Step into worlds where exploration meets intense action-Metroidvanias have carved a niche for players craving intricate maps, skillful combat, and rich storytelling. Whether you’re on PC, Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox, or mobile, 2025 offers an exciting lineup of the genre’s best, from haunting gothic realms to futuristic dystopias. Ready to discover your next obsession? Here are the 10 best Metroidvanias to play right now, each promising unique adventures and unforgettable challenges.
A portmanteau of the beloved Metroid and Castlevania franchises, the term refers primarily, though not exclusively, to a subgenre of side-scrolling action-adventure games that emphasize nonlinear exploration and utility-based progression. Over the last two decades, Metroidvanias have undergone a renaissance in popularity beyond its namesakes with the advent of a wave of critically acclaimed games led by independent developers.
From time-tested masterpieces like Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow and Metroid Prime to modern masterpieces like Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and more, here are the best Metroidvania games you can play right now.
Axiom Verge
Axiom Verge is a standout Metroidvania that channels the spirit of classic 2D exploration games like Super Metroid, featuring a lone scientist named Trace who wakes up in a mysterious alien world called Sudra. The game excels with its diverse arsenal of over 60 weapons and power-ups, including unique tools like a controllable spider drone that helps navigate and combat. Its interconnected world design encourages exploration and strategic use of abilities to unlock new areas, while challenging enemies and bosses test player skill. Axiom Verge also offers a rich, intriguing story layered with scientific and philosophical themes, making it a modern classic in the genre available on multiple platforms including Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Windows PC, and Xbox One
Nearly a decade (and one sequel) later, the original Axiom Verge remains an outstanding entry in the Metroidvania genre thanks to its crunchy, lo-fi aesthetic, amazing soundtrack, and interesting abilities. Created solely by Thomas Happ, Axiom Verge places you in the white lab coat of Trace, a laboratory assistant charged with saving a crumbling alien civilization. As with other Metroidvanias, you’ll explore the world and unlock new areas as you gain new abilities.
The usual suite of grappling hooks and health upgrades is supplemented by some more unique options. One early example, the Address Disruptor, allows you to alter the behavior of some enemies and even change your environment. I won’t spoil anything here, but Axiom Verge is a game that encourages you to experiment and not take anything at face value.
After you’ve mastered Axiom Verge, you can dive back in with its randomizer option. This generates a procedural world seeded with all the same bosses and abilities, but challenging you with a unique map layout and progression system. You’ll encounter bosses in a different order, and enemies will be placed in different areas, forcing you to switch up your usual strategies. -Alice Jovanée
Axiom Verge
$5$2075% off $5 $20 at Steam$20 at Xbox$5 at Nintendo Switch
Blasphemous 2
Blasphemous 2 is a standout Metroidvania that builds impressively on its predecessor with a refined blend of brutal combat, intricate exploration, and deep customization. Featuring a unique three-weapon system, each weapon not only offers distinct combat styles but also serves as a key to unlock new paths and puzzles, enriching the nonlinear world design of Cvstodia. The game enhances player agency through expanded skill trees, magical spells, and versatile movement abilities like double jump and air dash, making exploration and combat more dynamic and rewarding. With its gothic atmosphere, challenging boss fights, and a vast interconnected map filled with secrets and NPCs, Blasphemous 2 offers a satisfying and meaty experience that appeals to both fans of the genre and newcomers alike.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X
While the original Blasphemous set an incredible standard with its wholly original storyline and art style (all inspired by Spanish Catholicism, of all things), the sequel bested that game on every single front.
The controls feel more fluid, the detailed pixel art is more bizarre, and the introduction of new gameplay mechanics, like three primary weapons with their own mobility options, really open up the possibilities in combat and exploration. This is one of the few 2D Soulslikes that approaches the depth and genius of FromSoftware’s efforts, and that’s massively impressive coming from an indie studio like The Game Kitchen. -Russ Frushtick
Blasphemous 2
$18$3040% off $18 $30 at Steam$18 at PlayStation$30 at Xbox
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow is a standout Metroidvania title originally released for the Game Boy Advance, known for its smooth 2D side-scrolling gameplay and innovative Tactical Soul system. Players control Soma Cruz, who can absorb the souls of defeated enemies to gain new abilities, adding strategic depth and replay value to the classic exploration and combat formula set within Dracula’s castle. The game blends action-adventure and RPG elements, featuring character leveling and a variety of medieval weapons alongside futuristic storytelling set in 2035. Its accessible map design, diverse weaponry, and memorable soundtrack make it a must-play, and it remains available today in the Castlevania Advance Collection.
