2D game graphics programming

I know some C++ and Java, but I've only ever done text stuff with them. Which language, and what libraries, would you recommend for making 2D game?

With sprites and collision detection, basic physics for side-scroller type action.

>>6
SDL is nice, but quite outdated. It's also implemented in C, so your codebase might end up being a little more complicated assuming you use C++. And you can forget about hardware acceleration.

I recommend SFML. It's simple and fast, as implied by the name. It is also better maintained.