2D never aged: chiselled sprites, hand-drawn animation, perfect readability. This Top 50 pays tribute to the retro games that took 2D to its peak, from run and gun to RPG. RomWize ranks them by its re-evaluated scores and specifies each one's versions, their rarity and their collector value.
"Rayman Legends remains, years after release, one of the absolute peaks of modern 2D platforming. Its hand-drawn animation hasn't aged a second, and its level design overflows with invention, from the timing of the musical stages to the frantic escape sequences. The Definitive Edition adds content and ideal portability for short bursts. The Teensy-unlock structure feels a touch repetitive, but the generosity, fluidity and four-player co-op make it a benchmark with simply no superior equivalent."
"Final Fantasy VI Advance now stands as the best physical way to discover the narrative peak of the 2D Final Fantasy line. The sprawling cast, the arc around Kefka and the world split keep their full writing strength, while the new translation restores many nuances lost in the original US release. The added bonus dungeons stretch the experience without unbalancing it. If only one classic Final Fantasy deserves a try today, this is probably it, and the GBA cartridge remains an excellent vehicle."
"Two years after release, Neva has established itself as a must-play for anyone who loved Gris. This fable about grief and the passing of time, of devastating painterly beauty, has lost none of its force and is best savored in one sitting over a few hours. Nothing dates in its animation or its soundtrack: it's a timeless work you can discover today exactly as on day one. On Switch, portability further elevates these contemplative moments, best lived quietly with headphones on."
"Dave the Diver starts from an absurd idea, dive by day and run a sushi bar by night, and draws a far richer loop than expected. The alternation between ever-changing underwater exploration and frantic restaurant management creates a surprisingly addictive rhythm. The game overflows with episodes, mini-games and digressions, sometimes at the risk of scattering, but its comic energy carries the day. Expressive pixel art and polished animation give it instant character. Recent and solidly built, it will age well. For anyone after a surprising, generous adventure, it is an excellent pick."
"Super Mario Advance 2 is arguably one of the most accomplished ports in Nintendo's history, namely Super Mario World transferred to the GBA with near perfect fidelity and the arcade Mario Bros bonus on top. The jump feel, the Yoshi ecosystem, the richness of the levels and the generous alternate routes remain intact. The only real compromise lies in the slightly tighter framing, with no real impact on playability. Probably the finest portable 2D Mario of the GBA era and an absolute entry point to the series."
"The Pro version sharpens the first game with two extra fighters, lightly tweaked grooves and a more credible balance. It is the edition to favour for discovering this initial Capcom and SNK meeting without enduring the original's loudest mismatches. Animation remains exemplary and the style palette preserves a real identity per character. Less wild than CvS 2 in its ideas, this entry serves as the perfect bridge to the sequel and still carries a very pleasant retro flavour today."
"Considered by many as the peak of SNK's 2D fighting, Garou introduces a fresh roster and the TOP guard system that energises every match read. Oversized sprites, deliberate staging and a wealth of frame data have fed decades of competitive analysis. On Dreamcast the conversion stays very faithful to the Neo Geo release. For anyone with an interest in demanding versus play, this is a historic landmark that has lost almost none of its intelligence or its visual elegance over time."
"Super Mario Advance 2 is arguably one of the most accomplished ports in Nintendo's history, namely Super Mario World transferred to the GBA with near perfect fidelity and the arcade Mario Bros bonus on top. The jump feel, the Yoshi ecosystem, the richness of the levels and the generous alternate routes remain intact. The only real compromise lies in the slightly tighter framing, with no real impact on playability. Probably the finest portable 2D Mario of the GBA era and an absolute entry point to the series."
"Super Mario World 2 - Yoshi's Island, known as Super Mario - Yoshi Island in Japan, marks a total break with Super Mario World, namely Yoshi escorting baby Mario through watercolor backdrops, with egg throws and per island special abilities. The art direction refused DKC pre rendered 3D to defend a hand drawn line that has not aged a day. The Nintendo R&D1 level design is probably the most inventive on the system. Essential for any 2D platformer lover."
