Unlock Your Adventure: Top 2D Metroidvania Games Perfect for Newbies!

Summary

Metroidvania games remain popular and challenging, with some welcoming newcomers and catering to genre enthusiasts.
Batman: Arkham Origins – Blackgate provides quality 2.5D gameplay but is overshadowed by its siblings in the series.
Samus Aran helped define the Metroidvania genre with games like Super Metroid and Metroid: Dread.

Metroidvania games, known for their non-linear levels and characters that continuously evolve, have gained immense affection among players. Given their wide appeal, some are deliberately designed for diehard fans, making them less welcoming to beginners, while others demonstrate a concern for newcomers in their development process.

These types of games, falling under the Metroidvania genre, usually feature a 2D aesthetic and gameplay that caters to both novices and seasoned gamers. The combat mechanics are simplified, making it easier for beginners, while the save systems are more lenient, providing room for error. Navigation within the games is also clearly outlined to facilitate easy exploration. These games span a wide spectrum, from being completely approachable for all types of players to offering a substantial challenge without pushing away newcomers.

9. Batman: Arkham Origins – Blackgate

The Arkhamverse Returned To Metroidvania With The Spin-Off

The standalone game in the Batman: Arkham series swaps out open-world gameplay for an immersive 2.5D exploration of Blackgate Prison. Known as Batman: Arkham Origins – Blackgate,

From a narrative standpoint, playing Batman: Arkham Origins – Blackgate is quite rewarding due to scenes like the initial encounter between Batman and Catwoman within the Arkhamverse continuity. Although it’s relatively short and not overly challenging, it delivers engaging gameplay that echoes the 2D style of the original . Essentially, it’s a Metroidvania-style game set in a 2D world on Arkham Island.

8. Axiom Verge

A Love Letter To The Metroid Games

Axiom Verge is heavily influenced by H.R. Giger’s distinctive art style, serving as an unofficial sequel to the classic Metroid series to deliver a science fiction adventure. The game follows a solitary protagonist on an alien world, who wields different weapons and upgrades to combat eerie extraterrestrial enemies and solve intricate puzzles within a maze-like environment.

Axiom Verge” turned out to be an unexpected treasure, making a splash in the gaming world and reminding us all of our fondness for Metroidvania games. It was also designed to be accessible for newcomers, gradually introducing them to gameplay mechanics while building up to a challenging level of difficulty that would test their abilities by the end.

7. Yoku’s Island Express

Metroidvania And Pinball Is An Odd But Effective Combo

Release Date: May 29, 2018
Developer: Villa Gorilla
Publisher: Team17
Systems: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Yoku’s Island Express offers a fresh perspective on the Metroidvania genre. It features interconnected areas that open up as players explore, solve puzzles, and gather power-ups, but its gameplay is distinctly different from typical games in this genre. Unlike most titles, there’s no combat; instead, players control the main character Yoku by employing pinball mechanics to propel him forward and navigate the game environment to tackle puzzles.

In contrast to numerous other Metroidvania games, Yoku’s Island Express stands out as a more family-friendly option. The game’s characters and environment are designed to resemble an engaging cartoon, with appealing visuals and sound effects that delight players. Despite being one of the simpler Metroidvanias, the pinball mechanics introduce a level of challenge, particularly in later stages, ensuring an enjoyable experience for most gamers.

6. Ori And The Will Of The Wisps

The Strong Sequel Changed Into A Metroidvania

In contrast to its predecessor, which had a touch of traditional platforming with hints of Metroidvania style, Ori And The Will Of The Wisps wholeheartedly immerses itself in the genre, yet preserves the captivating and vivid graphics that made the initial Ori game so alluring. As each challenge is overcome and puzzle is solved, the main character, Ori, receives new enhancements to aid his adventure further.

Upon its release, Ori and The Will of the Wisps garnered immediate acclaim, often hailed as an improvement over the original game. Yet, though it falls under the Metroidvania genre, which many gamers can easily dive into, it’s suggested that newcomers play the prequel first to fully grasp what makes this a worthy sequel in almost every aspect.

5. Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown

Sargon Brought New Life To The Beloved Franchise

As a die-hard fan, I was thrilled when Ubisoft brought back the Prince of Persia series and combined the puzzle-platforming and action-packed hack-and-slash elements into one game – creating the captivating experience known as Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown. After such a long absence from the franchise, I was more than pleased to see the Prince embarking on a Metroidvania-style adventure.

As a gamer, I’ve just dived into the captivating world of Prince of Persia, where I take on the role of a new protagonist named Sargon. This time around, I’m not just any ordinary adventurer; I belong to the Immortals clan. The game has me exploring an immense mountain city that’s brimming with intricate routes, hidden shortcuts, and a wealth of side quests that promise to keep me engaged and potentially lost in its labyrinthine streets. To top it all off, the breathtaking action sequences, reminiscent of cinema, serve as the cherry on this already mouthwatering gaming experience.

4. Super Metroid

Samus Aran Helped Establish The Metroidvania Genre

The Metroidvania genre we know today wouldn’t exist without the groundbreaking Metroid series, which pioneered non-linear gameplay with the original Metroid in 1986. Super Metroid, as any excellent sequel should, built upon and improved what the first two games had set up, resulting in a classic SNES game.

The game Super Metroid has Samus Aran embarking on an alien adventure, growing stronger, and challenging players’ abilities in platforming. This helped create the Metroidvania style and fix issues from earlier games, paving the way for future sequels. Additionally, it offers a balance of challenge that keeps players interested without becoming frustratingly difficult.

3. Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night

The Game That Changed Castlevania Forever

For a considerable amount of time, Castlevania followed a more conventional gameplay approach. However, Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night marked a significant shift as it was the initial Konami title to adopt the Metroidvania style. Since then, most games in the original series have modeled their gameplay after Symphony Of The Night.

In the game “Castlevania 3: Dracula’s Curse”, Alucard is initially introduced as a character. Later, in “Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night”, he assumes the leading role from the Belmont family. Just as anticipated, players explore an extensive version of Dracula’s castle, gaining levels and acquiring fresh equipment to confront the Prince of Darkness and his hordes of monsters.

2. Hollow Knight

Proof That Metroidvanias Are Not Going Anywhere

In the eyes of many, Hollow Knight swiftly emerged as the quintessential Metroidvania for contemporary times. It achieved this by merging its eerily captivating and Tim Burton-esque art style to deliver an unforgettable journey. The game incorporates traditional Metroidvania elements like enhancements for the mysterious knight character and a flexible map layout, but it also infuses aspects of Souls-like games, reminiscent of Dark Souls or Bloodborne.

Players must navigate through numerous bosses while playing the main story for around 20 to 40 hours as an unnamed character, in the popular game Hollow Knight. This game became so successful that it received several free content updates and is soon expected to release a highly anticipated sequel called Hollow Knight: Silksong.

1. Metroid Dread

A Long Hiatus Resulted In An Award-Nominated Hit

Fans had been eagerly anticipating a follow-up to “Metroid Fusion” for almost two decades, and their wishes were granted with the release of “Metroid Dread”. This installment took the series back to its classic 2D gameplay style. In the updated version on Nintendo Switch, Samus Aran is more entertaining than ever, as the enhanced 3D visuals create a captivating environment filled with immersive sounds and graphics. As she battles aliens, parasites, robots, and various other sci-fi adversaries, the experience is nothing short of exhilarating.

To carry on with the style of play in the Metroidvania genre, the game Metroid Dread offers additional enhancements to Samus’ iconic suit, including new weapons and capabilities that turn her into an indomitable super soldier. Although it’s beneficial to have played earlier Metroid games, Metroid Dread is not exclusive to veterans and can be enjoyed independently by anyone who wants to experience its captivating gameplay on the planet ZDR.

2025-03-25 18:37