Klonoa: Door to Phantomile (1997)

Grabbing an enemy is also picking up your next jump, projectile or solution to a route through the scenery. That small idea gives the 2.5D stages a satisfying language, with colourful spaces that reveal more than the immediate left-to-right path. Its emotional tone has more range than the cheerful opening suggests. The selection is the 1997 PS1 release. Phantasy Reverie Series offers a modern version, but the first game's updated presentation follows the later Wii remake rather than reproducing the original sprites.