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Side-scrollers span far more than left-to-right jumping: this ranking includes tightly staged platformers, combat-focused action games and exploration-led adventures. The games are ranked by how well their movement and controls hold up, how inventive their stages or worlds are, how distinctive their mechanics and presentation feel, and how effectively they deliver challenge. It is an editorial comparison, not a shared scorecard from the sources.
How this ranking defines a side-scroller
A side-scroller presents its action primarily from a side-on perspective, but that does not dictate one kind of game. Some entries below move through discrete stages; others build interconnected worlds that reward returning with new abilities. The latter can involve substantial backtracking, so a player looking only for short, linear levels may prefer the more stage-based picks.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Minecraft - Nintendo Switch | $29.83 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - US Version | $52.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Mario Kart™ World (Nintendo Switch 2) | $79.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Super Mario Galaxy™ + Super Mario Galaxy™ 2 | $64.99 | Buy on Amazon |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
That broad boundary is reflected in curated lists: Nintendo includes both Metroid Dread and Hollow Knight as side-scrolling platformers, while Nintendo Life separates traditional left-to-right platformers from Metroidvania-style, run-and-gun, puzzle and 3D platformers in its Switch 2D-platformer guide. The ranking below uses the wider, practical meaning of the term.
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1. Super Mario World (1991)
Best all-around stage-based platformer
Super Mario World earns the top spot through the range it gets from a clear, inviting platforming foundation. Yoshi and the Super Cape change how Mario moves through levels, while secrets and alternate exits make exploration part of the stage design rather than a detour from it. The Star Road and Special World extend that design into a demanding late-game gauntlet. It is an unusually complete package: approachable on a first pass, but full of reasons to return and investigate.
#1 Best Overall
- Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures
- Explore randomly generated worlds and build amazing things from the simplest of homes to the grandest of castles
- Play in creative mode with unlimited resources or mine deep into the world in survival mode, crafting weapons and armor to fend off the dangerous mobs
- Play on the go in handheld or tabletop modes
- Includes Super Mario Mash-Up, Natural Texture Pack, Biome Settlers Skin Pack, Battle & Beasts Skin Pack, Campfire Tales Skin Pack; Compatible with Nintendo Switch only
GameSpot highlights its secrets, multiple exits, Yoshi, the Cape and Star Road/Special World in its side-scroller feature.
2. Hollow Knight
Best exploration-led side-scroller
Hollow Knight turns the genre’s side-on view into a large, branching world. Its hand-drawn setting, combat and ability-driven exploration make discovering a new route as satisfying as mastering a difficult encounter. The trade-off is structural: this is not a sequence of neatly self-contained stages. Progress often means learning the map, finding a new capability and returning to places that were previously inaccessible.
Nintendo describes its hand-drawn 2D world, branching paths, combat and abilities on its side-scrolling platformers page.
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3. Sonic 3 & Knuckles (1994)
Best for speed and replayable routes
Sonic 3 & Knuckles is built around momentum: its levels invite players to move quickly, but their breadth and mechanics reward learning alternate routes rather than simply holding right. The pace gives it a distinct feel from the more deliberate precision platformers on this list, and its soundtrack helps make its stages memorable. Speed is a strength when the level design supports it; it also means that careful exploration and fast forward motion can pull in different directions.
GameSpot praises the game’s speed, breadth of levels, mechanics and soundtrack in its feature.
Rank #2
- New stages and fighters are joined by the combined rosters of every past Super Smash Bros. Game
- Challenge others anytime, anywhere, whether you're on the couch or on the go
- Play any way you want—locally, online, in TV mode, Tabletop mode, Handheld mode, or even with GameCube Controllers
- Fight faster and smarter with new and returning techniques, like the perfect shield and directional air dodge
- Face off in 2-4 player battles, or play against the computer
4. Celeste
Best precision platformer with a strong narrative frame
Celeste makes movement itself the central challenge. Its climb is broken into skill-testing screens that ask players to combine jumps, dashes and careful timing, with each small room acting as a focused problem to solve. The narrative gives the climb emotional direction without replacing the crisp platforming. It is a strong choice for players who want challenge in compact, clearly defined portions rather than a sprawling map.
PlayStation’s 2D platformer guide describes Celeste as a narrative-led climb with more than 700 screens of platforming.
5. Rayman Legends (2013)
Best for inventive levels and shared play
Rayman Legends stands out for the variety and rhythm of its level design. Its musical stages turn movement into a kind of choreography, while local co-op makes the adventure a natural fit for playing with others. PlayStation Blog describes it as a side-scrolling adventure with local co-op for up to four players. That makes it one of the most immediately social picks here, as well as one of the list’s most playful.
