Culture

Platforms: All


Some of the very first role-playing and action games were side-scrollers – well, the first ones that weren't entirely text-based, at least. They became popular ith both game developers and gamers. The developers liked side-scrollers because they allowed them to implement a large amount of story and complexity into the game, and worked well with the limited hardware available. The gamers enjoyed them because they were challenging. So, what exactly is a ‘side-scroller’? It is a game that offers a two-dimensional, side-angle view of characters and the environment, in which the character progresses from one side of the screen to the other, and the camera follows them as they move across.
Some of the first side-scrolling games are those that many of us will know very well; the Mario games (well many of them), Mega-Man, and Castlevania, to name a few. These were the widely popular, top-of-the-line, high-performance games of their time.
Side-scrolling games have begun to have a revival in modern gaming culture. Braid, Shadow Complex, and Little Big Planet are just a few examples of some popular modern side-scrollers. Side-scrollers are coming back because those same attributes that made them popular in the first place now have a nostalgic pull, and the new games have added some extra intriguing concepts. Braid offers time puzzles, Shadow Complex is a side-scroller in a 3D environment where enemies can attack from three directions instead of two, and Little Big Planet provides a large array of puzzles and customisability.
Side-scrollers have been popular for decades. They are a fun type of game that is being re-envisioned by current game developers. However, despite their charm and desirable characteristics, they may not appeal to all gamers. Personally I prefer blasting creatures with guns, or hacking through them with swords in a highly-detailed 3D environment, though I recognise the attraction to retro-styled side-scrolling.