Niche

Retro + Side Scroller

Games tagged both Retro and Side Scroller: 84 indie paid launches, 3 of them earned $100k+ in their first year.

How to read this page

A hit is an estimated $100k+ first year. Revenue is estimated from Steam reviews, so read figures as "about". Earnings are sales on Steam after discounts and regional prices, before Steam's 30% cut, refunds and sales tax. About 58% of it reaches the developer.
Price moves the odds more than genre does, so the page opens on one price band. The keys in section 2 switch it.
From 26,280 indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, data of 3 Oct 2026. How it is measured.

Price $10 to $20

All prices1 in 17 hit $100k+Under $51 in 219 hit $100k+$5 to $101 in 30 hit $100k+$10 to $2018 in 100 hit $100k+$20 to $4040 in 100 hit $100k+

Base rate: indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, 26,280 launches. Odds compare best within one price.

Lens Standard

Standard West-facing view Without the breakout Last 18 months

All indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old. Lens figures exist at all prices only; inside a price band this page shows the standard figures.

Sample 100+

10+ launchesshow small samples 30+ launches 100+ launchesonly big markets

Hides anything measured on fewer launches.

$10 to $20 100+ launches Reset

Showing Retro + Side Scroller priced $10 to $20, hiding samples under 100 launches. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair is too small to compare with Retro and is too small to compare with Side Scroller; priced $10 to $20 it has too few launches to read.

1Scoreboard: the pair against each of its tags

The pair's chance of a $100k+ first year beside each of its two tags, ranked like a high-score table, with typical earnings and the launches behind every figure.

ScoreboardDoes this pair beat its genres?$10 to $20

13 launches, under your minimum sample of 100.

Pick another price band, or lower the minimum sample.

1STWinner

Tag onemood tagRetro

17.6in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds17.6 in 100

Typical earnings$8,419

Launches165 / 29 hits

Pairno reading

--No reading

This pairRetro + Side Scroller

--too few
to read

Odds--

Typical earnings--

Launches13

13 launches, under your minimum sample of 100.

2NDRunner-up

Tag twomood tagSide Scroller

12.6in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds12.6 in 100

Typical earnings$7,717

Launches143 / 18 hits

Pairno reading

All indie launches $10 to $20: 17.6 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $8,234, from 4,301 launches.each block is 1 in 100 all indie at $10 to $20Retro is a mood tag: GMD never ranks it alone, but every game carrying it is counted.

2Overlap: where the two tags meet

Each circle is one tag, sized by its launches, and the gold overlap is exactly this pair. Click a part to read it. Price changes the odds more than genre does (under $5: 0.5 in 100 launches earned $100k+; $20 to $40: 40.0 in 100), so read it within a price band.

Price bandswitches the whole page

All prices84 in pair Under $540 in pair $5 to $1029 in pair $10 to $2013 in pair$20 to $402: too few

What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 13 games tagged both Retro and Side Scroller priced $10 to $20. 1 of 13 of them earned $100k+, against 18.4 in 100 for Retro-only games and 13.1 in 100 for Side Scroller-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Retro alone and is too small to compare with Side Scroller alone.

Both: 13 games priced $10 to $20; 1 of 13 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $3,764.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 13 launches. The outer parts are each tag's launches minus the pair's, so their chance is exact; their typical earnings are not computed yet.

3Comparables

Who leads this pair and each of its tags. Free until launch: one click opens the card. The full comparables list (nearest hits by tag pair, price and launch year) is not computed yet, and the card says so.

Comparables

Leaders

Top earner, share of the moneyFree until launch

NINJA GAIDEN: Rageboundleads this pair60.7%

PairNINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound60.7%

RetroMouthwashing20.9%

Side ScrollerMandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree9.3%

CheckOne game over half?yes

NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkOne-hit market. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: too few to tell. Without the breakout: moves the answer. Last 18 months: too few to tell.

Open free preview

ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Retro + Side Scroller

What this card holds

Leaders. The top earner in this pair and in each of its two tags, with its share of the money.
One-hit check. Whether a single game holds over half of the pair's money.
Nearest hits. Similar games that earned $100k+, matched by tag pair, price and launch year: not computed yet.

How the list will be picked

Same tag pairdata ready

Same price banddata ready

Launched within a year of each otherplanned

Earned $100k+planned

The list itselfnot computed yet

Free until launch: one click opens the card.

The leaders, in words

NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound earned 60.7% of the estimated first-year money of the 84 Retro + Side Scroller launches.
Retro is led by Mouthwashing, with 20.9% of its money.
Side Scroller is led by Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree, with 9.3% of its money.
One game holds over half of this pair's money: read every figure here as that game's story.

Nearest hits (similar games that earned $100k+, matched by tag pair, price and launch year): not computed yet.

Filters do not apply here yet. Leaders and shares are for all prices and the Standard view; per price band and per lens they are not computed yet.

4Lens check: does the answer hold?

The same figures with three kinds of games set aside: games mostly reviewed in Chinese, the single biggest earner, and everything older than 18 months.

Does the answer hold?

All prices

Retro + Side Scroller is one-hit market: one game earned over half the money.

Retro + Side Scroller through every lens, all prices
This pair	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view83 of 84 launches	Without the breakout83 of 84 launches	Last 18 months19 of 84 launches
Launches counted	843 hits	833 hits	832 hits	192 hits
Earned $100k+	3 of 84too few for a rate	3 of 83too few for a rate	2 of 83too few for a rate	2 of 19too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings	$957top tenth $10,352+	$783	$783	$229
Chance against standard	the base	+1.2%no change; too few to tell	-32.5%1.2 fewer in 100	+194.7%7.0 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard	the base	-18.2%$174 less; too few to tell	-18.2%$174 less	-76.1%$728 less; too few to tell
Does it hold?	The base view	Too few to tell	Moves the answer	Too few to tell

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Retro and Side Scroller, 12 to 36 months old: 84 launches.

