Underrated Side Scroller indie games you missed
These are underrated side scroller indie games: titles with strong reviews but not yet the audience they deserve. indielist surfaces 21 side scroller games that each hold at least 80% positive Steam reviews while staying under 5,000 total ratings : the sweet spot where a game has proven itself with real players but hasn't broken out yet. Together they hold 43,532 reviews at an average of 89% positive. They are ranked by review count, so the most-validated picks lead, and each links to a white-box sales estimate you can open and check rather than a black-box number. The most reviewed here is The Last Faith with 4,641 reviews. Review counts and ratings are from Steam; sales figures are estimates, not official sales data.
Hidden gems
21
Avg positive %
89%
Total reviews
43,532
- T
The Last Faith
2023 · Action
4,641 reviews · 85% positive
- G
GRIME
2021 · Action
4,615 reviews · 85% positive
- 2
20XX
2017 · Action
3,976 reviews · 91% positive
- F
Freedom Planet
2014 · Action
3,316 reviews · 95% positive
- A
American Arcadia
2023 · Adventure
3,108 reviews · 94% positive
- M
Momodora: Moonlit Farewell
2024 · Action
3,046 reviews · 92% positive
- G
Gravity Circuit
2023 · Action
3,010 reviews · 91% positive
- E
Endling - Extinction is Forever
2022 · Adventure
2,879 reviews · 95% positive
- C
Charlie Murder
2017 · Action
2,603 reviews · 96% positive
- S
Shantae and the Pirate's Curse
2015 · Action
1,843 reviews · 93% positive
- T
The Void Rains Upon Her Heart
2018 · Action
1,647 reviews · 99% positive
- B
BLADECHIMERA
2025 · Action
1,350 reviews · 89% positive
- S
Shantae: Risky's Revenge - Director's Cut
2014 · Action
1,213 reviews · 86% positive
- M
Moonscars
2022 · Action
1,213 reviews · 83% positive
- A
AWAKEN - Astral Blade
2024 · Action
1,120 reviews · 83% positive
- G
Ghost Song
2022 · Action
989 reviews · 83% positive
- G
Guns of Fury
2025 · Action
942 reviews · 88% positive
- S
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate Edition
2018 · Action
901 reviews · 88% positive
- 3
3dSen PC
2025 · Action
524 reviews · 91% positive
- A
Abathor
2024 · Action
329 reviews · 91% positive
- C
Crab God
2024 · Adventure
267 reviews · 82% positive
Frequently asked questions
- What are some underrated side scroller indie games?
- indielist lists 21 underrated side scroller indie games, each with 80%+ Steam reviews but under 5,000 ratings, led by The Last Faith (4,641 reviews).
- How are these "hidden gem" side scroller games chosen?
- By a data filter, not opinion: a game qualifies if it holds at least 80% positive Steam reviews and has between 50 and 5,000 total ratings, enough to be validated by players but not yet mainstream. The list updates as the catalog grows.