10 Highly Replayable Metroidvanias

I love a lot of genres, but one of my absolute favorites is the Metroidvania. While you might not necessarily associate the genre with replayability, there are several of them that you'll want to play again and again.

There are a lot of great games on this list, and they range from easier Metroidvanias that are easy to play repeatedly to rogue-like variants you'll keep rushing through even once you've rolled credits, to some that are considered a pacifist adventure.

Get ready for some platforming, some challenge, and plenty of amazing games in this list of Metroidvanias with high replay value.

10 Gal Guardians: Demon Purge

Two for the Price of One

Inti Creates has proven itself a master of platforming adventures in the last decade or so, but Gal Guardians: Demon Purge was their first real example of a Metroidvania. It mixed many elements of Gothic supernatural horror, some comedy from the Gal Gun series, and a lot of pristine pixelated adventure.

The game echoed Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin in that it featured two demon-hunting sisters you could freely swap between, Maya and Shinobu, who excelled in either distance or close combat. Likewise, they also acquire different artifacts to help with exploration and fighting off brutal monsters and demons.

What's especially great about Gal Guardians: Demon Purge is that it's not too long a game, and is relatively linear, especially for the first half of the adventure. That means it's a Metroidvania that's really fun to play again and again, discovering well-hidden secrets and laying the smack down on intense bosses.

9 Sheepo

Stranger on a Strange Planet

I was sort of dragged kicking and screaming into playing Sheepo. See, I've played a LOT of Metroidvanias, but never one that touted itself as a pacifist adventure. In my experience, Metroidvanias needed to feature combat. But I'm glad I finally gave Sheepo a chance, since it's proven itself one of my favorite examples of the genre.

While it's true you won't be actively defeating and killing monsters in Sheepo, it is still a ton of fun. Mostly because of how delightfully weird it is, but also because of how fun the platforming is. There are even bosses in the game, though those fights mostly revolve around surviving for a set period of time.

The upside is, the farther you get in Sheepo, the weirder forms your little alien can transform into. This helps you burrow into the ground, grapple with distant points, and much, much more. I honestly think this is a perfect game, and it's not just delightful to play, but will convince you to 100% it every time you boot it up.

8 Souldiers

Souls-like Trio

Though I typically avoid Souls-likes, Souldiers was just so compelling that I had to try it. And I'm glad I did, since this Souls-like Metroidvania isn't just a great time, but it's fun to play again and again. The simple reason is that the class you choose plays differently from the other two and offers a great incentive to jump back into the adventure multiple times.

The three classes available to you are the Scout, Caster, and Archer. Scouts are great at offense and defense, but have no mana to cast spells. That privilege goes to the Caster, who can deal intense damage but is a glass cannon. Finally, the Archer is great for ranged combat, but can get overwhelmed when hounded by foes.

No matter which class you choose in the game, it's going to be a challenging adventure. So while it might be more of a hassle than the last two games we covered, Souldiers is well worth your time.

7 Monster Tale

Dual Screen Creature Adventure

I didn't always appreciate the innovative nature of the Nintendo DS. However, when a game utilized it effectively, I found myself drawn deeply into it. And one such adventure was a Metroidvania called Monster Tale.

Developed by DreamRift, it's a mix of Metroidvania and creature collector. A young heroine named Ellie discovers a monster egg, and when Chomp hatches from it, it latches onto her as its mother. Meaning the little guy will do his best to fight alongside Ellie and even help her overcome obstacles.

You'll also regularly move Chomp between the top and bottom screens to help him heal from damage. One of the best things about this colorful adventure is that you can evolve Chomp into different forms depending on what you feed him. Combined with the relatively short length of the game, that means you'll be playing Monster Tale more than once to see what fun forms the baby monster can transform into!

6 Dead Cells

Flawed Hero, Epic Quest

It might seem like a natural fit for a Metroidvania to mix in rogue-like mechanics, but in execution, it's very hard to accomplish. In my opinion, only a handful of games have successfully done so, and one of them is Dead Cells.

Though you start as a sentient pile of goo operating a meat suit, there's a lot of complexity in the game. That gets further seasoned with rapid-fire, challenging combat and platforming. Oh, and did I mention there are no checkpoints in the game, and death means you start over from the very beginning, other than what you've unlocked for future runs?

The rogue-like nature of Dead Cells means that even after you roll credits, you'll want to keep playing to unlock more stuff. And that's before you factor in the insane amount of optional DLC that expands the game even further, with my favorite being a Castlevania makeover.

