Summary
Super Metroidis one of the classics that helped shape the SNES. It was also integral in establishing the Metroidvania genre along withCastlevania: Symphony of the Night. There are a lot of differences between the two games even though they belong in a unifying genre.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Nightrelies on RPG elements to compel players forward whereasSuper Metroidis a more haunting adventure. Players will go through caves without an ally in sight, firing guns and other projectiles at enemies both near and far. It’s a particular kind of Metroidvania and these indie examples feel the closest to aSuper Metroidtype of experience.
8AM2R
AM2R, orAnother Metroid 2 Remake, is a bit of a cheat because it technically is aMetroidgame. However, it was a fan-made project primarily developed by one guy, Milton Guasti, and released online for free. Nintendo, of course, filed a cease and desist order for the game to be removed.
However, like any good piece of content released online, it will forever be available somewhere. It came out in 2016, one year before Nintendo released their own remake of the second adventure entitledMetroid: Samus Returns. It’s a good remake on the 3DS, butAM2Ris quite frankly better.
7Axiom Verge
Axiom Vergeis the best game to start with for those that miss the classic run-and-gun shooting ofSuper Metroid. It stars a scientist who gets warped into a foreign world where not everything seems to be right. Literal glitches can be found which hide secrets in the environment.
New powers will unlock alternate pathways which are standard in a Metroidvania. The best thing about the game is the gun variety which is more diverse than anythingMetroidfans are used to like one gun that can drill through walls or enemies.Axiom Verge 2is also good but it is a different experience.
6Cave Story
Cave Storywas one of the first indie games to reach critical success. This was during the time of flash, before the word “indie game” really came into popularity around the HDand Wii era. It’s also a Metroidvania wherein the players are a small robot boy who wakes up in a cave. They begin with a simple pistol that can be leveled up upon defeating enemies.
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However, the gun upgrades can be decreased if players are hit kind of like how Sonic can lose rings in his game and thus become less healthy. Cave Story started as a free game online, but it has since been ported, remastered, and remade more times than one could count.
5Gato Roboto
Gato Robotois the adorable tale of a cat that acquires a mech suit. The suit looks a lot like Samus’ except a bit more bulky. This cat is determined to help save its master which is why it put the robotic suit on in the first place.
It’s a classic Metroidvania adventure with plenty of new power unlocks to help further the adventure in a simple yet well-design interlocking map. The most unique thing about the game is the black-and-white visuals that pop out. There are even moments where players can get out of the suit to pullsome cat-themed hijinks.
4Ghost Song
Ghost Songcameout in 2022 and was one of those games that got quietly passed over because a lot was going on in the AAA scene. It’s got everything a goodMetroid-like game needs as it begins in a cave with the hero, a sentient robot, unaware of what is going on.
It is de-powered, afraid, and above all else, determined to escape its fate. It’s a Metroidvania but it is also akin to a Soulslike game. Defeat enemies and then use currencies to upgrade skills back at save points to become stronger.Ghost Songis a good hodgepodge of genres that offers a decent challenge too.
3The Mummy Demastered
The Mummy Demasteredwas a movie tie-in game toThe Mummyreboot starring Tom Cruise. That film flopped at the box office and thus destroyed thewhole Dark Universeplans for Universal. On the plus side, the video game is a lot better than the movie.
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Players control a nameless soldier who is trying to stop the titular Mummy from destroying the world. When one soldier dies, another will take his place. It’s not as fantastical as some of the other games on here but it is a solid Metroidvania and one that it is better than it has any right to be based on where it came from.
2Ori And The Blind Forest
Ori and the Blind Forestis one of the best-looking Metroidvanias to have ever been created. The visual polish is like something out of a dream weaved from watercolors. Don’t let the brightly colored visuals fool you as this is one tough game.
Players assume the role of Ori who sort of looks like an alien monkey. Players can shoot fire-like projectiles at the start, but more powers will upgrade the capabilities after a couple of hours. If players like this adventure then they should move on to the sequel,Ori and the Will of the Wisps, which offers a better balance of ideas.
1Shadow Complex
Shadow Complex, likeThe Mummy Demastered, is a simpler andless wild Metroidvania. Players can acquire typical guns like pistols and rifles along with usable items like grenades. It begins as an exploration mission between the main character, Jason, and his girlfriend.
The caves lead to an evil organization which then leads to fighting off soldiers and robots all in the name of love. It was an early example of a Metroidvania made by a small team in the HD era who merely wanted to pay homage to great games likeSuper Metroid.
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