This is a list of the best side-scrolling games of all time for any console or system, including cover art pictures when available. These highly rated side-scrolling games are ordered by popularity, so only the greatest side-scrolling games are at the top of the list. Spanning the entire history of the genre, these side-scrolling games are considered the best in the genre. This list includes all challenging side-scrolling games that have ever hit the shelves, so it doesn't necessarily have all the more obscure or new side-scrolling games.
List is made up of games like Double Dragon and Donkey Kong Country.
This list answers the questions, "What are the best side-scrolling games?" and "What is the greatest side-scrolling game of all time?"
list ordered by
1
74 25
FranklinAntonioObispo added Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is a platform-adventure video game developed and published by Konami in 1997. It is the sequel to Castlevania: Rondo of Blood and features Dracula's dhampir ...more
2
67 22
Super Mario Bros. 31988 Super Mario Bros. 3 is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. It is the fourth overall installment in the Super Mario ...more
3
46 16
Super Mario Bros.1985 Super Mario Bros. is a 1985 platform video game internally developed by Nintendo R&D4 and published by Nintendo as a pseudo-sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros. It was originally released in ...more
4
38 17
Donkey Kong Country1994 Donkey Kong Country is a 1994 platforming video game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It was first released on 21 November, 1994 in North ...more
5
33 14
KelseyMartin added Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island1995 Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island is a 1995 platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. In order to reunite baby brothers Mario and ...more
6
22 9
KelseyMartin added Super Castlevania IV1991 Super Castlevania IV, known in Japan as Akumajou Dracula is a 1991 action-platformer video game and a remake of the original Castlevania on the NES. It was developed and published by Konami and ...more
7
27 14
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time1991 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time, released as Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles: Turtles in Time in Europe, is an arcade video game produced by Konami. A sequel to the original Teenage ...more
8
30 19
Golden Axe1989 Golden Axe is a side-scrolling, beat 'em up, hack and slash arcade video game released in 1989 by Sega for the System 16-B arcade hardware. It is the first game in the Golden Axe series. Makoto ...more
9
25 15
Double Dragon1987 Double Dragon is a 1987 beat 'em up video game developed by Technōs Japan and distributed in North America and Europe by Taito. The game is a spiritual and technological successor to Technos' ...more
10
29 23
Terraria2011 Terraria is an action-adventure sandbox indie video game series, developed by game studio Re-Logic and released on Microsoft Windows, Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, Windows Phone, Android, and ...more
11
33 30
The Lost Vikings1994 The Lost Vikings is a side-scrolling puzzle/platform video game series which was developed by Silicon & Synapse. The first game, The Lost Vikings, was released in 1992 by publisher Interplay ...more
12
18 15
Shadow Complex2009 Shadow Complex is a 2009 platform-adventure video game developed by Chair Entertainment in association with Epic Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox Live Arcade. The game ...more
13
9 6
Kirby Mass Attack2011 Kirby Mass Attack, known in Japan as Atsumete! Kirby, is a puzzle platformer game in the Kirby series developed by HAL Laboratory for the Nintendo DS. The game was released by Nintendo in Japan ...more
14
14 12
Robotech: The Macross Saga2002 Robotech: The Macross Saga is a side-scrolling shoot 'em up for the Game Boy Advance handheld system, developed by Lucky Chicken Games and published by TDK Mediactive. This title was released ...more
15
14 12
Commander Keen Commander Keen is a 2001 video game in id Software's Commander Keen series. It was developed by David A. Palmer Productions and published by Activision for the Game Boy Color.
16
13 11
Final Fight1989 Final Fight is a side-scrolling beat-'em-up produced by Capcom. Originally released as an arcade game in 1989, it was the seventh title released for the CP System hardware. Set in the fictional ...more
17
8 6
Shadow Dancer1989 Shadow Dancer is a side-scrolling action game produced by Sega originally released as an arcade game in 1989. It is the second arcade game in the Shinobi series, following the original Shinobi ...more
18
18 17
Die Hard1990 Die Hard is a video game released for the Commodore 64 in 1990 and for the NES in 1991 by Activision. Its gameplay is based on the 1988 movie Die Hard. During the game, the player rescues ...more
19
17 16
Altered Beast1988 Altered Beast is a 1988 beat 'em up arcade game developed and manufactured by Sega. The game is set in Ancient Greece, and follows a centurion who is resurrected by Zeus to rescue his daughter ...more
20
17 16
Jazz Jackrabbit1994 Jazz Jackrabbit is a platform game developed and published by Epic MegaGames. It was released in 1994 for PCs operating DOS, with subsequent Macintosh and Microsoft Windows releases in 1995 and ...more
21
17 16
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus2004 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus is a video game of the third person, beat 'em up genre released in 2004 by Konami. The GBA version is more of a Side-scrolling Platformer/Shoot'em up ...more
