PS4 | Actraiser Renaissance (DL only) | 2021 | Quintet/Square Enix | See Switch |
Xbox One | Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night | 2019 | ArtPlay | Iga doing what Iga does (arguably) best: Metroidvanias; it's not Castlevania, but it's about as close as you'll get these days |
Switch | Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night | 2019 | ArtPlay | See XBO |
PS4 | Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night | 2019 | ArtPlay | See XBO |
GBA | Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow | 2003 | KCET | Metroidvania with the addition of collecting enemy souls to augment abilities |
Wii U | Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (VC) | 2014 | KCET | See GBA |
GBA | Castlevania: Circle of the Moon | 2001 | KCEK | Metroidvania with a dual card system to customize abilities |
DS | Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow | 2005 | Konami | Metroidvania direct sequel to Aria of Sorrow with a more anime design aesthetic, requires the stylus to draw symbols |
Xbox One | Castlevania: Harmony of Despair (DL only) | 2019 | Konami | See PS3 |
PS3 | Castlevania: Harmony of Despair (DL only) | 2011 | Konami | Massive crossover metroidvania with local multiplayer and character growth based on equipment |
Xbox 360 | Castlevania: Harmony of Despair (DL only) | 2010 | Konami | Large-scale Metroidvania crossover with an emphasis on online co-op, stats based on gear and skill grinding |
GBA | Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance | 2002 | KCET | Metroidvania with room decorating and traveling between dimensions to progress |
DS | Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia | 2008 | Konami | Last of the DS Metroidvanias, featuring a glyph combination system to customize movement and combat abilities |
DS | Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin | 2006 | Konami | Metroidvania with highly varied level design and two switchable playable protagonists - CHARLOTTEJONATHANCHARLOTTE |
PSX | Castlevania: Symphony of the Night | 1997 | Konami | THE Metroidvania |
Xbox 360 | Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (DL only) | 2007 | Konami | Mostly the same as the PSX version, but removes FMV cutscenes |
PS3 | Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PSone Classics) | 2007 | Konami | See PSX |
PSP | Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles | 2007 | Konami | Contains a remade version of Rondo of Blood and an unlockable version of Symphony of the Night with dialogue translation closer to the original Japanese |
Vita | Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles (DL only) | 2012 | Konami | See PSP |
Xbox One | Castlevania Advance Collection (DL only) | 2021 | Konami | See XS |
PS4 | Castlevania Advance Collection (DL only) | 2021 | Konami | See XS |
Xbox Series | Castlevania Advance Collection (DL only) | 2021 | Konami | Contains Circle of the Moon, Harmony of Dissonance, Aria of Sorrow, and Dracula X all with modern QoL features |
Switch | Castlevania Advance Collection (DL only) | 2021 | Konami | See XS |
NES | Castlevania II: Simon's Quest | 1988 | Konami | Surprise! Contains a day/night system and XP/leveling |
Wii U | Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (VC) | 2014 | Konami | See NES |
3DS | Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (VC) | 2014 | Konami | See NES |
PS4 | Castlevania Requiem: Symphony of the Night & Rondo of Blood (DL only) | 2018 | Konami | An upscaled version of The Dracula X Chronicles, including all improvements present |
3DS | Cave Story (DL only) | 2012 | Studio Pixel/Nicalis | See DS |
DS | Cave Story (DSiWare) | 2010 | Studio Pixel/Nicalis | A platforming-heavy metroidvania created by a one-man development team; taking damage loses XP for weapons |
3DS | Cave Story 3D | 2011 | Studio Pixel/Nicalis | Renders the original game with 3D graphics, throws in crossover content/references, adds a dynamic camera and additional level |
JP FC | Cosmo Police Galivan | 1988 | Nihon Bussan | Platformer ARPG - Metroidvania before metroidvanias were a thing |
SNES | Demon's Crest | 1994 | Capcom | A sequel to Gargoyle's Quest, with mild RPG elements (similar abilty progression), but with equippable crests to change abilities and reach otherwise inaccessible areas |
