Side scrolling melee combat sucks! What is a good example?

[LegitHyperbole]

Chazore said:

OP, I'ma ask.... are you for real, or is this just a bit? 

Side-scrolling combat is what I grew up with, it's all I knew back then and it was good. I enjoyed Prince of persia, Castlevania, MegaMan, Robocop/Terminator side scrollers, Simpsons Arcade, Metroid, Contra, Chakan: the forever man, etc.

I still love that genre to this day, because it'll never age (it's about as timeless as Pong/Columns).

I was for real, Some people have offered some good alternatives to the games I've been trying, just seem like I go a clump of stinkers in a row with no depth to them at all.