Metroidvania

[Jinsai]

Thought I'd make a thread for one of my favorite genres of games... if you know it, it's a 2D adventure platform where you explore a map and unlock abilities which allow you to progress further. Simple, and basically cemented as a genre by the Metroid games (especially Super), and Castlevania Symphony of the Night (and the handheld Castlevanias).

With Prince of Persia just coming out, and the new Hollow Knight at some point, thought I'd talk about it. I just finished Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth, and I'm near the end of Cookie Cutter (which is an ok Guacamelee clone w/ gore and juvenile sexual humor).

One of the earliest games I ever played in this genre (maybe the first game in it?), Below the Root (1984), has major nostalgia for me. I played it on Commodore 64, and while a lot of it hasn't aged so great naturally, and there's no combat, it still had the basic formula figured out. This was the world map laid out:



Game was great, and it was a revelation when you got the wings and could reach areas that required you to glide to them.

EDIT: On an amusing side note, I just found a NIN easter egg in Cookie Cutter. In one of the hidden areas, it says NIN on the wall, and then has the cover art for The Fragile and The Slip hanging next to it... I wonder if they intentionally made the bad guy in the game look like Marilyn Manson