Are you ready for a world of amazing soundtracks, fun gameplay, and exciting adventures? Metroidvania games on PC have a long history that has won the hearts of many gamers worldwide.
You’ll love exploring big, connected worlds, finding hidden secrets, and facing tough enemies that challenge your skills and determination.
There are many pixel games to choose from, offering old-school looks and nostalgic gameplay experiences. The top Metroidvania games on PC give you a memorable time with detailed levels and tough challenges that will keep you playing for hours.
Whether you’re a seasoned explorer or new to the genre, these interconnected worlds offer something special for every type of gamer.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Explore a rich history and evolution of Metroidvania games on PC
- Experience atmospheric soundtracks and engaging gameplay mechanics
- Discover a vast array of pixel games with retro-style graphics
- Enjoy intricate level design and challenging gameplay elements
- Get ready for an unforgettable gaming experience on PC
- Master non-linear exploration and character progression systems
- Uncover hidden secrets and unlock new abilities throughout your journey
The Allure of the Metroidvania Genre
If you love exploring mysterious worlds and facing tough challenges, the Metroidvania games genre is perfectly suited for your gaming preferences. It’s become a beloved favorite in gaming communities, expertly mixing non-linear exploration, precise platforming mechanics, and action-packed gameplay that keeps you engaged from start to finish.
The Origins and Evolution of Metroidvania
The Metroidvania games on PC genre started with legendary titles like Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
These groundbreaking games introduced revolutionary world design concepts and character growth systems that would define the genre for decades to come.
Today, modern Metroidvania games on PC like AM2R: Return of Samus and Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow have added innovative new twists, making the genre even more exciting and accessible to contemporary audiences.
The evolution of Metroidvania games on PC has been remarkable, with developers constantly pushing boundaries while respecting the core principles that make these games special.
From humble 16-bit beginnings to today’s stunning hand-drawn masterpieces, the genre continues to captivate players with its unique blend of exploration and progression.
Key Elements That Define the Perfect Metroidvania Experience
So, what makes Metroidvania games on PC stand out from other gaming genres? The essential elements that create the perfect experience include :
- Non-linear exploration: Letting you discover new places, hidden passages, and secret areas at your own pace
- A rich, atmospheric soundtrack: Drawing you deep into the game’s immersive world and emotional landscape
- Challenging gameplay: Testing your reflexes, problem-solving skills, and strategic thinking abilities
- Character growth and development: Gaining new abilities that unlock previously inaccessible areas
- Interconnected world design: Creating a sense of place where every area feels meaningful and connected
- Environmental storytelling: Revealing narrative elements through visual details and atmospheric cues
Top Metroidvania Games PC Players Shouldn’t Miss
Explore the top Metroidvania games on PC that you must play. This genre has become very popular. It offers exciting exploration, tough challenges, and amazing soundtracks.
What Makes a Great PC Metroidvania
A top-tier Metroidvania games on PC experience combines challenging gameplay mechanics with compelling storytelling and atmospheric world-building.
Games like Hollow Knight and Ori and the Will of the Wisps exemplify these qualities perfectly, offering beautiful worlds to explore alongside deep, meaningful narratives that reward careful attention and exploration.
The best Metroidvania games on PC also feature responsive controls, fair but challenging difficulty curves, and meaningful progression systems that make every upgrade feel significant.
These games understand that exploration should feel rewarding, not tedious, and that every new ability should open up exciting possibilities for discovery.
Tier S: The Ultimate Metroidvania Games on PC
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
Genre: Action-Adventure Game, Fighting Game, Action role-playing game
Availability Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox
Price: $19.99
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow represents one of the finest examples of Metroidvania games on PC, featuring the compelling story of Soma Cruz as he explores Dracula’s castle.
This masterpiece combines classic Castlevania aesthetics with innovative soul-collecting mechanics that allow you to absorb enemy abilities. The game’s intricate level design encourages multiple playthroughs, with hidden areas and secret weapons waiting to be discovered.
