traits, forgotten experiments, and the ideas that connect games released decades apart. Whether you are trying to understand what makes a game a cinematic platformer, trace the lineage from Prince of Persia to Inside, or settle an argument about genre boundaries, this is where the bigger picture lives.
What is a Cinematic Platformer?
From Prince of Persia and Another World to Inside and Little Nightmares — the history, defining traits, and evolution of gaming’s most atmospheric genre.
Is it a Cinematic Platformer? Borderline cases
From Rain World to Mark of the Ninja — borderline cases, close calls, and genre arguments that never quite end.
Precursors of the Cinematic Platformers
The genre did not appear from nowhere. From Karateka to Weird Dreams, these are the games that made it possible.