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Best side-scrolling games on GamesNostalgia

In side-scrolling games, pixels and nostalgia collide to create a gaming experience like no other. In these games, the character is seen from a side view, and the world scrolls (moves) horizontally when the character walks, runs, or jumps to the right and left. This was a big technological advancement compared to fixed or flip-screen games (where the background changes once the character reaches the border of the screen).

Defender (1980), Moon Patrol (1982), and Gradius are some of the first examples of side-scrolling games.

The first titles were space shooters, but soon more genres started to adopt this technology, including beat-em-ups and platformers. Manic Miner for the ZX Spectrum was one of the first computer games to use this technique. In 1985, Super Mario Bros set the standard for side-scrolling platformers. Many other games followed this inspiration, like The Great Giana Sisters, not to mention idSoftware's Commander Keen. The arcade Ghosts 'N Goblins used side-scrolling gameplay to represent a dark fantasy horror world, and Castlevania did the same on the NES.

In the 90s, we would see the explosion of side-scrolling platformers, from Thalion's Lionheart and Team17 Superfrog on the Amiga, Earthworm Jim and Disney's Aladdin on the SEGA Genesis, and Rayman and Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure on Windows. There are so many good side-scrolling games; it's impossible to mention them all, so browse the list below and have fun.

Disney's Tarzan windows

Disney's Tarzan (also known as Tarzan Action Game) is a platformer created by Eurocom Developments and published by Disney in 1999. Released for PlayStation and Windows, later, it was also ported to Nintendo 64.

Year: 1999 Genre: Platformer

2.5d cartoon disney jungle licensed movies platformer side-scrolling

Mario Forever windows

Mario Forever is a freeware clone/unofficial remake of the famous Super Mario Bros. It was created by Buziol Games, and it was released for Windows only in 2004. After many request...

Year: 2004 Genre: Platformer

clone enhanced remakes freeware platformer side-scrolling super mario clone

Disney's Aladdin amigagenesisgame-boy-color

Disney's Aladdin, one of the most successful port from a movie to videogame, is a 2D side scrolling platformer developed by Virgin Games based on the Disney 1992 motion picture. Graphics and animation were created by Disney itself.

Year: 1994 Genre: Platformer

aga cartoon disney fairy tale genesis original game hand-drawn animations middle east movies platformer side-scrolling

Ghosts 'N Goblins Remake windows

Ghosts 'n Goblins Remake is a freeware clone of the 1985 popular side-scrolling platforming game developed by Capcom for arcades..

Year: 2004 Genre: Arcade

arcade clone dark fantasy enhanced remakes freeware horror platformer side-scrolling sword and sorcery

Claw windows

Claw is a 2D platformer developed and published by Monolith Productions as a PC exclusive in 1997. Despite the fanmade adaptations and the repeated attempts to continue the story officially, it did not receive any sequel.

Year: 1997 Genre: Platformer

2d cartoon multiplayer pirates platformer side-scrolling

Ghosts 'N Goblins amiganescommodore-64game-boy-color

Ghosts 'N Goblins is a popular arcade released by Capcom in 1985 and later ported to many home platforms. The Amiga version was published by Elite in 1990, several years after the original Capcom coin-op.

Year: 1990 Genre: Arcade

arcade coin-op conversion dark fantasy horror side-scrolling sword and sorcery

Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure windowsgenesis

Pitfall: the Mayan Adventure is a side-scrolling action platformer. It's the forth game in the Pitfall series. It was developed by Activision in partnership with Redline games and published by Activision in 1994.

Year: 1995 Genre: Platformer

genesis original game hand-drawn animations jungle platformer side-scrolling

Commander Keen: Aliens Ate My Babysitter! dos

Commander Keen: Aliens Ate My Babysitter! is the final episode of the famous series of side-scrolling platformers created by id Software. The game, published in 1991 by FormGen, wa...

Year: 1991 Genre: Platformer

2d platformer science fiction side-scrolling

Super Contra nes

Super Contra is an arcade game developed and published by Konami in 1988, also ported for Nintendo Entertainment in 1990 This installment is a sequel to the legendary Contra (19...

Year: 1990 Genre: Shooter

2 players aliens coin-op conversion multi-directional platform-shooter run and gun science fiction shooter side-scrolling

The Revenge of Shinobi genesis

The Revenge of Shinobi is the second game in the Shinobi series created by SEGA. Revenge was released in 1989, specifically for the SEGA Mega Drive/Genesis, with the PAL (Europe) version coming out in 1990.

Year: 1989 Genre: Brawler

brawler genesis original game hack and slash martial arts ninja progressive beat-em-up side-scrolling

Bubba 'N' Stix amigagenesis

Bubba 'N' Stix is a platformer-puzzle game created by Core Design simultaneously for the SEGA Genesis and Amiga, including the CD32 version. The game, conceived by Simon Phipps, was released in 1994.

Year: 1994 Genre: Platformer

amiga cd32 cartoon hand-drawn animations multi-directional platformer puzzle platformer side-scrolling

Fire Force amiga

Fire Force (aka Fireforce) is a horizontal scrolling platform shooter developed by Dave Gibbons and Steve Day for the Amiga and Atari ST. It was published by ICE in 1992. The game ...

Year: 1992 Genre: Shooter

amiga original game military platform-shooter side-scrolling violence

Commander Keen dos

Commander Keen 1: Marooned on Mars is the first in the franchise of side scrollers of the same name, developed by id Software and published by Apogee Software in 1990 for DOS. There are 5 entries into the series.

Year: 1990 Genre: Platformer

2d platformer science fiction side-scrolling

Rick Dangerous amiga

Rick Dangerous is a 2D action platformer created by Core Design and published by Microplay Software in 1989 for the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum and other home computers.

Year: 1989 Genre: Platformer

aliens ancient egypt archaeology atari st jungle platformer side-scrolling