10 Best Metroidvania Games Available on Nintendo Switch, Ranked

Highlights

• Metroidvania genre demands strategic exploration, skills, and revisiting areas for progression, creating a rich gameplay experience.
• Nintendo Switch thrives with innovative Metroidvania titles, offering a diverse selection that honors and expands the iconic genre.
• Afterimage, Blasphemous 2, and Dead Cells excel in immersive exploration, challenging combat, and innovative gameplay mechanics.

The Metroidvania genre, known for its expansive and interconnected maps inspired by the classics Metroid and Castlevania, requires players to explore, collect abilities, and revisit areas to progress. This gameplay style demands careful navigation and strategic use of new skills to unlock secrets and new areas.

On the Nintendo Switch, this category has thrived with a variety of titles that innovate in design and bring fresh ideas. The console’s portability and strong support for indie games make it an ideal platform for Metroidvania fans, offering a rich selection of games that honor and expand this iconic genre.

10 Afterimage

A Stunning Metroidvania With Inconsistent Pacing

Afterimage is one of the most visually striking Metroidvanias released in 2023, standing out for its hand-drawn world and abundance of secrets waiting to be discovered. However, this vast exploration, while visually impressive, sometimes results in a pacing that feels uneven.

The complex narrative and non-linear map structure contribute to a sense of disorientation, making progression feel slow and less cohesive at times. Despite these challenges, the challenging combat and remarkable artistic design make Afterimage a memorable entry within the Metroidvania genre, though not the most polished.

9 Castlevania: Aria Of Sorrow

A Metroidvania That Perfected The Formula

Considered one of the finest examples of Metroidvania, Aria of Sorrow, available in the Castlevania Advance Collection for Nintendo Switch, refines the formula established by its predecessors. The game introduces the Soul Capture system, adding a strategic layer to the gameplay by allowing players to acquire new abilities from each defeated enemy.

With its intricate map design and impressive 2D graphics, Aria of Sorrow provides an immersive experience. The twist-filled story, combined with refined combat and intense exploration, solidifies this title as a must-play for fans of the genre, bringing a depth that few Metroidvanias achieve.

8 Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown

Classic Franchise Reinvented As A Metroidvania

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown marks the return of one of Ubisoft’s most beloved franchises in the form of a compelling Metroidvania. The game reinvents the series by delivering an engaging and challenging journey, featuring precise mechanics and an intricately designed map.

Exploration is intense and rewarding, keeping players constantly engaged in uncovering new secrets and abilities across the vast landscape of Mount Qaf. With stylish combat and challenging platforming, The Lost Crown offers a fluid and highly satisfying experience. Sargon’s adaptable techniques, coupled with well-structured level design, make this entry stand out as a unique blend of classic and modern Metroidvania elements.

7 Axiom Verge

A Homage To The Classics With Its Own Identity

Axiom Verge is a standout Metroidvania on the Nintendo Switch, known for its gameplay that mixes nostalgia with innovation. The game captures the essence of the genre’s classics while introducing unique elements, such as weapons and abilities that challenge traditional conventions.

With its intricate map design and immersive atmosphere, Axiom Verge offers an exploration and combat experience that keeps players engaged from start to finish. The progression is rewarding, with each new discovery adding layers of depth to the game’s expansive world, making it a prime example of how a Metroidvania can pay homage to its roots while carving out its own space.

6 Blasphemous 2

A Challenging Metroidvania With Grotesque And Innovative Art

Blasphemous 2 is one of the top Metroidvanias available on the Nintendo Switch, elevating the genre with its grotesque art and incredibly fluid gameplay. The game enhances all aspects of its predecessor, offering a challenging and rewarding exploration through a meticulously interconnected map design.

With new weapons introducing innovative combat and movement mechanics, Blasphemous 2 keeps players engaged as they explore the dark world of Cvstodia. The combination of memorable bosses and a disturbing narrative solidifies this title as a must-play for fans of Metroidvania, offering a unique artistic vision that stands out in the genre.

5 Dead Cells

A Brilliant Fusion Of Roguelike And Metroidvania

Dead Cells, available on the Nintendo Switch, redefines the Metroidvania genre by blending exploration with roguelite elements. With responsive controls and fluid gameplay, the game challenges players to navigate a constantly shifting castle, facing relentless enemies and formidable bosses.

Each death brings new learnings and abilities, encouraging repeated playthroughs and the discovery of hidden secrets. The game’s success even led to a collaboration with the Castlevania franchise for a DLC. Dead Cells delivers an engaging and challenging experience that continues to captivate players, standing out as a genre-defining title on the Switch.

4 Ori And The Will Of The Wisps

An Enhanced Experience In The Metroidvania Genre

While Ori and the Blind Forest is a beautiful game with a compelling story, Will of the Wisps improves the gameplay loop and exploration aspects. Released for Microsoft consoles and later ported to the Nintendo Switch, the game refines the experience of the franchise.

Through a polished and immersive experience, Ori and the Will of the Wisps elevates the Metroidvania genre to new heights. The fluid exploration and seamless integration of new abilities provide an engaging journey where each discovery in the game’s vast world is rewarding. The visual and auditory beauty complements the gameplay, making it a standout Metroidvania on the Switch and a benchmark for future games in the genre.

3 Metroid Prime Remastered

A Revamped Classic In The 3d Metroidvania Space

Though Metroidvania is a genre often associated with 2D games, Metroid Prime set a new standard by translating the genre’s principles into a 3D environment. This title remains one of the best examples of the genre on the Nintendo Switch, delivering an immersive and challenging experience that retains the essence of classic games.

The remastered version of Metroid Prime doesn’t drastically change the original game but introduces significant improvements such as updated controls and visual enhancements that elevate the experience. These updates make the gameplay smoother and more intuitive, ensuring this version is an essential addition to the Switch library and a milestone for the evolution of 3D Metroidvanias.

2 Metroid Dread

The Pinnacle Of Metroidvania Mechanics

After more than 20 years, fans were treated to the long-awaited continuation of Samus Aran’s story in Metroid Dread on the Nintendo Switch. The game delivered a triumphant return to the Metroidvania genre, with a level of polish and innovation that pleased both veterans and new players alike.

Featuring refined mechanics and an intricately designed map, Metroid Dread offers an intense exploration and combat experience. The addition of new moves and the constant sense of progression keep the gameplay dynamic and engaging. This title not only raised the bar for the Metroidvania genre but also redefined the standard for future installments in the Metroid series, cementing its place as a must-play for any fan of the genre.

1 Hollow Knight

A Modern Classic That Perfects The Metroidvania Formula

Metroid and Castlevania may have set the rules for the genre, but Hollow Knight, developed by Team Cherry and available on the Nintendo Switch, is one of the most outstanding implementations of Metroidvania mechanics in recent years. The game has become an indie icon, showcasing excellence in every aspect.

In Hollow Knight, players take control of a knight exploring a vast and mysterious underground world filled with secrets to uncover. The game’s intense combat, non-linear progression, and the crucial role of each new ability make it an engrossing experience. Hollow Knight doesn’t just stand out as one of the best Metroidvanias available; it redefines what the genre can be, offering a depth and challenge that resonates deeply with players.