Metroidvania is a subgenre of video games that features a combination of mechanics first found in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Metroid.

Metroidvania is a subgenre of video games that features a combination of mechanics first found in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Metroid. This now beloved subgenre had its humble beginnings in the 80s as then unrecognized Japanese developers toiled over the creation of complex levels and truly challenging difficulty. What were initially just elements of a series became systems in a subgenre, disseminating across the ever-expanding world of video game development.

When Nintendo created Metroid in 1986, it employed non-linear level design in tandem with backtracking and permanent power-ups as well as temporary boons to make the player capable of braving the more difficult enemies toward the end of the game. This continued with Konami's Castlevania, which was linear initially but branched out into non-linearity with 1987’s NES title, Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest. These two games were seen as growing in parallel to one another, causing many gamers at the time to fall in love with both series and view them as quintessential action-adventure experiences. Freedom is at the heart of a Metroidvania, thus non-linearity became a popular staple of both these franchises.

The term itself is portmanteau, meaning a combination of two or more words to create a new word that inhabits a portion of meaning from both. An example would be the term “rom-com," as it is a combination of romance and comedy fitted together to denote a product that has both elements intertwined within one another.

A Metroidvania generally features specific, iterative mechanics that parallel what was invented by Nintendo in the late 80s.

The Core Elements of Metroidvania

One major element of Metroidvanias is a large, interconnected world that features locked doors, subsections, and even secret environments the player can traverse at will. The difficulty is usually incremental and not at all linear, meaning that the player could find themselves in a far more difficult, late-game location early on. They are typically side-scrolling games with platform elements; most recently Guacamelee! and Hollow Knight exhibited traditional Metroidvania elements while adding their own unique twists to the formula. However, the design elements of this subgenre have since found their way to other game types.

While these macro-elements are immediately noticeable, there are various micro-systems that players will eventually become acquainted with. Secrets in the form of breakable walls or hidden compartments tend to litter the enormous map, rewarding players for having a keen eye for exploration. Backtracking, which could be seen as tedious by many, is employed to create a sense of space within the world and familiarize players with the pathways connecting the different environments. Forcing the player to revisit previously-traveled areas can lead to them discovering secrets or new paths towards their ultimate destination. Once familiarized, players can utilize the subgenre's open-ended nature to skip segments or figure out ways to easily conquer otherwise difficult areas through an exceptional understanding of their character's utility.

The Lasting Impact of Metroidvania

As the growth of this subgenre continued, many independent developers began to take from the Metroidvania playbook. Cave Story was released on Microsoft Windows in 2004 to much critical praise. Then throughout the 2010s, there was a Metroidvania revival, leading to dozens of stand-out titles in the genre. Ori and the Blind Forest, Axiom Verge, the Steamworld games, Sundered, Dust: An Elysian Tail, Chasm, and Owlboy all reflect the core ethos of this subgenre while pushing it forward with their own iterative design choices.

FromSoftware’s influential series Dark Souls can credit Castlevania and Metroid as prime influences for the interconnected level design they have become known for. The first Dark Souls game especially has a seamless integration of gameplay elements, such as locked doors and magical barriers, and the player’s ability to explore the environment and its many obstacles in any which way they please. Along with these overt elements, Dark Souls and other FromSoftware titles also includes micro-systems such as invisible walls and copious secrets to discover.

Due to the progression of genre-games being portmanteau based, meaning that players' understanding of the way new subgenres are created is through the lens of combination, rather than purely original innovation, many genres have been enmeshed with the Metroidvanias of old. A good example of this is Dead Cells, a game that incorporates roguelike elements with Metroidvania design. Similarly, the previously mentioned Dark Souls series has birthed a new genre in and of itself, the Soulslike. The DNA of the Metroidvania, and Metroid itself, has since become ingrained in game design, making it one of the most influential subgenres ever.

Next: Every Single Metroid Game, Ranked