The 3D platforming genre was at the height of its popularity beginning in the mid 1990s, maintaining a reign over the gaming scene well until the late 2000s. Hit after hit graced store shelves, from Banjo Kazooie to Donkey Kong Country, with each new franchise or installment in a pre-established franchise bringing something fresh to the 3D platforming experience. While Nintendo is home to the king of the genre Mario, Sony was no slouch in creating a few platforming mascots of its own over the years.
Case in point, Sly Cooper snuck its way onto the PS2 in 2002, boasting a stunning cel-shaded graphical style to compliment its platforming mixed with stealth mechanics. The game was a success, resulting in two more Sly Cooper adventures on the PS2 and another follow up on the PS3 a few years afterwards. Beyond that however, Sly and the gang have appeared to go undercover, with no clear sign of when or if a new title is to be developed in the future. Still, there is continued support from fans and Sucker Punch placed Sly Cooper Easter eggs in Ghost of Tsushima, so it's not as if the series is entirely forgotten. With other classic platformers being brought back like Spyro and Crash, surely that's a positive sign for Sly Cooper as well.
The Platformer Returns
After a drought of many years, with only a handful of the old platformers still sticking around like the Super Mario Bros and Ratchet and Clank series, it seems as if the genre is bouncing back for a second run. Not one, but two PS1 icons have come back in full force with both the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and Spyro Reignited Trilogy respectively. Both collections offered a gorgeous visual remaster while also making minor, but welcome modifications to the gameplay, to further polish the overall experience. Each remake was a success, with Crash's ultimately resulting in a brand new game titled Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, a direct sequel to the original trilogy.
Couple this with rumors of a a new Spyro game, and it seems like these franchises have been brought back with newfound energy and plenty of life left in them. More importantly, both of these series are closely connected to the PlayStation brand (considering that's where each began) and this is something that Sony must be aware of. With both of these HD remakes proving that interest in 3D platformers is still alive and well, it must send a message that there remains an audience for this particular genre of game, especially for older PlayStation fans who grew up with all of these titles. It also doesn't hurt that the upcoming Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart ranks among the most highly anticipated games of 2021, marking a major win for the platforming genre.
Golden Oldies'
More than anything, however, sometimes it's refreshing to make a return to familiar faces and simpler times. In a gaming industry currently dominated by first person shooters, battle royales and sprawling open world RPGs, it seems that games are consistently equating that bigger means better. This is not to insinuate these genres are a bad thing for the industry, but variety is key, a factor which could help welcome back the Sly Cooper series to further bolster platformers and add more options for gamers.
The tried and true games of the past hold a special place for many players, with nostalgia often being a powerful thing when these titles make a comeback. Sony themselves seem to be adopting this philosophy now more than ever, with attention appearing to turn to its backlog of legacy titles as much as newer games. Remakes for Shadow of the Colossus and Demon's Souls prove that Sony isn't shy about bringing back classic games for modern audiences, further strengthening the chances of titles like Sly Cooper someday leaping back onto the scene.
The Sly Cooper series is available on PS2 and PS3.