Best Side Scroller Games on Steam

Unlike generic lists, our game recommendations use a rigorous analysis of Steam user reviews to identify and feature only the best, community-validated side scroller games.

Filter Games
Loading Loading...
Spelunky Spelunky is a unique platformer with randomized levels that offer a challenging new experience each time you play. Journey deep underground and explore fantastic places filled with all manner of monsters, traps, and treasure.

Price -51% 7.36€
Rating 9.0
Release 08 Aug 2013
Guacamelee! Gold Edition Guacamelee! is a Metroidvania-style action-platformer set in a magical Mexican-inspired world. The game draws its inspiration from traditional Mexican culture and folklore, and features many interesting and unique characters.

Price -97% 0.48€
Rating 9.0
Release 08 Aug 2013
Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians Awakened from his slumber, Beatbuddy journeys through lush hand-painted environments on a quest to save his companions and his own immortality. Beatbuddy interacts with the living breathing environment that pulses to the beat of an original soundtrack, aiding him as he unlocks new paths and solves puzzles.

Price -96% 0.44€
Rating 7.2
Release 06 Aug 2013
Bleed Wryn is a girl with a big arsenal and big dreams -- she wants to be the ultimate videogame hero! Help her take down the Greatest Heroes of All Time in an action-packed bid to claim the title for herself and show the world what a true hero looks like!

Price -48% 2.62€
Rating 8.8
Release 03 Jul 2013
Rogue Legacy Rogue Legacy is a genealogical rogue-"LITE" where anyone can be a hero. Each time you die, your child will succeed you. Every child is unique. One child might be colorblind, another might be a dwarf with vertigo. But that's OK, because no one is perfect, and you don't have to be to succeed.

Price -95% 0.75€
Rating 9.1
Release 27 Jun 2013
Fist Puncher The sinister Milkman holds the city of San Cruces in his nasty criminal grip, and it’s up to legendary black belt neurosurgeon Dr. Karate and the rest of the Fist Puncher team to deliver old-school justice to the lawless streets.

Price -74% 2.63€
Rating 6.8
Release 21 Jun 2013
Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara brings reworkings of two of Capcom’s classic arcade hits - Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom and Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara – together in one definitive digital package.

Price -93% 1.10€
Rating 7.8
Release 18 Jun 2013
The Swapper What if someone knew your mind better than you did? The Swapper is an award-winning, narrative driven puzzle game set in the furthest reaches of space.

Price -94% 0.84€
Rating 9.1
Release 30 May 2013
Dust: An Elysian Tail Immerse yourself in a gorgeous hand-painted world on a search for your true identity. As the mysterious warrior, Dust, your action-packed journey will take you from peaceful glades to snowy mountaintops and beyond.

Price -78% 3.21€
Rating 9.3
Release 24 May 2013
Zack Zero Zack Zero takes you on an action-packed platform adventure with incredible 3D graphics and the playability and entertainment of classic 2D games. Help Zack Zero save his beloved Marlene, kidnapped by the evil Zulrog in an effort to obtain the powerful substance that will allow him to travel back in time.

Price 2.99€
Rating 6.2
Release 29 Apr 2013
Sacred Citadel Sharpen your axe, string your bow, brew your potions! Ancaria needs heroes like you. Grab your friends to join the resistance!The once peaceful land of Ancaria is in grave danger. The evil Ashen empire has enslaved its population and is using the orc-like Grimmoc to wipe out the Seraphim, who swore to protect it.

Price -96% 0.42€
Rating 6.7
Release 16 Apr 2013
La-Mulana LA-MULANA is an “Archaeological Ruin Exploration Action Game,” bringing the classic appeal of adventure with the punishing difficulty of retro-inspired gaming. Search inside ancient ruins, seeking out the “Secret Treasure of Life” – which sleeps in the sprawling ruins of “LA-MULANA” and is said to be the beginning of all civilization.

Price -80% 2.99€
Rating 7.7
Release 15 Apr 2013
DLC Quest What happens when DLC practices go too far? An indie developer makes a game that mocks the industry and its foibles, that's what! Defeat the bad guy, save the world and get the girl! But first you'll need to find coins to buy DLC to enable animation, sound and even pausing.

Price 2.99€
Rating 8.6
Release 18 Mar 2013
BIT.TRIP Presents... Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien Step into rhythmic bliss with Runner2! Best Indie Game winner, Guinness World Record holder, and narrated by Charles Martinet. Unleash vibrant moves and beats in 120 levels!

Price -97% 0.52€
Rating 8.8
Release 26 Feb 2013
The Cave Assemble your team of three from seven unlikely adventurers, then descend into the mysterious depths to explore The Cave!

Price 12.99€
Rating 8.4
Release 23 Jan 2013
Waking Mars In 2097, life is discovered on Mars. When your mission of first contact becomes trapped by a cave-in, you must master the alien ecosystem to survive. Soon you stumble upon more than anyone expected, and with time running out, you will make a decision that determines the fate of a lost planet.