Xbox Series | Demoniaca: Everlasting Night (DL only) | 2022 | AKI/Eastasiasoft | A metroidvania that wears its mature themes on its sleeves (to an occasionally lewd degree) |
TurboGrafx-16 | Dragon's Curse | 1990 | Westone Bit Entertainment | (AKA Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap) See SMS, but fratures a save system rather than passwords |
PS2 | Dual Hearts | 2002 | Matrix Software | Platforming-heavy ARPG - XP goes towards weapons instead of stats |
Switch | Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising (DL only) | 2022 | Rabbit & Bear Studios/NatsumeAtari | See PS5 |
Xbox Series | Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising (DL only) | 2022 | Rabbit & Bear Studios/NatsumeAtari | See PS5 |
PS5 | Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising (DL only) | 2022 | Rabbit & Bear Studios/NatsumeAtari | A side story side-scrolling Metroidvania-lite with additional town-upgrading elements and fun characters |
Xbox One | Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising (DL only) | 2022 | Rabbit & Bear Studios/NatsumeAtari | See PS5 |
PS4 | Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising (DL only) | 2022 | Rabbit & Bear Studios/NatsumeAtari | See PS5 |
Xbox One | Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights (DL only) | 2021 | Live Wire/Adglobe | See Switch |
PS4 | Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights (DL only) | 2021 | Live Wire/Adglobe | See Switch |
Switch | Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights (DL only) | 2021 | Live Wire/Adglobe | A heavily atmospheric Metroidvania utilizing spirits to aid in attack and traversal |
Xbox Series | Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights (DL only) | 2021 | Live Wire/Adglobe | See Switch |
NES | Faxanadu | 1989 | Hudson Soft | Plays more like a standard Castlevania |
GB+GBC | Gargoyle's Quest | 1990 | Capcom | A Ghosts 'n Goblins gaiden, featuring random battles and ability progression via story progression |
JP SFC | Holy Umbrella: Dondera no Mubou!! | 1995 | Earthly Soft | More of a sidescrolling platformer, but does have some stat increases via items, very cheeky tone |
NES | Legacy of the Wizard | 1989 | Falcom | An early example of a metroidvania with a family element; different family members have different exploration skills |
PS5 | Lost Epic (DL only) | 2023 | Team Earthwars/oneoreight | See Switch |
PS4 | Lost Epic (DL only) | 2023 | Team Earthwars/oneoreight | See Switch |
Switch | Lost Epic (DL only) | 2023 | Team Earthwars/oneoreight | An unusually brightly-colored Metroidvania with skill tree progression tied to exploration ability, also features fishing and farming |
JP Mega Drive | Monster World IV | 1994 | Westone | A far different protagonist from the rest of the series and toned-down RPG elements (purchasing equipment is still possible), but enhanced platforming |
Xbox 360 | Monster World IV (DL only) | 2012 | Westone | See JP Mega Drive, but officially in English |
PS3 | Monster World IV (DL only) | 2012 | Westone | See JP Mega Drive, but officially in English |
JP DS | Ore ga Omae o Mamoru | 2009 | Vingt-et-un Systems/Idea Factory | A Metroidvania made to entice women to play, but quite difficult in practice; no XP to speak of but stats can be increased through equipment and story events |
PS4 | Record of Lodoss War-Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth- | 2021 | Team Ladybug | See PS5 |
Switch | Record of Lodoss War-Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth- | 2022 | Team Ladybug | See PS5 |
Xbox Series | Record of Lodoss War-Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth- (DL only) | 2021 | Team Ladybug | See PS5 |
Xbox One | Record of Lodoss War-Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth- (DL only) | 2021 | Team Ladybug | See PS5 |
PS5 | Record of Lodoss War-Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth- (DL only) | 2021 | Team Ladybug | A Metroidvania on the shorter side with shallower systems, but nonetheless satisfying elemental attacks |
NES | Rygar | 1987 | Tecmo | Difficult Metroid-like sidescrolling ARPG with lots of enemy killing via yo-yo-like shield and experience to gain |