Your journey through the gothic halls reveals a rich narrative filled with supernatural intrigue and challenging boss encounters that test your mastery of the game’s systems.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Genre: Metroidvania, Fighting game, Action-adventure game, Action RPG
Availability Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Mobile
Price: $14.99
Often considered the grandfather of modern Metroidvania games on PC, Symphony of the Night revolutionized the genre with its RPG elements and stunning hand-drawn artwork.
Playing as Alucard, you’ll explore Dracula’s vast castle while collecting weapons, spells, and abilities that fundamentally change how you navigate the world. The game’s atmospheric soundtrack by Michiru Yamane creates an unforgettable audio landscape that perfectly complements the gothic visuals.
Every room tells a story, and every ability unlock opens new pathways that make backtracking feel like genuine discovery rather than repetitive busywork.
AM2R: Return of Samus
Genre: Platform game, Action-adventure game, Shooter Video Game
Availability Platforms: PC (Fan-made, free download)
Price: Free
AM2R: Return of Samus stands as a testament to fan dedication, reimagining the classic Game Boy Metroid II with modern Metroidvania games on PC sensibilities. This fan-created masterpiece features smooth controls, beautiful pixel art, and faithful recreation of Samus’s abilities while adding new mechanics that enhance the original experience.
The game’s challenging combat encounters with various Metroid species create tense, memorable moments that showcase the series’ signature atmosphere.
Your exploration of SR388 reveals environmental storytelling at its finest, with each area telling the tragic story of the planet’s decline through visual details and atmospheric design.
Super Metroid
Genre: Platform game, Shooter Video Game, Action-adventure game
Availability Platforms: PC (Emulation), Nintendo Switch Online
Price: $7.99 (Switch Online)
Super Metroid remains the gold standard for Metroidvania games on PC experiences, featuring perfect level design that teaches players through environmental cues rather than explicit tutorials.
Samus’s journey through planet Zebes showcases masterful pacing, with each new ability feeling essential and meaningful. The game’s atmospheric presentation creates a sense of isolation and wonder that few games have matched, supported by one of gaming’s most iconic soundtracks.
Every area of Zebes feels distinct and memorable, from the underwater depths of Maridia to the volcanic heat of Norfair, creating a cohesive world that rewards thorough exploration.
Hollow Knight
Genre: Action-adventure game, Metroidvania, Fighting game
Availability Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox
Price: $14.99
Hollow Knight represents the pinnacle of modern Metroidvania games on PC, featuring a hauntingly beautiful world filled with mysterious lore and challenging gameplay. As the silent Knight, you’ll explore the fallen kingdom of Hallownest, uncovering its tragic history through environmental storytelling and optional narrative elements.
The game’s combat system rewards precision and timing, with each boss encounter offering unique challenges that test different aspects of your skills. The interconnected world design encourages exploration and experimentation, with multiple endings and optional content that can extend your playtime well beyond the main story.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Genre: Platform game, Puzzle Video Game, Action-adventure game
Availability Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
Price: $49.99
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown brings the beloved franchise into the Metroidvania games on PC realm with stunning results, featuring fluid parkour mechanics and time manipulation abilities.
Playing as Sargon, you’ll navigate the cursed Mount Qaf while mastering acrobatic combat and puzzle-solving challenges. The game’s visual design blends traditional Persian art with modern animation techniques, creating a distinctive aesthetic that sets it apart from other titles in the genre.
Your journey reveals a complex narrative about brotherhood, betrayal, and redemption, supported by satisfying progression systems that make each new ability feel impactful.
Nine Sols
Genre: Indie game, Adventure game, Fighting game, Puzzle Video Game
Availability Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch
Price: $24.99
Nine Sols delivers a unique take on Metroidvania games on PC by blending Eastern mythology with sci-fi elements, creating a distinctive cyberpunk aesthetic. The game’s combat system emphasizes timing and positioning, rewarding players who master its rhythm-based mechanics.
