The best metroidvanias are games that provide massive maps to explore, obstacles to conquer, and progression systems with constant "eureka" moments during your journey. Metroidvanias are one of the more popular genres out there, and with the gap between new Castlevania or Metroid games usually being lengthy, seeing the best elements of those franchises combined into games that find fascinating new ways to put a unique spin on the formula makes for some great entertainment.

Which metroidvania is best for you, though? We've gone through a castle library of games in the genre, and found tons of examples that we've listed in alphabetical order below to help you get started on a 2D dive into this stylish field of games. This isn't meant to be a definitive list of the best of all time, but rather a sampling of great games that are widely available to play right now.

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Animal Well

• Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
• Release Date: May 9, 2024
• Developer: Billy Basso

This critically acclaimed indie was in progress for years under a single developer, and when it finally released, it was worth the wait. Animal Well is a metroidvania that also belies a puzzle box of secrets hiding in plain sight. Unfolding the mystery will take platforming and exploration as you'd expect, but also some sharp note-taking and observation skills. The deeper you go, the more mysteries and environmental puzzles there are to explore, for a truly engrossing experience unlike anything else.

Read our Animal Well review.

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Axiom Verge series

• Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
  
• Release Date: March 31, 2015
• Developer: Thomas Happ Games

A gorgeous homage to Super Metroid, the Axiom Verge games merge gripping stories with incredible moment-to-moment gunplay. What makes the Axiom Verge approach feel so special is a truly staggering assortment of weapons, which range from your run-of-the-mill blasters to exotic guns that rip reality itself apart. Possibly the biggest draw of Axiom Verge is the atmosphere that it invites you to explore, as the alien nature of these levels coupled with the isolation that you'll have to endure is cold and unnerving.

These stages also house secrets that can distort its own design, breaking its own reality while dropping heavy theological questions into the mix that are coated with the nostalgic appeal of 8-bit graphics. If you're not in the mood to start pondering the very nature of existence though, the Axiom Verge games easily function as a brilliant fusion between Metroid and Contra that feel constantly rewarding when you dive head-first into them.

Read our Axiom Verge review and Axiom Verge 2 review.

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Batman: Arkham Asylum

• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
• Release Date: August 25, 2009
• Developer: Rocksteady Studios

Rocksteady's Arkham series is renowned for setting a high-quality standard for superhero games. But while later entries would lean more heavily into the open-world aspect, Arkham Asylum is much more focused and tightly contained, centering on plumbing the depths of a single, dense environment. When a routine drop-off of the villainous Joker to Arkham takes an unexpected turn, Batman is trapped and surrounded by the supervillains he's locked up. The brooding game is a fight for survival mixed with a detective story as he explores the environment, unlocks new Bat-gear he's stashed away for emergencies, and even improvises with some of the villains' tools. The sequels were fantastic in their own right, but this original is a slick, modernized metroidvania.

Read our Batman: Arkham Asylum review.

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Blasphemous

• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
• Release Date: September 10, 2019
• Developer: The Game Kitchen

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition, especially in video games! Drawing a heap of inspiration from ye olde European Catholic imagery, Blasphemous creates a world to explore that is both horrifying and fascinating, while also providing great combat and a library of lore to sit through and read. Combat sequences are beautifully animated, themes of death and rebirth can be found everywhere, and the game is a brutal challenge that doesn't show any mercy to heretics. A metroidvania that throws some uncomfortable religious content your way, Blasphemous is an appealing prospect for anyone looking to venture out of their usual comfort zone in this genre.

Read our Blasphemous review.

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Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
• Release Date: June 18, 2019
• Developer: ArtPlay

The pitch for Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night was an appealing one when it first hit Kickstarter several years ago: a new series led by Castlevania: Symphony of the Night director Koji Igarashi, working to create a spiritual successor to the legendary Konami game for a new generation of platforms. Crowdfunded before you could even crack a whip, Bloodstained arrived a few years later and provided a gothic castle of familiar content. A few decades removed from its primary inspiration, Bloodstained's combat never fails to feel satisfying, there's a secret to uncover in every corner, and a smorgasbord of post-launch updates turned this game into a must-play entry in the metroidvania genre.

Read our Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night review.

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Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

• Platforms: Game Boy Advance
• Release Date: May 6, 2003
• Developer: Konami

Considered by many to be a high-water mark for the Castlevania series following the Symphony of the Night template, Aria of Sorrow was the third and final Castlevania game on Game Boy Advance. While Circle of the Moon and Harmony of Dissonance both have their charms, Aria of Sorrow was refined to a mirror shine and became an instant classic. It featured intricate stage design and rock-solid combat, supported by a new Tactical Soul system that rewarded you for hunting down all the monsters in Dracula's keep. It also featured an original story in an unusual near-future setting, which capitalized on our fascination with Dracula's extended family. While original GBA carts could be hard to come by, Aria of Sorrow is available as part of the Castlevania Advance Collection, which sports quality-of-life features like save states and rewind, along with multiple regional versions.

