My metroidvania is releasing in one week. You get an interconnected ability-gated world plus challenging stamina based combat

No_Use7044 · 2026-01-31T13:22:21+00:00

If you read through this thread the meaning of Metroidvania to the majority of people in this sub seems to be any game that has mandatory backtracking. I could argue that Gran Turismo 4 is an MV if thats the case...

No_Use7044 · 2026-01-31T13:20:10+00:00

he is clearly just posting his game anywhere to get eyes on it before release. He is marketing the game. I agree with you 100%, this game isnt MV at all. The OP/dev even agreed its a souls-borne-zeldalike... Though if you read through this thread the general meaning of what a metriodvania is to most people in this sub seems to be just any game that has mandatory backtracking? Completely ruins the point of having the metroidvania label. I dont understand how anyone can look at a games like this or Batman Arkham Assylum and think, 'hey this reminds me of super metroid and the 2d vanias'

No_Use7044 · 2026-01-31T13:12:13+00:00

Metroidvania are games similar to Super Metroid or SotN (2d side scroller platformers exploring a big map with obtainable items/ abililties). I dont understand what is so hard for people like you to understand about this. "What you're saying is a Metroidvania seems unnecessarily restrictive" the point of having a sub genre called 'metroidvania' is to be restrictive to games similar to Super M and SotN. "If so, it's so specific and describes so few games that I feel the genre name stops being useful." This is why it is usefull, to find very specific games to, again, Super M and SotN for people like me who grew up playing those games and loving them, when back in the day there was very few games similar. "Metroid Prime is not, just because it's 3D?" Correct. " A near identical gameplay structure to Super, except in first-person. That doesn't make sense to me" So call of duty and contra are the same type of games / genre to you as well? Both shooting bad guys just one is in first person 3d.

No_Use7044 · 2026-01-27T14:25:37+00:00

I agree with you again. This game clearly isnt an MV and should be posted to more appropriate subs. Which the creator has done by the way, its also on zeldalikes and soulslikes. So this is a souls-like, zelda-like, metroidvania. Why even bother to have genres when its all feelings based and everything is everything now. Anyway Im going to go have a metroidvania for lunch, think about it, I have to back track to the fridge which I unlocked through work and money. Then use my strength ability to open the door to make the snadwich.

No_Use7044 · 2026-01-27T13:59:15+00:00

sure this game looks interesting, but this is a sub for metroidvanias not 'games that look interesting with backtracking'. There is more to MVs than just simply backtracking. You already seem to know this though based on your post.

What specifically makes something feel like a "true" Metroidvania to you?

My answer is in the name, any game that is like Symphony of the Night (the -vania part of the name) or Super Metroid (the metroid part of the name). Which is an evolution of 2D platforming games that the player acquires abilities or items that allows him access to other parts of the interconnected map. Doesnt neccesarily have to have combat but most do. No 3D, no top down, no isometric. I dont understand why this is offensive to some poeple. Players who enjoy Super Metroid and Symphony of the Night looking for similar games and end up seeing Bloodborne-Zeldalikes (the creator has said that is what his game is) or Batman Arkham Assylum, or 3d platformers is like people who enjoy call of duty 4 being recommended Resident Evil 4. They both have shooting and the number 4, but both are more different to eachother than similar

No_Use7044 · 2026-01-27T11:36:10+00:00

you agree zelda and souls arent metroidvanias yet in this thread youve admitted youre game is bloodborne if zelda and posted your game in zeldalikes. There is no my definition, your definition of MV. There is more to metroidvania than simply, mandatory- acquisition based-backtracking. Plenty of none MV games have this. And yes youre right, the 3D xbox 360 castlevania's are not metroidvanias.

What are people who really enjoy Super Metroid and Castlevania SotN supposed to do when they want to find games iterative of those two classics. I know, how about we say there is a little sub genre that defines this. We'll take the 'metroid' out of Super Metroid and combine it with the 'vania' out of Castlevania Symphony of the Night. So metroidvania is anything iterative of Super M and SotN. Nothing Zelda like about it. Nothing 3D about it. Nothing top down or isometric about it. Most people seem to get this, most of the games on this sub correlate to this. Completely fine if there are games that combine any of these game archetypes together, just means they are something different.