Your exploration of the mysterious space station reveals layers of narrative complexity, with each of the nine sols presenting unique challenges and story revelations.
The hand-drawn artwork showcases incredible attention to detail, while the atmospheric soundtrack enhances the game’s mysterious and melancholic tone throughout your journey.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Genre: Metroidvania, Fighting game, Action-adventure game, Shooter Video Game
Availability Platforms: PC, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
Price: $29.99
Ori and the Will of the Wisps stands as one of the most emotionally resonant Metroidvania games on PC, combining stunning hand-painted visuals with a deeply moving story about friendship and sacrifice.
The game’s movement mechanics feel incredibly fluid, with each ability adding new layers of traversal possibilities that make navigation a joy.
Your journey through the decaying forest of Niwen reveals environmental storytelling at its finest, with each area telling part of the larger narrative through visual design and atmospheric details.
The orchestral soundtrack by Gareth Coker creates emotional peaks and valleys that perfectly complement the on-screen action.
Blasphemous 2
Genre: Metroidvania, Fighting game, Action-adventure game, Adventure
Availability Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
Price: $29.99
Blasphemous 2 continues the series’ tradition of combining religious imagery with challenging Metroidvania games on PC gameplay, featuring improved mechanics and expanded world design.
The Penitent One’s journey through Cvstodia offers a dark, atmospheric experience filled with grotesque beauty and philosophical themes.
The game’s combat system has been refined to offer more variety and strategic depth, while maintaining the precision-based challenges that made the original memorable.
Your exploration reveals a world rich in lore and symbolism, where every area tells part of the larger story about faith, suffering, and redemption.
Tier A/B: Exceptional Metroidvania Experiences
Kingdom Shell
Genre: Platform game, Indie game, Fighting game, Adventure
Availability Platforms: PC
Price: $19.99
Kingdom Shell offers a fresh perspective on Metroidvania games on PC with its unique shell-swapping mechanics and oceanic setting. Your underwater journey combines exploration with strategic combat, as different shell types provide various abilities and movement options. The game’s aquatic world feels alive and mysterious, with bioluminescent creatures and ancient ruins creating a captivating atmosphere that draws you deeper into its depths.
Laika: Aged through Blood
Genre: Metroidvania, Action-adventure game, Shooter Video Game
Availability Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
Price: $24.99
Laika: Aged through Blood presents a unique motorcycle-riding twist on Metroidvania games on PC, featuring a post-apocalyptic world where you play as a mother protecting her pups.
The game’s physics-based motorcycle mechanics add a distinctive element to traditional Metroidvania exploration, while the emotional story explores themes of survival and maternal love.
The hand-drawn animation style creates a distinctive visual identity that sets it apart from other entries in the genre.
Biomorph
Genre: Metroidvania, Action-adventure game
Availability Platforms: PC
Price: $16.99
Biomorph introduces shapeshifting mechanics to Metroidvania games on PC, allowing you to absorb enemy abilities and transform into different creatures.
The game’s biological horror aesthetic creates an unsettling atmosphere, while the transformation mechanics offer creative solutions to exploration and combat challenges.
Your journey through the mysterious research facility reveals a narrative about scientific experimentation and the consequences of playing with nature.
Blasphemous (Original)
Genre: Metroidvania, Souls-Like, Action, Adventure, Indie
Availability Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
Price: $24.99
The original Blasphemous established itself as one of the most atmospheric Metroidvania games on PC, featuring striking pixel art that brings religious iconography to life in disturbing ways.
The Penitent One’s quest for redemption takes you through a world filled with guilt and suffering, where every enemy and environment tells part of the larger narrative.
The game’s challenging combat requires patience and timing, rewarding players who take time to learn enemy patterns and environmental hazards.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Metroidvania Experience
To truly enjoy Metroidvania games on PC, you need to embrace the genre’s core philosophy of exploration and discovery.
Take time to thoroughly investigate each area, as the best games in the genre reward curiosity with hidden upgrades, secret areas, and optional story content.