5 Xeodrifter

Drifting Through Space

I played a lot of great games on my 3DS, but one of my favorite Metroidvanias was Xeodrifter. At the time it was released, I was a huge fan of Renegade Kid, and played pretty much anything they put out, ranging from horror to cutesy platformers. With this adventure, though, they managed to make a spectacular pocket-sized Metroidvania.

What's neat about the game is you're pretty much free to explore several distinct areas in whatever order you choose. You'll acquire new abilities and gather points that allow you to modify your gun in a variety of ways. But since you have a limited number of total points, you have to strategically choose how you do so. Will you focus on power or range, spreadshot or wavy bullets?

Pretty much the only downside to the game is that the bosses tend to be a bit repetitive, but outside of that, this is a delightful Metroidvania that's a blast to explore. Plus, since it's a short burn, you'll want to pick up and replay Xeodrifter once every couple of years, just to refresh your memory.

4 Metroid Fusion

Samus Transformed

I sometimes fall into the trap of judging a game's worth based on the overall playtime contrasted with the cost. But in Metroid Fusion, the fact that it can be beaten in a handful of hours is a good thing. Because this is one of those Metroidvanias I've eagerly replayed again and again.

Not only did Metroid Fusion eventually lead to Metroid Dread, but it was also a much more cinematic experience than even Super Metroid. I loved how the narrative pushed Samus further and lent weight to the X-Parasite catastrophe. Mix that with some really tough boss battles and surprising stealth segments, and I found myself really captivated by the game.

So even though Metroid Fusion is relatively linear, this is still an outstanding Metroidvania that I've enjoyed replaying on various Nintendo consoles. Best of all, it's usually available digitally as a well-deserved GBA Nintendo Classic.

3 Shantae and the Pirate's Curse

Make a Wish!

I was hooked on Shantae the first time I played Risky's Revenge, but the game that truly made me a fan was Shantae and the Pirate's Curse. Sure, our favorite genie is depowered in the game, but that doesn't stop her from fighting pirate scum and saving the day!

While not every Shantae adventure is a Metroidvania, Pirate's Curse absolutely is, and it's a glorious one. It's colorful, funny, and features a memorable plot that sheds light on Shantae's frenemy, Risky Boots. It's also fun to play, with every supernatural artifact giving Shantae a great new way to fight and explore.

I honestly think Shantae and the Pirate's Curse is the best game in the entire series, and it is so perfectly balanced that you'll find yourself sailing into adventure with the young genie again and again. The only thing that could make it better would be a full-fledged HD remake in a similar visual style to Shantae and the Seven Sirens.

2 A Robot Named Fight

Metal vs. Flesh

Earlier, I mentioned there aren't many examples of a true rogue-like Metroidvania. Though Dead Cells is definitely a good example, A Robot Named Fight is a better one. Put simply, this is exactly what I always wanted from this particular hybrid adventure.

The game itself takes place in a robotic society in desperate straits thanks to the fleshy Megabeast. It is infesting and destroying every facet of society, and only you, as the sole survivor, can put things right. Every run in the game is randomized, and there is a surprising amount of content here. Not only are there several different starting areas, but the game features a ton of unique and horrifying foes to destroy.

There are even achievements and a ton of unique relics and weapons that might give you what you need to beat the Megabeast. I found this adventure much more well-balanced than Dead Cells, and perhaps a bit more forgiving. Just don't mistake that for easy, since you'll be reduced to scrap again and again as you play this epic Metroidvania.

1 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Symphony of Excellence

I didn't originally play Castlevania: Symphony of the Night because I was a fan of Castlevania; that came later. I actually played the game because I was a fan of Super Metroid, and in this adventure, I found one of my absolute favorite examples of the genre.

Alucard's quest to put a stop to the latest supernatural mayhem in his father's castle is an epic one, but not just because of one factor. This is a game where the visual style, combat, and music all come together to immerse players in this amazing Gothic world. And while it's true Symphony of the Night can be on the easy side, there's so much to do that you'll want to replay it endlessly.

I've probably replayed Castlevania: Symphony of the Night a dozen times on the original PS1, as well as several times on my PSP courtesy of The Dracula X Chronicles. If it ever got ported to any Nintendo console, I'd replay it there as well. This is just an outstanding adventure, and one that inspired a legacy of greatness from Koji Igarashi.