Metroidvania: Difference between revisions

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Your typical Metroidvania game is typically portrayed as a single large area or a set of large areas, broken up into many different rooms, corridors, and open spaces, with [[Respawning Enemies]] in most areas. As the player progresses through these areas and finds [[Video Game Tools]] (actions, abilities, inventory items), the ability of the player to navigate more obstacles in the play environment increases, allowing the player to explore a greater amount of the game, and in doing so progress through the game. This makes [[Back Tracking]] occasionally necessary, often made easier by opening [[Door to Before|Doors To Before]]. There are usually many secrets hidden around the game, some far more difficult to obtain than any item required to proceed.

It often contains mild [[RPG Elements]] as well, like stat-boosting equipment or a [[Character Level|level system]]; some of these games will have multiple playable characters with different abilities and require the player to switch between them. But if not, expect to find hidden [[Heart Container~~|Heart Containers~~]] in every cranny and nook.

It often contains mild [[RPG Elements]] as well, like stat-boosting equipment or a [[Character Level|level system]]; some of these games will have multiple playable characters with different abilities and require the player to switch between them. But if not, expect to find hidden [[Heart Container]]s in every cranny and nook.

Despite the openness of the game, progression is usually linear, with the more difficult areas separated by natural barriers such as high shelves, sealed or locked doors, or other obstacles that can only be bypassed by finding specific items or weapons. Among gamers, [[Sequence Breaking]] is a common stunt used to access these areas before the player is "supposed" to. (Some games deliberately design sequence-breaking paths as well.)

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** In addition, ''Zero'' lacks the ability-gaining that is central to the genre (some Cyber-Elves can give you permanent upgrades, but they're never needed to access areas you couldn't reach before).

* Nicklas "Nifflas" Nygren's games ''[[Within a Deep Forest]]'', ''[[Knytt]]'', and ''[[Knytt Stories]]''. His games are unique in that they have minimal power-ups and focus on exploration.

* ''[[Kirby]] and the Amazing Mirror'' is unique in that unlike other Metroidvanias, instead of finding abilities to progress to other abilities, you have to [[Mega Manning|eat enemies for their abilities]] which are near the parts you have to use those abilities in, and you can discard the abilities soon after. You could also get help from the 3 other Kirbies, and do things in [[Sequence Breaking|any order, even reverse.]] The Great Cave Offensive in ''Kirby Super Star'' had similar gameplay, but was more linear. (Note that other games in the series, including the other components of ''Super Star'', are [[Platform Game~~|Platform Games~~]]).

* ''[[Kirby]] and the Amazing Mirror'' is unique in that unlike other Metroidvanias, instead of finding abilities to progress to other abilities, you have to [[Mega Manning|eat enemies for their abilities]] which are near the parts you have to use those abilities in, and you can discard the abilities soon after. You could also get help from the 3 other Kirbies, and do things in [[Sequence Breaking|any order, even reverse.]] The Great Cave Offensive in ''Kirby Super Star'' had similar gameplay, but was more linear. (Note that other games in the series, including the other components of ''Super Star'', are [[Platform Game]]s).

* Some games in the ''Zelda'' series, as they share the gameplay element of granting powerups to the player character that allow him to access more places. (Sequence-breakers and speed-runners have similarly had many field days with Zelda games.)

** ''[[Zelda II: The Adventure of Link|Zelda II the Adventure of Link]]'' may fit the 2D side-scrolling version of this trope, for those who insist that this genre must include 2D side-scrolling.

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* ''Hebereke'' for the Famicon (and the Euro Release ''[[Ufouria]]''). Something about a drunk duck (''hebereke'' translates into ''stumbling drunk'') falling into an alternate dimension with his animal-ish friends who have to find a way back home (or so it appears). Plays like Metroid meets Mario. Unfortunately, all the sequels (on the SNES) completely abandoned this genre and are party games.

* ''[[Bunny Must Die]]'' which even includes [[Shout-Out|shout outs]] to both ''[[Metroid]]'' and ''[[Castlevania]]''.

* There's even a [[Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic]] game with a Metroidvania ~~theme--the~~ Game Gear spin-off ''[[Tails Adventure]]''. By all accounts a pretty good game.

* There's even a [[Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic]] game with a Metroidvania theme—the Game Gear spin-off ''[[Tails Adventure]]''. By all accounts a pretty good game.

** Sorta; it was divided into levels for cartridge space's sake. But everything else played out like a [[Metroidvania]], and you could revisit levels to look for new stuff.

** Sorta; it was divided into levels for cartridge space's sake. But everything else played out like a '''Metroidvania''', and you could revisit levels to look for new stuff.

** Sonic Adventure had shades of this (all the levels were connected through a hubworld, you could backtrack and gain various items) Sonic Adventure 2 dropped most of this.

** ''Sonic Advance 3'' seemed to be another stab at this: All worlds are connected through a hub, and different character combinations beyond the initial Tails and Sonic are needed to explore the levels fully and achieve [[One Hundred Percent Completion]].

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* ''Lord of the Sword'' for the [[Sega Master System]].

* ''[[Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet]]'', albeit lacking the platformer elements typical for the genre

* ''[[Okami]]'', [[Word of God|being strongly inspired by Zelda]], mostly fits this genre with an long, intense and elaborate plot, power-ups and [[Plot Coupon~~|Plot Coupons~~]] that allow you to unlock the (very) wide map, a barely restricted freedom of exploration and a ''huge'' number of sidequets, optional power-ups and [[Heart Container~~|Heart Containers~~]]. There are a few areas [[Collapsing Lair|where you cannot return afterwards]] but these only contain items necessary to the plot or [[Vendor Trash]].

* ''[[Okami]]'', [[Word of God|being strongly inspired by Zelda]], mostly fits this genre with an long, intense and elaborate plot, power-ups and [[Plot Coupon]]s that allow you to unlock the (very) wide map, a barely restricted freedom of exploration and a ''huge'' number of sidequets, optional power-ups and [[Heart Container]]s. There are a few areas [[Collapsing Lair|where you cannot return afterwards]] but these only contain items necessary to the plot or [[Vendor Trash]].

* ''[[Ys]] III: Wanderers from Ys'' (not so much in the remake, which was an overhead [[Action RPG]])

* [http://www.kongregate.com/games/ArmorGames/elephant-quest Elephant Quest] is a free flash game in which a [[Ridiculously Cute Critter|cute elephant]] sets out on a quest to reclaim his [[Cool Hat]] made in this format. With lasers.