8 Favourite Sidescrolling 8-bit Action Adventures | hungrygoriya 

This channel is a hidden gem!

Faxanadu holds such a special place in my heart. My sister and I played through it together during some tough times and it really took us to a new world. I’ve recently found your channel and am binge watching your reviews. They’re amazing!

Goonies II is a pretty good side scroller that adds some adventure elements. It's one of my favorite NES games.

I absolutely loved Rygar. Back then most games didn't have all these layers of progress. ❤

I love so much that Rambo, Castlevania 2, Rygar, and Link 2 made this list. I love and miss this style of game. Yeah, some of them are Metroidvania, but more importantly a lot of them had this 'where the hell am I?' atmosphere going on, coupled with the esoteric translations... from an exploring perspective, it was super rewarding. I always felt like a stranger in a strange land with these and a lot of them are challenging games that demanded you to dive deep into their individual worlds and come out of it feeling like you had a real journey, and not simply another game. I haven't really played modern games that quite ecapsulate this feeling of being more than just another Metroidvania title.

I love this type of game. Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap is a great one that scratches this itch.

First game that comes to mind (other than those you mentioned) is Bionic Commando for the NES. Not a lot of story during the game, but it does have one, as well as NPCs, and a level system that increases your health as you go. Another game I'd suggest is Wrath of the Black Manta (NES). While not necessarily an adventure game like Faxanadu, it does have some exploration aspects to it, as well as a story. Lastly, I would mention Nightshade (NES). It's more of a point and click type game, but may be worth looking into as well.

Faxanadu was/is one of my all-time favorite NES games. There are a few on this list I've played, but just as many that I haven't, so this was a great chance for me to learn some new stuff and add even more games to my backlog. Really well put-together and compelling. Thanks!

Out of curiosity, as a child, did you ever experience the anxiety of gambling for a cheap game in the Toys R Us bargain bin? I remember fishing out a US Copy of The Ninja for the Master System from mine (as Toys R Us used to sell US copies os SMS games here for some reason) Also, vividly remember grabbing Rescue: The Embassy Mission and Marble Madness on the NES from a Woolworths bargain bin.

I was never able to find anything with the perfect ambiance quite like Faxanadu. I believe it must have been a truly inspired vision

Rygar, The Adventure of Link, and Simon's Quest, were some formative favorites of my childhood! Gaining new equipment, techniques, magic, clues, and lore as you delve further into mysterious lands enriched those feelings that you were living a fantastic adventure!

Just discovered this channel. Really relaxing narration, great writing, fun seeing these games again. Keep up the good work!

Bloody tears from Simon's quest has been my ringtone for I don't know how many years. Faxanadu, Zelda II The adventure of Link and Castlevania Simon's Quest hold such a magical experience as a wee lad for me. The music takes me right back, nothing like it. Great content on all the games, thanks you.

I love that you mentioned Battle of Olympus. I loved that game as a youngling, but couldn't beat it until an adult.

My wife has often raved about Battle of Olympus, though I've never played it. I find it sweet how much nostalgia she has for it

I grew up playing these games in the late 80s early 90s. I played the largest variety of games during the wait at the rental store for the one available copy of Zelda 2 and Mario 2. Great content, thanks for the memories.

If 2D Action Adventures are your thing, I can't overstate how good the Blaster Master Zero trilogy is. What started as a solid remake became an impressively expansive series of fun new abilities, huge bosses and epic spectacle. Highly recommended!

Rygar is still one of my favourites today. Another side-scrolling action RPG that I love, and that didn’t make your list, is River City Ransom for NES. Give that one a try. You will LOVE it.

We're learning to dig rocks better, we're harnessing the power of the sun, we're figuring it out together when every game is won. 8/8

I've been watching your videos while doing a playthrough of an old PC game I used to play as a kid, you're voice and commentary is just so soothing.

Your list is absolutely amazing! Bless your heart for including Rambo in this list among so many others that I played as a kid. The rush of memories made watching this mean so much more.

