5 Best Video Games Like Metroid

Nintendo's "Metroid" franchise has been a staple for the company since 1986, putting out sci-fi video games that everyone needs to play at least once. The game has bounty hunter Samus Aran explore perilous planets, battling space pirates and the titular Metroids to defend the cosmos. Ever since the start of the series, the games have revolved around the key mechanic of Samus revisiting past areas with even more navigational capabilities from her subsequent upgrades. This emphasis on exploration has been the standard for the best and worst "Metroid" games, rewarding the retracing of steps and venturing into every inch of the games' immersive worlds.

As such a popular presence in the industry for decades, there are countless games that have been visibly influenced by "Metroid." This includes other futuristic science fiction titles and games with otherworldly settings for players to explore. We've put together a list that highlights the best side-scrolling games with gameplay and navigation inspired by the fan-favorite Nintendo property, while putting their own spin on the experience. These are the five best video games like "Metroid" for fans of the iconic Nintendo franchise to check out next.

After a set of mostly linear games, "Castlevania" shifted to nonlinear exploration and progression with the 1997 title "Symphony of the Night." Set five years after the preceding game, "Rondo of Blood," in the complete "Castlevania" timeline, "Symphony" finds Dracula's son Alucard awakening from a lengthy slumber. Sensing a disturbance in his father's castle, Alucard ventures inside to discover the evil wizard Shaft trying to resurrect Dracula while controlling vampire hunter Richter Belmont. Traversing two different iterations of the castle, Alucard must find a way to restore Richter and stop Shaft before the unholy ritual is completed.

The "Metroidvania" moniker really stems from the '90s one-two punch of "Super Metroid" and "Castlevania: Symphony of the Night" popularizing the gameplay style. The truth about "Castlevania" is that it experimented with nonlinear progression in 1987's "Simon's Quest," but "Symphony of the Night" perfected the approach. From then on, the franchise largely kept to a Metroidvania-style approach for its 2D titles, particularly on the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS. A haunting reimagining of what "Castlevania" could be, "Symphony of the Night" is one of the long-running series' best entries.

Metroidvania games got the contemporary action thriller treatment with the 2009 title "Shadow Complex," which was remastered for modern platforms in 2015. The game's protagonist, Jason Fleming, is on a backpacking trip with his girlfriend Claire when they explore a remote cave system in the mountains. While searching for Claire, Jason uncovers a vast conspiracy plotting to stage a civil war in the United States through a planned attack on San Francisco. After rescuing Claire, Jason sets out to foil this shadow organization's efforts to destabilize the government and seize power.

Over 15 years later, "Shadow Complex" is still a must-play game and one of the best action thrillers of its generation. The game features a more grounded take on the standard Metroidvania progression, along with a cover system for its combat gameplay. Helping bring the story to life is fan-favorite actor Nolan North as Jason, underscoring the protagonist's everyman qualities as he becomes an unlikely hero. Tautly paced and intuitively executed, "Shadow Complex" is a gripping thrill ride in the Metroidvania tradition.

The 2015 game "Axiom Verge" went for full-on mind-bending sci-fi with its own Metroidvania experience and plot twist-heavy story. The game has scientist Trace Eschenbrenner endure an explosion that seemingly transports him to the faraway world of Sudra. Working with the native mechanical population, the Rusalki, Trace tries to stop a mysterious figure named Athetos from wiping them out and taking their futuristic technology. Along the way, Trace discovers the truth about his own existence, with additional implications posed by the twist ending of "Axiom Verge" for players with a high enough completion rate.

Evoking the 16-bit era with its presentation, "Axiom Verge" honors its influences without feeling dated for modern audiences. The game also presents players with an immersive sci-fi world to explore, subtly evoking an unsettling feeling as its full connotations are unveiled. The breakout indie Metroidvania led to "Axiom Verge 2," with the standalone sequel released in 2021 and featuring a new protagonist. Leaning more into the sinister possibilities of sci-fi right down to its creepy setting, "Axiom Verge" is a fantastic and moody side-scroller.

Another supernatural fantasy twist on the Metroidvania gameplay experience is the 2017 indie game "Hollow Knight." The game's titular knight is an insectoid medieval warrior who arrives at the Hollownest, a kingdom plagued by a devastating contagion. Those infected are transformed into unhinged monsters lurking in the kingdom's subterranean ruins and sealed away in an effort to contain the plague. The knight ventures deep into the underground civilization to break the seal and defeat the true source of the plague, with multiple endings to "Hollow Knight" possible.

"Hollow Knight" is the most difficult game on this list, really putting an emphasis on timing in combat and precise platforming. That said, the controls are very intuitive, making the experience feel challenging but never quite unfair, with a genuine sense of reward upon completing a difficult section of the game. The game received a sequel with 2025's "Hollow Knight: Silksong," continuing the story of Hornet, a character from the original title. Rich and atmospherically developed, "Hollow Knight" is an enthralling adventure that keeps players coming back for more.

Another Metroidvania that relies heavily on its deliciously foreboding atmosphere is the 2022 indie title "Ghost Song." It's set on the desolate moon of Lorian, where a lost soul is revived and delves under the moon's surface. Exploring the tunnels and caverns underground, the Deadsuit steadily upgrades their abilities as they battle all sorts of otherworldly monsters. Along the way, the Deadsuit learns about their origins while encountering other figures from the past throughout their adventure.

"Ghost Song" revolves around a dual-weapon mechanic that has players rely on both an arm-mounted blaster cannon and melee weapons. As the Deadsuit's cannon overheats, players are encouraged to use the melee weapons until it cools down, adding a new layer to the frenetic combat. This is developed further with the upgrades that players receive as they progress, while opening up new parts of the map and furthering the haunting atmosphere. One of the best Metroidvania games of 2022, "Ghost Song" excels at instilling its cosmic horror mood while players fight for their lives.