Making a list of the best Metroidvanias is a difficult task to take. First, because this is a trendy subgenre with so many good games, any list is more than certainly leaving out a couple of amazing titles. Secondly, the term “Metroidvania” comes from merging two gaming franchises:MetroidandCastlevania. Fans of one of these franchises might not be a fan of the other, which complicates the union of these two titles into one term, especially if a given “Metroidvania” leans more towards one or the other. Lastly, the term “Metroidvania” has become so overused that there are many misunderstandings about what it actually means. But it’s okay if we disagree a little while defining genres, especially since Gaming is a relatively new industry. New games get released every day, and the boundaries of Gaming get pushed, forcing us to rethink how we define and classify those games.
Despite all issues, the term “Metroidvania” is a great tool to describe, organize, and even search for new games to play. However, as some confusion exists, it’s better to clarify how we understand Metroidvanias before ranking the best ones. The most crucial elements of a Metroidvania are:
While all these characteristics can be easily applied toThe Legend of Zeldafranchise, for instance, for this list we are also taking into account other elements that are usually related to the subgenre. Our ranking of best Metroidvanias only considers2D games with lateral perspective and platforming mechanics.
Now that we are on the same page, it’s time to dive deep into the best Metroidvanias ever. Lists such as this one, though, are always somewhat subjective, as we are all humans who value different things. Our definitive list has innovation as an essential aspect of great Metroidvanias, so we’ll focus on how the games on our ranking made the Metroidvania formula their own while adding something new on top while still achieving a rare level of excellence. However, there are so many great Metroidvanias that we need to pay a small homage to titles that didn’t make the cut. These titles are still amazing and should be on your play-list:Ori and the Blind Forest&Ori and the Will of the Wisps,Guacameelee&Guacameelee 2,Steamworld Dig&Steamworld Dig 2,Axiom Verge,Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight,Wonder Boy In Monster World,Owlboy, andDust: An Elysian Tail. Now that I got that off my chest, let’s get to the five best Metroidvanias I’ve ever had the pleasure to play.
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Honorable Mentions: ‘Super Metroid’ and ‘Castlevania: Symphony of the Night’
I thought about leaving bothSuper MetroidandCastlevania: Symphony of the Nightout of this list. I’ve even discussed this with my colleagues. (Coincidently, that’s when I start to receive the death threats by mail…) Anyway, these games thatdefinedthe subgenre still hold up amazingly well more than two decades after they respectively hit the Super Nintendo and PlayStation. Every other Metroidvania ever made needs to compare itself to the classics.
That being said, we should be forever grateful to bothSuper MetroidandCastlevania: Symphony of the Nightfor shaping the non-linearity of 2D action-adventure games. While non-linearity in games wasn’t born in the 1990s, bothSuper MetroidandSymphony of the Nightperfected the 2D exploration by creating a vast interconnected overworld filled with secrets to explore. Both games also partially limit the overworld exploration with challenges that can only be overcome by using specific tools, usually guarded by colossal boss battles.
However, the two games have a lot of significant differences:Symphony of the Nightincorporates many RPG elements that are absent inSuper Metroid. On the other hand, without leveling-up and learning secret moves for each weapon,Super Metroidcan focus on more straightforward combat. Both paths are ideally suited for Metroidvanias, and both games have influenced dozens of outstanding titles over the years. An honorable mention is the least we could do to pay our respects.
I’ve hesitated to putMotion Twin’sDead Cellson this list, as it’s not precisely a Metroidvania. For starters,Dead Cellsdoesn’t have free exploration and backtracking, as each section of its huge map gets forever closed when you move forward to the next one. You can only revisit areas of the map after getting killed or beating the final boss, both things that’ll lead you straight to the starting point. There’s no doubtDead Cellsis a Roguelite, another trendy subgenre based on the repetition of runs and a limited permanent progression. Yet, what makesDead Cellssuch a unique Roguelite is how it applies the die-rise-repeat gameplay loop to the Metroidvania formula.
We have a 2D game with a lot of platforming involved, and even if you lose most of your progression when you die, you still get permanent tools that allow you to reach gated areas on each part of the map. While the overworld is not freely explorable, there are still secrets to uncover with your new tools, a defining element of Metroidvanias. Lastly, even if the map is randomly generated, exploration is essential to get upgrades that’ll make you stronger and get an edge in the impressive boss battles.
I’m well aware this is the most controversial entry on this list. However,Dead Cellswas the first game to attempt to mix Metroidvanias and Roguelites. And while it deviates a lot from the classic subgenre formula,Dead Cellsstills has a lot of the Metroidvania DNA.
