10 Games With Amazing Climbing Mechanics

10 Games With Amazing Climbing Mechanics

As a seasoned climber and parkour enthusiast who’s scaled countless walls and leaped across urban landscapes, I can confidently say that Form Unity is a game that truly resonates with me. The sense of boundless possibility it offers, where every surface seems climbable and every sky reachable, is nothing short of extraordinary. It’s a love letter to climbers like myself, and a worthy addition to the pantheon of best video game climbing mechanics.


Video games frequently include climbing mechanics, but they don’t typically take center stage when it comes to gameplay.

Instead, certain game titles have opted for a unique approach by emphasizing the vertical dimension, transforming it from mere traversal into an engaging experience. This shift has provided a more immersive feel through carefully designed controls, mechanisms, and settings.

Consequently, moving from mimicking real-world situations to exploring the peak of movement fantasies, here is a compilation of 10 games boasting exceptional climbing mechanics.

10 A Short Hike

Two Hours Of Cute Hiking

10 Games With Amazing Climbing Mechanics

Games that operate independently, often free from the obligation of meeting predefined expectations, can craft unique and almost flawless encounters. In essence, A Short Hike embodies this quality.

In my gaming adventure, I found myself immersed in a compact yet captivating world where the core mechanics revolve around scaling towering peaks and soaring through breathtaking landscapes with effortless grace. The gameplay flows smoothly, the visuals are stunningly beautiful, and the art style is nothing short of delightful, making every movement feel like a dance in this digital wonderland.

The game is enjoyable primarily due to the fact that you often become captivated by engaging with charming non-player characters and exploring the island in search of enhancements or hidden treasures. It’s the very simplicity that makes it entertaining.

9 Prototype

When Fun Is Better Than Logic

10 Games With Amazing Climbing Mechanics

If nearly every player who has experimented with Prototype concurs that it’s among the video game franchises that merits revival, it’s primarily due to its success in getting many aspects correct. Indeed, it excels in numerous areas.

In this group, Alex Mercer possesses extraordinary abilities, particularly his incredible speed, enabling him to scale structures by running. As he ascends, chaos follows in his wake, creating an exhilarating scene reminiscent of the ‘cool guys don’t look away from explosions’ atmosphere that everyone can appreciate.

Just like in A Short Hike, the simplicity of its mechanics is deceptive yet delightful. The rush I get from pressing a single button and scaling a towering skyscraper is exhilarating!

8 Getting Over It

Arcade Climbing At Its Peak

10 Games With Amazing Climbing Mechanics

A list with the best climbing mechanics that doesn’t mention Getting Over It is not, actually, a good list with the best climbing mechanics. That being said, Getting Over It’s climbing mechanics are actually pretty terrible. But that’s the point!

This game might be more meme-like than traditional video games, yet it’s indisputably enjoyable and satisfying. It’s equally undeniable that it can be maddeningly frustrating and infuriating, but the feeling of failure after investing countless hours is what makes this game so unforgettable.

Experiencing the simple joy of confiding in fellow players about the frustration of this uphill struggle adds to its appeal. Given adequate training and perseverance, this Sisyphean task can be both agonizing and fulfilling.

7 Dragon’s Dogma

Climbing Combat

10 Games With Amazing Climbing Mechanics

One of the best things about climbing activities is that they don’t have to be used as a means of traversal. As Dragon’s Dogma demonstrates, climbing can also suit combat.

Allow me to assure you, there’s nothing quite like the thrill of riding on a dragon, a cockatrice, a chimera, or a Cyclops – all in their actual forms, and finding myself in a position to strike them multiple times. In essence, I mean to convey that these extraordinary encounters are unparalleled in their grandeur and excitement.

Essentially, Dragon’s Dogma is brimming with extraordinary journeys, many of which include scaling colossal mythical beasts. To me, these battles against such creatures are among the most thrilling encounters you’ll find in any game.

6 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

If You See It, You Can Climb It

10 Games With Amazing Climbing Mechanics

As a dedicated gamer, I can’t help but be blown away by The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. It takes the already flawless mechanics from Breath of the Wild and raises them to an unprecedented level. Among its many impressive features, the climbing system stands out as one of the best in gaming, offering a truly immersive experience that puts me right in the heart of Hyrule’s breathtaking landscapes.

