8 Games That Are Almost Metroidvanias But Not Quite

There are a ton of different genres to classify video games under. Some are pretty straightforward and broad, like platformers. Others seem to be a bit more specific in what they offer, like the Metroidvania. Fitting video games into boxes is never easy, but there’s plenty of debate around these non-linear, search action games. What actually fits as a Metroidvania?

The Metroidvania sub-genre was coined by fans, and a lot of the games that fit the description are made for fans at this point. I feel like there’s a lot of personal views between us all about what makes a Metroidvania, but there are a few defining rules that we can all agree with. Right?

Using those rules, let’s take a look at some great games that could be Metroidvanias, but don’t quite fit the mold we’ve given the genre over time. Of course, all of this is up to player interpretation, like the lines of the subgenre itself.

8 Dead Cells

The Smoking Gun to Many a Metroidvania Debate

Dead Cells Roguelike Released August 7, 2018 Developer(s) Motion Twin Publisher(s) Motion Twin Platform(s) Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One Genre(s) Roguelike

Hang on. Hear me out, I actually think that Dead Cells is a big line in the sand when it comes to these things. The genre definitions we give to these games are rarely as black and white as some people make them out to be. In many ways, Dead Cells fits the bill. It has a huge map to explore and needs specific items to progress, but is it truly a Metroidvania?

As I said in the title, not quite! Dead Cells might use a similar map system a lot of Metroidvanias use, but all the maps and most of the items you can get are procedurally generated. There’s a big element of chance and an element of speed that keeps the game from sitting firmly on a shelf alongside Super Metroid or Constance.

At the end of the day, the roguelike elements to Dead Cells win out, even in the eyes of developers Motion Twin itself. The Steam page for Dead Cells calls it a “Metroidvania inspired game” rather than a full-fledged part of the collection. And that decides it for me. The Prisoner goes to the same parties as the Belmonts, but he’s by no means a close friend of the family. … Okay, maybe that was a bad example.

7 Salt and Sanctuary

Overshadowed

Salt and Sanctuary Action RPG FX Wiki Wiki Released March 15, 2016 Developer(s) Ska Studios Publisher(s) Ska Studios Platform(s) PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PS Vita, PC Genre(s) Action RPG

Salt and Sanctuary is in the same boat as Dead Cells to me. Comparatively, though, it’s seen as a Metroidvania far more than its Roguelike neighbor down the street. I can see why, it has all the makings of the genre, yet there’s one big difference that I think puts it in a different category. And that’s its stamina bar for actions and how its combat is based on understanding patterns and bosses. There’s one big prominent genre that has that as its M.O: The ever-daunting Soulslike.

But I think you already know that when it comes to hand-drawn 2D Soulslikes, only one name takes that crown. Hollow Knight. If you ask me, I feel like Hollow Knight and Salt and Sanctuary’s position with fans needs to be swapped if we want to be picky about genres. Hollow Knight is inspired by Soulslikes, yet it’s very obviously more of a Metroidvania. Salt and Sanctuary, however, has the same distinction that Dead Cells does: the official Steam page goes out of its way to avoid calling S&S a Metroidvania. It’s instead called by the same official title most Soulslikes fall under: Action RPG. That says everything right there.

6 Sundered

Fake It ‘Till You Make It

Sundered Released July 28, 2017 Platform(s) PC, PlayStation 4

Sundered, instead of following in Dead Cells’ and Salt and Sanctuary’s footsteps, is actually in the opposite situation. Despite openly calling itself a Metroidvania, walking into Sundered and playing it like one tends to be a one-track path to disappointment. Despite its Lovecraftian inspirations, it leaves you less afraid of what’s around you and instead chooses to guide you with waypoints on the map. It might feel a bit like Sundered wants to hold your hand throughout the journey, but it’s likely a countermeasure to avoid players getting lost with the way that sections of the map are randomized between deaths. To me, that’s Sundered’s biggest mistake. Dead Cells had the right approach with procedurally generating big areas for you to play around in, because Sundered’s system just emphasizes its flaws.

Still, though, Sundered is so fluid it’s almost scary. Everything moves with the same texture as Don Bluth’s art from back in the day. It also dares to feature some seriously huge and well-designed boss fights, and I’m always a sucker for making sure the bigger something is, the harder it falls. Sundered is a great example of how changing the formula of a genre can have some mixed results. I don’t think we should limit what a Metroidvania can be. We shouldn't limit any games at all, for that matter. But I also think there’s a good way to combine elements, and one that’s the antithesis of what anyone would expect from a game conceptually.

5 Flashback

A Blast From the Past

Flashback Platformer Released December 1, 1992 Developer(s) Delphine Software International, Tiertex, Chui Publisher(s) U.S. Gold, JoshProd Platform(s) Commodore Amiga, Sega Genesis, MS-DOS, NEC PC-9801, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega CD, FM Towns, 3DO, Philips CD-i, Atari Jaguar Genre(s) Platformer

You’re either tilting your head at the screen right now and wondering what Flashback is because you’ve never heard of it before, or you’re surprised to see such an old game here. Flashback is a 1992 game that’s faded into obscurity over time. Part of this is due to the fact that the genre that Flashback is part of, the cinematic platformer, is hardly talked about, made, or revisited these days. We all just love cartoon physics in our platformers, I suppose. Flashback was remade in 2013, and the changes to the original game change it to where I feel like Flashback is now dangling on the edge between being a cinematic platformer and a Metroidvania. It reminds me of games like Carrion and the environments of Ori and the Blind Forest.

