Eurogamer reported this month on the Compulsion, Double Fine, and Ninja Theory studio reshuffle inside Xbox, and the response from the Psychonauts community has been the same as it always is when Double Fine’s name comes up: replay Psychonauts 2, then ask what to play next. Razputin Aquato’s 2021 outing remains one of the best 3D platformers of the last decade, and finding Psychonauts 2 alternatives that match its blend of mental-world creativity, real platforming, and writing that isn’t embarrassed by its own jokes is harder than it should be.
We tested seven Psychonauts 2 alternatives across Windows, macOS, and Linux through Proton. The brief: which of these games match the mental-world tonal range, which deliver the same kind of inventive level architecture, and which solve the “I want a platformer with a real story” itch that Psychonauts 2 fans keep raising.
Why Psychonauts 2 fans want a second one
The Psychonauts community is small enough that everyone has finished the game multiple times. The shared cravings are specific:
- The mental-world conceit. Each level in Psychonauts 2 reimagines a character’s interior life as a discrete platforming space with its own visual logic. Most platformers don’t try this.
- Writing that takes mental health seriously without being maudlin. Tim Schafer’s team threaded a needle here. Players want games that respect the player without losing humour.
- Genuine 3D platforming with collectibles that mean something. Brain figments, memory vaults, and PSI cards drive exploration without becoming a chore. A lot of “platformers” in 2026 are puzzle games with jumps.
- A campaign you can finish. Psychonauts 2 lands around 16 to 22 hours for a thorough run. Many alternatives are shorter or much longer.
- Local co-op for friends and family. A few Psychonauts 2 fans have asked for the same kind of warm, weird vibe with a co-op partner. Psychonauts itself is single player.
The seven Psychonauts 2 alternatives below each scratch one or two of these cravings without trying to be a clone.
Quick comparison
| Game | Best for | Length | Price | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Hat in Time | Spiritual Mario Sunshine successor | 12 to 18 hr | $29.99 | Hand-drawn worlds and a chapter structure |
| Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair | Collectathon platforming with overworld puzzles | 10 to 14 hr | $29.99 | 2.5D levels plus a single Lair run |
| Kena: Bridge of Spirits | Cinematic action-platformer with light combat | 10 to 14 hr | $39.99 | Pixar-grade visuals on a tight budget |
| It Takes Two | Mandatory two-player co-op | 12 to 16 hr | $39.99 (one copy serves two) | New mechanic every chapter |
| Sackboy: A Big Adventure | Family-friendly 3D platforming with co-op | 12 to 16 hr | $39.99 | Drop-in local co-op with strong puzzle design |
| Hi-Fi Rush | Action-platformer on a musical beat | 10 to 14 hr | $29.99 | Combat and platforming tied to the soundtrack |
| Lost in Random | Storybook action with deckbuilding | 9 to 12 hr | $29.99 | Hand-stop-motion aesthetic, dice combat |
The 7 best Psychonauts 2 alternatives for desktop
A Hat in Time — best spiritual successor to Mario Sunshine
A Hat in Time is the Gears for Breakfast indie that started life as a Kickstarter and ended up as one of the most genuine 3D platformers of the last decade. The chapter structure, the hub world, and the moment-to-moment platforming all carry the Super Mario Sunshine and Banjo-Kazooie DNA that Psychonauts also draws from. Mafia Town is the easiest “I get it” pitch the genre has produced in a long time.
Where it falls short: Tonal whiplash. The cute hat-wearing protagonist shares a game with a chapter set in a haunted forest and a chapter about a murder mystery; not every player is up for the swings.
Pricing:
- Free: Steam demo
- Paid: $29.99 base, around $10 on sale
- vs Psychonauts 2: less written depth, more mechanical variety per chapter
Migrating from Psychonauts 2: Start with Mafia Town and Battle of the Birds. Skip the optional Nyakuza Metro DLC on a first run and come back to it later.
Download: A Hat in Time on Steam
Bottom line: Pick A Hat in Time when you want the cleanest “collectathon 3D platformer” alternative to Psychonauts 2 on PC.