"Super Mario World, subtitled Super Mario Bros. 4 in Japan, is the SNES founding platformer, namely an expanded world map, the introduction of Yoshi and a Mario jump now featuring the spin jump. The density of hidden paths, the generosity of Miyamoto's level design and Koji Kondo's soundtrack remain unrivaled. The handling is a benchmark. Essential to anyone wanting a 2D platformer peak and to any Super Famicom introduction, now as in the 1990s."
"Rayman Origins marks the return to grace of Ubisoft's mascot, and remains one of the finest 2D platformers of the generation. Its UbiArt art direction, made of hand-painted settings and animation of enchanting fluidity, has no equivalent and amazes at every level. The gameplay, of exemplary precision, combines generosity, inventiveness and a jubilant co-op for up to four players. The delirious humour and the sense of rhythm complete an experience tailored for fun. Slightly less rich than its sequel Legends, it is nonetheless a masterpiece, fully recommendable to fans of the genre."
"Dead Cells has stayed relevant where many roguelites run out of breath, thanks to obsessive care for how weapons feel. Every blow lands, every dodge counts, and death instantly fuels the urge to dive back in. The progression cleverly blends permanence and reset, and numerous updates have widened the bestiary and the paths. The animated pixel art remains among the smoothest in the genre. On Switch, handheld comfort is total. Demanding yet fair, the game holds up brilliantly against recent competition without surrendering any of its nerve."
"Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is not a new game but the culmination of an unexpected dialogue between Motion Twin and Konami. This edition bundles the full game with the crossover that injects gothic mood, Dracula, Richter and a handful of weapons borrowed from the saga. For Castlevania nostalgics, finding those themes and that imagery inside such a nimble engine is genuinely joyful. The base remains the impeccable Motion Twin roguelite. If you already own everything the appeal drops, but for a first discovery this condensed version stays the best entry point available today."
"Few indie games have shaped the decade like Stardew Valley. The farm loop, season after season, keeps a rare pull, and every free update enriched the village without ever distorting it. You come to grow crops, you stay for the villagers, the mines, the fishing and a thousand small goals that chain together. The warm pixel art has not aged a pixel. On Switch, handheld play fits its contemplative rhythm perfectly. Four-player co-op extends the pleasure further. A genre landmark, still entirely current and free of missteps, equally rewarding for newcomers and seasoned farmers."
"A Saturn adaptation of the famous Hudson Soft series, Saturn Bomberman offers a multiplayer party game for up to ten simultaneous players thanks to the Saturn multitap, a saga record. The colourful art direction, varied power-ups and absolutely addictive versus mode make it an absolute party game reference on Saturn. For anyone fond of multiplayer party games or seeking an excellent evening game on the Sega console, an absolutely essential recommendation today still without the slightest hesitation for fans truly indeed here."
"Mega Man 2 is the series' absolute masterpiece and one of the greatest video games ever made, across all platforms. Eight memorable Robot Masters, Takashi Tateishi's legendary soundtrack with the Dr. Wily theme now an absolute icon, perfectly dosed difficulty and extraordinarily well-thought complementary weapons make for an experience of rare precision. Capcom lifts the formula to a level never reached again. An absolute classic to know by heart today."
"Mega Man X remains one of the SFC's biggest thunderclaps, namely a Mega Man reinvented for 16 bit with wall jumps, dashes and weapons unlocked on the Mavericks in a player chosen order. The fluid play, the neon pixel art and the Setsuo Yamamoto soundtrack form a very striking whole. Replay value is strong thanks to upgrades hidden in each stage. An absolute recommendation for anyone who loves 2D action, and an excellent entry point into the X subseries."
"Mega Man X remains one of the SFC's biggest thunderclaps, namely a Mega Man reinvented for 16 bit with wall jumps, dashes and weapons unlocked on the Mavericks in a player chosen order. The fluid play, the neon pixel art and the Setsuo Yamamoto soundtrack form a very striking whole. Replay value is strong thanks to upgrades hidden in each stage. An absolute recommendation for anyone who loves 2D action."