22
6 5
KelseyMartin added ActRaiser1990 ActRaiser, released in Japan as Actraiser, is a 1990 Super Nintendo Entertainment System action and city-building simulation game developed by Quintet and published by Enix that combines ...more
23
14 14
Chuck Rock1991 Chuck Rock is a slapstick side-scrolling platform video game of the early-to-mid 1990s, which was initially created by Core Design in 1991 and was subsequently ported to a large number of home ...more
24
20 21
Ecco the Dolphin1993 Ecco the Dolphin is an action-adventure game originally developed by Ed Annunziata and Novotrade International for the Mega Drive and published by Sega in 1992. Ecco the Dolphin was republished ...more
25
9 9
Duke Nukem: Critical Mass Duke Nukem: Critical Mass is a platform game developed by Apogee Software and published by Deep Silver for the Nintendo DS. A version for the PlayStation Portable began development, however was ...more
26
7 7
Double Dragon II: The Revenge1988 Double Dragon II: The Revenge is a side-scrolling beat 'em up produced by Technōs Japan originally released as a coin-operated arcade game in 1988. It is the sequel to Double Dragon, released ...more
27
14 15
Commander Keen: Keen Dreams1992 Keen Dreams is a 1991 video game by id Software which was originally released for PCs running MS-DOS by Softdisk Publishing, with all rights owned by Flat Rock Software since 2005. The game was ...more
28
4 4
Elevator Action1983 Elevator Action is a 1983 arcade game by Taito. It debuted during the Golden Age of Arcade Games. The player assumes the role of a spy who infiltrates a building filled with elevators. He must ...more
29
9 10
Chuck Rock II: Son of Chuck1993 Chuck Rock II: Son of Chuck is a slapstick side-scrolling platform video game developed and published by Core Design in 1993 for the Amiga, Amiga CD32, Sega Game Gear, Sega Mega-CD, Sega Master ...more
Risky Woods1992 Risky Woods, known as Jashin Draxos in Japan, is a computer game developed by Dinamic Software and Zeus Software, and published by Electronic Arts in December 1992. Its release marks the end of ...more
32
13 15
Crime Fighters1989 Crime Fighters is a 1989 side-scrolling beat-em-up released by Konami for the arcades. The player takes control of an undercover police officer who is assigned to rescue a group of kidnapped ...more
Sea Dragon1982 Sea Dragon is a side-scrolling game for the TRS-80 computer, written by Wayne Westmoreland and Terry Gilman, and released in 1982 by Adventure International. It was one of the most popular games ...more
35
6 7
Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure1992 Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure is a video game programmed by Todd Replogle and published by Apogee Software in 1992. It is a two-dimensional side-scrolling platform game produced for the PC platform, ...more
36
4 5
Shank2010 Shank is a 2D side-scrolling beat 'em up video game developed by Canadian independent studio Klei Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts in 2010. It was released on August 24 for the ...more
Castle of Deceit1990 Castle of Deceit is a sidescrolling game for the NES released on 1990 by Bunch Games, where the player takes control of a wizard trapped in the titular castle with only one spell to defend
40
7 9
Hunter Hunted1996 Hunter Hunted is a side-scrolling action computer game developed by Sierra Entertainment and published on October 31, 1996. The player controls a humanoid creature who fights enemies, completes ...more
41
6 8
Crystal Caves1991 Crystal Caves is a trilogy of side-scrolling platform games, developed and published by Apogee Software, released on 23 October 1991. The three episodes have the titles "Troubles with ...more
42
11 14
Super Smash Flash 22011 The sequel to the game inspired by the classic game Super Smash Bros. Super Smash Flash 2 improves on the original with more authentic control (now with three-button command and jumping mapped ...more
Gargoyle's Quest1990 Gargoyle's Quest: Ghosts 'n Goblins, is a platform/side scrolling adventure game for the Nintendo Game Boy, with mild role-playing video game elements from Capcom. It was released on May 2, 1990 ...more
45
5 7
Commander Keen1990 Commander Keen is a series of video games developed by id Software in the early 1990s. The series focuses on the adventures of Billy Blaze, an 8-year old boy who travels through space and ...more
46
4 6
Ninja Cop2003 Ninja Five-O, known in PAL regions as Ninja Cop, is a video game for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance, released by Konami in 2003.
47
3 5
Gish2004 Gish is a 2D PC platform game developed by Alex Austin, Edmund McMillen and Josiah Pisciotta and distributed by Chronic Logic, Stardock and other distributors. A sequel was announced, but ...more
48
3 5
The Bugs Bunny Birthday Blowout1990 The Bugs Bunny Birthday Blowout, known in Japan and on the title screen as Happy Birthday Bugs and in Europe as The Bugs Bunny Blowout, is the title of a Kemco video game released for the ...more
49
3 5
Kenseiden1988 Kenseiden is a video game for the Sega Master System created by SEGA. Kenseiden was released in 1988. Kenseiden stars Hayato, a samurai that has to fight against warlocks and evil spirits that ...more
50
3 5
Alien Carnage1993 Alien Carnage, originally called Halloween Harry, is a side-scrolling platform game developed by Interactive Binary Illusions and SubZero Software, and distributed by Apogee Software. The game ...more
