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Best Side Scroller Games

Top 50 of 412 qualifying games — tagged Side Scroller (community voting), 1,000+ reviews · ranked by Wilson lower bound on Steam review score · review data as of 2026-10-22. Under each game: what its Steam reviewers most often mention (+ praise, − complaint), with how many of about 100 most-helpful reviews raise it — from the review consensus on each game's page.

1 Chrono Gear: Warden of Time (2025) 2D Platformer · Action · Female Protagonist · $17.99 + Engaging, fast platforming mechanics 25+ Heartwarming, emotional Hololive story 19 98.9%1,022 reviews 2 100 hidden frogs (2021) Free to Play · Hidden Object · Cute · Free + easy achievement hunts 23+ relaxing frog-finding gameplay 20 98.0%7,150 reviews 3 Well Dweller (2026) Metroidvania · Action-Adventure · Dark Fantasy · $16.99 + Matchstick traversal and combat 66+ Cute-creepy hand-drawn style 54− Generally too easy 22 97.9%4,138 reviews 4 Celeste (2018) Precision Platformer · Difficult · Pixel Graphics · $19.99 + Precise, satisfying platforming mechanics 71+ Deep, heartfelt mental-health story 44− Punishing difficulty and sharp spikes 16 97.4%147,815 reviews 5 Touhou Hero of Ice Fairy (2024) Bullet Hell · Anime · Female Protagonist · $6.99 + challenging and fair boss battles 73+ challenging but fair, rewards practice 34− challenge levels are too hard 6 97.5%9,217 reviews 6 SANABI (2023) Pixel Graphics · Story Rich · Action · $14.99 + emotional tear-jerking narrative 54+ smooth grappling-hook platforming 42− overlong cutscenes and dialogue 10 97.2%45,285 reviews 7 BattleBlock Theater (2014) Co-op · Platformer · Funny · $14.99 + chaotic platforming and unique puzzles 22+ fun chaotic co-op with friends 20− update regressions and co-op glitches 6 97.2%72,975 reviews 8 Touhou Luna Nights (2019) Metroidvania · Difficult · Side Scroller · $17.99 + Time-stop mechanic fun, bosses well-designed 62+ Challenge well-balanced and fair 22− Short game, wish it was longer 12 97.3%14,997 reviews 9 A Taste of the Past (2022) Adventure · Interactive Fiction · Visual Novel · Free + emotional grief narratives 41+ short 20-minute experiences 35 97.8%1,781 reviews 10 The Expendabros (2014) Free to Play · Action · Pixel Graphics · Free + Addictive explosive action gameplay 28+ Impressive pixel art visuals 6− Notably brief game length 11 97.2%18,269 reviews 11 Tukoni: Prologue (2020) Adventure · Casual · Point & Click · Free + cute hand-drawn artwork 48+ simple enjoyable puzzle solving 19− very short prologue content 21 97.4%4,017 reviews 12 Hollow Knight (2017) Metroidvania · Souls-like · Platformer · $14.99 + Tight combat and rewarding exploration 55+ Beautiful hand-drawn world and atmosphere 35− Tedious backtracking and uneven boss design 14 96.9%562,796 reviews 13 Broforce (2015) America · Action · Pixel Graphics · $14.99 + chaotic destructive run-and-gun fun 51+ fun local co-op with friends 24− repetitive, shallow, or frustrating mechanics 7 96.9%61,137 reviews 14 Dungeon Munchies (2022) Indie · Action · Pixel Graphics · $19.99 + Surprisingly strong story and characters 47+ Cooking-driven build variety 33− Frequent bugs and broken features 11 97.2%7,227 reviews 15 Mark of the Ninja Stealth · Platformer · Ninja · $4.99 + Stealth mechanics and varied approaches 49+ Stylized comic-book visuals 16− Interrupted