Must Play Metroidvania Games

[witinhalf]

I'm on a Metroidvania kick since I got my MiSTer in March. I've beaten Metroid II, Zero Mission, Castlevania II English Re-translation (+Map) hack, Circle of the Moon and Wonder Boy III (actually I'm playing Dragon's Curse on TG16). I'm almost done with Harmony of Dissonance and I'm wondering what I should play next? I will complete Super Metroid and Aria of Sorrow before the end of the year because they are my two favorites. Is there any game I'm missing? I don't like the hand holding tutorials of Zero Mission; should I give it another shot? What else on MiSTer am I missing?

EDIT: I don't like the hand holding of Fusion. Zero Mission is amazing.

[charmless]

You should definitely give Zero Mission another go. I like Shantae on the Gameboy Color. Also Monster World IV on the Mega Drive is pretty great.

[C-R-T]

For NES:

Ufouria
Goonies 2

The former is a very overlooked game but is quite good and a true Metroid type game (big open world which gradually gets more accessible in all directions as you gain abilities) rather than an action adventure side scrolling game which often gets called a Metroidvania even though it isn’t (an example is Monster World 4 mentioned above).

[malice]

Cave Story!!

A must play if only because the game was developed, top to bottom, by one guy! On top of being an excellent example of this style of game, it's just an amazing, inspiring technical feat from Pixel. And he gave it to the world for free!

Mister is not technically required, but there is a Mega Drive version of the game out there.

[hiddenbyleaves]

I've been playing Popful Mail on the SegaCD. Is that a metroidvania? I think it kind of is.

[darksakul]

NES
Blaster Master
Faxanadu
Gargoyle's Quest II
Zelda II: The Adventures of Link
The Guardian Legend (Metrovania/Shmup hybrid)

Genesis
QuackShot Starring Donald Duck
Monster World IV
Wonder Boy in Monster World

Sega CD
Popful Mail

MSX
Vampire Killer (OG Castlevania for the system)
The Maze of Galious
Legacy of the Wizard

Gameboy/Gameboy Color
Gargoyle's Quest
Blaster Master: Enemy Below

[witinhalf]

@C-R-T - Ufouria looks amazing. I had never heard of it. I had forgotten about Goonies 2. I'm adding both to my playlist.

@malice - I had no idea that Cave Story was ported. I love Cave Story, I'm going to give the port a try.

@hiddenbyleaves - I'm playing Popful Mail now. It's an amazing game.

@darksakul - Faxanadu looks amazing. I remember seeing the box in stores as a kid. I just watched a video review and I can't wait to play it. The MSX games look interesting, I need to give MSX a try.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Are there any good Metroidvania games on Amiga or other computer systems?

[C-R-T]

Knight n Grail is a cool Metroidvania for the C64. It also has a sequel called Pains n Aches that I haven’t tried yet.

For PC there’s a modern game called Aggelos, which feels, looks and plays just like an old Metroidvania, and is definitely one of the best ones I’ve ever played. Not gonna work on the Mister, though.

[PikWik]

Cave Story!!

A must play if only because the game was developed, top to bottom, by one guy! On top of being an excellent example of this style of game, it's just an amazing, inspiring technical feat from Pixel. And he gave it to the world for free!

...there is a Mega Drive version of the game out there.

https://github.com/andwn/cave-story-md

+1, cave story is a blast to play thru!
the genesis port is exceptional and as of this writing is as close to finished as it gets.
(and with the genesis turbo mode on, it plays super smooth)

[iagreetotheseterms]

Knight n Grail is a cool Metroidvania for the C64. It also has a sequel called Pains n Aches that I haven’t tried yet.

Pains N Aches is even better than Knight n Grail, but both are very good.

[paintbox]

For PC there’s a modern game called Aggelos, which feels, looks and plays just like an old Metroidvania, and is definitely one of the best ones I’ve ever played. Not gonna work on the Mister, though.

Another modern throwback I thoroughly enjoyed is Axiom Verge. Incredible music, creative weapons and power ups, and just a lot of fun to play. Like Cave Story, an amazing achievement for one person.

[juegovanias]

Here are 5 unknown Metroidvanias

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI_YQ61GOKw&t=494s

[Bunker]

For PC there’s a modern game called Aggelos, which feels, looks and plays just like an old Metroidvania, and is definitely one of the best ones I’ve ever played. Not gonna work on the Mister, though.

Another modern throwback I thoroughly enjoyed is Axiom Verge. Incredible music, creative weapons and power ups, and just a lot of fun to play. Like Cave Story, an amazing achievement for one person.

I never played the 2nd one but the 1st was great.

[Topbravo]

NES: I second Blaster Master and Zelda 2.

PC: A2MR

[Matsu]

MSX: Knightmare II - The Maze of Galious

[Newsdee]

PC/Modern: Dead Cells

There's also an older freeware game for PC that was pretty fun but I can't remember its name at the moment... I just remember it had slightly larger 2d sprites than Cave Story and a female protagonist, set in a fantasy/medieval kind of world with magic.

Edit: its is probably in this massive list of meteoidvanias and similar games:
https://entropypump.wordpress.com/free- ... atformers/

Edit2: I found it! It's Eternal Daugher, available for free here from its author: http://www.derekyu.com/games.html
Edit3: Just learned the author is the designer of Spelunky I and II ... Eternal Daughter was his first metroidvania

[AdamM]

Thanks for the Popful Mail callouts in this thread! I had heard of it, launched it up on PC Engine CD at one point and was put off by it being all in Japanese. I had no idea the Sega CD has a version localized in English. Checking out some coverage of it and it looks like it'll be a fun one to play through!

[mineral55]

I recommend lizard for NES which is a new release game with an expansive foreground and background map to explore. The game is completed by finishing any of the boss battles featured on the map with the aid of lizard suits your character wears to gain special abilities. You can also collect coins and hunt for secrets if you wish. The game costs something like $10 but the demo gives you a good feel for the game in a more constrained map with barriers put up (that there are tricks to passing through in some cases!) It's kind of a hidden gem IMO

[adamchevy]

I really enjoy Rikki & Vikki on the 7800. It’s a 2018 Homebrew release. I think if you buy it on steam for Windows they include the binary and it can be patched to work with the 7800 core. I’ve never tried it on the Mister, but I need to.

[throAU]

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night on the PSX core.

I own an original PAL black case version for the PS1 and never got into it back in the day. Too busy with wipeout 2097, tekken2, tekken3 and soul blade with my housemate back in the day. I'm thoroughly enjoying it now.