Great list, I appreciate your positive review of Simon's Quest! It was one of my favorite games when I was young.

Faxanadu!!!! holy crap I've been trying to remember the name of this game for EVER...I rented it in 1990 from the video store and played the hell out of it...but forgot the title!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

I have a lot of these games. They're all great. I always look forward to your videos. You put a lot of effort into them and it shows. I'm glad I found your You Tube video. You're an excellent resource.

The Battle of Olympus brought back so many memories. I always saw it as an underappreciated yet superior version of Zelda II.

Amazing! I love how you avoided the term “Metroidvania” altogether and just called them what they are: action adventures. These are my very favorite games for my favorite system! We know you love some Leg of the Wiz, but have you tried Stanley? I think you would like it a lot. Or how about Dr Chaos and Goonies II, both with some awesome adventure elements. There’s Metroid of course… and Friday the 13th (way underrated!), Boy and his Blob, Blaster Master, and Hebereke, which is like a platformer hybrid.

Great list! I really appreciate how you were able to bundle up a few games you've already covered more extensively without it feeling like a clip show. You really put a lot of care and thoughtfulness into your videos.

I loved Rygar, Clash At Demonhead, and Zelda 2 as a kid! I only regret that I never came across Faxanadu until my 30s, but man that game is such a gem!

Battle of Olympus was awesome !! I remember playing that when it first came out 😁

Great video. I remember being impressed by the parallax scrolling sunset in Rygar. :D

Rygar was so much fun! I think the glitch that would let one get on top of cliff wall in the top down world was the first I found without being clued in before hand. It was also one that I actually enjoyed grinding (along with Zelda 2), because one could turn most boss battles into curb stomp affairs.

A new HG video!? Don't mind if I do! These are always the most exciting videos to find when opening youtube!

The music in Castlevania 2 is an awesome mix of baroque and modern. I rarely get tired of listening to it.

Always happy to find Kenseiden on a list. His was one of my favourite games as a kid, and I was proud when I beat it since no one else in the family got close. Not of this time period, but I think you’d enjoy Elliot Quest quite a bit.

Seen a few of your vids and i really enjoy your thorough reviews and how much nostalgia you are blasting me with

Recently I was in a stream hostd by the channel Big Ole Words (one of the people on that discord is a fan of you and that's actually how I discovered your channel). In the stream chat, the question of whether its pronounced "Fax Anna Do" or "Fah Zanadu" came up. I prefer the first, because it lended itself to a little song I appopriated and altered: _You take the good,_ _You take the bad,_ _You take 'em both and there you have_ _The Facts of Xanadu, the Facts of Xanadu...._ _There's a time you gotta go and show_ _You're growin' now, you know about_ _the Facts of Xanadu, the Fact of Xanadu...._

Great video, really enjoyed that! I would highly recommend ‘EVO the search for Eden’ on the SNES if you enjoy 2D side scrolling action adventures. It plays very well and a pretty unique storyline and mechanic. One of my favs!

There's an absolutely amazing PC game from ~2004 called Cave Story. I think you would REALLY enjoy it. Some mad man recently ported it to the Sega Genesis too, so if you have a Mega Everdrive, it's an absolute must play. Otherwise, the PC version has and will always be free online. This game changed my life.

You have so much of the same taste as me. I loved all these games as a kid. My friends and I actually used to play “Rygar” on the playground at recess, pretending we were characters in the game.

So glad I found this channel! I love your perspective, these are really great videos. Off to binge!

you may enjoy Ax Battler: A Legend of Golden Ax for Game Gear as it fits the genre of this video. It's tough to play on anything but original hardware because it doesn't work on a Retron5. Also, may I once more humbly impart to you... Ultima: Runes of Virtue 2 for Game Boy or SNES. It's the most hidden of precious gems.