GameSpot praises the level design, co-op and musical levels; PlayStation Blog provides the co-op detail in its platformer feature. The platform listings in older articles are historical, not confirmation of current availability; subscription catalogs can also differ by region.
Rank #3
- Race from one course to another through interconnected paths that span the world
- Traverse mountains, forests, cities, and more—with shifting weather patterns and a day/night cycle
- Ride on rails, jump off walls, skim across water, and more as you race for the finish line
- Take on the adrenaline-packed Knockout Tour—a fierce 24-driver elimination mode
- Explore courses at your own pace and wander the world to discover fun surprises in Free Roam
6. Super Meat Boy (2010)
Best for rapid-fire, high-difficulty attempts
Super Meat Boy makes failure part of its pace. Its demanding courses are designed around short attempts and instant retries, so a missed jump usually leads straight into another run rather than a long interruption. That quick loop makes it especially effective in short sessions, though its precise, punishing platforming is a poor match for anyone seeking a relaxed ride through a story-rich world.
GameSpot calls out the game’s difficult courses, fast retries and short-session appeal in its side-scroller feature.
7. Mega Man 2 (1989)
Best classic stage-and-boss structure
Mega Man 2 gives players an unusually satisfying degree of control over the order of its challenges: choose a themed stage, defeat its Robot Master, then take on the Wily stages. That structure turns each boss victory into more than a clear; it changes the tools available for the rest of the game. The formula keeps the action focused, with each stage and boss encounter contributing to a compact campaign.
GameSpot emphasizes the selectable stages, themed challenges, Robot Masters and Wily stages in its feature.
8. Metroid Dread
Best for tense exploration and pursuit
Metroid Dread puts exploration under pressure. As Samus searches the planet ZDR, the threat surrounding her gives the act of moving through an unfamiliar environment a different kind of tension from the more self-contained stages above. It belongs here for players who want side-scrolling action to be about navigating a hostile place as much as executing jumps and attacks. Expect an exploration-led structure, not a simple line of levels.
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Rank #4
- Journey through space in two Super Mario adventures, now improved for the Nintendo Switch system!
- Travel the stars with enhanced resolution, improved UI, and additional content
- Learn more about the Lumas from additional Storybook chapters, groove to a bit of additional music
- Get additional Health and fall recovery in Assist Mode
- Join Rosalina and the Lumas to restore the Comet Observatory and rescue Princess Peach in Super Mario Galaxy.
Nintendo’s description of side-scrolling platformers frames the game around Samus exploring ZDR under threat.
9. Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove (2014 collection)
Best retro-inspired collection
Shovel Knight’s retro-inspired design gives the collection a familiar stage-based shape, while Treasure Trove broadens the experience beyond the original campaign. PlayStation describes the collection as five games, including four solo campaigns and co-op or multiplayer modes. That distinction matters: the original Shovel Knight is one game, while Treasure Trove is the later collection and the more expansive recommendation here.
GameSpot discusses the original game’s retro-inspired design, while PlayStation’s guide describes the Treasure Trove collection and its campaigns and modes.
10. Strider (1989)
Best for arcade-style action and spectacle
Strider closes the list because it pushes the side-scrolling action format toward spectacle. Running, jumping and slashing drive its action, while ambitious setpieces give the adventure a sense of scale beyond a string of ordinary fights. It is a more action-led pick than the precision platformers ranked above it, and its appeal lies in the forward momentum and flair of its encounters.
GameSpot describes Strider as a side-scrolling action game built around running, jumping, slashing and ambitious setpieces in its feature.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choose by the kind of challenge you want
- For classic, readable stages: start with Super Mario World or Mega Man 2.
- For interconnected exploration: choose Hollow Knight or Metroid Dread.
- For demanding movement: try Celeste for carefully designed screens or Super Meat Boy for rapid retries.
- For speed and spectacle: Sonic 3 & Knuckles emphasizes momentum; Strider emphasizes action and setpieces.
- For local multiplayer: Rayman Legends is the clearest fit, with PlayStation Blog describing support for up to four local players.
- For a retro-style collection: look specifically for Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove rather than assuming the original game and collection are the same release.
What to check before buying or subscribing
These games span several generations, and the cited platform lists do not establish that every older edition is currently available to buy on every modern system. Rayman Legends’ historical listings, for example, should not be read as a current platform guarantee. Subscription libraries are also subject to regional differences: check the live store or service catalog for your country and the exact edition before deciding where to play.
The source lists underpinning this ranking are recommendations rather than a common numbered verdict: GameSpot presents a candidate gallery, and Nintendo Life explicitly labels its Switch selections as not in any particular order. The placements here reflect the criteria stated above, not an objective industry ranking.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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