Best metroidvania games to play after Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

These are the best metroidvania games of all time, and are essential to play after Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Metroidvania games are, well, games that are inspired directly by Metroid and Castlevania. These games started out as 2D exploration games, where exploring a side-scrolling world will uncover new powers and abilities, which open up more pathways and areas. You’d think the world could’ve come to a consensus on a better title for the genre by now, but what can you do.

The genre has seen an incredible resurgence over the course of the last generation, and we’re seeing big-budget and humble indie metroidvanias release regularly, with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown just being the latest great game in the genre. In this list, we’re breaking down the metroidvania games you need to play if you enjoy playing Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.

Metroid Prime is still one the best 3D debuts of any series

Metroid Dread

One of the most intense Metroid games / Nintendo

One of the best modern Metroid games – well, one of the only modern Metroid games – Metroid Dread is a tremendous return to form, and proves why this series is so beloved. Samus moves swiftly and is incredibly agile, despite each footstep landing with a heavy thud. You’ll need to master parries to finish this one, but Metroid Dread is absolutely fantastic.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

A classic Castlevania / Konami

Symphony of the Night is considered by many to be one of the greatest games of all time – that’s right, not just one of the best metroidvania games, but one of the best games period. That’s incredibly high praise, and if you had a PS1 in 1997, you’d understand why. Symphony of the Night has some of the smoothest 2D visuals of the era, fantastic gameplay, and an unforgettable atmosphere. A true classic.

Hollow Knight

One of the best indie games ever / Team Cherry

There’s a reason that Hollow Knight: Silksong has become one of the most eagerly anticipated indie games of all time, and it’s that Hollow Knight is incredible. It’s one of the all-time best metroidvania games, and if you haven’t played Hollow Knight yet, make sure to rectify that before Silksong launches later this year (I hope).

Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Fluid platforming gameplay / Xbox Game Studios

Ori and the Will of the Wisps takes everything that the studio achieved with Ori and the Blind Forest and made it better. The game is smoother, more fluid, better to play, and far more visually stimulating. You can even run it at either high framerates or high resolution on Xbox Series X, so it’s a great showpiece for a new console and fancy TV.

Dead Cells

Action-packed platforming / Motion Twin

Dead Cells is one of the best 2D metroidvania games – fact. Not just of the modern era, but ever. Fluid, modern sprite art and swift gameplay combine and make this an unforgettable experience. A must-play for metroidvania fans.

Control

One of the most approachable and unique games on this list / Remedy Entertainment

Control is a bit unlike anything else on this list. This is a 3D third-person shooter, but the array of supernatural abilities and secret passageways that Jesse Faden can uncover and utilize while exploring the Federal Bureau of Control places it firmly in the realm of a metroidvania. It’s a fair bit more approachable than most metroidvania games, but that makes it a great introduction to the gameplay loop.

Dark Souls

The game that started a gameplay revolution / Bandai Namco

Most Souls-like games have bite-sized pieces of metroidvania level design linked together and dotted throughout the world, with fairly linear corridors between them. In essence, it’s a level-based design philosophy, but entirely diegetic in the way you uncover those levels. That’s less true for the original Dark Souls, though. While those other Souls games take the concept and slice it up to make it more manageable, the original Dark Souls has a huge world that links in weird and unpredictable ways. Everyone remembers their first “oh, I’m back here?” moment, and that’s just part of what makes Dark Souls a masterpiece.

Blasphemous

More than just a 2D Dark Souls / The Game Kitchen, Team17

Blasphemous was considered to be “2D Dark Souls” for a while, but that’s doing it a disservice. Blasphemous is a fantastic game in its own right, not simply as an imitation. It has some truly incredible sprite art, and a tone unlike anything else. Blasphemous has to be played to be believed.

Metroid Prime Remastered

One of the best remasters ever just happens to be of one of the best metroidvania games / Nintendo

Metroid Prime is one of the best 3D metroidvania games of all time, and it just so happens to be that Metroid Prime Remastered is one of the best remasters of a game we’ve ever seen. It looks gorgeous, like it’s as modern game made for the Nintendo Switch now, and not two decades ago for a far less impressive system. It ticks all of the boxes: you need to play Metroid Prime Remastered.

Axiom Verge

A faithful retro-inspired platformer / Thomas Happ Games

Yet another sprite art fueled metroidvania, but this one is truer to its roots than most, taking clear inspiration from the original Metroid, while infusing a fair bit of Super Metroid, and some unique ideas of its own. Axiom Verge is a great alien exploration game, and isn’t that what Metroid always has been?

Batman: Arkham Asylum

The best Batman game, thanks / DC, Warner Bros

Arkham Asylum is my personal favorite superhero game, and yes, the layout of the iconic asylum works wonderfully for metroidvania game design. Exploring each corridor to find all of the Riddler trophies is incredibly satisfying, like you own the building inside and out. The other Batman games are great, but they aren’t metroidvania games, not like Arkham Asylum.