Where to play: Game Boy Advance, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, and Xbox One
Symphony of the Night might get all of the shine for introducing the Metroid formula to Castlevania, but Aria of Sorrow is when the pairing was perfected. Thanks to the innovative introduction of capturable souls, every single enemy in Aria of Sorrow is waiting to offer up some new ability or passive perk (so long as you’re willing to kill about 1,000 of them).
Toss in some of the best-looking 2D pixel art ever made (Twitter) and a surprisingly twisty-turny story, and there’s plenty to love about Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Better still, the story continues in the equally great Dawn of Sorrow, so long as you have a Nintendo DS lying around and don’t mind some touchscreen shenanigans. -RF
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
$10$2050% off $10 $20 at Steam$10 at PlayStation$20 at Nintendo Switch
Cave Story
Cave Story, developed by Daisuke “Pixel” Amaya, is a beloved Metroidvania that combines tight platforming, engaging combat, and a compelling narrative. Players control an amnesiac robot exploring a mysterious floating island inhabited by the Mimiga, a rabbit-like race, uncovering secrets and battling enemies with an upgradeable arsenal of weapons. Despite some debate over its linear progression compared to traditional Metroidvanias, Cave Story stands out for its memorable pixel art, catchy retro soundtrack, and challenging gameplay that rewards exploration and skillful combat. Its story-driven experience and inventive level design have made it a timeless classic in the genre, available on multiple platforms including PC and Nintendo Switch.
Where to play: Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DSi, Nintendo Switch, Wii, and Windows PC
Developed over the course of five years, Daisuke “Pixel” Amaya’s one-man passion project was the indie game darling of its generation: a platform action-adventure that revitalized the Metroidvania genre as a whole with its immersive levels, charming characters, and inventive upgrade system.
As an amnesiac robot who wakes up in the depths of a massive floating island, you’ll have to arm yourself and explore the secrets of this vast and strange world in order to save its denizens from a terrifying fate. You’ll come across a host of memorable characters in your quest for answers, including a fellow robot soldier named Curly Brace and an oafish boss named Balrog who looks suspiciously like a sentient bar of soap.
While the traversal puzzles have certainly begun to show their age, Cave Story’s weapon system – which relies on players collecting orange triangular crystals in order to strategically upgrade and degrade their firearms to unlock abilities – and moment-to-moment combat feels as fresh and exciting as the day it was first released. Top that all off with an infectious chiptune soundtrack, and you’ve got a bona fide Metroidvania classic on your hands. -Toussaint Egan
Cave Story
$15 $15 $15 at Steam$30 at Nintendo Switch
Dead Cells
Dead Cells is a standout roguelike Metroidvania that expertly blends fast-paced, challenging combat with procedurally generated levels and a permadeath system. Players control the Prisoner, an amorphous creature exploring a dangerous island filled with mutated monsters, where each death resets progress but allows permanent upgrades through a currency called Cells. The game features a deep combat system reminiscent of Dark Souls, with a variety of weapons, dodging mechanics, and strategic enemy encounters. Its nonlinear progression, combined with the thrill of discovery and mastery, makes Dead Cells a must-play for fans of the genre seeking both action and replayability.
Where to play: Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X
Back in 2018, the dedicated team at Motion Twin pulled off what many might’ve thought an impossible feat: a satisfying roguelike with RPG elements and a Metroidvania-style progression system. Dead Cells challenges you to navigate a dilapidated castle and slay all of its bosses in a single run. If that sounds tough, don’t worry; you aren’t expected to survive. Every death sends you back to where you started, but you’ll start over with new knowledge of your enemies and ways to optimize your route throughout the castle. Each death in Dead Cells is a learning experience, and class is most definitely in session.
Dead Cells’ enemies and bosses are unforgiving, and even the lowest minion can cut a run short if you aren’t careful. This forces you to rely on the game’s remarkably tight controls, which allow you to deftly roll, mantle, and jump out of harm’s way. As you learn enemy behaviors and new abilities, additional routes through the castle are revealed, which hold more challenging bosses and greater rewards.