Read our Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow review.

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Crystal Project

• Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch
• Release Date: March 31, 2022
• Developer: RiverRun Games

A very different kind of metroidvania, Crystal Project often resembles an old-school Final Fantasy game more than a Metroid- or Castlevania-style side-scroller. But that trait also goes to show how flexible the genre can be. Crystal Project lets you explore a 2.5D world in your own way, finding crystals and unlocking classes to explore more of its voxelated map. While it's not what many would think of as a traditional metroidvania, the map unfurls as you find new abilities to take down tougher challenges.

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Dead Cells

• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch
• Release Date: May 10, 2017
• Developer: Motion Twin

Dead Cells may not be the first game that adopted a Dark Souls influence and drifted from metroidvania stylings into roguevania territory, but it's easily one of the best games of its genre. Raising the bar and creating a template for progression that other indie games would be inspired by in its wake, Dead Cells provides action that ranges from manageable to unrelenting the further you progress in the game, an expansive arsenal of weapons, numerous abilities, and a march forward through some of the most challenging bosses ever faced in the genre. You'll laugh, you'll cry--a lot--but that journey behind enemy lines is worth it for the bragging rights alone.

Read our Dead Cells review.

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Gato Roboto

• Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
• Release Date: May 30, 2019
• Developer: Doinksoft

You control a cat in a robot suit. That's it, that is the primary appeal of Gato Roboto. Not enough for you? Well then, strap yourself in for a monochromatic ride through strange territory as you guide Kiki the cat through various obstacles and hazards. Gato Roboto does very little to stand out from the metroidvania pack in terms of innovation, but the game shines with just how well it approaches the format. It has tight controls, the minimalist art style is effortlessly charming, and it poses a proper challenge for even the most seasoned of Metroid hunters.

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Guacamelee series

• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
• Release Date: April 9, 2013
• Developer: Drinkbox Studios

The Guacamelee games may have design elements that are evocative of Super Metroid, but you'd never think of this tag team of wrestling mayhem as clones of the Nintendo original. The digital DNA may be there as a foundation, but Guacamelee goes its own way with satisfying punch-'em-up action, dazzling level design, and top-rope platforming that go hand-in-hand with each other. The gameplay never feels less than polished, every element exists in harmony with other action-packed systems, and the energy on display is infectious.

Guacamelee 2 is the stronger game in this duo with its more polished design, but the original is still an absolute treat to play even after its original debut so many years ago. Chalk this pair up as the best metroidvanias for wrestlemaniacs in your home.

Read our Guacamelee review and our Guacamelee 2 review.

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Hollow Knight

• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
• Release Date: February 24, 2017
• Developer: Team Cherry

As challenging as it is hauntingly beautiful to look at with its crafted animations, Hollow Knight's tragic tale is one that you'll hungrily devour the deeper you descend into its world. The sharp gameplay and Dark Souls-inspired peril play second fiddle to the real charm of the game, which are the explorative elements that take the spotlight. The world around you is the result of thoughtful design and tantalizing clues as to the nature of what really happened, and the hunt to uncover the full picture makes an already terrific game that much more engrossing.

Read our Hollow Knight review.

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Lone Fungus

• Platforms: PC
• Release Date: September 23, 2021
• Developer: Basti Games

A well-crafted metroidvania with a strangely cute little protagonist, Lone Fungus is a throwback to classic SNES-style platformers with a cute twist. You play as the eponymous lone fungus: the last mushroom on earth. With a massive map to explore and a customizable combat system, Lone Fungus is a good way to scratch your metroidvania itch with a classic flavor.

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Monster Sanctuary

• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
• Release Date: August 28, 2019
• Developer: Moi Rai Games

A metroidvania-meets-monster-tamer in the vein of Pokemon, Monster Sanctuary has you explore the world while building up a wide stable of creatures to do your bidding. Like Pokemon, each monster has its own stats and abilities. But as a platformer, they also enable your exploration abilities, like allowing you to glide short distances or go underwater. It's an inventive combination that rethinks both metroidvanias and Pokemon-like games at the same time.

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Metroid Dread

• Platforms: Nintendo Switch
• Release Date: October 8, 2021
• Developer: MercurySteam / Nintendo

The first all-new 2D Metroid game since 2004's Zero Mission and a continuation of the story from Metroid Fusion, Dread was a pleasant surprise for Switch owners. The map is characteristically massive and full of secrets and opportunities for exploration, but Dread adds a light horror element with the addition of EMMI: a merciless machine that stalks you through parts of stages.

Read our Metroid Dread review.

