Castleroid (in the Vein of Metroidvania)

Aside from actual Metroid and Castlevania releases, what are the best Metroidvanias you've played? Any ones we might not have heard of?

In the mood for this type of game and looking for recommendations. Played some Dust today and something about the bunnies started to bug me. It made me realize that making a solid Metroidvania is an art form. It's not as easy as following a formula, you have to be able to execute a compelling atmosphere.

Anyone here play Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet?

Is Mega Man ZX the shit?

I need my Metroidvania fix, and Dust: An Elysian Tail has been cut with too much garbage

Mark (of) the Ninja is fast-paced and has the benefit of being more fun.

Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet is very good, and ZX is indeed the shit.

Isn't Mark of the Ninja just regular levels and not interconnected? I need to actually play more of that game anyway, it is good.

Mega Man ZX is good but definitely looser and easier than the Zero games. Shadow Complex was a lot of fun but it's short, and best as a time trial game. La Mulana is pretty good from what I've played but that hasn't been much.

Valdis Story is new and I haven't played it but it looks nice.

Mark of the Ninja isn't like Metroid or Castlevania, but it is pretty boring! Shadow Complex was awesome (and yes, too short).

I've been playing Milon's Secret Castle a lot lately. It came out on the 3DS eShop. It's pretty great, but it's hard to find a FAQ for it anywhere.

Great help guys thx

Wonder Boy III is must play if you haven't already.

I'll third Shadow Complex if you want a quick modern one. I find of most of the 2d indie ones of recent years overrated but Bunny Must Die! is a good one that doesn't get much mention.

The second Way of the Exploding Fist game on C64 is one of my favourites but I would only recommend it to those wanting something really hardcore. Like a lot of pre-Metroid ones, it has no save function (outside of emulation cheats) and very high difficulty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FanHxMmQ_eE

Really underrated title for DS. A MetroVania game with an actual combo system. Pretty damn fun.

Music for the 1st area.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6Cb9s7UjhU

Gives off a really cool NES/SNES era type of music.

I recommend Exile on C64. Just be sure to get the .tap version, as the protection on others is insane and has never been cracked. The BBC original is great too, but that system's emulation is a little more finicky.

Guacamelee

Batman Arkham Asylum

Valdis Story, Bunny Must Die! , Monster Tale...goddamn! Never heard of any of these and they all look sweet. Had a hunch I'd hear about some obscure greats from this thread. The others that I have heard of - Milon's Secret Castle, Wonder Boy 3, Shadow Complex - are great to be reminded of, as I'd forgotten about all but Shadow Complex long ago. Thanks to the contributors to this thread and if there are more essential vaniamets/troidvanias/metcastles (lol) love to hear about them


side question: could fez be considered metroidvania

Kind of. It's got the whole interconnected world with locked-off areas hidden behind keys, but I think of it more as a puzzle platformer as most Metroidvanias tend to be very combat heavy.

I think Cave Story is also somewhat of one, I quite enjoy that game.

Do Wonder Boy games count as Metroidvanias? They're more like Wonder Boy games. I guess close enough!

That entire series might be my favorite thing in all of video games. Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap (SMS)/Dragon's Curse (TG16), Wonder Boy in Monster World (Genesis)/Dynastic Hero (lawl, TGCD) and Monster World IV (MegaDrive) are absolute must-plays.

The Monster World collection on XBLA is cheap, very well done and has the original Monster Land arcade game (which I didn't recommend but I still love) and the two Genesis games.

Everyone's already on-point with these recommendations. Especially Monster Tale. Kinda short, but so much fun and the animation is great stuff.

I guess if you have 3DS there's Batman Origins. Haven't played it but reviews say it's a straight up Metroid style game.

If you can live with games with horribly shit graphics, I remember The Divide: Enemies Within on PS1 being a fun play. There are probably a hundred better-looking games in this genre to play first, however.

*EDIT* Hell, this looks much better emulated. Frame rate is vastly improved as well.

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Originally Posted by Mzo

Do Wonder Boy games count as Metroidvanias? They're more like Wonder Boy games. I guess close enough!

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I totally backtracked to explore places i couldn't reach in Monster World until i had new items/abilities later, and found hidden areas by doing so, in a giant inter-connected world. i say it totally counts!

Wonder Boy III and Monster World IV for starters. And Shantae.

How about Metroidvania's with HD graphics like Dust, except cool art? I know Guacameele, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, and Shadow Complex. Any others spring to mind, whether indie or mainstream?

The 16 bit suggestions are ace though

Picking up Wonder Boy as I type

AQUARIA. PLAY IT. Dammit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mzo

Do Wonder Boy games count as Metroidvanias? They're more like Wonder Boy games. I guess close enough!

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I count some of them as the same genre (platform/adventure games) but I'm not a fan of term "Metroidvania". There are already enough people nowadays thinking Metroid invented the genre.

It's a difficult genre to define cleanly. If you consider the ability acquisition and backtracking to explore previously unavailable areas to be the most essential part, then later Zelda titles and derivatives like Darksiders fit the bill - but then Pitfall II is gone. If it's the platforming that matters, then Aquaria and Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet are gone. I like big tents, so the best definition I can come up with is Exploratory Action Game.

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Originally Posted by Frogacuda

Wonder Boy III and Monster World IV for starters. And Shantae.

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For starters ten posts ago.

Shantae is bad but DSi-ware Risky's Revenge is great.

Now I have to try Monster Tale. I knew there was a reason why I bought it!

It's pretty great. And charming!