FAXANADU! Omg, love that game. And the manual. I always wondered why the hero was stopping to drink a beer. And, theres a lot of people that hate Zelda II, but I love it. I always have 8 and 16 bit chiptunes as ringtones on my phone, and it usually cycles between crystalis overworld music, zelda II palace music and dwellings of doom (castlevania II mansion music). Lord of the Sword Ive never played, but based on your review I think id find it too aggravating. Battle of Olympus Ive never even heard of. I dont know how thats possible. Im old and been gaming since I was a kid the 80s. I thought I knew all the action RPG-esque sidescrollers games on the NES. But this sounds great. Im now trying to find a copy. Fuck yeah, Castlevania II. First 3 notes before you even showed the cart was all it took. Was I the only one who as a kid used to laugh with my friends that we were going to find "Dracula's Dick"? At 8 years old, that was the height of humor. Great lineup here. Have you ever played magician for the NES? To this day I still yell "wakey wakey" when im trying to get my pibble out of bed(snoozing in her old age is her main fun), and I got it from that game. Its not easy and has noob traps. I never beat it until internet walkthrus existed, but its still pretty fun, if has a lot of ways to fuck yourself and cheap deaths.

Absolutely loved this video! You and I seem to have been the same kid many years ago. I knew it would be a good video when it started with Faxanadu. I didn’t realize, however, you would go on to name the rest of my favorite nes titles. Great video.

your video style -- straightforward, clear, no focus on the presenter besides your personal experience with the game, no corny joking around -- is exactly what i like in gaming videos. i'm very glad to have found your channel

I love "Zelda II: The Adventure of Link." It's not perfect, but it's damn good. It's difficult but satisfying to defeat, and I have defeated it a few times. Dark Link/Shadow Link is one of the greatest bosses in video game history. Death Mountain should come later in the game, and the amount of grinding/farming for experience points can get a little old.

I'd have to consider Clash at Demonhead the most underrated NES game. Back in the day the guys at my local game shop used to make fun of me for buying or renting unpopular titles like Clash. This included the owner himself lol. But like I told them there are always "diamonds in the rough," and I was on a mission to find them.

Love your dedication to making such elaborate and entertaining videos. I've only played Links Adventure (to completion) and a little of Simon's Quest, but you've opened my eyes to a few others I have to try. Battle for Olmpus looks amazing. Never thought Rambo 2 would look so compelling, but kinda sparked my interest. Also, great inclusion of some handwritten notes. A big part of 8-bit adventuring was being a gumbshoe. Thanks!

Aw man Lord of The Sword! A long forgotten childhood favorite, thank you so much for the memories! :D

Great list of games. I recommend checking out Odallus: The Dark Call, a modern/retro take on the genre.

Amazing content on this channel. Love the no gimmicks straight forward format

Thanks for these reviews! Incredible selection of games so far - some I've only seen the cover for as a child. I really like that you don't stick to a console. Your video outros (also intermittent segments) are a real nostalgic treat! I'm excited for whatever is next :)

Great narration. Good stuff.

Great list. Love that Faxanadu is your theme and outro. Some of the best NES music. Battle of Olympus doesn't get enough love. :)

Those scratch off cards. That brought back memories.

Cool video, nice content, much love and effort put into this (like always). Thanks for the information.

Flying Warriors (NES) side-scrolling, story based, mixing genres - pretty unique

The one i remember the most from this bunch is The Battle of Olympus. Early 90's..i was in my teens, there was a huge party at home and my brother and i went to the kitchen and stole some beers. Girl we played till 4:00 in the morning, half drunk, and completed at least 80% of the game. MEMORIES 😢

I keep getting recommended smaller gaming channels like this and it's very welcome, since a lot of my old favorites are getting long in the tooth. Your voice and delivery are very listenable, and we seem to have had similar tastes as kids, and I'll binge until I have to wait for your next newest video. Thank you for the good content.

I think your reviews are some of the best on RU-vid really enjoy your videos

I just finished Faxanadu the other day. I was motivated by one of your videos to play it, especially after realizing it was a game I'd never gotten past the first "area" of. It was a blast! Really enjoyed it more than I expected to... Thanks for the excellent videos! Now you got me thinking the same about Zelda 2 🤔

You have an excellent vocal style, and your editing keeps me effortlessly engaged. I hope more people find your channel.

