Side-scrolling games sorted by release date

From the dusty archives of 1995 DOS gaming comes Zorro, a side-scrolling platformer that asks the question: what if the legendary masked hero had the reflexes of a hungover sloth? With clunky controls and combat that’s more slapstick than swashbuckling, it’s a charmingly awkward tribute to the classic character. You’ll leap, climb...

Zyclunt is a side-scrolling action game developed and published by Phantagram in 1995. The game is set in a dystopian future where incurable diseases and a rise in criminal activities have brought society to the brink of collapse. In this setting, advanced genetic engineering has led to the creation of cybernetic organisms, or cyborgs, which have b...

Alien Rampage (1996) is what happens when Duke Nukem gets stranded on a hostile alien planet and decides subtlety is for cowards. It’s a side-scrolling shooter dripping with gore, attitude, and the occasional terrible pun. Everything explodes, everything wants to kill you, and the hero growls like he gargles gravel. It’s dumb, loud, and...

When in Gaul, punch like the Gauls do. In Asterix and Obelix (1996), you control the iconic French duo on a globetrotting beat-‘em-up adventure that mostly involves sending Romans flying like ragdolls. It’s all charmingly cartoonish, with faithful visuals straight out of the comics and gameplay that’s one part arcade brawler, one ...

Mega Man X4 is a side-scrolling action-platformer video game released by Capcom for Windows, Sony PlayStation, and Sega Saturn in 1997 and 1998. It is part of the Mega Man X series, a spin-off of the original Mega Man franchise.Set in a dystopian future where humans and robots coexist, Mega Man X4 follows two playable characters: Mega Man X and Zer...

If you've ever stared at a camel and thought, "What if it shot lasers and had a personal grudge against humanity?", Attack of the Mutant Camels is the fever dream you've been waiting for. Released in 2001 for DOS — yes, someone made a DOS game in the 21st century — it pits you against a herd of surly dromedaries with serious attitude pr...

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...

Ghosts 'n Goblins is an iconic arcade game developed by Capcom, first released in 1985. It’s widely remembered for its challenging gameplay and its distinct horror-fantasy aesthetic. This is a faithful remake.In Ghosts 'n Goblins, players assume the role of Sir Arthur, a brave knight on a perilous quest to rescue Princess Prin-Prin, who has b...

Ardentryst is the indie platformer that tried really hard to be a Metroidvania and kinda pulled it off. With anime-style art, RPG elements, and two playable characters, it’s got ambition pouring out of its pixelated pores. The combat is floaty, the story is melodramatic, and the enemies look like they wandered in from an entirely different ga...