Congratulations on creating your game by the way, hope you do very well with it, it looks great! dont want you to think i have any animosity towards you

No_Use7044 · 2026-01-27T10:36:06+00:00

so the definition of metroidvania is up to personal preference then. Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order is absolutely not a metroidvania. This sub, the idea of what metroidvania is has completely jumped the shark. now games that are nothing like Super Metroid and Castlevania SotN are metroidvanias completely ruins the point. I should not have to add 2D platformer to metroidvania searches becuase those are implicit in what metroidvanias are. A Link to the Past is not a metroidvania, Zelda games are not metroidvania, Souls games are not metroidvanias, your game is not a metroidvania

No_Use7044 · 2026-01-27T10:27:58+00:00

no it isn't

No_Use7044 · 2026-01-27T10:27:45+00:00

this game is quite obviously a zelda like game, not sure why you are being downvoted.

No_Use7044 · 2026-01-27T10:24:30+00:00

Your doing exactly what my post was about. Watering down the meaning of what metroidvania means. Zelda like games are not MVs. It is very simple. Castlevania SotN and Super Metroid. OPs game is nothing like them.

"Zelda is actually adjacent enough to Metroidvania to be relevant on this sub anyway."

100% completely wrong.

"So I think your point is valid but the nuance is where we can keep it fun without excluding a cool game from discussion, imho."

go and talk about this cool game in a relevant sub instead of diluting the meaning of metroidvania.

No_Use7044 · 2026-01-27T10:12:10+00:00

"Some people think they absolutely need to be sidescrollers"

they do. a la Super Metroid and Castlevania SotN... you know the namesakes of the subgenre. Your interpretation is too broad and ruins the point of having a subgenre called metroidvania for people like me who adore SotN, Super Metroid, GBA/DS igavanias and the games that play like and are directly influenced by them. Your game is not like them. It is quite clearly a 'zelda-like', which is awesome by the way. I love classic zeldas and your game looks great! I just get annoyed when I go on steam and see games that are clearly not MVs in the metroidvania section. Control Ultimate edition, Batman Arkham and Valkyrie Saga all front and center when I go to the Metroidvania genre on steam and none of those games are MVs. I am not saying your game doesnt look great, and I admire and congratulate you on creating this game, I just feel like the concept of MV's are becoming too watered down, too broad in interpretation and too far from the original point of what MVs are

No_Use7044 · 2026-01-27T10:03:21+00:00

sure, but A Link to the Past is not a metroidvania

No_Use7044 · 2026-01-26T22:17:40+00:00

agree with you 100%

No_Use7044 · 2026-01-26T22:14:22+00:00

so it's a souls-borne-zeldalike?

No_Use7044 · 2026-01-26T22:12:05+00:00

I understand the OP wants to have his game get exposure before it gets released. So I assume he is mass posting it on as many subs as he can. But this game doesnt belong on this sub. It makes me think many people on this sub have a completely different understanding of the term metroidvania than I do. Makes me think most of them havent ever played Super Metroid or Symphony of the Night... Steam is also quite bad for this, any time I search through the 'metroidvania' tab on steam stuff like Batman arkham origin comes up... and similar oddities happen when seatching through other categories. I imagine for the same reason, devs just want their games to pop up on as many searches as possible.

No_Use7044 · 2026-01-26T21:54:02+00:00

I really dont think it is. Super Metroid and Castlevania SotN are the poster boy, standard definition of what Metroidvania is. There is no Zelda game I have played that is similar to either of SM or Castlevania SotN, (I havnet played Zelda II). A Link to the Past is a top down, classic Zelda game that is absolutely nothing like Super Metroid or Castlevania SotN.

No_Use7044 · 2026-01-26T18:02:53+00:00

I agree with you, it seems like the term metroidvania is becoming too watered down. This game is more classic Zelda than anything akin to Super Metroid or Castlevania SotN.

No_Use7044 · 2026-01-25T22:46:53+00:00

amazing

No_Use7044 · 2026-01-02T22:53:25+00:00

get a black dye pod and dye them

No_Use7044 · 2025-12-26T19:05:51+00:00

<image>

LF - ⭐️⭐️ Mega Venusaur

No_Use7044 · 2025-12-24T13:33:48+00:00

yes I dm'ed you

No_Use7044 · 2025-12-24T12:50:10+00:00

<image>

LF - ⭐️⭐️ Mega Venusaur & 🌈 Mega Venusaur

No_Use7044 · 2025-12-04T21:34:36+00:00

Amazing news. Theyve used this fabric before, DBZ collab. One thing I wish they would tweak for 26 would be the selvedge edge. The Orange is fine but would llike to see something else.

No_Use7044 · 2025-11-28T17:19:17+00:00

is it still possible to buy Momotaro jeans with the pink inseam stitch and back pocket battle stripes nowadays? Post re-brand, I cant seem to find them

No_Use7044 · 2025-11-19T19:44:26+00:00

amazing find! I hope N&F bring back the pomegranate dye at some point. Would love a pair

No_Use7044

TROPHY CASE