Totally clicked on this because I recognized the Faxanadu meat. One of my favorites from childhood. I feel like this game is finally really having it's day now. It seems to pop up on a lot of "gems lists" these days. I remember getting it as a kid. I loaned my Super Mario 3 to my babysitters at the time, a couple of teenage dudes. It was stolen from them so their mom gave my mom cash to buy a new copy. When we were at the store I begged to get Faxanadu instead. I remembered renting it and loving it. No ragrets. Big Rygar fan too. Haven't actually tried the others on the list, although I have heard of'm. Planning on firing up Kenseiden on the everdrive and giving it a shot.

When i saw the video title i was hoping Rambo was in there, and it was! Makes me happy. I spent countless hours playing Rambo and most of the games on your list lol.

Loved your list. I specially love how you shine new light on some titles, specially the most known ones from the list. About recommendations, I've been playing Beyond Oasis lately and enjoying it a lot. Not exactly a side scroller, but it is very interesting how it mixes puzzles with adventure with beat em up combat. Ancient was full of talented people and that game shows! :)

Just discovered your channel through the whims of the algorithm, and this was a really great video! I look forward to checking out your back catalogue. I love anytime someone extols the virtues of Rygar. I really need to try Faxanadu some day!

It's rare to see a video that includes games that I grew up playing every single one

Every time I discover a cool channel like this, I can't help but think... Man I wish I knew this person when I was a kid. We'd have been friends. In particular, I really appreciate that you aren't limited to the NES, and you actually look at Master System stuff BESIDES Phantasy Star. I didn't realize how much cool stuff it had. I only had 4 games for it growing up. You may enjoy Strider on NES and Zillion on the Master System as some suggestions back to you.

I just found your channel and I've been binge watching. You are doing a great job!

Thanks for taking the time to explore these. It's an underappreciated genre.

I’m glad you stuck it out to the end on Zelda 2. There are a ton of things I would improve about that game if I could remake it today (the rom hacks explore some of these improvements), but it’s still my favorite game of all time.

Just found this - it’s great! Happy you focussed on 8 bit, because this list could fall off the rails! Dragon’s Trap was phenomenal - likely one of the the top five games on the Master System, while Wonder Boy in Monster Land (part 2), deserves a play through. Golvellius is also great and everyone said it was a Zelda clone back in the 8-but wars, but that and Golden Axe Warrior were hidden gems. One of the greatest genres - keep it up!

Rambo: I'm not afraid of death. *Immediately gets jumped by bats* Zelda 2 is a great and something I'm glad I went back to really appreciate! Need to do the same with Simon's Quest. Just haven't felt that Castlevania itch. Great picks though, some really fun side scrolling action here!

“As long as one takes good notes…” Me: silently closing my GameFAQ tab in shame…

Great list. Faxanadu ranks among my favorite NES games too, although I only first played it around 2015-2016. Another one that comes to mind is Wizards & Warriors III, the only game in the series that eschews separate game stages for a single connected world much like Metroid, where new sections of the world open up as you acquire new powers. It was probably my first Metroidvania-ish game, not counting Zelda II, which I consider to be more of a side-scrolling action RPG. I'm very glad to see you giving the Adventure of Link and Simon's Quest some love. These games have been unfairly maligned over the years. Sure they're not perfect games, and they have their issues, mainly being too cryptic, but they're still good games. Gargoyle's Quest on Game Boy, Gargoyle's Quest II on NES, and Demon's Crest on SNES are also excellent. The NES version of Strider doesn't fully fit into this genre, but it still comes pretty close. I also really enjoy Wonder Boy V: Monster World on the Master System (or Genesis), and Monster World VI on Genesis. The Genesis and SNES also have the excellent Phantom 2040 (although it doesn't match all the criteria you set out at the beginning of your video, but comes pretty close) and Ys III, and the Sega CD has Popful Mail, which is definitely worth playing as well. Of course once you get into current generations there are so many games in this genre, or games that come pretty close.

