Cavorite — Cascadia Games LLC — ($1.99) iPhone
While Pizza Boy is my favorite for gameplay, Cavorite definitely features my favorite story line. As Dr. Cavor, you are trapped inside the moon, held captive by the mysterious Selenites. Your mission is to escape to the moon’s surface and from there to Earth, but it isn’t easy. Battle dwellers of the lunar underworld with your unique anti-gravity spray, ‘Cavorite’. This puzzling platformer features 63 mind-bending levels over 3 worlds, over 60 Game Center achievements, and a super smooth control system.
League of Evil — Ravenous Games — ($1.99) iPhone
League of Evil claims to be the App Store’s greatest platformer, “with the most responsive controls yet.” I’m not sure it’s the greatest, but it is most certainly great. As a special trained agent, your job is to stop a group of evil scientists who have joined forces to form the ‘League of Evil’. Your training allows you to jump and flip over obstacles, and bounce off walls across 160 challenging levels. This title has received plenty of acclaim since it hit the App Store, and it certainly deserves it.
Balloon Headed Boy — Zattikka — (Free) iPhone
If you’re looking for the most colorful platformer for the iPhone, then Balloon Headed Boy is certainly that — which means it’s also hugely entertaining for the little ones, who often cling to your device at every opportunity. I know mine do. It’s certainly not easy, however. As you make your way through the game it becomes more challenging and more addictive. Use your helium-filled head to float your way through 34 bright and beautiful levels, avoiding enemies, traps, and spikes, experiencing one of the cutest platformers on the iPhone. It’s also completely free!
Lars — Icarus Interactive LLC — ($1.99) Universal
Agent Lars is a ‘super action danger lizard’ that boasts awesome hand-drawn 8-bit pixel art, old-school controls, a classic retro soundtrack, and over 60 huge levels filled with pickups and secrets — everything you need to make a magnificent platformer. Lars is an absolute pleasure from start to finish, and a must-have for any fan of the genre. Its most impressive feature is the ability to play the game on your iPad while you use your iPhone as the controller, making the experience all the more enjoyable. Follow Agent Lars from the perilous beaches of ‘Tutorial Bay’ through the dense and dangerous ‘Jungles of Incredible Peril’ on your mission to save the world from the clutched of sinister forces. If you only buy one game off this list and it isn’t Pizza Boy, make sure it’s Lars!
If you’ve been playing an awesome Super Mario alternative for iOS that doesn’t feature on our list, let us know about it by leaving a comment down below!
Killian Bell is a freelance writer based in the U.K. He has an interest in all things tech and also covers Android over at CultofAndroid.com. You can follow him on Twitter via @killianbell.
11 responses to “The Best Alternatives to Super Mario Bros On iOS [App Store Roundup]”
It’s a shame that Super World Adventures’ jumping and spring sound effects are completely lifted from Super Mario and Sonic respectively.
My favorite is “1-bit Ninja”. It’s a lot like “Super Mario Land” for the Game Boy in many ways. I guess this is the least “Mario-like” title Nintendo ever released, but it works so well on the touch screen.
1-bit Ninja also has some unique features, making it stand out. I can only recommend that game…
I’ll be sure to check out 1-bit Ninja. Thank you for your comment.
How about arcade jumper check that game out its like the old arcade games from the 90s
I really enjoy Giana Sisters! The graphics are awesome! I never had a chance to play the original game though :(
App Store has several good platform games, Incredible Jack, for example :)
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/incredible-jack/id586208591