Top 15 Best Modern Side-Scrollers Like Sonic Mania

Guacamelee

Guacamelee is heavily inspired by iconic games of yesteryear, but it does more than enough to forge its own legacy. The charming art style, memorable characters, and oodles of charm make this a must-play side-scroller. Part Metroidvania 2D exploration game, and part action-platformer, Guacamelee is a complete joy to play. You can even have a buddy join you for cooperative play if that’s your thing.

Spelunky

Spelunky challenges players to navigate its myriad of randomly generated levels, full of traps and treasures, beckoning you to keep playing to see what interesting loot lies ahead. Progress is always earned, with ever-present danger lurking around every corner. The design of the game is incredibly flexible. It never tells you where you can or can’t go, and a destructible environment and multiple routes give you an endless freedom to explore its hive-like caves. You could sink hours and hours into this brilliant side-scroller.

Rogue Legacy

Rogue Legacy is a nostalgic reimagining of past classics like Castlevania, but it puts a new spin on the formula by adding rogue-like elements. Each time you die, your character is gone for good but his offspring continue the quest. Although the castle environment resets, your collected gold is passed down the family tree for you to upgrade him. The gameplay itself is an excellent blend of platforming and role-playing. Rogue Legacy really encourages you to experiment with your character builds and adapt your style with each run. It’s a truly innovative title in a saturated genre.

Shovel Knight

If you’re in the mood for a game that totally captures the spirit of the 8-bit era of gaming, Shovel Knight is the one. It really does look every part the genuine NES classic, and it plays just as sharply as those hallowed titles, too. You’ll take control of the chivalrous, garden appliance wielding Shovel Knight in his quest to free his buddy, Shield Knight. Expect to navigate obstacle ladened levels that demand precise platforming, and down tough-as-nails boss fights at the conclusion of each stage. This is a must play for any retro renaissance lover.

Fez

It’s hard to tell what exactly is going on in Fez, but what we can say about this mad platform game is that it’s pretty pixel art animates some wonderfully unique puzzle gameplay. Fez employs the use of an innovative mechanic that lets players twist the world on its axis. By rotating the map, new pathways are suddenly revealed, which turns seemingly simple puzzles into mind-bending challenges. to reveal different pathways. Fez is packed with charm and offers a point of differences from other side scrollers out there.

Super Meat Boy

All fans of side-scrolling platformers need to try the phenomenon that is Super Meat Boy. This modern day classic has sold an astounding number of copies across virtually every platform since its launch seven years ago, and with good reason. Super Meat Boy is known for its brutal, hair-tearing difficulty. Players must guide Meat Boy towards his partner, Bandage Girl, bouncing and sliding off walls while navigating a gauntlet of terrifying traps across three hundred levels. Not one for the faint hearted but a fantastically rewarding gaming experience.

Mark of the Ninja

Mark of the Ninja’s measured stealth gameplay is quite the departure from the fast pace of something like Sonic Mania, but it’s every bit as intense. This is side-scrolling stealth done perfectly, maintaining a lovely ebb and flow to its gameplay while including all the nuances you’d expect to see in more complex 3D offerings. You can hide bodies, perform aerial takedowns, bait enemies towards you by manipulating the environment, and then there’s the satisfying one-hit kills… Mark of the Ninja is the definitive 2D stealth game.

Shantae: Half Genie Hero

Developer Wayforward Technologies knows what it takes to develop a superb 2D platformer, and Half Genie Hero is their fourth highly successful title in the Shantae series. The game is packed with unabashed charm, and still looks pretty with the new cleaner HD look, and sounds just as good as ever too. The levels are well designed to take advantage of Shantae’s many new abilities, such as transforming into a crab for underwater levels, and a mouse for sneaking into small crevices. This is absolutely another Shantae adventure worth taking.

Freedom Planet

We’re inundated with games that play on retro nostalgia these days, but surprisingly, not many developers have tried emulating the game design of one of the most famous: Sonic. Freedom Planet does just that, with momentum platforming heavily inspired by the blue blur. In fact, it originated as a Sonic made fan game, but then became its own franchise. There’s all the hallmarks of Sonic packed in its accomplished levels, with a host of cartoony characters that execute similar abilities like spinning and wall jumping. If you’ve just come from Sonic Mania, give this one a go.

Rayman Legends

This delightful platformer took the industry by storm when it released back in 2013. Legends is a sequel that takes Rayman’s gorgeous Loony-tune aesthetic and manages to find new ways to surprise with even more stunning level design than the original. Each of the game’s levels is both a visual treat and a joy to play, with the climactic boss battles being a particular highlight. The Glade of Dreams can be traversed with up to four friends cooperatively, and Legends’ difficulty curve is accessible enough that it can be enjoyed by children and adults alike.

Shu

Shu is an endearing action platformer with tight controls and a gorgeous aesthetic. Taking control of the bird-like creature Shu, you’ll run, hop, and glide your way through its beautifully animated stages, rescuing Shu’s buddies along the way. As you do so, you’re granted special abilities to aid traversal, which will come in handy as you make your escape from the cataclysm that blight’s Shu’s world. This is a platformer that really flows and encourages you to play elegantly. There’s time trials for the speed runners out there, and the levels are packed full of hidden collectables, too.

Downwell

Ok, so Downwell is technically not a side-scrolling game, but Downwell is a must-play 2D action platformer that you need to play. Downwell twists the blueprint by twisting the world on its side; players control their avatar falling down a well, avoiding enemies or blasting them as they descend. You’re given an arsenal of weaponry to help clear your path below, but the only way to reload is to land. It’s totally unique and super hard to put down once you’ve adjusted to the rhythm of proceedings.

Rocket Knight

The modern reimagination of the SEGA Genesis classic, Rocket Knight Adventures, Rocket Knight brings back the classic series with some inventive platforming. The game’s boss fights are a particular highlight, too. Rocket Knight has a vibrant fresh coat of paint and though the gameplay is rooted in the 16-bit original, this is much more than just a revamp. Even if you’re not part of the series cult following, there’s still plenty of unique gameplay to experience here.

Mega Man Legacy Collection Vol. 1

Along with iconic franchises such as Mario, Mega Man set the industry standard for platforming back in the early nineties. These pixelated platformers might look dated, but the gameplay still remains utterly brilliant, and you’ll struggle to find a more rewarding (and testing) gaming experience. The Legacy Collection is actually split across two volumes, but the first one is our pick, given that it includes the series two best games (2 and 3) and packs six, rather than four games. The collection also includes a host of time trials and challenges that mashup different levels for extra replayability.

Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse

If you’re a Disney fan, you simply can’t overlook the Castle of Illusion Remake. This refresh of what was one of SEGA’s best titles back in the early nineties has been brilliantly reworked with a modern polish. This is more of a kid-friendly side-scrolling experience that won’t push your gaming skills too far, but it’s charming, pretty, and plenty entertaining for Mickey fans.