Love these games. Excellent selection in this video :D

Epic video. Tremendous job as always, HG!

Fantastic list and presentation style. Here's one for the algorithm, will check out more from you.

How have I not known about your channel?! Your content is amazing!

Glad i found this channel 😊 brings back alot of nostalgia. I felt like i was the one that likes zelda 2 and castlevania 2 at least among my friends back in the day.

These videos make me so happy 😅 with a coffee on my desk whilst the evening approaches. As my tablet and drawing book lays before me, I just take in all the nostalgia! I love your work, so much joy! [Edit] Sweet Home.

Instantly subscribed... You summed up most of my favorite NES games. During lockdown I revisited Rygar, Faxanadu, Zelda II and Battle of Olympus. I love these games. I clearly remember reading the manuals and enjoying the artwork back in the day. Zelda II was my first Zelda game and the second NES game I bought. It will always be my favorite Zelda game since it was my first true adventure/rpg that sparked a love for the genre. Also Rygar... First I borrowed it from a friend that didn't really enjoyed it. I explored and finished it without a manual or knowing what to do next. It took me a while and since I used the TV in the living room and there was no save or password function my NES had to stay powered on for most of the time.

2:02 Man these scratch ticket like cards bring back the memories!

One of my favorite retro channels.

This is a solid list for the subgenre of game being discussed. I grew up with all of these games. I love Lord of the sword, but it's not without its flaws. Awesome video, subbed.

Thanks for putting some love on Simons Quest. I always loved that one. Great choices here overall. Some of my childhood favorites. Faxanadu, Rygar, Simons Quest, Zelda 2.

Very interesting video, thanks for making it!

This side-scrolling action-adventure-kinda-RPG genre of games was probably my favorite growing up. I spent countless hours on Faxanadu, Castlevania 2, and Zelda 2. Castlevania 2 has my all-time favorite soundtrack, but Faxanadu was probably my all-time favorite NES game, due to its gameplay, aesthetics, unique story, and grindability (it felt sooo good being able to buy overpowered gear from that one vendor on the way to the first town before arriving at the first town!). If I may offer an honorable mention: River City Ransom isn't completely side-scrolling, but it's side-scrolling-ish and I think it fits with the spirit of this genre, and it's another favorite.

I played Faxanadu when i was kid, had so much fun and love the visual of the game so much that i use Faxanadu wallpaper as my computer background.

This is my favorite videos of yours. I would love more compilation style videos from you.

Tartarus, there's a word you don't hear everyday. Great video👍🤓👍 Loved every minute! Now I want to play Zelda II :)

Great list! Will need to actually sit down with most of these. Happy to see Kenseiden made it! :)

Just wanna say that I love your channel and love the positive energy you put out. you inspired me to try my uncle's old copy of 7th saga so you're aces in my book. Cheers from one Ontario character to another

Great work, thank you for saying positive things about Rambo. All too often people trash it without understanding that there is a fun little game to be had. Plus, the game's soundtrack bangs.

Two things about Zelda 2 that crack me up: 1. Singing "Goldfinger!" to the first three notes of the town music. 2. Link's walk cycle looks like Chuck Barry's duck walk.

Oh man! That Rambo music takes me back. I owned that game as an 8 year old and sunk hooooours and weeks and months into it. Before the internet and none of my friends had that game. I maybe made it to that helicopter a few times and no matter what I did, I couldn't beat it. I'll never forget thinking "I bet this is the final boss, too" Top 10 games I couldn't beat that still stick with me lol

When listening to the introduction, the first game that came to mind was Lord of the Sword. Kudoos! Such a great game!

Clash at Demonhead is one of my all time favorite games! I just absolutely love it ever since I rented it as a kid. Still have a copy of it.

Whomp'em and of course Conquest of the Crystal Palace are 2 absolute winners on the NES that need more praise as well. You make really great videos, I hope you're channel explodes in popularity very soon :3

Love me some Battle of Olympus! I discovered it last year, beat it, and love it. Hidden gem for the nes.

Great video! Rygar was one of the most memorable games I had as a kid.