GBA | Shaman King: Master of Spirits | 2004 | KCEJ | Metroidvania based on the anime |
GBA | Shaman King: Master of Spirits II | 2005 | KCEJ | Another Metroidvania based on the anime but with more attacks and abilities |
Wii | Sonic and the Black Knight | 2009 | Sonic Team | Sonic meets King Arthur this time, with even worse controls and a looser form of experience in the form of followers, which raise your knight rank which lets you access more skills |
Wii | Sonic and the Secret Rings | 2007 | Sonic Team | Sonic meets Arabian Nights with results of dubious quality, but experience to be gained and applied to skills based on stage performance |
Xbox Series | Sonic Frontiers | 2022 | Sonic Team | See PS5 |
PS5 | Sonic Frontiers | 2022 | Sonic Team | More of an open-world platformer (a first for the series), but the hedgehog does have various stats to increase |
Xbox One | Sonic Frontiers | 2022 | Sonic Team | See PS5 |
Switch | Sonic Frontiers | 2022 | Sonic Team | See PS5 |
PS4 | Sonic Frontiers | 2022 | Sonic Team | See PS5 |
PS2 | Sonic Unleashed | 2008 | Sonic Team/Dimps | See Wii |
PS3 | Sonic Unleashed | 2008 | Sonic Team | See 360 |
Xbox 360 | Sonic Unleashed | 2008 | Sonic Team | Featuring XP for both the hedgehog and werehog, a hub world that can be explored, and more/different levels than the PS2/Wii versions |
Wii | Sonic Unleashed | 2008 | Sonic Team/Dimps | Hope you like werehogs! More night levels than 360/PS3, a non-explorable hub world by comparison, and only the werehog can be leveled |
Wii | Super Paper Mario | 2007 | Intelligent Systems | Multiple playable characters and the ability to switch between 2D/3D for platforming; the last decent Paper Mario game, according to many |
Turbografx-CD | The Dynastic Hero (TurboDuo) | 1994 | Westone/Hudson Soft | Mostly the same as Wonder Boy in Monster World, but with differing sprites, town names, enemy names, music, and an opening movie |
Switch | Tomomi (DL only) | 2022 | NUL2 Studio | A solo-developed Metroidvania that leans into humor |
PS4 | Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World | 2021 | Artdink | See Switch |
Switch | Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World | 2021 | Artdink | A remake of Monster World IV with added game modes and character voices |
Switch | Wonder Boy: Monster Land (DL only) | 2019 | Westone Bit Entertainment/Sega | (AKA Wonder Boy in Monster Land) See SMS, but with challenge modes and QoL features |
PS4 | Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection | 2023 | Westone Bit Entertainment/Sega | Contains versions of 6 Wonder Boy titles (including in Monster Land, in Monster World, The Dragon's Trap (SMS), and Monster World IV) |
Switch | Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection | 2023 | Westone Bit Entertainment/Sega | See PS4 |
PS4 | Wonder Boy Collection | 2022 | Bliss Brain/Westone Bit Entertainment | Contains versions of 4 Wonder Boy titles (including in Monster Land, in Monster World, and Monster World IV) |
Switch | Wonder Boy Collection | 2022 | Bliss Brain/Westone Bit Entertainment | See PS4 |
Master System | Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap | 1989 | Westone Bit Entertainment | A nonlinear game where transforming into different monster forms (and buying better statted equipment) is key to progression |
Master System | Wonder Boy in Monster Land | 1988 | Westone Bit Entertainment/Sega | A side-scrolling ARPG where score serves as XP of sorts and there is purchasable equipment to increase stats |
PS3 | Wonder Boy in Monster Land (DL only) | 2012 | Westone Bit Entertainment | See 360 |
Xbox 360 | Wonder Boy in Monster Land (DL only) | 2012 | Westone Bit Entertainment | An emulation of the arcade version |
Genesis | Wonder Boy in Monster World | 1992 | Westone Bit Entertainment | No forms to change into, but gives you a familiar and the ability to actually learn spells along with multiple towns to visit, the core gameplay remains the same |
SNES | Xardion | 1992 | Jorudan | A mech-based action-platformer with each robot having its own set of XP to gain and exploration elements, made by members of Gainax among other big names |