Launches counted: 843 hits
Earned $100k+: 3 of 84too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings: $957top tenth $10,352+
Chance against standard: the base
Typical against standard: the base

West-facing viewToo few to tell

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 1 of 84 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 833 hits
Earned $100k+: 3 of 83too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings: $783
Chance against standard: +1.2%no change; too few to tell
Typical against standard: -18.2%$174 less; too few to tell

Without the breakoutMoves the answer

Drops the single biggest earner, NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound (60.7% of the money): 83 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 832 hits
Earned $100k+: 2 of 83too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings: $783
Chance against standard: -32.5%1.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -18.2%$174 less

Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 19 of 84.

Launches counted: 192 hits
Earned $100k+: 2 of 19too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings: $229
Chance against standard: +194.7%7.0 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard: -76.1%$728 less; too few to tell

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged both Retro and Side Scroller, 12 to 36 months old: 84 launches.
West-facing view: Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 1 of 84 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.
Without the breakout: Drops the single biggest earner, NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound (60.7% of the money): 83 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.
Last 18 months: Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 19 of 84.

Retro holds in West-facing view, Without the breakout and Last 18 months. No lens moves the chance or typical earnings more than chance alone would.

Retro through every lens, all prices
Retro	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view1,266 of 1,299 launches	Without the breakout1,298 of 1,299 launches	Last 18 months361 of 1,299 launches
Launches counted	1,29954 hits	1,26653 hits	1,29853 hits	36112 hits
Earned $100k+	4.2 in 1001 in 24	4.2 in 1001 in 24	4.1 in 1001 in 24	3.3 in 1001 in 30
Typical first-year earnings	$574top tenth $19,804+	$574	$574	$459
Chance against standard	the base	+0.7%no change	-1.8%0.1 fewer in 100	-20.0%0.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standard	the base	0.0%no change	0.0%no change	-20.0%$115 less
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Retro, 12 to 36 months old: 1,299 launches.

Launches counted: 1,29954 hits
Earned $100k+: 4.2 in 1001 in 24
Typical first-year earnings: $574top tenth $19,804+
Chance against standard: the base
Typical against standard: the base

West-facing viewHolds

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 33 of 1,299 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 1,26653 hits
Earned $100k+: 4.2 in 1001 in 24
Typical first-year earnings: $574
Chance against standard: +0.7%no change
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Mouthwashing (20.9% of the money): 1,298 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 1,29853 hits
Earned $100k+: 4.1 in 1001 in 24
Typical first-year earnings: $574
Chance against standard: -1.8%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 361 of 1,299.

Launches counted: 36112 hits
Earned $100k+: 3.3 in 1001 in 30
Typical first-year earnings: $459
Chance against standard: -20.0%0.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -20.0%$115 less

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Retro, 12 to 36 months old: 1,299 launches.
West-facing view: Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 33 of 1,299 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.
Without the breakout: Drops the single biggest earner, Mouthwashing (20.9% of the money): 1,298 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.
Last 18 months: Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 361 of 1,299.

Side Scroller holds in West-facing view, Without the breakout and Last 18 months. No lens moves the chance or typical earnings more than chance alone would.

Side Scroller through every lens, all prices
Side Scroller	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view1,041 of 1,064 launches	Without the breakout1,063 of 1,064 launches	Last 18 months288 of 1,064 launches
Launches counted	1,06434 hits	1,04133 hits	1,06333 hits	28811 hits
Earned $100k+	3.2 in 1001 in 31	3.2 in 1001 in 32	3.1 in 1001 in 32	3.8 in 1001 in 26
Typical first-year earnings	$354top tenth $17,816+	$354	$351	$287
Chance against standard	the base	-0.8%no change	-2.8%0.1 fewer in 100	+19.5%0.6 more in 100
Typical against standard	the base	0.0%no change	-0.8%$3 less	-18.9%$67 less
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Side Scroller, 12 to 36 months old: 1,064 launches.

Launches counted: 1,06434 hits
Earned $100k+: 3.2 in 1001 in 31
Typical first-year earnings: $354top tenth $17,816+
Chance against standard: the base
Typical against standard: the base

West-facing viewHolds

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 23 of 1,064 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 1,04133 hits
Earned $100k+: 3.2 in 1001 in 32
Typical first-year earnings: $354
Chance against standard: -0.8%no change
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree (9.3% of the money): 1,063 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 1,06333 hits
Earned $100k+: 3.1 in 1001 in 32
Typical first-year earnings: $351
Chance against standard: -2.8%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -0.8%$3 less

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 288 of 1,064.

Launches counted: 28811 hits
Earned $100k+: 3.8 in 1001 in 26
Typical first-year earnings: $287
Chance against standard: +19.5%0.6 more in 100
Typical against standard: -18.9%$67 less

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Side Scroller, 12 to 36 months old: 1,064 launches.
West-facing view: Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 23 of 1,064 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.
Without the breakout: Drops the single biggest earner, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree (9.3% of the money): 1,063 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.
Last 18 months: Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 288 of 1,064.

A lens moves the chance only when it differs from standard by more than a random cut of the same size would, with 5+ hits on both sides; typical earnings are compared from 100 launches, within 25%. Without the breakout moves the answer when one game earned over half the money. Lens figures by price band are not computed yet, so this table is for all prices.

5Premium early list

Alerts when Retro + Side Scroller moves, comparables the day they land, and every lens for every pair and price. Free until launch.

Free until launch

Keep gold access after launch: alerts, comparables, every lens.