After years of Metroid Dread, the latest game in the franchise, and a glorious mixture of classic 2D Metroidvania gameplay and 3D graphics technologies. However, it's not the only contender out there.
Many excellent games with a similar feel and play style are readily available, and they're all hits in their own right. After beating Metroid Dread and shutting off the Switch, players can sate their thirst for more action/exploration goodness with several sci-fi and fantasy 2D side scrollers that have the same feel.
Alien 3 (Super NES)
Alien 3 stood apart to prove its detractors wrong. It is one of the most brilliant action/exploration games ever made during that age, adapting the Alien franchise in a smart way while creating impacting and weighted gameplay mechanics to the experience.
Players had to rescue cocooned prisoners, repair various systems, and wipe xenomorph egg hives, among many of the game's non-linear missions. It isn't as deep or open-world as Metroid Dread, but it did pick up the formula, and blend certain elements into its own gameplay fabric.
Hollow Knight
Ori and the Blind Forest formula, but it's also one of the best games of its kind. Like its spiritual sister, Hollow Knight blends a brilliant art style with moving music, adorable characters, and a strong sense of immersion when it comes to exploring the surrounding world.
One of the best aspects of Hollow Knight is the game's willingness to let players explore on their own, rather than nudge them in any particular direction. This, combined with the sheer amount of secrets to find, and areas to explore makes it one of the most accessible and charming Metroidvania titles of the bunch.
Black Future '88
Fans of Black Future '88, one of the best games of its kind. The neon-drenched graphics are backed up by a kicking synth soundtrack, and one of the most bizarre features of any 2D shooter - a ticking time bomb in the player's own chest.
The levels are procedurally generated, which means there's always a surprise waiting around the corner. The objective is to scale a large corporate tower and fight a series of bosses before the player's heart explodes 18 minutes into the run, at which point the game resets. Hopefully, players become so good that they start outpacing their own records, but that's not easy when the levels change on a dynamic basis.
Strider
Capcom debuted Strider back in the arcades during the 1980s, and it saw a successful port to the SEGA Genesis during the 16-bit age. The remake, however, significantly improves on the original, crafting brilliant sci-fi visuals with a dystopian atmosphere, interesting foes, and some of the best hack and slash gameplay around.
Strider is widely considered to be a sleeper hit, and it's definitely a must-play for fans of games like Metroid Dread. The ability to cling to walls, perform acrobatic maneuvers, and take out scores of opponents with a high precision blade are just some of the highlights of this kinetic title.
Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night
Symphony Of The Night is widely considered the king of Metroidvania-style games like Metroid Dread, and for good reason. Its iconic status has been cemented within Castlevania lore, and video game history in general, thanks to a wealth of in-game content, tons of secrets, unbeatable gameplay, and of course, a high fun factor.
It may not be a shooter, but it has the same explorative elements as Metroid Dread does. Those who aren't necessarily into gothic fantasy video games might want to reconsider, as SOTN still remains one of the best action/exploration games ever released. It even helped launch the enormously successful Castlevania animated series on Netflix.
Shadow Complex
Few modern Metroidvania games have as much impact and acclaim as Shadow Complex, and it remains one of the closest in feel and scope to Metroid Dread. Although it takes place on a 2D plane, the developers managed to give it a 3D-style shooting mechanic in order to spruce things up for the better.
The fantastic gameplay is married to a large game world with tons of secrets to find, and new areas to explore. The inventive use of weaponry is another big plus, encouraging players to switch up their arsenal while in the middle of combat to deal with threats more efficiently. It's sleek, fast, and fun.
Ori And The Will Of The Wisps
Ori and the Blind Forest was considered one of the most amazing, artistic, and emotional gameplay experiences of all time, and its sequel tried to build upon that. At the same time, it took some much-needed sandpaper to the rougher edges of its gameplay formula and enhanced the experience for a new audience.
Will of the Wisps is a Metroidvania title that takes liberties with the formula in an attempt to do something new. At the same time, it draws players into an immersive and beautiful world that would put Disney's best animators to shame. A sweeping soundtrack, loveable characters, and a tear-jerking narrative help seal the deal.
The Mummy Demastered
Tom Cruise's ill-fated The Mummy had a few decent scenes, but it largely met with a negative reaction from critics and audiences alike. Its video game tie-in game, however, managed to score big points for itself. It bears a lot of similarities to similar Metroidvania shooter titles while doing something unique with the source material.
Gameplay-wise, The Mummy Demastered is actually a lot of fun, blending fantasy-style architecture with modern-day aesthetics. It also features an interesting death system that zombifies the player, forcing them to take control of a new character to retrieve gear off the undead corpse.
Metroid: Zero Mission
Metroid Dread fans owe it to themselves to go back and play the enormously successful Zero Mission, which originally debuted on the Game Boy Advance. Not only is it one of the best remakes of a video game in all of history, but it's one of the best games in the entire Metroid franchise.
Zero Mission is a retelling of the original NES Metroid title, with improved graphics, cinematics, sound effects, and secrets. It's notable for extending the game past its finish line with an excellent act that puts gamers in control of Samus, without her Zero Suit to keep her safe. With its modernized visuals and challenging gameplay, Zero Mission is a top contender in the genre and the perfect game to prepare for Metroid Dread.
Dead Cells
Developer Motion Twin had an unexpected hit on its hands when it debuted Dead Cells in 2018. The game builds upon the Metroidvania genre with new mechanics that are married to an interesting story about a strange life form taking control of a dead corpse, which acts as the main player's avatar.
In addition to the excellent level design, loot, and enemy types, Dead Cells also challenges gamers with a permadeath system that causes them to lose their entire inventory when they die. Frustrating though it might be, Dead Cells still managed to hit critical acclaim with gamers and reviewers alike.
