The most popular side-scroller games

Operation Getafix (1989) is what happens when you turn a beloved comic series into a game with the precision of a wild boar wearing gloves. You play as Asterix on a quest to help Getafix the druid recover his memory and his recipe for the magic potion. What follows is a mix of puzzle-solving and mini-games that will leave you both confused and oddl...

Remember when being radical meant wearing neon shorts and dodging killer squirrels on a skateboard? No? Well, Awesome Earl in SkateRock is here to educate you. Released in 1988, this sidescrolling oddity lets you control a tubular dude with more 'tude than pixels, skating his way through a world of questionable design and rockin’ background t...

Beats of Rage is what happens when fans of Streets of Rage decide to stop waiting for Sega and just build their own game—with a side of King of Fighters for flavor. This DOS beat 'em up is so full of punches, kicks, and pixel-blood that you can practically hear a '90s arcade groaning in approval. It’s got more combos than a fast-food me...

Side Arms: Hyper Dyne is a side-scrolling shoot-'em-up arcade game developed and published by Capcom in 1986 and later ported on various platforms. Players control a "mobilsuit," a futuristic combat robot, in a war against alien invaders. Side Arms is set in outer space and features mechanical and alien-inspired aesthetics.

Part racing game, part endurance test, African Trail Simulator dares you to hop on a pixel bike and brave the wild. You’ll encounter hostile terrain, wildlife, and the occasional rock that looks suspiciously like the last one. The challenge? Keep your bike running, your face out of the dirt, and your sanity intact. It’s a one-man odysse...

Boot Camp (1989, DOS) is the game that turns military training into a button-mashing festival of pain. Ever dreamed of surviving basic training without breaking a sweat? This is it—if your definition of “not sweating” includes breaking your keyboard in half. You’ll run obstacle courses, throw grenades, and take aim at target...