4. Yoku’s Island Express
What if we took the Metroidvania formula and mixed it with a pinball game? That’s what the crazy minds atVilla Gorilladid withYoku’s Island Express.
Yoku’s Island Expresschecks all the main boxes of the Metroidvania genre, with a vast interconnected world filled with secrets. The whole world, however, is an enormous pinball machine. All the movement and exploration in the game happens as in a pinball game, with the player controlling paddles to hit a ball that’s attached to the protagonist, a dung-beetle named Yoku. Yoku’s ball also receives many upgrades as the player progresses throughYoku’s Island Express, allowing it to break particular targets or stick on special surfaces. While the player is always playing with paddles and a ball, there are unique ways to interact with the overworld, as new areas get unlocked by the new tools the player discovers.
If you hate pinball,Yoku’s Island Expressprobably won’t change your mind. Nevertheless,Yoku’s Island Expressis a perfect example of how the classic Metroidvania formula can be successfully mixed with other genres to create a fresh experience that’s unlike anything else you’ve ever seen.
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3. The Messenger
PuttingSabotage Studio’sThe Messengeron a best Metroidvanias list is kind of aspoiler. Sorry about that. The game is presented as a classic action-platformer, inspired by the firstNinja Gaidengames. There’s no overworld to explore, and by finishing a level, you are just taken to the next one. Playing as a ninja messenger, the player’s goal is to reach the top of a mountain. When you finally do, the whole game changes.
Every level you’ve visited so far is revealed as a small piece of a massive map that the player can freely explore while trying to prevent a demonic invasion. What’s even better is that the player has two maps to wander through, asThe Messengertakes place in two different eras and the player needs to jump from the past to the future to reach every corner of the world. To make things even more impressive, the transition between past and future also changes the graphics and sound of the game; the past world is designed in 8-bit (as in the NES), while the future world uses 16-bit (as in the Super Nintendo).
The time-changing is more than a gimmick; it’s a clever statement about the video game industry that shows how the Metroidvanias are an evolution of the classic action-platformers, created by connecting the levels and introducing a lot of exploration.The Messengeris also extraordinarily polished and responsive, making it an unmissable title for any lover of Metroidvanias.
2. Iconoclasts
Iconoclastsis an almost perfect Metroidvania. It has an interconnected world that can be explored non-linearly, new tools, 2D platforming and combat… the whole package! It has dozens of bosses, excellent level design, satisfying combat, and a well-written story. What else could you want from a Metroidvania? What about a unique world?
A lot of Metroidvanias attempt to simulateMetroid’s sci-fi isolation orCastlevania’s gothic fantasy, butIconoclastfollows its own path with aHideo Kojima-level narrative — yes, it’s crazy, filled with plot twists, set in a completely original world, and with a lot of philosophical discussions happening on the background.
In a world where the state regulates mechanical repairs, the player controls a rogue mechanic, Robin, as they uncover a conspiracy involving machines and the superpowered beings that lead a fascist regime. It’s just as good as it sounds. What makesIconoclastsan even more impressive entry in our ranking of best Metroidvanias is the fact that this game was developed almost entirely by a single person,Joakim Sandberg, for eight years. Someday I’ll have this level of commitment.
1. Hollow Knight
There’s no surprise in putting Team Cherry’sHollow Knighton top of any best Metroidvanias list.
Hollow Knight’s unique story takes inspiration from theDark Soulsfranchise to tell the tale of a fallen kingdom, with bits and pieces of the game’s lore spread everywhere. The level design ofHollow Knightis outstanding; the whole world is built upon the ruins of an ancient civilization with wholly different levels stitched together naturally. There’s also a ton of secrets to uncover, and exciting new abilities to unlock.Hollow Knightdoes the best with the least, and all the new skills you collect are used both in exploration and combat, with dozens of bosses that demand the player to master both positioning and reaction. And what satisfying combat it has!Hollow Knight’s controls are incredibly responsive, enemies’ patterns are varied, and each challenge is unique. This is a game that demands perfection on both combat and platforming, but by giving the player a simple control pattern and precise reaction, it never feels unfair.
There’s no arguing thatHollow Knightbecame a new standard for Metroidvanias and the video game industry in general. We rarely get to play a game so well polished and engaging, to the point that “perfection” doesn’t sound like hyperbole. Nevertheless, that’s precisely whatHollow Knightoffers: Perfection.
