List of games by mirroring technique

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This article categorizes games by their rendering and scrolling methods, and how that relates to mirroring.

Scrolling Type Mirroring – With Status Bar Mirroring – With Status Bar and Parallax Scrolling Effect Mirroring – With Parallax Scrolling Effect Mirroring – Without Status Bar and Parallax Scrolling Effect Games example Comment
1-screen fixed Only Any Vertical, Horizontal2 Vertical, Horizontal2 Any Donkey Kong
Horizontal Only Vertical Vertical, Horizontal2 Vertical, Horizontal2 Vertical Castlevania, Cheetahmen II, Gimmick!, Gradius, Super Mario Bros.
Vertical Only Vertical, Horizontal, Single Screen, 3-screen V/H3 Vertical, Horizontal2, Single Screen2, 3-screen V/D3 Horizontal2, Vertical1, Diagonal, 3-screen V/D3, 4-screen4 Horizontal Gun.Smoke, Ice Climber, Recca Horizontal mirroring with a status bar works best with as status bar will have to change address when scrolling vertically.

If you are using a parallax scrolling effect on the entire screen with a status bar, such as the Recca, it is best to use a Single Screen, Horizontal, or the Vertical mirroring with a scanline counter IRQ.

Horizontal Only, field limited horizontally Vertical Vertical Vertical Vertical Bomberman, Lode Runner No data has to be loaded at all when scrolling horizontally, but the area is limited to two screens.

This screen type, some of parallax scrolling effect does not work.

Vertical Only, field limited vertically Horizontal Horizontal Horizontal Horizontal Ninja Kun, Wrecking Crew No data has to be loaded at all when scrolling vertically, but the area is limited to two screens (less the status bar if present).
Horizontal/Vertical aligned screens Vertical, Horizontal2, Diagonal, 3-screen V/D3, 4-screen4 Vertical, Horizontal2, Single Screen2, 3-screen V/D3, 4-screen4 Vertical, Horizontal2, Diagonal, 3-screen V/D3, 4-screen4 Alternate H/V, L-shaped, Diagonal, 3-screen D3, 4-screen4 Air Fortress, Duck Tales, Jackie Chan, Mega Man series, Metroid, TMNT For use if scrolling direction changes only on a screen-based pattern, as in Metroid and Mega Man 3, 4, 5, 6.

Horizontal mirroring with a status bar works best with as status bar will have to change address when scrolling vertically (Also work as Diagonal mirroring) or playfield will have to be written twice to memory. (Panic Restaurant, TMNT)

If you are using a parallax scrolling effect on the entire screen with a status bar, such as the Recca, it is best to use a Single Screen, Horizontal, or the Vertical mirroring with a scanline counter IRQ.

1-screen switching by the Horizontal/Vertical Alternate H/V, Vertical, Diagonal Alternate H/V, Vertical, Diagonal Alternate H/V, Diagonal Alternate H/V, Diagonal Guardian Legend, Hydlide 3, Legend of Zelda Depending on the direction of the pattern to scroll in a single screen, it is the best choice for switching the mirroring by the mapper.
Horizontal/Vertical/Bidirectional aligned screens Vertical <-> Single Screen2, Horizontal2, Vertical, 4-screen4 Vertical <-> Single Screen2, Single Screen2, Horizontal2, Vertical, 4-screen4 Vertical1, Horizontal2, Diagonal, 4-screen4 Vertical1, Horizontal2, Diagonal, 4-screen4 Akumajou Special, Rockman 4 Minus Infinity, TMNT II/III Horizontal or 4-screen mirroring with a status bar works best with as status bar will have to change address when scrolling vertically or playfield will have to be written twice to memory. (TMNT III: The Manhattan Project)

Vertical mirroring Only with a status bar works best with a scanline counter IRQ. (TMNT II: The Arcade Game)

If you are using a parallax scrolling effect on the entire screen with a status bar, such as the Recca, it is best to use a Single Screen, Horizontal, or the Vertical mirroring with a scanline counter IRQ.

Bidirectional, field limited vertically Horizontal2 Horizontal2 Horizontal2 Horizontal2 Super Mario Bros. 3, Tiny Toon Adventures No data has to be loaded at all when scrolling vertically, but the area is limited to two screens (less the status bar if present).
Bidirectional, field limited horizontally Vertical Vertical Vertical1 Vertical1 Fire Emblem No data has to be loaded at all when scrolling horizontally, but the area is limited to two screens.

Vertical mirroring with a status bar works best with a scanline counter IRQ.

This screen type, some of parallax scrolling effect does not work.

Bidirectional, field limited 4-screen 4-screen4 4-screen4 4-screen4 4-screen4 Gauntlet No data has to be loaded at all when scrolling 4-screen, but the area is limited to four screens (less the status bar if present).
Free bidirectional Single Screen2, Horizontal2, Vertical, 4-screen4 Single Screen2, Horizontal2, Vertical, 4-screen4 Vertical1, Horizontal2, Diagonal, 4-screen4 Vertical1, Horizontal2, Diagonal, 4-screen4 Battletoads, Castlevania II, Hebereke, Kirby's Adventure, countless RPG games If using horizontal or 4-screen mirroring with a status bar there are 2 possibilities:
  1. The status bar will have to change address when scrolling vertically (Conquest of Crystal Palace, Double Dragon series, Gradius II)
  2. The playfield will have to be written twice to memory (Incredible Crash Dummmies, Kirby's Adventure, Little Nemo: The Dream Master), which only works if the status's bar size remains constant.

Vertical mirroring with a status bar works best with a scanline counter IRQ. (Jungle Book, Mickey's Safari in Letterland)

Depth screen Vertical, Horizontal, 4-screen4 Vertical, Horizontal, 4-screen4 Vertical, Horizontal, 4-screen4 Vertical, Horizontal, 4-screen4 After Burner, F-1 Race, Mach Rider, Rad Racer Bidirectional Pseudo 3D depth perspective works best with a CHR bank switching ROM nametables. (After Burner)
  • 1: Vertical glitches on PAL screens and on NTSC that doesn't overscan.
  • 2: Horizontal glitches will be unavoidable when scrolling (see above).
  • 3: 3-screen mirroring, you can use only specific mapper of MMC5.
  • 4: 4-screen mirroring, and can be used only when you added an additional RAM to the cartridge board.