Taking elements from the best Metroid games and the newer Castlevania series, the Metroidvania genre has become especially popular on PC. While some do share elements with roguelikes, Metroidvania games have a few differences that make them stand out from anything else. They aren’t exactly open-world games, but do feature large interconnected maps that you slowly gain access to through exploration and unlocking new items and abilities. Almost everything else, from art style, combat, perspective, and mechanics can change from game to game. A well-crafted Metroidvania can easily be one of the best PC games, while others could be a huge disappointment. Let’s sequence break the process of trying them all out and just get to our list of the best Metroidvania games on PC.
If you are looking for the best Metroidvanias on PS5, best Metroidvanias on Xbox Series X, or best Metroiodvanias on Switch, we have you covered.
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Hollow Knight
92%
Platforms
Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Wii U, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Platform, Adventure, Indie
Developer
Team Cherry
Publisher
Team Cherry
Release
February 24, 2017
Even those who grew up playing the classics of Super Metroid and Symphony of the Night have to admit that Hollow Knight matches, if not exceeds, those titles. Hollow Knight has a massive world to explore as you’d expect, but it is one of the most atmospheric and immersive we’ve ever played. The art and design of every location, enemy, and boss lends so much life to this creepy, quiet world. Combat is kept simple but expects you to master all the nuances by the end. It gives you just enough ways to tweak your run and make interesting choices, but never gives you an option to overpower yourself to surmount a challenge. There are almost no faults to be found here, which have made expectations of Silksong skyrocket.
Strider
72%
Platforms
PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox 360, Xbox One
Genre
Platform, Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure
Developer
Double Helix Games, Capcom Osaka
Publisher
Capcom
Release
February 18, 2014
Too few people talk about how much fun the Strider reboot is as a Metroidvania. For anyone who isn’t familiar with the classic series from Arcades and the Genesis, you can basically think of it as a cyberpunk version of Prince of Persia. You will explore a rich sci-fi city using all your acrobatic skills as a ninja that make even your base running and jumping skills a joy. Your primary weapon is a Cypher, which you can swing as fast as you press the button, but also unlocks various properties as you go. It doesn’t break the mold mechanically, but stylistically and structurally, it is one of the most solid Metroidvanias most people overlook.
Owlboy
79%
Platforms
PlayStation 4, Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Platform, Puzzle, Adventure, Indie
Developer
D-Pad Studio
Publisher
SOEDESCO Publishing, D-Pad Studio
Release
November 01, 2016
We’re always impressed by games made by one person, but Owlboy still deserves a special mention. This game took over a decade to come out and it shows in how lovingly crafted it is. You can see for yourself how delightful the visuals are, but the gameplay is something new for Metroidvanias. You will explore the map as you would hope by flying around as Otus, but he can’t directly attack. Instead, you will pick up either objects to throw or allies who have weapons to attack with. That keeps the gameplay varied and interesting, but also gives you a stronger attachment to the characters and story.
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero
81%
Platforms
PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), Wii U, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Platform, Adventure, Indie
Developer
WayForward
Publisher
XSEED Games, WayForward
Release
December 20, 2016
If there was ever a game that embodied the idea of a Saturday morning cartoon come to life, it’s Shantae: Half-Genie Hero. This series has been a cult classic Metroidvania for years and is at its best with Half-Genie Hero. Shantae’s basic moves revolve around using her hair, but your main method of upgrades is learning new dances that allow you to transform into a host of animals with new traversal abilities. These include things like a monkey, bat, and mouse. It also has a lighthearted and fun story with charming characters who are always fun to interact with. It isn’t a tough game (unless you play on Hard Core Mode) but isn’t trying to be one.
Ultros
Platforms
Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Platform, Adventure, Indie
Developer
Hadoque
Publisher
Kepler Interactive
Release
February 13, 2024
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Ultros looks like an LSD trip come to life. We don’t mean that in a bad way, either. This game isn’t afraid to go off the wall with its art direction in service of its setting and plot. But Ultros doesn’t just rest on its visuals to stand out. As a Metroidvania, it features fast-paced and highly skill-dependent combat that requires your full attention. That can be a little tough when you encounter one of the many bosses who will shock and amaze you with their uncanny and unsettling designs.
Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist
80%
Platforms
Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Platform, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Live Wire, adglobe
Publisher
Binary Haze Interactive
Release
January 22, 2025
A new entry in the genre that already impressed us enough to include on this list is Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist. Built off of the bones of the first game, this story is completely stand-alone but improves on the most interesting aspects of its predecessor. The main distinction here is that your main character, Lilac, does not have any combat abilities herself. Instead, all your attacks and movement options come from finding and befriending Homunculi that you summon. With a melancholy world to explore full of intrigue and mystery, this is a stylish game that offers just enough new while staying true to the essentials you want out of a Metroidvania.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
84%
Platforms
Google Stadia, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, Wii U, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Platform, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
ArtPlay
Publisher
505 Games
Release
June 18, 2019
If Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night sounds like a Castlevania name, your instincts aren’t wrong. This game comes from Koji Igarashi, the “father” of the Metroidvania genre who worked on nearly all the Castlevania games from Symphony of the Night onward. Once he left and formed his own studio, the first thing he made was a spiritual successor to those games. It sticks so close to that original format, including many enemies, weapons, and familiar locations, that it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to trick yourself into thinking you’re playing a new 2D Castlevania game.
Axiom Verge
76%
Platforms
PlayStation 4, Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Wii U, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Platform, Adventure, Indie
Developer
Thomas Happ Games
Publisher
Thomas Happ Games
Release
March 31, 2015
Axiom Verge is to Metroid what Ritual of the Night is to Symphony of the Night, only it was made by a single indie dev instead of one of the original creators. Still, they understood what made those games tick just as well as the original team. Part of the reason Axiom Verge is so intriguing is that the game gives you very little to go on. The game opens with a harrowing scene of a research lab in New Mexico, broken to pieces by some untold force. It sets up a lot of questions and gives very few answers, paving the way for the rest of the game to play out. Axiom Verge is always one step ahead of the player, giving out just enough plot details to keep the player going. The game clearly has Metroid written all over it, but it’s not afraid to break the mold. An arsenal of weapons and some unique abilities push Axiom Verge beyond its source material, making for a game that feels more like a love letter than a ripoff.