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair — best collectathon with a twist
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is the Playtonic follow-up that wisely abandoned the open-3D structure of the first game and instead built tight 2.5D levels around an optional final Lair you can take on at any time. The Banjo-Kazooie heritage is on the sleeve, and the overworld weaves puzzles into the path between levels, which is the closest a non-Psychonauts game gets to Razputin’s idea of “the space between is also the game.”
Where it falls short: Not the open 3D collectathon some Banjo fans wanted. Some of the timed sections in the Lair are punishing if you go in undergeared.
Pricing:
- Free: Steam demo
- Paid: $29.99 base, frequently $6 to $10 on sale
- vs Psychonauts 2: less story, sharper platforming challenge in the Lair finale
Migrating from Psychonauts 2: Treat the overworld as the game. Rescue all 48 Tonics before the Lair attempt.
Download: Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair on Steam
Bottom line: Pick Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair when you want a polished 2.5D collectathon with one giant climactic level.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits — best for cinematic visuals
Kena: Bridge of Spirits is the Ember Lab debut that arrived in 2021 with PS5-grade visuals and a tight action-platformer loop. Combat is the centrepiece, but the navigation between encounters has the same readable, hand-built feel Psychonauts 2 hits. The Rot creatures are the closest thing to PSI cards a 3D action game has shipped, and collecting them feels rewarding.
Where it falls short: Combat skews harder than it looks on Spirit Guide difficulty. The story is light. Mac and Linux users rely on Proton or CrossOver since the macOS port isn’t officially supported.
Pricing:
- Free: none
- Paid: $39.99 base, around $20 on sale
- vs Psychonauts 2: heavier combat focus, lighter written depth, stronger visuals
Migrating from Psychonauts 2: Spend the first few hours upgrading the staff and the bow. Treat collectibles as the platforming layer.
Download: Kena: Bridge of Spirits on Steam
Bottom line: Pick Kena: Bridge of Spirits when you want a beautiful action-platformer and you don’t mind the combat doing the heavy lifting.
It Takes Two — best mandatory co-op
It Takes Two is the Hazelight game that won Game of the Year in 2021 by reinventing its own mechanics every chapter. Two players are required, the Friend’s Pass lets one copy serve both, and the level design pulls platforming inventions out of a hat that would otherwise have to last a full studio for years. For a couple of Psychonauts 2 fans looking for something to play together, this is the obvious answer.
Where it falls short: Mandatory co-op. There is no single-player mode, and split-screen-only on console means PC pairs need a second machine or a couch setup.
Pricing:
- Free: Friend’s Pass for the second player
- Paid: $39.99 (one copy unlocks both seats via the Pass)
- vs Psychonauts 2: required co-op, broader genre toolkit, less interiority
Migrating from Psychonauts 2: Bring a willing partner who can hold a controller. The shed and tree chapters are the strongest pitch.
Download: It Takes Two on Steam
Bottom line: Pick It Takes Two when you have a co-op partner and you want a platformer that keeps surprising you.
Sackboy: A Big Adventure — best family-friendly co-op platformer
Sackboy: A Big Adventure is the Sumo Digital LittleBigPlanet spin-off that crossed to PC in 2022 with a clean Steam port and full controller support. The level design covers everything from precision-platformer single-player runs to four-player drop-in chaos, and the soundtrack levels in particular hit a similar high note to Psychonauts 2’s musically-driven sequences.
Where it falls short: No level editor, unlike the LittleBigPlanet games it descends from. Some required co-op missions gate progress for solo players on later levels.
Pricing:
- Free: none
- Paid: $39.99 base, often $15 on sale
- vs Psychonauts 2: family-friendly tone, weaker writing, stronger co-op support
Migrating from Psychonauts 2: Start in single player to learn the rhythm. Recruit local friends for the four-player levels.
Download: Sackboy: A Big Adventure on Steam
Bottom line: Pick Sackboy: A Big Adventure when you want a couch-friendly platformer the whole household can rotate through.
