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I'll admit my bias right off the bat: I adore platformers. It's one of my favourite video game genres, and 3D platformers played a huge part in my gaming experiences growing up.

It's a genre that I hold dear to my heart and will never grow tired of and, with the exception of small titles such as The Last Tinker: City of Colors and re-releases like Legend of Kay Anniversary , the market has been severely lacking for some time now.

I feel that now is the time for 3D platfomers to make a comeback - and here's why:

Ratchet & Clank released on the PlayStation 4 recently, and it's an absolute beaut.

For those not in the know, the game is a re-imagining of the 2002 PlayStation 2 classic 3D platformer by Insomniac Games, following the anthropomorphic character Ratchet and his new robot friend Clank as they attempt to stop the evil Chairman Drek and his plans for an alien Blarg invasion.

Although much of the game is identical to the original, it's more than just a remake or reboot - it's a complete re-imagining of the original game, and it's executed almost flawlessly. The visuals are quite literally the most impressive graphics I've seen so far this generation, and the gameplay is magnificent yet simple.

Insomniac did a great job at transitioning the original game's classic gameplay without compromising any of its key elements or shoving in modern tropes. It does exactly what the game should do - be a fantastic modern version of the original game.

In a world of microtransactions, season passes and complicated game mechanics, it's nice to see that Insomniac stuck to their original vision and created a simple, beautiful 3D platfomer.

And, perhaps thanks to its very reasonable launch price ( you can grab the game for around £28 ), the game is selling moderately well, according to local game retailers. If this success sticks, us 3D platformer fans could stand to benefit.

Beloved franchises such as Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon and Jak and Daxter have laid dormant for years, due to the platformer genre failing to remain mainstream in the modern gaming market (with the exception of Mario).

Although Sony have teased Crash Bandicoot's return , it's clear that they currently lack the confidence to pour money into the development of a new instalment with Activision.

Ratchet & Clank is the first big-name 3D platformer release in a long time, and as such, it carries the weight of its genre on its shoulders. If the game is a financial success for Sony, they could look into reviving their other platformer franchises - and we could see other publishers follow suit.

I don't like actively telling people 'you must buy this product', but... well, if you love 3D platformers and own a PS4, you should certainly consider it.

If Ratchet & Clank (or Yooka-Laylee , the spiritual successor to Banjo-Kazooie) is enough of a success, it'll absolutely result in publishers looking into reviving their own platformer franchises - or creating brand new ones. I definitely want that, and if you're still reading this, chances are that you do too.

In short, if you want a new Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon or Jak & Daxter game, your best course of action is to support Ratchet & Clank with your wallet - or if you're unable to do that, show your support for it on social media and let the industry know there's a market for this.