Price -96% 0.40€
Rating 8.4
Release 13 Dec 2012
Dead Pixels A toxic waste spill finds its way into the water supply, causing the recently deceased to rise from their graves. Now it's up to you to blast your way through the hordes of undead if you're going to escape the city. On the way to your rescue, you'll search stores and houses for supplies, and trade with other survivors.

Price -58% 1.28€
Rating 8.4
Release 07 Dec 2012
Karateka From PRINCE OF PERSIA creator Jordan Mechner, the original side-scrolling karate classic comes to Steam with art by Jeff Matsuda (The Batman) and music by Grammy-winning composer Christopher Tin (CIVILIZATION IV).

Price -71% 1.16€
Rating 6.7
Release 03 Dec 2012
Thomas Was Alone Guide a group of rectangles through 120 levels, using their different skills together to overcome a series of obstacles in each environment. Discover the human-made story of the first sentient artificial intelligences with Danny Wallace’s BAFTA-winning narration.

Price -95% 0.41€
Rating 9.1
Release 12 Nov 2012
Sine Mora Sine Mora is a horizontal shoot'em up that provides a unique take on challenge, where time is the ultimate factor.

Price -92% 2.17€
Rating 7.8
Release 09 Nov 2012
Pid You are stranded on a strange and peculiar planet. It’s time to embark on your journey and find your way home! Explore a gravity defying and challenging platformer with striking visuals and a captivating story that transports you to a world beyond ours.

Price -88% 2.52€
Rating 8.0
Release 31 Oct 2012
Deadlight “Probably the best downloadable title on the market right now.” 9/10 – Eurogamer.se

Price -96% 0.56€
Rating 7.7
Release 25 Oct 2012
Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams is a blistering hardcore platformer with contrasting worlds.

Price -95% 0.78€
Rating 7.5
Release 22 Oct 2012
Fairy Bloom Freesia Take control of Freesia as she protects Lita Forest by beating the living daylights out of enemies invading the forest!

Price -94% 0.52€
Rating 8.1
Release 17 Oct 2012
Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken Annihilate an evil penguin regime in this cinematic platform adventure game offering full solo and co-op campaigns.

Price -90% 0.50€
Rating 7.7
Release 15 Oct 2012
Worms Revolution Worms™ Revolution is the latest game in the classic turn-based strategy series to come to the PC.

Price -97% 0.45€
Rating 8.5
Release 10 Oct 2012
Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit A crazy action-adventure platformer... In Hell.

Price 12.99€
Rating 8.2
Release 03 Oct 2012
Intrusion 2 "This is some of the most fun I've had with a game so far this year, and it will go down as one of the best side-scrolling shooters of all time." - 9/10, Destructoid

Price -69% 2.51€
Rating 8.5
Release 11 Sep 2012
They Bleed Pixels They Bleed Pixels is a fiendishly difficult action platformer inspired by H.P. Lovecraft and classic horror.

Price -96% 0.42€
Rating 8.0
Release 29 Aug 2012
Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack A sci-fi puzzle-platformer of cataclysmic proportions! Evolve from a tiny captive into a world-eating giant. Use your mutant blob powers to devour the pathetic humans and all of civilization!

Price -94% 0.64€
Rating 8.6
Release 15 Aug 2012
MapleStory Join over 260 million players worldwide in MapleStory, the world’s biggest 2D MMORPG adventure! Play now for free.

Price Free to play
Rating 6.2
Release 09 Aug 2012
Awesomenauts Use your power, show your might! Play this Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) game! AWESOMENAUTS combines 2D platforming with team-based strategy and hero based action. Whether you are a new recruit or an intergalactic legend, play AWESOMENAUTS!

Price 19.50€
Rating 8.3
Release 01 Aug 2012
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode II The Sonic 4 Saga continues in Episode II with the return of a beloved side kick and fan-favorite villains! Following the events of Episode I, Metal Sonic has returned to form an alliance with Dr. Eggman! To face this new evil, Sonic will have to call upon an old friend to help him save the day!

Price -80% 2.01€
Rating 7.2
Release 14 May 2012
Lone Survivor: The Director's Cut In this original and adult psychological survival horror, the masked protagonist must escape from a city ravaged by disease, by any means necessary.

Price -53% 4.65€
Rating 8.1
Release 23 Apr 2012
Noitu Love 2: Devolution A century after the legendary boy Noitu Love saved the world from the evil Darns, they rise again, but in a chaos of time-bending mayhem!

Price -5% 4.77€
Rating 8.6
Release 23 Apr 2012
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet In this Insanely Twisted, 2-D action-adventure game, explore unique environments and battle bizarre creatures.

Price -95% 0.78€
Rating 8.2
Release 17 Apr 2012

Most played side scroller games


7,048 players

8,882
5,305
Rating 6.2

468 players

4,731
975
Rating 8.1

132 players

3,388
595
Rating 8.2

127 players

276
27
Rating 8.4

101 players

25,774
1,184
Rating 9.4

79 players

322
31
Rating 8.4

67 players

938
169
Rating 8.1

41 players

12,978
770
Rating 9.2

38 players

6,526
1,878
Rating 7.6

36 players

10,506
742
Rating 9.1