side-scrollers
Left-to-right games
Side-scrollers are video games where the action moves horizontally across the screen, with the viewpoint tracking the player's character from left to right (or occasionally right to left).
The genre dominated early platformers and beat-em-ups: Super Mario Bros. is the quintessential side-scroller.
The term distinguishes these games from top-down, isometric, or first-person perspectives.
Propelling oneself airborne
- levelsHeights or ranked stages
- obstaclesThings in the way
- enemiesHostile opposing parties
- power-upsCollectible game bonuses
checkpoints · lives · hitboxes · parallax · animations · movement · dashing · attacking
Blue gaming icon
- MarioItalian masculine name
- ContraNicaraguan anti-government fighter
- CastlevaniaGothic action game series
- MetroidFictional parasitic alien species
Tiny supernatural beings
- backgroundsWhat lies behind foregrounds
- animationsMoving image sequences
- hand-drawnCreated manually, not digitally
- foregroundNearest visual plane
midground · silhouettes · HUD
Games requiring precise leaps
- run-and-gunMobile aggressive attack style
- shoot-em-upsGun-heavy action games
- MetroidvaniaPlatformer requiring backtracking with upgrades
- roguelikesRandomized permadeath dungeon games
Game creation software
- GameMakerGame development software
- GodotPerpetually anticipated absence
- playtestingEvaluating games before release
- debuggingError removal from programs
jumping
Propelling oneself airborne
power-ups · checkpoints · lives · hitboxes · parallax · animations · movement · dashing · attacking · dodging
Sonic
Blue gaming icon
- MarioItalian masculine name
- ContraNicaraguan anti-government fighter
- CastlevaniaGothic action game series
sprites
Tiny supernatural beings
- backgroundsWhat lies behind foregrounds
- animationsMoving image sequences
- hand-drawnCreated manually, not digitally
foreground · midground · silhouettes · HUD
platformers
Games requiring precise leaps
- run-and-gunMobile aggressive attack style
- shoot-em-upsGun-heavy action games
- MetroidvaniaPlatformer requiring backtracking with upgrades
Unity
Game creation software
- GameMakerGame development software
- GodotPerpetually anticipated absence
- playtestingEvaluating games before release
- pixel artpixel art, sprite, sprite art, pixel perfect, dithering
- 16-bit gamingSega Genesis, SNES, 16-bit, Mega Drive, Sonic the Hedgehog