stealth and missing bosses 5 97.0%15,875 reviews 16 Jerma's Big Adventure (2021) Comedy · 2D Platformer · Dinosaurs · Free 97.6%1,389 reviews 17 Arisen Force: Life Devotee - Initial Ver. (2024) Action · Action RPG · Beat 'em up · Free 97.1%2,753 reviews 18 Until Then (2024) Visual Novel · Pixel Graphics · Emotional · $19.99 + Emotionally impactful character-driven narrative 92+ Beautiful pixel art visual style 41− Limited agency and interaction 7 96.6%19,461 reviews 19 Your Only Move Is HUSTLE (2023) 2D Fighter · Turn-Based Strategy · Action · $4.99 + strategic turn-based fighting 88+ workshop mods add variety 31− steep or punishing learning curve 18 96.5%45,547 reviews 20 Will You Snail? (2022) Artificial Intelligence · Precision Platformer · Difficult · $10.99 + witty Squid dialogue and lore 20+ creative AI prediction mechanics 19− unfair unpredictable hazards 12 96.9%2,839 reviews 21 The Pedestrian (2020) Puzzle · Puzzle-Platformer · Logic · $19.99 + innovative mechanics and clever puzzle design 98+ beautiful visuals with cohesive art direction 41− some puzzles obtuse or unclear 12 96.6%6,119 reviews 22 Cuphead (2017) Difficult · Cartoon · Co-op · $19.99 + fun, varied boss-focused mechanics 71+ beautiful hand-drawn cartoon animation 48− extreme, rage-inducing difficulty 24 96.1%223,270 reviews 23 Tribal Hunter (2022) Action · 2D Platformer · Action-Adventure · $14.99 + Size mechanics and resource management 25+ Memorable characters and writing 9 96.9%1,660 reviews 24 Songs for a Hero - Definitive Edition (2016) 2D Platformer · Adventure · Narration · $14.99 + Fun musical platforming 53+ Dynamic humorous singing 39− Grating repetitive singing 16 96.5%4,454 reviews 25 Thank Goodness You're Here! (2024) Adventure · Comedy · Funny · $19.99 + Absurdist British humor and irreverent slapping mechanics 76+ Quirky hand-drawn English aesthetic and animation 23− Two to four hour playtime 21 96.2%8,526 reviews 26 Mark of the Ninja: Remastered (2018) Stealth · Ninja · 2D · $19.99 + Smooth tactical stealth gameplay 44+ Gorgeous stylish visuals and animations 20− Desires more length or content 5 96.1%6,947 reviews 27 Snezhinka:Sentinel Girls2 (2024) Anime · Pixel Graphics · Cute · $7.99 + simple addictive shooting loop 32+ branching stories and character endings 24− depressing, disappointing narratives 10 96.4%2,505 reviews 28 Touhou Blooming Soul (2026) Early Access · Adventure · Action · $5.99 + Interesting combat and systems 16+ Gorgeous pixel art 14− Mixed challenge and learning curve 5 96.7%1,215 reviews 29 Gun Devil (2022) Side Scroller · 2D Platformer · Hero Shooter · Free + Fast, satisfying run-and-gun action 28+ Expressive, colorful pixel art 16− Short, unfinished overall experience 21 96.4%1,603 reviews 30 Valiant Hearts: The Great War / Soldats Inconnus : Mémoires de la Grande Guerre (2014) Atmospheric · Historical · World War I · $14.99 + emotional anti-war World War I story 62+ enjoyable historical puzzle mechanics 25− simple repetitive unengaging mechanics 6 95.6%27,746 reviews 31 Five Nights at Freddy's: Into the Pit (2024) Horror · Pixel Graphics · Adventure · $19.99 + Fun, engaging gameplay with puzzles 65+ Pixel art style and animations 30− Game is too short 6 95.7%10,983 reviews 32 DEADBOLT (2016) Stealth · Pixel Graphics · Great Soundtrack · $9.99 + Engaging stealth-action with excellent variety 50+ Excellent