In Hyrule’s captivating universe, players find themselves immersed due to several factors, such as its exceptional movement systems and strategic gameplay elements. These elements encompass managing resources effectively, like stamina, and employing tactical reasoning through careful examination of the surroundings.

In The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the climbing mechanic achieves an outstanding equilibrium between genuine authenticity and imaginative whimsy. This unique blend sets it apart from other games in the genre, even though it’s one of the most intricate open worlds available.

5 Death Stranding

The Science Behind Climbing

10 Games With Amazing Climbing Mechanics

In the game Death Stranding, rather than scaling cliffs for enjoyment, you evolve into a skilled climber, as your very existence hinges on your proficiency in moving vertically.

To guarantee a successful mission, it’s crucial to assess your environment meticulously since you are often faced with persistent dangers. You’ll be making use of ropes, anchors, zip lines, portable stairs, and other tools during this process.

The experience of playing Death Stranding is deliberate, systematic, and subtly humorous. Notably, the game’s visuals stand out, offering some of the most breathtaking sights ever seen in video games, further enhancing its overall impact.

4 Assassin’s Creed Unity

Incomparable Spectacularity

10 Games With Amazing Climbing Mechanics

As a dedicated gamer, I still fondly remember my adventures in the world of Assassin’s Creed, particularly Assassin’s Creed: Unity. To this day, it stands out as the most captivating demonstration of the franchise’s parkour and climbing mechanics.

To this very day, traversing the cityscape of Paris by utilizing its fluid streets and high architectural features such as walls and rooftops remains an enchanting adventure due to its unique atmosphere.

Although it’s straightforward to play, the amazing parkour moves in Assassin’s Creed: Unity offer an exceptional sensation that’s tough to replicate.

The possibilities seem boundless, as if every surface is conquerable, and every horizon attainable. A heartfelt tribute to those who climb in reality and practice parkour, and an esteemed addition to the pantheon of exceptional video game climbing mechanics.

3 Mirror’s Edge

Parkour’s Deity

10 Games With Amazing Climbing Mechanics

Talking about parkour, we have here the best game of all time in said practice: Mirror’s Edge.

Through its first-person perspective, the level of immersion that Faith’s run achieves has never been replicated.

You can feel every corner climbed, every jump between building gaps, and every roll after a high drop, all while not even having an inch of HUD that interferes with your experience.

Talking about engagement factors, character interaction, and overall appeal, Mirror’s Edge stands out uniquely as a masterwork – an unusual gem that counters the criticism of ‘spoiling like milk’ faced by many modern counterparts.

2 Shadow of the Colossus

Majestically colossal

10 Games With Amazing Climbing Mechanics

To make Dragon’s Dogma function, Shadow of the Colossus needed to traverse… and scale an impressive array of colossal, awe-inspiring creatures that stood as tall as seventeen stories.

Team ICO crafted an enduring masterpiece where scaling is integral, since each interaction hinges on your ability to cling onto a colossus’ back. Simultaneously, you experience an overwhelming sense of delight just from being granted the opportunity to observe this grand event up close.

Venturing up dynamic and cloud-like peaks undeniably offers a memory-etched adventure. Notably, Shadow of the Colossus embodies a video game capable of leaving a psychological mark on you, potentially for eternity. Proceed with caution.

1 Jusant

The Tiny Sovereign of Climbing

10 Games With Amazing Climbing Mechanics

Among all the games that revolve around climbing or are related to it, I bet you wouldn’t think that Don’t Nod’s indie treasure, Jusant, would stand out as the cream of the crop. However, it truly deserves this title.

From every grab to every jump, from every rock to every ledge, from every rope to every airflow, Jusant’s climbing is the most spine-chilling of them all.

Experience a rollercoaster of emotions as Jusant takes you on an unforgettable journey with its refined gameplay, stunning visuals and audio, and deeply moving storyline.

If you haven’t by now, you need to play Jusant, the true king of all climbing video games.

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2024-10-16 16:09