The Metroidvania genre has some of the best games one can play in the year 2025. Taking influences from classic platformers such as the Metroid franchise and Konami’s Castlevania series.
Even though this type of game was thought to die out, they are back in topic again thanks to the indie game dev scene. At the current date, there are a lot of options in the genre to pick and play from.
In the list below, we have listed some of the best Metroidvania games you can play in 2025.
Games you can play in 2025 from the Metroidvania genre
Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight is definitely the first game that comes to mind these days when the word Metroidvania is brought up. The genre has found a steady footing in the indie game dev scene. But nothing blew up like how much this game did.
The plot of the game follows a world that has been affected by ‘the infection’. Similar to the worlds in the Souls games, you play as an unknown warrior and piece together the details. You get to explore a broken world with insectoid enemies and try to find a remedy.
Hollow Knight was released to critical acclaim on every platform. The developers at Team Cherry have grown quite massive since, and are working to release their next masterpiece.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
There are two prominent game franchises that stand behind the term Metroidvania. The first is Nintendo’s Metroid series, and the second is Konami’s classic Castlevania games. Originally, the genre was named ‘search action games’, until these two series changed it.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is the newest product of Koji Igarashi. He was behind the major Castlevania games and helped flourish the genre. Fans lovingly refer to his games as ‘Igavania’, and the Bloodstained franchise is the best Igavania game in years.
In the game, you get to play through medieval European castles, fighting against demons and other night creatures. Stepping into the shoes of a shardbinder named Miriam, who is looking for answers as to why her friend has turned against her.
Blasphemous
The Game Kitchen is presently known for bringing back 2D Ninja Gaiden for Koei Tecmo. But they are also behind the jaw-droppingly gorgeous-looking Metroidvania title named Blasphemous. The pixel art in that game is a sight to behold.
Published by Team17, the game was released in 2019 and immediately drew in fans from different game series. It had the atmosphere and storytelling elements similar to the Souls games while being inspired by Castlevania.
The game is set in an alternate dark fantasy world that is dominated by imagery of Roman Catholicism. You get to play as the penitent one who has been resurrected to bring back balance to this world.
Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth
Tabletop RPGs were huge in the West but equally big in Japan. A very popular D&D campaign once got novelized and turned into a multimedia franchise. This important franchise was The Record of Lodoss War
The incredible Metroidvania developers at Team Ladybug started working on a game that would utilize the franchise. In 2021, the title Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth was released. It was one of the most beautiful pixel art games released that year.
The game plays similarly to the Konami classic, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Following Deedlit, the high-elf backdashes through beautifully crafted level designs.
Metroid Dread
The Metroid series requires no introduction to the ones reading this list. As we have already said, it is one of the pillar franchises that was behind the origins of the genre. The caveat is that it is available only on the Nintendo hardware.
Regardless, the games are absolutely worth checking out and especially on the latest installments. Metroid Dread was released in 2021, surprising everyone, since it was a title rumored to be made for Nintendo DS. But the project never came to fruition until 2021.
The game’s story picks up after the Game Boy Advance classic, Metroid Fusion. You play as Samus Aran, donning the iconic suit but with a new design as well as gameplay upgrades.
Axiom Verge
Axiom Verge takes us to the glory days of classic side-scroller shooting games such as Contra. But it does it with a metroidvania twist, inspired by alien worlds from classics such as Super Metroid.
The game is created by the indie developers at Thomas Happ and released in 2015. You play as the scientist named Trace. He is looking for answers after waking up in an unknown world named Sudra.
The game received multiple positive reviews on various outlets when it released. This also led to the development of an expansion for the game, later named the Multiverse edition.
Nine Sols
Nine Sols is one of the most recently released Metroidvania titles. It was developed and published by the independent developers at Red Candle. The game attempts to blend cyberpunk aesthetics with elements of Taoism, calling it Taopunk.
You step into the shoes of Yi, a fox character who is on the path of vengeance. Tracking down the nine Sols and defeating them one by one. So that he can take away their Sol Seals, which control the Eternal Cauldron Project.
Nine Sols is generally considered a difficult game due to the main gameplay system being designed around deflection to gain advantage. The game received an expanded boss rush mode in a recently named ‘battle memories’.
Cave Story+
Cave Story is one of the oldest indie Metroidvania titles with multiple versions. In 2011, a definitive version of the game released named Cave Story+. Developed by Nicalis Inc. along with Studio Pixel, the game is just like any other run-and-gun shooter.
The original Cave Story was developed by an independent Japanese developer named Daisuke ‘Pixel’ Amaya in their spare time. He made the game inspired by mechanics from his favorite games, such as Castlevania and Metroid.
Cave Story+ was originally released for the 3DS, and then it was later released for other consoles.
The Messenger
Ninja is a video game franchise that is known to many as one of the pillars of the hack n slash genre. But prior to its 3D roots, Ninja Gaiden was also one of the hardest classic action platformers. The Messenger is a game that explores the glory days of ninja platformers.
The game was released in 2018 by the developers at Sabotage Studios for multiple platforms. You play as the ninja with the titular name who gains powers to control time. Players explore a fantasy metroidvania world with beautiful pixel art stylization.
According to the developers, the game was designed taking inspiration from the classic Ninja Gaiden but as well as RPGs such as Chrono Trigger. Original creators of the classic Ninja Gaiden games once tried out the game and showered it with praises.
Momodora: Moonlit Farewell
At first glance, the beautiful pixel art of Momodora may make it look like it was developed by Team Ladybug. But the game is the latest entry in a series of well-crafted Metroidvania titles. It is developed by the people at Bomb Service and published by Playism.
Set in a fantasy world, and following the events of Momodora III, the game puts players in the shoes of Momo Renoil, a priestess. You play to protect your home village, the Kaho village.
The game is set approximately five years after the events of the last game. You explore meticulously designed levels to track down the person behind the demonic invasion.
