8 of the Best 2D Games in History

The modern era of video games is one of the spectacular 3D worlds and photorealistic graphics. However, flat, two-dimensional games were prevalent in the 8 and 16-bit gaming eras and aren’t entirely obsolete today. Some players might even still prefer playing 2D games for which developers have perfected the core mechanics and level design. These are some of the best 2D games in gaming history.

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Hollow Knight: Silksong is one of the best 2D games of the modern generation, crowned Steam Game of the Year by the players in 2025. This is one of the best-refined 2D Metroidvania platformer games in history. Players have loved this game because of its incredibly fluid acrobatic combat and movement, breathtaking world design, structured exploration, stunning art, and resonant orchestral score. It’s a high-speed, acrobatic dance of a game that’s a mechanical step up from its predecessor.

Tetris

Tetris is the highest-grossing game in history that has always been based on some of the most brilliant 2D gaming mechanics ever conceived. Tetris is among the best 2D games in history because of its beautiful simplicity, mathematical perfection, instant accessibility, and universal appeal. The Tetris puzzler is easy to pick up but hard to put down.

Selecting the best 2D Tetris game is tough because there have been many versions across numerous consoles and gaming platforms. The 1989 Tetris on the Game Boy is, for many, the most definitive version. However, Tetris 99 and Tetris Effect are two great modern versions of the game with thrilling multiplayer modes and groovy graphical effects.

Street Fighter II

Street Fighter II profoundly changed the arcade and home console gaming landscape forever for competitive fighting games. This was one of the best 2D games in history because it established a blueprint for almost all fighting titles that followed it. SF II introduced a diverse roster of characters to play as, with unique special moves. Its revolutionary six-button control layout and thrilling head-to-head combat propelled Street Fighter II above all other fighting games.

The Ultra Street Fighter II game remake restored SF II on the Nintendo Switch. That game features modernized HD graphics and classic pixelated graphical styles for players to switch between. It also includes the full character roster from all the Street Fighter II games, with some hidden ones thrown in.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze further highlighted the enduring appeal of 2D platform gaming on the Nintendo Switch. For many players, this is the pinnacle of modern platforming gaming with its masterful level design, legendary soundtrack, visually stunning art, and strong character dynamics. Although it’s a tough game to beat on the Wii, the Switch Tropical Freeze is somewhat more accessible with its Funky Mode.

Super Mario World

Super Mario World set the gold standard for two-dimensional platformers on the Super NES. This was the game that expanded the Mario series into Dinosaur Land, with the Yoshi sidekick introduced. The addition of Yoshi added a whole new dimension to the gameplay with a dinosaur that could gobble up enemies. Mario World remains one of the best 2D games ever because of its flawless controls and masterful level design.

Zelda: A Link to the Past

Zelda: A Link to the Past represents the pinnacle of the 2D top-down format in the series before 3D took over with Ocarina of Time. This SNES game was very much based on the classic Zelda formula of item-based open-world exploration and conquering iron-gate dungeons. Its light-and-dark dual-world mechanic, which blended the two worlds, was a stroke of genius in game design. A Link to the Past cemented many of the greatest staples in its series with its spin attacks, hookshot, and iconic musical themes, establishing a blueprint for 3D Zelda games to follow.

Celeste

The Celeste game is a platformer based on a woman attempting to climb a treacherous mountain. Celeste is a phenomenal 2D platformer because of its masterful level design and controls. The three core mechanics of running, jumping, climbing, and dashing are flawlessly tuned in Celeste. Celeste also incorporates a brilliant Assist mode for tweaking aspects of the game and a beautiful 8-bit pixel art style presentation.

Street Fighter 6

Street Fighter 6 represents the modern frontier of fighting games that mixes a 2D plane with 3D character models for an ideal 2.5D mixture. By doing so, it retained the tactical spacing and frame rates of old-school SF games with modern graphical gloss on top. Players also loved the ambitious World Tour mode, for more expansive single-player content, and the Battle Hub virtual arcade in Street Fighter 6. Street Fighter 6 remains a great and accessible fighting game that appeals to both veterans and newcomers alike.

Some of the best 2D games above are among the finest titles in gaming history. Such games have advantages over three-dimensional alternatives with their tighter gameplay focus, superior visual clarity, and greater pick-up-and-play accessibility. Without the intricacies of 3D camera angles, they can be simpler and more fun to play.