Don’t rush through the main path – some of the most memorable moments come from stumbling upon unexpected areas or uncovering environmental details that add depth to the world’s lore.
Pay attention to your character’s growing abilities and how they change your relationship with the world. Each new power should make you think about previously inaccessible areas and how you might approach them differently.
The best Metroidvania games on PC create “aha moments” where a new ability suddenly makes you realize you can reach that tantalizing ledge or door you noticed hours earlier.
The Technical Excellence Behind PC Metroidvania Games
Metroidvania games on PC benefit significantly from the platform’s technical capabilities, offering enhanced visuals, smooth frame rates, and precise controls that are essential for the genre’s demanding platforming sequences.
Many titles support high refresh rates and resolutions that make the detailed pixel art and hand-drawn animations truly shine.
The PC platform also allows for easy access to fan-made content, mods, and unofficial patches that can extend the life of your favorite games.
Building Your Metroidvania Collection
When building your collection of Metroidvania games on PC, consider starting with the genre-defining classics before exploring more experimental modern titles.
This approach helps you understand the evolution of design philosophies and appreciate how newer games build upon or subvert established conventions.
Digital distribution platforms frequently offer sales that make building a comprehensive library more affordable, and many indie Metroidvania games on PC provide exceptional value for their asking price.
Conclusion
The world of Metroidvania games on PC offers an incredible variety of experiences, from classic gothic castles to alien planets and mystical forests.
Each game in this genre provides a unique take on exploration, progression, and storytelling that can captivate players for dozens of hours.
Whether you prefer the challenging combat of Hollow Knight, the emotional journey of Ori and the Will of the Wisps, or the atmospheric exploration of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, there’s a perfect Metroidvania games on PC experience waiting for you.
The genre continues to evolve with innovative titles that push boundaries while respecting the core elements that make these games special.
As developers experiment with new mechanics, visual styles, and narrative approaches, Metroidvania games on PC remain at the forefront of creative game design, offering experiences that are both nostalgic and refreshingly modern.
FAQ
What are the best Metroidvania games available on PC?
Top Metroidvania games on PC include Hollow Knight, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Super Metroid, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and Nine Sols. These titles offer atmospheric exploration, challenging gameplay, and rich narratives that define the genre.
What defines a great Metroidvania game?
Great Metroidvania games on PC feature non-linear exploration, challenging but fair gameplay, meaningful character progression, rich atmospheric soundtracks, and interconnected world design. The best titles also include environmental storytelling and abilities that fundamentally change how you navigate the world.
Are there any new Metroidvania games coming out in 2025?
Yes, the Metroidvania games on PC scene continues to grow with new releases and updates to existing titles. Keep an eye on indie developers who frequently innovate within the genre, bringing fresh mechanics and artistic styles to traditional exploration-based gameplay.
Can I play Metroidvania games on consoles other than PC?
Many Metroidvania games on PC are also available on consoles like Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox. However, PC versions often offer enhanced performance, mod support, and access to fan-made content like AM2R: Return of Samus that may not be available on other platforms.
What are some pixel art Metroidvania games that I might enjoy?
Excellent pixel art Metroidvania games on PC include Blasphemous and its sequel, Laika: Aged Through Blood, Biomorph, GRIME, and Islets. These games showcase how modern pixel art techniques can create visually stunning worlds that rival hand-drawn animations in terms of artistic impact.
Are there any Metroidvania games with a strong focus on storytelling?
Metroidvania games on PC like Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Hollow Knight, and Nine Sols feature compelling narratives delivered through environmental storytelling, character interactions, and atmospheric presentation. These games prove that exploration-based gameplay can support deep, meaningful stories.
Can you recommend any Metroidvania games that are similar to Hollow Knight?
If you enjoyed Hollow Knight, consider trying Blasphemous, GRIME, Islets, and Ender Lilies. These Metroidvania games on PC share similar atmospheric exploration, challenging combat, and mysterious world-building that made Hollow Knight so compelling to explore.
