Here because of popular demand, my top 10 Metroidvanias. Now this is just 2D, I am not going to argue about if a 3D game is a metroid like game. Two lists, one list is every individual game, the other is with one game per franchise.

Top 10 Franchise:

• 10. Shadow Complex - Pretty standard stuff, about as by the book as you make this kind of game.
• 9. La Mulana - This game hates you, it hates your mom, it hates your family. It wants to make you cry. And if you best it its one of the most amazing experiences you will have in gaming.
• 8. Axiom Verge - Neat idea that never really takes off. Its really good but could have been better.
• 7. Cave Story - A really fun and challenging side scrolling shooter, one of the first of these indie clones and one of the best.
• 6. Ori and the Blind Forest - A beautiful platformer with some really awesome mechanics. I wish it was a bit more fleshed out,
• 5. Outland - The color switching mechanic is so great and works in both combat and puzzles. I found it to be such a great unique mechanic.
• 4. Guacamelee - Excellent melee combat and some incredible platforming in such a vibrant cool style. This game is a joy to play.
• 3. Hollow Knight - The dark souls of metroid games, all the mystery, crazy bosses, weird side quests and ever growing world. The most epic metroidvania game ever, took me like 35 hours to complete. Combat is sublime, some great platforming, its incredible.
• 2. Metroid - The standard bearer, the creator, the one that really started all this. In terms of 2D ONLY (with Metroid Prime its clearly better than CV) it is the best designed  of all these games. They control so perfectly, have so many great secrests and levels to explore. It set all the standards for how upgrades that lead to new areas should work.
• 1. Castlevania  - But Metroid lacks a little something that these Castlevania games bring, badass action. When the rock music is playing and you are launching axes and laser beams, double jumping and backdashing to avoid screen sized monsters, its heaven. Plus the RPG and collectathon elements make these games so addictive. Everyone tries to match it but no one can, there is something special about these kinds of Castlevania games.

And now the 10 individual metroidvanias:

10. Outland - Love the cool color mechanic, a whole game built around a genius idea.

9. Castlevania Order of Ecclasia - Extremely well done CV game which takes elements from all previous ones and has some really neat new ideas with the new female lead.

8. Guacamelee - Incredible combat and platforming. Unique art style. Awesome game.

7. Castlevania Aria of Sorrow - The best of the GBA games, really set the stage for the even better Dawn of Sorrow.

6. AM2R - The incredible remake to Metroid 2 in super metroid style! Forget the Nintendo made one, that one, ugh. This feels as good and better than some portable metroids. It has that level of design and control that makes playing metroid so much fun. And its free!

5. Metroid Zero Mission - The incredrible remake of Metroid 1, super metroid style. This game has the best hidden secrets in the series. The shine spark puzzles are insane, having to do stuff like 4 screeens back and connect runs and jumps, wild stuff. It has all the great controls and design of super metroid with a few cool surprises as zero suit samus. The best portable Metroid.

4. Hollow Knight - Who knew a 2D Dark Souls could work! It has that same level of mystery to the story and missions that is present in souls games. You will uncover strange NPCs that give vauge hints about the story and what purpose they may have. The progression is soooo good, the skills earned slowly make the combat some of the best in the genre and when it wants to it has incredible platforming challenges as well. It's incredibly designed.

3. Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow - The best portable CV game ever made. Aria is close, this is the follow up or the second part of one big game if you so choose and I say this is the better half because of the better graphics and the use of the DSs unique controls. The collecting had me hooked for so many hours. The castle was a blast to explore with a big epic story to boot.

2. Super Metroid - The most beloved Metroid game, to many the greatest game ever made. I do think design wise its the most perfect 2D game ever made. The way this game evolves, the way the game subtlely shows you how to use certain skills without blatant tutorials is genius for its time. The skills you learn have been copied in so many games, its like how the beatles are the most covered band of all time, this game has the most covered moves in the genre. It is a masterpiece.

1. Castlevania Symphony of the Night - Sorry Super Metroid, this was my first metroidvania game and the one that I will always go back too. The pacing is perfect. The music is perfect. The controls so spot on and addicting. The secrets so memorable. An entire second quest just when you think its over. Its up there with MGS as the greatest PS1 games ever. A lot of the portable ones added so many cool addictions with the soul gathering but they never reached the pure greatness of this level design and pacing. This game did not need 300 different spells to stay interesting. Its the best.

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I need to play through Symphony of the Night again. It's been a LOOONG time. Easily one of the best games ever. Honestly as good as the other games in the series are, they all feel like cheap knockoffs compared to Symphony.

XeoDrifter

If Robio was here, he'd be so pissed at Vader's omission of SteamWorld from his list!  

I cannot WAIT for Hollow Knight. I've wanted it since before even getting a Switch. Awaiting the annoucement of it's release VERY impatiently!

Dead Cells is most often cited as being a Rogue-like Metroid-Vania game...

...that certainly got MY attention!  

Finally, if you want to include Metroid Prime-like games on here too:

Subnautica

I’m so glad you popped in to this thread, Leo.

Thank you Leo. I need to play steamworld for it to make the list. Dead cells is not finished, I'll wait. I have a shantae game, I should play it.