Top 10 best Metroidvania games on Android
Updated by Jupiter Hadley on October 23rd, 2023 - games checked and added
If you're eagerly seeking a new Metroidvania to play then this list is all you need; we've listed the best Metroidvania games for Android! We've got everything from vampire-led crawls to ancient castles, abandoned cursed islands, dungeons, you name it! So pick your favourite and dive right in!
But first thing's first, for anyone who doesn't know exactly what 'Metroidvania' means, let's clear this up. Metroidvania is a term used to describe video games that blend the concept of the classic Metroid and Castlevania titles.
Games of this sub-genre typically focus on exploring a world of interconnected areas, filled with obstacles that players must overcome by using power-ups or abilities in order to gain access to previously inaccessible areas and open up the world for further exploration.
A bit about Castlevania before we get onto the best Android Metroidvania games
Castlevania is a platform game that was released by Konami in 1986. Players take on the role of Simon Belmont, a vampire hunter from the Belmont clan, who travels to Castelvania in order to find Dracula in his castle and kill him. The castle, which is unwelcoming at best, is full of traps and various enemies who only get stronger as players progress further into the story.By killing mobs and striking candles, Simon can upgrade his weapon and earn hearts (lives). Once a stage is completed, a reward is given based on how quickly the stage was cleared. After completing the whole game, players go back to the first stage to start again. This time, though, the enemies are much stronger, but players get to keep their score and weapons.
Of course, there are disputes even among the die-hard fans of the genre as to what exactly a Metroidvania game is and whatnot, but let's not get too technical here, you get the idea anyway.
With that being said, let's jump right into our list of the best Metroidvania games for Android devices!
1
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
To no one's surprise, we start off our list with Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, a direct port of the classic, groundbreaking experience. Take on the role of Alucard and fight your way through a myriad of enemies in Dracula's vast castle. It is available in 6 languages (English, Japanese, German, French, Italian, Spanish) and is fully compatible with game controllers.
You'll be overflowed with nostalgia, as the graphics and music are the same as the original PC game, but with easy to control mobile buttons. There are a lot of really cool monsters, as well as a compelling story that is told through the characters that you meet within Dracula's gigantic castle. If you like more battle-heavy games, there are tons of special attacks and transformations in Castlevania - making it a fantastic entry to start this list off with.
Download Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
2
Dead Cells
A game that was first released on PC and consoles was released on Android as well.
Some might argue that Dead Cells isn't exactly a Metroidvania game, but more a rogue-lite. Players have actually called this game a roguevania. But with that being said, no one will argue that Dead Cells is an amazing title that will keep you entertained for hours. Explore an ever-changing castle as a failed alchemical experiment to find out what in the world happened to that place.
There are tons of abilities that you can unlock within the game, that will then open up new parts of the map, though these abilities all have combat elements within them instead of just movement elements. You don't need to travel through every single route within Dead Cells, but it's got a lot of secret areas and new paths to follow, keeping each playthrough very interesting!
- Dead Cells Gardeners keys and how to acquire them
- Dead Cells Cavern key - how to use it and where to find it
3
Grimvalor
Grimvalor was released a while ago, but the game still gets regular updates and remains one of the best of this genre.
In order to discover the fate of Vallaris' lost king, you'll have to fight your way through waves of enemies in a fast-paced combat system. Explore an unwelcoming land, find and upgrade equipment to strengthen your character, learn your enemies attack patterns and bring them all down with your sword. Your character itself can be leveled up, increasing attack power and life, as well as the number of trinkets you can carry to unlock different areas to explore. Some of the bosses within Grimvalor are massive, putting up a huge fight, to really challenge you and your weapons!
Download Grimvalor
4
Dandara
Dandara: Trials of Fear Edition is one of the real gems of the genre. High-quality design all around to go along with amazing graphics and excellent controls.
Discover the secrets and mysteries the world of Salt holds. A world on the blink of collapse. Jump across floors, walls and ceilings and fight powerful bosses as you go on a boundless exploration. Solve puzzles to earn power-ups and gain access to previously inaccessible areas of an astounding pixel art world. This game's graphics are refreshingly different from the previous entries on this list, if you are looking for something slightly different to explore.
Download Dandara: Trials of Fear Edition
5
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Koji Igarashi, is a name familiar to many Metroidvania fans. Why's that you wondering? Well, 'IGA' was the writer, programmer and assistant director of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, as well as the lead producer on the Castelvania series. When he left Konami, he became the co-founder of Artplay and in June 2019 released Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night.
In this scrolling side-action RPG, you take upon the role of Miriam, a cursed orphan whose body slowly turns into a crystal. To save yourself, you must fight and fight some more. There are over 100 weapons, 20 skills and various combos available to you as you slay everything on your way through a demon-infested castle.
Get Bloodstained: Ritual of Night
6
Super Mombo Quest
Super Mombo Quest is an action-packed Metroidvania. It features a vast interconnected world with hundreds of different areas, aggressive enemies and a fast-paced combat system with challenging combos. Don't let the cute look play a trick on you - the game itself is super challenging. It's well worth exploring everything in Super Mombo Quest and talking to various NPCs so you can find all of the different upgrades there are. If you think you have what it takes to be the prophesied hero and prevent the King of Nightmares from destroying Subrasa, give it a try!
It is completely free-to-play, and it also supports controllers.
Download Super Mombo Quest
7
Runic Curse
Adrian wakes up on an unknown island, only to find out that his fellow travellers are missing and their ship wrecked. Now, all alone in an unwelcoming land that has been overtaken by the 'Runic-Curse', Adrian will try to find out what happened to his crew.
Runic Curse focuses heavily on map exploration and character progression. If you enjoy RPG elements, Runic Curse features plenty of them. After levelling up, you can choose which of your character's stats you want to increase, you can craft and upgrade runes for your weapons and learn new abilities to gain access to previously unreachable areas. Though this game doesn't have the most appealing graphics within this list, there is a lot of charm in the story and gameplay!
8
Birk's Adventure
Birk's Adventure is a retro-styled pixel Metroidvania game for Android, ideal for casual players. Contrary to other games in this genre, in Birk's Adventure when your character dies, you don't have to start all over again as you respawn in the last room. If you are new to the genre or are looking for something a bit easier to sink your teeth into, this is a good option!
The gameplay is non-linear, and you are free to explore the Kingdom of Nidala, interact with other characters, discover secret treasures and collect weapons as well as other valuable items to upgrade your character.
Download Birk's Adventure
9
AM2R (Another Metroid 2 Remake)
This is an Android port of the legendary Metroid II: Return of Samus, which was released on Game Boy back in the day. We didn't really want to include games that are not on Google Play, but this one is just too good, and it would be a shame to leave it out. This game follows a bounty hunter who is looking to kill off the Metroids that are currently living on their home planet. It's a classic that you should consider having a look at!
If you want to explore the depths of planet SR388, you will have to download and install the APK on your own.
You can find the AM2R APK file here.
10
Tiny Dangerous Dungeons
Tiny Dangerous Dungeons is a 90's inspired, retro monochrome art style Android Metroidvania game. Join a little treasure hunter named Timmy, and explore a vast dungeon to find a huge treasure. In order to survive the dangerous dungeon, you will have to collect power-ups and find hidden ability upgrades to unlock passages to new areas. Defeat various enemies, solve puzzles, and show your mastery by unlocking achievements. If you are into 'speedruns', there's also a 'Time Trial' mode with a leaderboard.
Download Tiny Dangerous Dungeons.