With a total of five pieces of post-launch DLC, including one inspired directly by Castlevania, it’ll be a while before you experience everything Dead Cells has to offer, making it a standout title in genre. -AJ
Dead Cells
$12$2552% off $12 $12 at Steam
Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight is a standout Metroidvania that immerses players in the vast, interconnected underground kingdom of Hallownest. Featuring hand-drawn art, fluid combat, and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack, the game challenges players with intense boss fights, intricate platforming, and a rich charm system that allows for deep customization of playstyle. Its expansive world is filled with mysterious insectoid characters, secrets, and upgrades that enhance exploration and combat. Praised for its perfect blend of difficulty and rewarding progression, Hollow Knight remains a quintessential experience in the genre across multiple platforms including PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, and Xbox One
It’s been over seven years since Team Cherry’s 2D side-scrolling debut was released, and fans are still eagerly (see: agonizingly) awaiting official word on the game’s follow-up, Hollow Knight: Silksong.
It’s not difficult to see why: Hollow Knight remains one of the greatest Metroidvania games of the 2010s, thrusting players into an byzantine world of perilous challenges, esoteric world-building, and enough tragic ennui to rival a FromSoftware game. Descending into the bowels of a subterranean kingdom beset by a supernatural disease, players are forced to cut through armies of insectoid enemies and relentless boss fights as they acquire new abilities and means of traversal.
Hollow Knight’s nonlinear world design, along with its vast assortment of side quests and collectibles, incentivizes exploration and curiosity as you burrow down every possible nook and cranny in search of the next awesome ability or plot point. -TE
Hollow Knight
$15 $15 $15 at Steam$15 at Nintendo
Metroid Dread
Metroid Dread stands out as a modern masterpiece in the Metroidvania genre, delivering a perfect blend of tight, responsive platforming, intense combat, and deep exploration. The game features a labyrinthine world filled with intricate puzzles and hidden upgrades, encouraging players to master classic moves like wall jumping and the Speed Booster to progress. Its signature EMMI robot encounters add a unique stealth and tension element, transforming parts of the map into high-stakes zones where one mistake means instant death. With smooth 60fps performance and atmospheric design that captures a sense of eerie isolation, Metroid Dread offers a challenging yet rewarding experience that keeps players engaged from start to finish.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch
A Metroid game on a list of Metroidvanias – it just makes sense, folks! The real challenge is which Metroid game to select, and when it comes to starting points, Metroid Dread serves as the best modern-day entry point to the series as a whole, and particularly the 2D Metroids (there are also 3D ones – we’ll get to that).
Like all the other games on this list, Metroid Dread includes the best of environmental puzzle platforming, but this is a Metroid game, so there’s also a moody, Alien-inspired atmosphere, tense boss battles and action sequences, and a minimalist but striking narrative that spreads across the entire experience. If you play just one Metroid game, make it this one – just be aware, it’ll hook you on the rest regardless. -Maddy Myers
Metroid Dread
$30$6050% off $30 $30 at GameStop
Metroid Prime Remastered
Metroid Prime Remastered is a stunningly faithful update of the 2002 GameCube classic, brought to Nintendo Switch with enhanced visuals, audio, and controls while preserving the original gameplay experience. Players step into the role of bounty hunter Samus Aran, exploring the atmospheric, interconnected world of planet Tallon IV, uncovering secrets, and battling the sinister Space Pirates. The remaster refines the game’s graphics and performance, running smoothly at 60fps with no loading screens, and offers modern control options without altering the core mechanics, making it the definitive way to experience this iconic first-person Metroidvania adventure.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch
The term “Metroidvania” tends to evoke 2D puzzle platformers, but Metroid as a franchise is not beholden to just two dimensions.
