Metroidvania

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Though it may have initially been used as a derogative, the term "Metroidvania" (or alternatively "Castleroid") now refers to a whole sub-genre of 2D action-adventure platform video games involving non-linear exploration where gaining new abilities allows you access to new areas, often involving RPG elements. The name is a marriage of the series names "Metroid" and "Castlevania", both of which popularized the genre. Metroid games have always been non-linear with progression made by gaining new powers while the Castlevania series started off as a straight platform adventure series. But having been inspired by Super Metroid for the Super NES, the powers that be created Castlevania: Symphony of the Night for the Playstation. Ever since, the Castlevania series has also been known for its non-linear gameplay with RPG elements. There have been many other Metroidvania games, however, some lesser known and some featuring popular characters like Kirby and Mega Man. The following is a list of games that fit the Metroidvania criteria (if anyone out there knows of some more or has any general critique of this list, please feel free to leave a comment):

---Castlevanias---
Vampire Killer (MSX 1986)
Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest (NES 1988)
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PlayStation 1997)
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (GBA 2001)
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (GBA 2002)
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (GBA 2003)
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (DS 2005)
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (DS 2006)
Castlevania: Order of Shadows (Mobile 2007)
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (DS 2008)
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (Mobile 2008)
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (Mobile 2009)

---Metroids---
Metroid (NES 1987)
Metroid II: Return of Samus (GB 1992)
Super Metroid (SNES 1994)
Metroid Fusion (GBA 2002)
Metroid: Zero Mission (GBA 2004)
Metroid: Other M (Wii 2010)

---Consoles---
Milon's Secret Castle (NES 1986)
Super Pitfall (NES 1986)
Knightmare II: The Maze of Galious (MSX 1987)
The Goonies II (NES 1987)
Zillion (SMS 1987)
Legacy of the Wizard (NES 1987)
Rambo (NES 1987)
Faxanadu (NES 1987)
Kid Icarus (NES 1987)
Rygar (NES 1987)
Blaster Master (NES 1988)
Exile (Acorn Electron, BBC Micro 1988)
Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap (SMS 1989)
Strider (NES 1989)
The Battle of Mount Olympus (NES 1990)
Wonder Boy in Monster World (SMS 1991)
Ufouria: The Saga (NES 1991)
Ys III: Wanderers from Ys (SNES 1991)
Ghoul School (NES 1992)
G.I. Joe: The Atlantis Factor (NES 1992)
Monster World IV (Sega Genesis 1994)
Adventure Island IV (NES 1994)
Super Adventure Island II (SNES 1995)
Kirby Super Star, "The Great Cave Offensive" (SNES 1996)
Tomba! (PlayStation 1998)
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, "The Great Maze" (Wii 2008)
Muramasa: The Demon Blade (WiiWare 2009)
Shadow Complex (Xbox Live Arcade 2009)
La-Mulana (WiiWare 2009)

---Handhelds---
Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters (GB 1991)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Radical Rescue (GB 1993)
Tails Adventure (Sega Game Gear 1995)
Shantae (GBC 2002)
Samurai Jack: The Amulet of Time (GBA 2003)
Kirby & the Amazing Mirror (GBA 2004)
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Pumpkin King (GBA 2005)
Mega Man ZX (DS 2006)
Mega Man ZX Advent (DS 2007)
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (DS 2008)
Soul of Darkness (Mobile 2008)
Ore ga Omae o Mamoru or "I Will Protect You" (DS 2009)

---PCs/Onlines---
Zeliard (PC 1987)
Vigilance on Talos V (PC 1997)
Eternal Daughter (PC 2002)
Akuji the Demon (PC 2002)
MapleStory (PC 2003)
Return of Egypt (PC 2003)
Akuji the Demon (PC 2003)
Cave Story (PC 2004, WiiWare 2009)
La-Mulana (PC 2005)
Ainevoltas (PC 2005)
Albero and the Great Blue Emblem (PC 2005)
Extra Mario Bros. (PC 2005)
Sketchy (PC 2006)
Within a Deep Forest (PC 2006)
Lyle in Cube Sector (PC 2006)
Bunny Must Die: Chelsea and the 7 Devils (PC 2006)
LaTale (PC 2006)
Hasslevania: The Quest For Shuteye (PC 2007)
I Wanna Be the Guy (PC 2007)
Knytt Stories (PC 2007)
Manoria (PC 2007)
Aquaria (PC/Mac 2007)
The Underside (PC 2007)
Final Vision (PC 2007)
Zeta's World (PC 2008)
An Untitled Story (PC 2008)
Iji (PC 2008)
Ainevoltas II (PC 2008)
The Power (PC 2008)
In 60 Seconds (PC 2009)
Night n' Grail (Commodore 64 2009)

Non-linear games that are 3D can be more accurately described as sandbox, but are not quite Metroidvania. This includes games like Super Mario 64, the Grand Theft Autos, the Metroid Primes and all 3D Castlevanias.