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Metroid Prime Remastered

• Platforms: Nintendo Switch
• Release Date: February 8, 2023
• Developer: Retro Studios / Nintendo

When Metroid Prime premiered on the GameCube, it showed the world that Nintendo was still the master of innovating in the space. Years later, Metroid Prime Remastered on Nintendo Switch gave the classic a facelift and some quality-of-life tweaks, but mostly kept the excellent original intact. Set in the middle of the Metroid continuity, Metroid Prime sends Samus to Tallon IV in pursuit of Ridley. The translation of Metroid into a 3D series retained its quiet, moody exploration and storytelling told mostly through scanning the flora and fauna of the strange environment. Combat got a major advancement with lock-on targeting, letting you smoothly strafe around deadly space pirates and otherworldly creatures. Most surprising is that this all feels like a natural extension of the core of Metroid in a 3D space, which earned Retro Studios well-deserved plaudits.

Read our Metroid Prime Remastered impressions.

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Nine Sols

• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
• Release Date: May 29, 2024
• Developer: Red Candle Games

Featuring a rich hand-drawn art style and Sekiro-inspired combat, Nine Sols is one of the most recent entries on this list, and one of the most acclaimed. The striking art style and smooth animation look gorgeous, but that wouldn't mean much if it didn't have the gameplay chops to back it up. Nine Sols delivers there as well, with tight and responsive combat that puts your skills to the test.

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Ori series

• Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch
• Release Date: March 11, 2015
• Developer: Moon Studios

Both Ori games are jaw-dropping adventures that blend some of the best artistic design in the business with pinpoint precision, but Will of the Wisps is easily the superior sibling here. Both games feature a meaty core of exploration, combat, and using abilities to access previously-gated off areas, but Will of the Wisps is the game where those mechanics shine best and polishes them to create an action-packed experience that's smooth as silk.

They're the type of games that'll have you screaming in despair when you fail yet again to nail that one jump, cheering when you're get over a seemingly-impassable hurdle, and curling up into a ball of depression after you're left floored by the tear-jerking story haymakers that both games deliver. Superb examples of what the metroidvania genre is capable of, both games bring charm and heartbreak to the table with enjoyable platforming, hard-hitting action, and exquisite visuals.

Read our Ori and the Blind Forest review and Ori and the Will of the Wisps review.

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Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch
• Release Date: January 18, 2024
• Developer: Ubisoft

Prince of Persia has long been a trailblazer, and the most recent release shows it can still innovate when exploring a new genre. The Lost Crown is a 2D, exploration-based take, and it's a masterful example of the form. The combat is tense and exciting in a way that many metroidvania games struggle to be, but that doesn't come at the cost of its exploration bona fides. In fact, The Lost Crown innovates with smart ideas like Memory Shards to help mark your place for further exploration as you gain more powers, and a Guided option to subtly point you in the right direction. You can expect to see lots of other metroidvania games in the future copying some of these ideas.

Read our Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown review.

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SteamWorld Dig series

• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch
• Release Date: August 7, 2013
• Developer: Image & Form / Thunderful

A pair of excellent metroidvanias with a heavy emphasis on exploration in a handcrafted world, SteamWorld Dig and its sequel are charming and compact-sized games that mix deconstruction of the world around you with some thrilling combat. While the first SteamWorld Dig is a quirky adventure with some wonderful locales, the sequel is a vastly superior follow-up that offers more satisfyingly destructible environments, a better selection of tools to dig your way through to new challenges, and a more polished gameplay loop that rewards you for your progress. It's more focused, cuts plenty of fat off of the original game's foundation, and the journey to the center of a hostile planet is full of surprises along the way.

Read our Steamworld Dig review and our SteamWorld Dig 2 review.

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Yoku's Island Express

• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
• Release Date: May 29, 2018
• Developer: Villa Gorilla

Yoku's Island Express is an odd coupling of genres, a concept on paper that shouldn't work and yet it's an extraordinary experience that successfully fuses metroidvania elements with pinball. All the usual exploratory features from a metroidvania are present, but getting around levels and various hazards requires guiding your little bug-man and his precious egg around a world of organic bumpers and flippers that'll send the resilient hero careening all over the screen. There's a definitive path through each stage that's fun and adorable, combat is largely swept to the side in favor of exploration, and the whole experience is both easy to grasp and rewarding for any pinball wizards who have a firm grasp on the mechanics of the classic arcade genre.

Read our Yoku's Island Express review.

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Xanthiom Zero

• Platforms: PC
• Release Date: July 28, 2023
• Developer: MathanGames

The almost unknown but fantastic cult hit Xanthiom Zero goes back to the origins of the genre by modeling itself after the original Metroid. The 8-bit-style graphics have a simplistic elegance, even as the game takes advantage of modern technology by shaping and sizing the corridors of Planet 4-514 to fit whatever is needed from them. As always, you'll uncover items that will help unlock new paths, but Xanthiom Zero sets itself apart by offering dozens of items to find, rather than a handful. Similarly, your weapons can be combined to create more than 5,000 permutations. All of that helps this game defy its retro appearance to feel utterly modern.

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