The first game in the Metroid Prime trilogy got a stunning Nintendo Switch remaster in 2023 that has become the de facto “best” option for replaying the 2002 game. Just be aware – or perhaps, be warned – that the remastered version of the game changes almost nothing about the original 2002 experience except its appearance. The distance between save points is still just as punishing; the payoff of every environmental puzzle, just as rewarding. -MM
Metroid Prime Remastered
$40 $40 $40 at Nintendo Switch
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a critically acclaimed Metroidvania platform-adventure developed by Moon Studios and published by Xbox Game Studios. As the sequel to Ori and the Blind Forest, it expands on its predecessor with a beautiful 2D world featuring layered 3D models, refined combat mechanics, and a rich narrative following Ori’s journey in the new region of Niwen. The game emphasizes exploration, puzzle-solving, and acquiring new abilities to unlock previously inaccessible areas, enhanced by a versatile combat system with multiple weapons and spirit shards. It also introduces side quests, a bustling hub world, and quality-of-life improvements like autosaving and fast travel. Praised for its stunning visuals, emotional story, and fluid gameplay, Ori and the Will of the Wisps stands out as one of the finest Metroidvanias available on platforms including Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X
Ori and the Will of the Wisps is an ostensibly pensive game, so the sheer amount of ass-kicking it doles out may catch you off guard. That’s not just a remark on its progressive difficulty (many subregions introduce a new traversal gimmick for you to master). It’s also a comment on how much of a gut-punch the story is. You play as a comically adorable forest spirit, tasked with navigating a picturesque forest that would fit right into any Studio Ghibli film, all in an effort to rescue a baby owl (who’s also your BFF). Will of the Wisps’ giant, angry spider might be one of the tougher bosses in modern Metroidvanias. But it can’t beat the power of friendship. -Ari Notis
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
$10$3067% off $10 $30 at Xbox$12 at Nintendo Switch$10 at Steam
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a standout 2.5D Metroidvania that masterfully blends precision platforming, strategic combat, and puzzle-solving within an interconnected world filled with secrets and shortcuts. Players control Sargon, who wields time-based powers to navigate the challenging environments of Mount Qaf, using abilities like air dashes, teleportation to shadow markers, and grappling hooks to overcome intricate platforming sections and formidable enemies. The game introduces innovative features such as the Memory Shard system, allowing players to pin screenshots on the map to track puzzles and inaccessible areas, significantly easing exploration and backtracking. With its beautiful hand-drawn visuals, fluid controls, and rewarding upgrades, The Lost Crown is regarded as one of the best modern Metroidvanias, delivering a polished and engaging experience across multiple platforms.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is like an oasis in the desert. This is not to say Metroidvania fans have been parched, per se, but it’s been ages since one as instantly totemic as The Lost Crown has come along. You’ll come across a white-knuckle needle drop – whether a boss fight, a platforming sprint, or a plot twist – every few minutes. And like with the best in the genre, you slowly unlock abilities that expand how deeply you can explore the game’s domain. But The Lost Crown also features inventive mechanics that minimize needless backtracking, making it the rare Metroidvania that challenges you and surprises you while fully respecting your time. -AN
Which Metroidvania titles are winning polls in early 2025
The Metroidvania titles winning polls in early 2025 are led by Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist, which dominated with 74% of voters having played it, 100% liking it, and 73% considering it remarkable, making it the standout hit of the first quarter. Following closely are Blade Chimera and Zexion, with Zexion noted as a hidden gem-played by fewer but highly praised players, with 100% liking it and 89% finding it exceptional. Guns of Fury also earned strong marks for both likes and remarkable votes. These games emphasize combat and exploration, with Blade Chimera incorporating more puzzle elements compared to the others. Other notable mentions with positive feedback include Twilight Monk, Super Roboy, and Gal Guardians. Meanwhile, popular games like Resetna received mixed reactions despite being among the more played titles. This snapshot reflects the community’s preferences for fresh, engaging Metroidvania experiences in 2025.
Which titles are leading in the early 2025 Metroidvania polls
The leading Metroidvania titles in early 2025 polls are:
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Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist, which stands out as the most successful and popular title. It was played by 74% of voters, with 100% of those players liking it and 73% considering it remarkable, making it the top choice of the first quarter.
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Blade Chimera also performed well, noted for its combat and puzzle mechanics, receiving numerous likes and remarkable votes.
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Zexion emerged as a hidden gem, played by fewer participants (17%), but with 100% liking it and 89% rating it as exceptional.
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Guns of Fury garnered strong support with many likes and remarkable votes, emphasizing combat-focused gameplay.
Other notable titles with positive reception include Twilight Monk, Super Roboy, Gal Guardians, and MOMIBOSU, all receiving a fair share of likes and remarkable votes.
Meanwhile, some games like Resetna were played frequently but received mixed feedback, with only 27% liking it despite being the sixth most played.
This poll reflects a community preference for Metroidvanias that blend combat and exploration, with puzzle elements playing a secondary role except in Blade Chimera.