soundtrack and sound design 18− Unfair mechanics, poor balance 10 95.8%5,645 reviews 33 Iron Meat (2024) Shoot 'Em Up · Side Scroller · 2D Platformer · $15.99 + run-and-gun combat 38+ biomechanical pixel art 26− short campaign 19 96.5%1,114 reviews 34 My Friend Pedro (2019) Action · Indie · Shooter · $19.99 + stylish satisfying trick-shot combat 45+ fun absurd banana premise 7− repetitive gimmicky late-game mechanics 11 95.5%28,503 reviews 35 Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove (2014) Platformer · Pixel Graphics · Retro · $39.99 + Tight, responsive platforming mechanics 65+ Charming characters, engaging narrative 15− Cheap recycled content, unfair design 16 95.5%16,961 reviews 36 Charlie Murder (2017) Action · Beat 'em up · Indie · $9.99 + Fun beat-'em-up loop 36+ Fun with friends and co-op 13− Poor PC multiplayer 6 95.9%2,956 reviews 37 Freedom Planet 2 (2022) Platformer · Side Scroller · Pixel Graphics · $24.99 + fast-paced platforming and combat 38+ excellent, memorable soundtrack 22− tedious bosses and gimmicks 9 96.1%1,743 reviews 38 ROUNDS (2021) Multiplayer · Fighting · Local Multiplayer · $5.99 + fun, chaotic card-combo combat 88+ fun matches with friends 39− limited modes and slow matchmaking 10 95.3%44,708 reviews 39 LISA: The Painful (2014) Dark Humor · RPG · Story Rich · $19.99 + emotionally powerful morally complex narrative 51+ strategic turn-based combat system 17− tedious unbalanced spongy combat 6 95.4%15,242 reviews 40 ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist (2025) Metroidvania · 2D · Singleplayer · $13.74 + Improved mechanics, exploration, varied combat 73+ Amazing, phenomenal soundtrack throughout 26− Difficulty scaling problems, unbalanced boss 10 95.3%18,878 reviews 41 Silver Pines (2026) Exploration · Horror · Metroidvania · $22.49 95.7%4,226 reviews 42 Life Goes On: Done to Death (2014) Dark Humor · Funny · Platformer · $3.89 + death-based puzzle mechanics 67+ dark humor throughout 19− later puzzles become tedious 9 95.9%2,438 reviews 43 DRAINUS (2022) Action · Shoot 'Em Up · Indie · $14.99 + Absorb mechanic and customization 44+ Colorful pixel-art presentation 22− Short campaign and few levels 15 96.2%1,170 reviews 44 Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition (2016) Atmospheric · Great Soundtrack · Metroidvania · $19.99 + Gorgeous visuals and art direction 63+ Fluid, satisfying platforming and abilities 52− Frustrating difficulty spikes 13 95.1%71,584 reviews 45 Rabi-Ribi (2016) Anime · Metroidvania · Bullet Hell · $17.99 + Excellent bullet-hell metroidvania gameplay 37+ Massive amount of content 10− Excessive fanservice 9 95.3%12,274 reviews 46 Dust: An Elysian Tail (2013) Action · Platformer · Metroidvania · $14.99 + fun hack-and-slash combat 53+ hand-drawn visual beauty 36− generic anime tropes 8 95.1%19,100 reviews 47 pureya (2021) Minigames · Arcade · Casual · $5.99 + Quick arcade minigames 57+ Cheap price for content 11− Tedious pachinko unlock grind 15 95.7%2,455 reviews 48 DISTRAINT 2 (2018) Psychological Horror · Horror · Story Rich · $8.99 95.4%4,931 reviews 49 ASTLIBRA Revision (2022) Action RPG · 2D · Side Scroller · $24.99 + satisfying deep evolving combat 62+ twisty emotional time-travel narrative 49− grindy gear and reward pacing 12 95.0%31,944 reviews 50 Montaro (2016) Memes · Cute · Anime · $0.99 95.1%12,176 reviews