The 12 Best Metroidvanias to Play in 2026 (That Aren't Hollow Knight)
Hollow Knight gets all the headlines, but the metroidvania genre has quietly become one of the richest in indie gaming. From hand-animated masterpieces to dark Souls-inspired pixel crawlers, 2026 is stacked with options. Here are 12 metroidvanias that deserve your attention right now — no Hallownest required.
Animal Well
Billy Basso's debut is less about combat and more about the sheer joy of discovery. Animal Well drops you into a surreal, densely packed underground world where every screen hides secrets layered on top of secrets. The pixel art is extraordinary — real-time lighting and particle effects give each biome a distinct atmosphere that lingers long after you put the controller down. It's short by metroidvania standards (6–8 hours for a first clear), but the community is still finding hidden content months after launch.
Blasphemous 2
The Game Kitchen doubled down on everything that made the original Blasphemous a cult hit: grotesque religious imagery, punishing combat, and some of the most striking 2D art in the genre. The sequel adds three distinct weapon types with their own traversal abilities, which transforms backtracking from a chore into a genuine pleasure. Boss design is a massive step up too — each encounter feels like a puzzle that rewards patience and pattern recognition.
Nine Sols
Red Candle Games — the studio behind Detention and Devotion — pivoted hard into action-platforming with Nine Sols, and it paid off brilliantly. The Sekiro-inspired deflect system feels incredible in a 2D context, and the Taopunk setting (think cyberpunk meets Eastern mythology) is unlike anything else in the genre. Combat is demanding but fair, and the story explores themes of colonialism and identity with surprising depth.
Ultros, Aeterna Noctis, Minishoot' Adventures & More
Ultros brings a psychedelic art style and gardening mechanics to the formula. Aeterna Noctis offers a brutally difficult platforming challenge for veterans who've 112%'d Hollow Knight. Minishoot' Adventures blends twin-stick shooting with metroidvania exploration in a way that shouldn't work but absolutely does. Rounding out the list: Afterimage for its gorgeous hand-painted art, Gestalt: Steam & Cinder for steampunk fans, Islets for its cozy dual-island structure, and Crowsworn for anyone who watched the Kickstarter trailer and never stopped thinking about it.
The Verdict
The metroidvania genre has never been healthier. Whether you want Souls-like challenge, cozy exploration, or experimental weirdness, there's something on this list for you. And if you're playing on a handheld, every one of these titles runs perfectly on the Steam Deck and most Android handhelds — making them ideal for on-the-go sessions.
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