Best Roguelike Metroidvania Games
The hybrid genre that fuses roguelike runs with Metroidvania maps — the games that nail it, and one upcoming pick built around time.
The Best Metroidvania Games
The best Metroidvania games — Hollow Knight, Ori, Super Metroid, Blasphemous, Castlevania: SotN — and what makes each one worth exploring.
A great Metroidvania turns a map into a place you carry around in your head. These are the ones worth getting lost in — the founders, the modern peaks, and a hybrid on the way. If you'd rather look ahead than back, we keep a running list of upcoming Metroidvania games in 2026 too.
Hollow Knight
The modern high point for most players. A vast, hand-drawn underground world, combat with real weight, and exploration that constantly rewards curiosity. It barely tells you where to go, and that's the appeal — the map reveals itself through your own poking around. If you've finished it and want to know what's next, see our list of games like Hollow Knight: Silksong.
Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
The two games the whole genre is named after. Super Metroid (1994) set the template for atmospheric, ability-gated exploration; Symphony of the Night (1997) fused it with RPG progression and gave the genre its "-vania" half. Both still hold up.
Ori and the Blind Forest
The most approachable pick. Ori pairs precise platforming with a genuinely moving story and some of the prettiest art in the genre. A gentler way in if Hollow Knight's scale feels daunting.
Blasphemous and Metroid Dread
Two strong modern takes. Blasphemous brings brutal, gothic combat and grim art; Metroid Dread is the series that started it all, refined into a tense, fast modern entry.
The time-bending crossover: KUTO: The Lock of Time
Some games fuse the Metroidvania's interconnected world with a roguelike's run-and-die loop. Dead Cells is the famous example, and it's not alone — there's a whole shelf of roguelike Metroidvania games worth digging into. Our own game, KUTO: The Lock of Time, sits close to that crossover: a time-bending action Metroidvania where you bend time and fight through eras with the Scythe of Kronos, with a run-based structure that keeps meta-progression between deaths. If that hybrid interests you, here's what an action-roguelike Metroidvania is, and you can wishlist KUTO on Steam.
New to the genre? Start with what a Metroidvania actually is.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best Metroidvania game?
- Hollow Knight is the most common pick — a huge, hand-crafted world, tight combat, and exploration that rewards curiosity. Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night are the genre-defining classics it builds on.
- Is Hollow Knight a good place to start?
- Yes, with a caveat: it's large and doesn't hold your hand, which is exactly why people love it. If you want something more guided first, Ori and the Blind Forest is a gentler entry into the genre.
- What makes a Metroidvania different from a platformer?
- A platformer is usually a sequence of levels. A Metroidvania is one interconnected world gated by abilities, where progress comes from exploration and backtracking rather than moving stage to stage.
- What is the difference between Metroid and Castlevania in the Metroidvania genre?
- Metroid emphasizes atmospheric, isolated exploration with minimal story and sparse upgrades. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night added RPG layers — experience, levels, equipment, a huge item list. Modern Metroidvanias borrow from both, and most lean heavier on the Castlevania side for progression depth.
- How long does it take to finish Hollow Knight?
- A focused first playthrough runs roughly 25-40 hours; completionists report 60+ hours. The base game is very large by genre standards, and the free Godmaster DLC adds significantly more endgame content.
- Are Metroidvanias hard?
- The genre varies. Hollow Knight and Blasphemous are genuinely difficult; Ori and the Blind Forest is more forgiving. Super Metroid and Symphony of the Night are challenging by modern standards but not punishing. The difficulty usually comes from boss fights and navigation rather than reflexes alone.
- What is a roguelike Metroidvania?
- A game that combines an interconnected, ability-gated world (the Metroidvania structure) with permadeath runs (the roguelike loop). Dead Cells is the genre's best-known example. KUTO: The Lock of Time, our own upcoming game, sits close to this space structurally — a time-bending action Metroidvania where runs end in death but meta-progression carries forward, powered by time-manipulation abilities.
- Is Dead Cells a Metroidvania or a roguelike?
- It's both, intentionally. The developers describe it as a 'roguevania.' Each run uses procedurally arranged levels, but the overall world has a Metroidvania-style structure with routes that open as you unlock new abilities across runs.
- What Metroidvania games are coming out soon?
- The genre is active. Beyond established series, smaller studios regularly release Metroidvanias. KUTO: The Lock of Time is one to watch — a time-bending Metroidvania with run-based structure and time-manipulation combat, spanning settings from Ancient Egypt to a sci-fi far future.
- Does Metroid Dread count as a Metroidvania?
- Yes — it's the series that gave the genre its 'Metro' half, so Metroid Dread is about as pure a Metroidvania as you can get. Dread is notable for its EMMI chase sequences and a faster, more aggressive combat feel compared to older entries.
- What is Blasphemous about?
- Blasphemous is a dark-fantasy Metroidvania set in a world steeped in twisted Catholic iconography. The combat is deliberate and punishing, similar to a Souls game in pacing. It's worth playing if you want a bleak, visually distinct Metroidvania with strong atmosphere.
- What time powers does KUTO: The Lock of Time use in its Metroidvania structure?
- The game gives Jokoan Kuto time abilities drawn from his bond with the titan Kronos — bullet-time, rewind, dash, and others grouped as 'Time Keys.' You pick two per run. In a Metroidvania structure, time powers naturally suggest a progression where unlocking new abilities opens previously inaccessible areas.
Keep reading
Upcoming Metroidvania Games in 2026
The Metroidvanias worth watching in 2026, from the big sequels everyone's waiting on to the indies flying under the radar.
Games Like Hollow Knight: Silksong — 10 to Play Next
Silksong is done. These ten games — from precision-parry Metroidvanias to dark exploration platformers — will keep the feeling going.
Games Like Nine Sols — 8 Metroidvanias Worth the Punishment
Nine Sols is a 2024 Metroidvania from Red Candle Games — Sekiro combat, taopunk world, some of the best boss fights in the genre. These eight games share its precision or its density.
Hollow Knight True Ending Explained
Hollow Knight has five endings, and the 'true' one needs extra steps. Here's how to get Dream No More and what it actually says about Hallownest.