Why Do Sidescrollers Always Move From Left To Right?

Baufritz · Post by **Baufritz** » July 13th, 2013, 5:45 am

Anyone know?

Miniike · Post by **Miniike** » July 13th, 2013, 5:47 am

I guess it's just natural progression. You read form left to right, so I think it's safe to say that your eye tends to follow that patteren.

Scale · Post by **Scale** » July 13th, 2013, 1:02 pm

Characters in a 2D sidescroller are probably driven insane by the fact that they can only move forwards and backwards.

Post by **Phantomboy** » July 13th, 2013, 5:49 pm

Do you mean that you progress through the level from left to right? It's hard to say. I think the direction 'right' is often partnered with the notion of progress (Poor me and my left-handed relatives..)

ElectroYoshi · Post by **ElectroYoshi** » July 13th, 2013, 6:07 pm

Well, to be fair, they do occasionally go the other way:
[media=youtube]R8EIJFO1oQY[/media]

freekboy31 · Post by **freekboy31** » July 14th, 2013, 6:52 am

2D sidescrollers only move left and right, but if you re-imagined them in other way, the characters have specific path as you press right just like what Miniike said

Like if you turn 2D sidescroller into top-down perspective and you still only press left and right.

____________________________________.--------------| | bridge | | ---------.
[start]----(character facing right)--------/_________________________________\
______________________________________________________________________\.----------[finish]