The best-known parkour games are Mirror's Edge Catalyst, Dying Light, the Assassin's Creed series, Ghostrunner and Titanfall 2, and all of them are paid games on PC and consoles. If you want free parkour games, try Vector, Subway Surfers or Temple Run 2 on your phone, or the parkour maps inside Roblox and Fortnite on PC.
What makes a game a parkour game is movement. You run, jump, wall-run, vault and slide through a level, and the fun comes from keeping your speed up and finding the fastest line. Some games build everything around that flow, while others use parkour as a way to get around a bigger world. Here's what each one is known for, who it suits and where it falls short.
Big-name parkour games
These are the games people usually mean when they talk about parkour in video games. All five are paid games. Sales come round often, so check the current terms in your platform's store.
Mirror's Edge Catalyst
Who it suits: players who want parkour to be the whole point. You play Faith, a runner in a clean, bright city, and almost everything is about moving through it smoothly. Main strength: first-person running that feels fast and fluid once it clicks, plus time trials that reward learning routes. Main limit: the open world and story are thinner than the movement. It's on PC, PlayStation and Xbox.
Dying Light
Who it suits: people who like action and don't mind zombies. You climb, leap across rooftops and run from danger in a first-person open world. Main strength: parkour that matters, because the ground is where the trouble is. Main limit: it's a horror-action game with plenty of violence, so it's for older teens and adults. There's also a sequel, Dying Light 2 Stay Human, with more movement options.
Assassin's Creed
Who it suits: fans of history, exploring and stealth. Climbing buildings and free-running across cities is a big part of the series. Main strength: huge historical settings to climb, from ancient worlds to busy old cities. Main limit: the newer games lean more on combat and role-playing, so if you want pure flow, the older and smaller entries feel closer to parkour.
Ghostrunner
Who it suits: players who love a hard challenge. You're a cyber ninja running along walls, dashing and slicing through enemies in a futuristic tower. Main strength: lightning-fast first-person movement where every level is a puzzle of routes. Main limit: one hit usually means you start the section again, which some people love and some people don't.
Titanfall 2
Who it suits: shooter fans who want more than standing and aiming. You wall-run, slide and double-jump as a pilot, then climb into a giant robot called a Titan. Main strength: one of the smoothest movement systems in any shooter, plus a well-loved story campaign. Main limit: it's older now, and the online side isn't as busy as it once was, so the campaign is the main reason to play.
Free parkour games on your phone
Phone parkour games are usually runners: the game moves forward and you swipe to jump, slide and dodge. They're quick, free to download and good for short breaks. Most include ads and optional purchases inside the game.
- Vector. Who it suits: anyone who likes the look of real parkour. Your runner vaults, rolls and flips while escaping a chaser in side-scrolling levels. Main strength: smooth, realistic-looking moves. Main limit: ads between runs, and the levels can feel samey after a while.
- Subway Surfers. Who it suits: all ages. You dash along train tracks, jump over barriers and grab coins. Main strength: bright, simple and easy to pick up. Main limit: it's an endless runner with light parkour, not a deep movement game.
- Temple Run 2. Who it suits: people who want quick, tense runs. You escape a monster along cliffs, ropes and mine tracks. Main strength: tilt and swipe controls that feel natural. Main limit: like most endless runners, it repeats, and it shows ads.
If you're looking for runners and racers you can play without internet, my list of free offline racing games for Android has plenty more, and my roundup of the best free offline games for Android covers other styles too. Before a trip, open each game once in airplane mode to check it still works, because publishers change this.
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Free in the browser or on PC
You don't have to buy a big game to try parkour on a computer. These options are free to play.
- Roblox obbies. Roblox is free on PC, phones, tablets and consoles, and an obby is an obstacle course built by players. There are thousands of parkour-style courses with jumps, moving platforms and timers. Who it suits: kids, teens and anyone who likes trying lots of short courses. Main strength: endless variety and easy to play with friends. Main limit: quality varies a lot, and it's best for parents to check the chat and spending settings for younger players.
- Fortnite parkour maps. Fortnite is free to play, and its creative mode has player-made parkour and deathrun maps you can find by searching inside the game. Who it suits: players who already have Fortnite installed. Main strength: polished movement and maps you can play with friends. Main limit: it's a big download, and availability on phones depends on your device and region.
- Browser parkour games. Many small parkour and platform games run straight in a web browser. Who it suits: anyone on a school or work computer who can't install games. Main limit: quality is mixed. Stick to well-known game sites and never download an installer or extension a page pushes on you.
If your computer is short on space, my guide to free PC game downloads under 1GB can help you find light games that still run well.
Quick comparison
| Game | Platform | Free or paid | Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mirror's Edge Catalyst | PC, PlayStation, Xbox | Paid | First-person pure parkour |
| Dying Light | PC, consoles | Paid | First-person parkour with zombies |
| Assassin's Creed series | PC, consoles | Paid | Third-person climbing and free-running |
| Ghostrunner | PC, consoles | Paid | Fast first-person, one-hit challenge |
| Titanfall 2 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox | Paid | Wall-running shooter |
| Vector | Android, iPhone | Free with ads | Side-scrolling parkour runner |
| Subway Surfers | Android, iPhone | Free with ads | Endless runner |
| Temple Run 2 | Android, iPhone | Free with ads | Endless runner |
| Roblox obbies | PC, phones, consoles | Free to play | Player-made obstacle courses |
| Fortnite parkour maps | PC, consoles | Free to play | Player-made parkour maps |
What makes a parkour game feel good
When you're choosing a parkour game, these are the things I'd look at:
- Flow. The best games let one move lead into the next without stopping. Wall-run into a jump into a slide should feel like one smooth line.
- Readable routes. Good levels show you where to go with colour, light or shape, so you're not guessing at every corner.
- Fair failure. Falling is part of the game. Quick restarts and close checkpoints keep it fun rather than frustrating.
- A reason to replay. Time trials, ghosts of your best run or hidden routes give you a reason to go back and run it faster.
- Controls that suit your device. Swipe controls work on a phone, but full first-person parkour is much easier with a controller or mouse and keyboard.
Make a parkour game? See how to get it featured on this list.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most famous parkour game?
Mirror's Edge is the series most people think of first, because the whole game is built around first-person parkour. Dying Light and Assassin's Creed are also well known for their climbing and free-running.
Are there free parkour games?
Yes. On phones, Vector, Subway Surfers and Temple Run 2 are free to download with ads. On PC and consoles, Roblox obbies and Fortnite parkour maps are free to play.
Can you play parkour games offline?
Many phone runners work offline after the first download, and the big paid games have single-player campaigns. Roblox and Fortnite need an internet connection. Test phone games in airplane mode before you travel.
Are parkour games OK for kids?
Some are. Subway Surfers, Temple Run 2 and Vector suit most ages, and Roblox obbies are popular with kids when parents set up the chat and spending controls. Dying Light and Ghostrunner are violent and better for older players.
