Metroidvania: half Metroid, half Castlevania

Metroidvania is a subgenre of action-adventure video games that combines elements from two popular game series: "Metroid" and "Castlevania." The name "Metroidvania" itself is a portmanteau of these two titles. This subgenre is characterized by several key gameplay and design features: exploration, non-linear progression, upgrades and abilities, storytelling and boss battles.
Both the Metroid and Castlevania series served as influential templates for the Metroidvania subgenre, with "Metroid" games focusing more on sci-fi and alien worlds, and "Castlevania" games having a gothic, vampire-hunting theme.

Most popular metroidvania games

Castlevania

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Montezuma's Revenge

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Below The Root

DOS1984 Dale Disharoon, Inc.

Below the root is an atipycal early 2 dimensional adventure game based on the Zilpha Keatley Snyder novels: the Green Sky Trilogy. The player can choose one of many characters, each with different skills and embark in a quest to eliminate the distrust between two races: the Erdling and the Kindar.

Captain Comic 2: Fractured Reality

DOS1990freeware

Captain Comic, The Adventures of

DOS1988freeware

Castlevania

DOS1990 Distinctive Software

Castlevania, originally released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986, was developed and published by Konami. The game was known in Japan as Akumajo Dracula (Devil's Castle Dracula) and was later renamed Castlevania for its North American release. In Castlevania, players take on the role of Simon Belmont, a vampire hunter from the Bel...

Lyle in Cube Sector

Windows 10/112006

Montezuma's Revenge

DOS1984 Parker Brothers

Montezuma's Revenge is a platforming video game that debuted in 1984. It was designed by Robert Jaeger and originally published by Parker Brothers. The game was available on a variety of platforms, including the Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Commodore 64, Apple II, and IBM PC. Players control a character named Panama Joe as he explores the undergrou...