List of games by mirroring technique

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: The status bar will have to change address when scrolling vertically (Conquest of Crystal Palace, Double Dragon series, Gradius II) 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.

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