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The Metroidvania subgenre has made a welcome comeback over the last decade, with games like Ori and the Blind Forest, Hollow Knight, and Guacamelee! all showing that the subgenre can still thrive in modern gaming. Metroidvania games are predominantly 2D action-platformers, and there’s some debate among fans as to whether 3D games or non-platformers can ever be “true” Metroidvanias. The following games may not be 2D action-platformers, but they’re all excellent games that employ many of the Metroidvania subgenre’s core principles.
Updated on October 13, 2022, by Jack Pursey: There was once a time when finding a great new Metroidvania game was a tough task. Thankfully, the resurgence of the 2D Metroidvania genre has ensured that this is no longer an issue, as there are countless excellent indie Metroidvanias today, many of which have quickly become recognized as some of the best Metroidvania games of all time. Unfortunately, however, high-quality 3D Metroidvanas are still hard to come by. As such, we’ve updated this list to add a bit more information for those looking for a 3D Metroidvania to play, such as the platforms that each game is available on and their main story completion time according to howlongtobeat.com.
7 Supraland
Release Date: April 5, 2019
Available Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One
Main Story Completion Time: 13 Hours
Supraland was developed and published by the aptly named Supra Games, who brand the game as being a “first-Person Metroidvania puzzle game” that’s “a mix between Zelda, Portal, and Metroid.” Developers comparing their games to franchises like The Legend of Zelda is certainly not a new marketing strategy, though Supraland does do a great job of incorporating aspects of the aforementioned series in a way that is balanced and doesn’t come across as mimicking.
Puzzle-solving is what players will spend the majority of their time doing in Supraland. The puzzles are smartly designed in a way that makes them rewarding despite being fairly straightforward at times.
6 The Metroid Prime Trilogy
Metroid Prime
Release Date: November 18, 2002
Available Platforms: GameCube and Wii
Main Story Completion Time: 14 Hours
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Release Date: November 15, 2004
Available Platforms: GameCube and Wii
Main Story Completion Time: 17 Hours
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Release Date: August 27, 2007
Available Platforms: Wii
Main Story Completion Time: 14 Hours
The Metroid Prime series is an easy choice for this list, as it is the first game that many people point to when arguing that 3D games can still qualify as Metroidvanias. When the first Metroid Prime was released in 2002 on GameCube, many fans were worried that the series was going to lose its identity and become a generic shooter.
Thankfully, however, this wasn’t the case, as Metroid Prime stuck to the series’ roots and offered an innovative 3D Metroidvania experience that earned a massive 97 Metascore, which is enough to make it the joint-5th highest-rated game in the review aggregator’s history. The other two entries in the Metroid Prime trilogy both reached the 90 mark on Metacritic too, making it one of the most critically acclaimed gaming trilogies of all time. Metroid Prime 4was announced at E3 2017, though news about the game has been few and far between since.
5 Batman: Arkham Asylum
Release Date: August 25, 2009
Available Platforms: PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One
Main Story Completion Time: 12 Hours
Batman: Arkham Asylumwas released just one year after the critically-acclaimed Dark Knight movie, so it had a lot to live up to. Thankfully, the game didn’t disappoint, as it offered one of the best superhero gaming adventures of all time, with a seamless combat system, excellent world design, and a brilliantly performed cast of villains.
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It’s unlikely that the player will ever get too lost in Batman: Arkham Asylum, though the game is still considered to be an example of a 3D Metroidvania. This is largely due to its interconnected map, which players will gradually be able to explore further after unlocking new items and abilities.
4 Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order
Release Date: November 15, 2019
Available Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Stadia
Main Story Completion Time: 17 Hours
Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order was first released in November 2019 and delighted the many Star Wars fans who had been crying out for a big-budget single-player Star Wars game with a Jedi protagonist. Jedi Fallen Order didn’t disappoint, offering a wonderful set of worlds to explore, great enemy variety, smooth combat mechanics, and a solid story.
Dark Souls was the first game that sprang to mind for many people when analyzing the game, though Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order’s set of interconnected maps are clearly influenced by classic Metroidvania releases.
3 Darksiders 3
Release Date: November 27, 2018
Available Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia, and Nintendo Switch
Main Story Completion Time: 14 Hours
Whereas the first Darksiders game was heavily inspired by The Legend of Zelda series, Darksiders 3 takes inspiration from the Metroidvania subgenre. This shift in level design and structure was a welcome change of pace, although the game did struggle to nail the landing of some of its ideas.
Despite this, Darksiders 3 remains a solid option for anyone looking for a game that offers a rare combination of the 3D Metroidvania and action-RPG genres.
2 Journey to the Savage Planet
Release Date: January 28, 2020
Available Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Stadia
Main Story Completion Time: 7 Hours
Journey to the Savage Planet was developed by Typhoon Studios and was first released in January 2020. The game stood out thanks to its unique visuals, which are bursting with color and help to give the game a welcoming sense of fun.
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Journey to the Savage Planet tasks players with exploring a planet named ARY-26, where they must research its creatures and plant life and gather resources. These resources can be used to craft items that allow the player to explore previously inaccessible areas.
1 Shadow Man
Release Date: August 31, 1999
Available Platforms: PC, Nintendo 64, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 1, PlayStation 4, Dreamcast, and Xbox One
Main Story Completion Time: 14.5 Hours
Shadow Man is considered by many to be the first example of a 3D Metroidvania and a game that showed just how great the subgenre could be in the world of 3D. The gamewas released in 1999 on PC, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, and PlayStation 1 and has since come to a range of modern systems, including Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4.
The action-adventure game was developed by Acclaim Studios Teesside and is based on a comic book series of the same name. The game stood out in the late ’90s for its difficulty and 14.5-hour length, which was far longer than most other action-adventure games from that era.
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