The 10 Best Metroidvania Video Games of All Time, Ranked

July 11, 2026 - 15:40

The Metroidvania genre, a fusion of exploration, backtracking, and ability-gated progression, has produced some of the most memorable experiences in gaming history. While the name comes from the Metroid and Castlevania series, the genre has evolved far beyond its roots. Here are the ten best titles that define the genre, ranked.

At the top sits Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. It perfected the formula with its gothic castle, RPG elements, and a sense of discovery that remains unmatched. Close behind is Super Metroid, the game that established the blueprint for atmospheric exploration and environmental storytelling. Its lonely planet of Zebes is a masterclass in level design.

Hollow Knight deserves a high spot for its sheer scale and challenge. It took the genre's core ideas and expanded them into a vast, interconnected kingdom full of secrets. Metroid Prime deserves mention for proving the formula works in 3D, translating the isolation and scanning of the original into a first-person adventure.

Modern entries like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order successfully merged the genre with action-adventure and a Star Wars skin, while Ori and the Blind Forest brought emotional weight and stunning hand-drawn art. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a worthy spiritual successor to Symphony of the Night, and Axiom Verge captured the alien feel of classic Metroid perfectly.

Blasphemous offers a grim, pixel-art take with religious horror, and Environmental Station Alpha is a hidden gem for those who love cryptic puzzles and tight combat. These ten games represent the best the genre has to offer, from the classics that defined it to the modern masterpieces that push it forward.