Still, if you come to Flashback expecting a smooth experience like modern Metroidvanias or even the classic Metroid games, it’ll leave you with a lot to desire out of it. There’s a fair deal of exploration in Flashback, but features that are helpful to my case are exclusive to the remake. And before you try to go and play that for yourself, the remake wasn’t really all that good. In the end, I feel it’s important that we keep in mind how even subtle changes can make a big difference in how a game performs, feels, and plays. It’s something to remember as we have these debates about what counts between one genre to the next. Experimenting has always been the name of the game. And I'll take credit for that pun, thank you.

4 Have A Nice Death

The Line in the Sand

Have a Nice Death Action Platformer Roguelike Released March 22, 2023 Developer(s) Magic Design Studios Publisher(s) Gearbox Publishing Platform(s) PC, Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Genre(s) Action, Platformer, Roguelike

When I first got into writing about video games, I started seeing an interesting trend. A lot of people loved calling things “Soulslikes” that were just difficult. Not anything actually inspired or playing like Dark Souls. But in understanding Metroidvanias, I noticed another trend, only this time, it’s far more annoying. Apparently people have been getting into the habit of trying to claim Roguelikes as Metroidvanias, probably after Dead Cells and Sundered’s influence. One of the games that has fallen victim to this is Have A Nice Death.

To that, I have one thing to say: No. The only thing I could see leading us to this point is the fact that Have A Nice Death is in 2D and has platforms. And that’s really not enough to make anything a Metroidvania. The entire concept comes from non-linear exploration that relies on power-ups and forethought to navigate. Have a Nice Death operates exactly like Hades does, only in 2D. You fight your way to a boss, beat the boss, then choose another department to fight through. I feel like the Grim Reaper needs a department to process people who don’t know how to classify genres correctly.

3 Tunic

It’s Dangerous to Stretch Things So Far

Tunic Adventure Released March 16, 2022 Developer(s) Andrew Shouldice Publisher(s) Finji Platform(s) PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Genre(s) Adventure

Speaking of stretching to put a game in a genre it doesn’t entirely fit, Tunic is another game that I’ve seen people call a Metroidvania. It honestly made me snort when I first saw that. You see a little fox wearing a green tunic and your mind doesn’t instantly play the sound you hear when you finish a puzzle in The Legend of Zelda? No matter what your favorite part of Metroidvanias are, the overall structure is inherently like Zelda. No doubt about it.

Although, to play devil’s advocate for the people who just get a Metroidvania feeling when they play games that aren’t Castlevania: Symphony of the Night … there’s a heart to Tunic that you don’t find in many games outside Metroidvanias. There are tons of secrets to uncover in every nook and cranny, demanding skill to get them all. It captures such a strong sense of discovery that Metroidvanias are known for carrying with them, in atmosphere and level design. Because of this, even though Tunic is inherently Zelda-based, I actually don’t have any qualms about calling it an honorary Metroidvania at the very least. It’s certainly earned its place.

2 Hyper Light Drifter

A Blueprint of What Could Be

Hyper Light Drifter Action RPG Released March 31, 2016 Developer(s) Heart Machine Publisher(s) Heart Machine Platform(s) PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One Genre(s) Action RPG

Hyper Light Drifter is perfect for those who enjoy getting lost. Once you get through the starting area, the world opens up and every path you have is more or less viable across the board. Any hints the game gives you are cryptic and left up to interpretation on purpose. The game operates from a top-down perspective, but if it wasn’t for that, I’d argue that Hyper Light Drifter would make a great Metroidvania. After all, Metroidvanias themselves are a subgenre of platformers. And if those can do something different regularly, why can’t Metroidvanias?

The only thing that keeps Hyper Light Drifter out of the genre is that most of its progression relies on skill instead of upgrades. And these upgrades are found in different shops in a hub world town between each section. How to get to the end goal and what upgrades to get at what time is entirely up to you. But its movement is phenomenal and goes hand-to-hand with its combat in a way that feels silky smooth. And that’s the kind of movement you either want in a Metroidvania, or that you’ll enjoy if you’re a big enough fan of them. Sprinkle some lore with a bit of homework, and you’ve got yourself one captivating game no matter what you decide to call it.

1 Mina the Hollower

Respect the Whip

Mina the Hollower Platformer Action Adventure Released May 29, 2026 Developer(s) Yacht Club Games Publisher(s) Yacht Club Games Platform(s) PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC Genre(s) Platformer, Action, Adventure

I think we can all agree that Mina the Hollower is certainly not a Metroidvania. Yet, that game was what sprung to mind instantly when I tried to think of games that are close, but not quite. You see the vision, too, right? When it comes to exploration, Mina the Hollower has the screens to fit the bill for sure. There’s a strong emphasis on managing your load-out in Mina, and while none of these inherently lock you off like a lot of Metroidvanias do, there’s a big “I’ll just come back later” mentality that’s everywhere on Tenebrous Isle.

But… no. Mina the Hollower isn’t Metroidvania. It’s old-school Zelda. I bought Mina the Hollower on Switch because I wanted to submerge myself in the Oracle of Seasons and Ages nostalgia. But at the same time, I really feel like Mina the Hollower should be seen as an honorary Metroidvania, even if it isn’t one fundamentally. Is it the gothic vibe? The whip? Is it because I feel like Mina and Samus would be the best of friends?

I think it’s all of the above, really.