Hi-Fi Rush — best action-platformer on a beat
Hi-Fi Rush is the Tango Gameworks rhythm-action surprise that landed in 2023, and despite the studio drama around its publisher in 2024, the game remains one of the most distinctive action-platformers on PC. Combat and platforming both lock to a musical beat, the cel-shaded visuals carry the comic-book vibe Psychonauts 2 nailed, and the boss design is the strongest non-FromSoftware work in years.
Where it falls short: Rhythm mechanics gate some skill expression behind musical timing, which not every platformer fan loves. Hi-Fi Rush is shorter than Psychonauts 2.
Pricing:
- Free: none
- Paid: $29.99 base, around $15 on sale
- vs Psychonauts 2: rhythm-driven combat, tighter campaign, similar visual register
Migrating from Psychonauts 2: Treat the soundtrack as the controller. Equip the rhythm assist if the timing window feels too tight at first.
Download: Hi-Fi Rush on Steam
Bottom line: Pick Hi-Fi Rush when you want a 3D action-platformer with a real sense of humour and a fantastic soundtrack.
Lost in Random — best storybook art direction
Lost in Random is the Zoink-developed and EA Originals-published action-adventure with a hand-stop-motion aesthetic that lands somewhere between Tim Burton and Coraline. The deckbuilding combat is unusual for the genre, and the writing has the tonal warmth Psychonauts 2 fans look for. Even when the gameplay loop frays a little in the second act, the world holds.
Where it falls short: The deckbuilding combat is divisive. Camera issues in tight spaces still appear. The sequel Lost in Random: The Eternal Die changed genre to a roguelike, so the original is a one-off in tone.
Pricing:
- Free: none
- Paid: $29.99 base, often $7 on sale
- vs Psychonauts 2: darker storybook tone, lighter platforming, deckbuilding combat
Migrating from Psychonauts 2: Let the story carry the first act. Engage the deckbuilding rather than swapping decks every fight.
Download: Lost in Random on Steam
Bottom line: Pick Lost in Random when you want a platformer-adjacent adventure with a unique visual language and you don’t mind deckbuilding combat.
How to choose
Pick A Hat in Time for the cleanest spiritual successor to the Banjo and Mario Sunshine school Psychonauts also descends from. Pick Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair if you want a collectathon with a sharp climax. Pick Kena: Bridge of Spirits for stunning visuals and combat-leaning action. Pick It Takes Two if you have a co-op partner. Pick Sackboy: A Big Adventure for family-friendly couch play. Pick Hi-Fi Rush for rhythm-driven action-platforming. Pick Lost in Random for the storybook tone and deckbuilding combat.
Stay on Psychonauts 2 if mental-world creativity is the specific thing you want and nothing else will do. None of the Psychonauts 2 alternatives match the reverence the game has for its own interior-world conceit. Replay the Bob’s Bottles or Hollis’s Hot Streak chapters and confirm the itch is for the conceit rather than the genre, then come back to this list.
FAQ
Is A Hat in Time really like Psychonauts 2? Yes, in structure. Both games run on a chapter-based 3D platformer model with a hub world. A Hat in Time leans lighter on writing and heavier on chapter-level mechanical reinvention.
Will there be a Psychonauts 3? Double Fine has not announced one. The Xbox studio reshuffle reported by Eurogamer makes the immediate future uncertain, but Tim Schafer’s team is still active.
Which Psychonauts 2 alternative is best for co-op? It Takes Two if mandatory co-op is fine. Sackboy: A Big Adventure if you want couch co-op with drop-in support.
Are any of these games on Mac or Linux natively? Several have native Mac builds, including A Hat in Time and Lost in Random. The rest run well via Proton on the Steam Deck and Linux desktops; Mac users without Apple Silicon Proton equivalents typically rely on CrossOver.
What is the closest game to Psychonauts in tone? A Hat in Time for the visual and structural likeness, Hi-Fi Rush for the comic-strip humour and pacing. Lost in Random matches the willingness to put a dark idea in a colourful frame.
Is Psychonauts 2 on Game Pass? Yes, Psychonauts 2 has been on Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass since launch. Several of these alternatives, including Hi-Fi Rush and Sackboy: A Big Adventure, also appear on Game Pass periodically.
