Side-scrolling games sorted by release date

Karateka is a martial arts themed action / fighting game released by Broderbund in 1986 for DOS. Karateka is the first game designed by Jordan Mechner, the father of the Prince of Persia franchise. Karateka was also published for Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari ST, C64, MSX, NES, ZX Spectrum.

Bad Street Brawler is a beat 'em up video game developed by Beam Software and published by Mindscape. Originally released for the Commodore 64 in 1987 and later for other platforms. The game features Duke Davis, a former punk rocker turned vigilante, as the protagonist. In "Bad Street Brawler," players guide Duke through various urban environm...

Karnov is a classic side-scrolling action arcade game developed by Data East in 1987. The game features a unique protagonist named Jinborov Karnovski, or "Karnov", a fire-breathing, muscle-bound, bald, shirtless strongman from the fictional land of Karnov. Initially released in arcades, Karnov was later ported to home consoles like the Nintend...

The Great Giana Sisters is a platform video game developed by Time Warp Productions and published by Rainbow Arts. It was originally released in 1987 for the Commodore 64 and other platforms, and later unofficially ported to MS-DOS.The game follows the adventures of two sisters, Giana and Maria, as they journey through a dream world filled with var...

Wizball is a  shoot 'em up video game developed by Sensible Software and originally released for various home computer platforms in 1987. The game was published by Ocean Software.In Wizball, players control a wizard who rides a magical green ball. The wizard's mission is to restore color to the world, which has been drained of its vibrant...

Before Madden became a household name, 1988 gave us this DOS football classic, where plays are drawn like cave paintings and players move like molasses in January. Yet, for its time, this was the real deal. You could call plays, manage your team, and fumble in low-res glory. The sound effects are a symphony of beeps and buzzes, but there's genuine ...

Game Over is an abandoned side scrolling shooter/platform game designed by Ignacio Ruiz Tejedor, Pedro Sudón Aguilar, developed and released by Dinamic Multimedia in 1988 for DOS. Game Over isn't exactly one of the best games ever made... be prepared for clunky controls and repetitive level design that may test your patience.

Menace is a classic shoot 'em up video game that was developed by DMA Design, a company later known as Rockstar North, and initially released in 1988. The game was originally released for the Amiga and Atari ST home computer systems and for DOS. The player's objective is to navigate their spacecraft through various levels filled with enemy ships, o...