Recommend something akin to Metroid or Castlevania

[natowarhead]

I'm looking for some games. I believe the proper designation is Semi-Open-Ended Action Adventure Platformer (RPG?). Yeah, I'm just going to refer to what is needed as Metroid'ish, or post-Symphony of the Night Castlevania...ish.

Any recommendations of similar games? Older or Newer, it doesn't matter. Just need something for a friend (a maybe a few for myself ^_^).

Accessible systems include: PC, PSP, GameCube, Gameboy DS, Gameboy Advanced, PlayStation 1 & 2, N64, and SNES.

[Fifthfiend]

There's a real fun game in this genre called "I Wanna Be The Guy". It's free for the PC, you should give it a try.

[Kim]

I'm looking for some games. I believe the proper designation is Semi-Open-Ended Action Adventure Platformer (RPG?). Yeah, I'm just going to refer to what is needed as Metroid'ish, or post-Symphony of the Night Castlevania...ish.

Any recommendations of similar games? Older or Newer, it doesn't matter. Just need something for a friend (a maybe a few for myself ^_^).

Accessible systems include: PC, PSP, GameCube, Gameboy DS, Gameboy Advanced, PlayStation 1 & 2, N64, and SNES.

Cave Story is the best game in this genre, in my honest opinion.

Escape from Puppy Death Factory is a fun, browser-based one.

There's another good one that Donomni recommended me a while back that would be worth checking out.

[Gregness]

Seconding Cave Story and I'll also add that the music is pretty kickass.

Also, I Wanna Be the Guy is cool and all, but it's only just this side of impossible. The only thing that the difficulty setting changes is the frequency of save points.

[stefan]

Cave Story. You can download the free version for PC or get the 2.5D remake for the 3DS that got released recently. The free version is pure SNES-style glory, haven't tried the remake yet. Either way, you have no excuse to not play it in some capacity.

[Red Fighter 1073]

Cave Story (http://www.humblebundle.com/)

Just pay above the minimum.

[Ryong]

As one who's crazy about metroidvania - that's the genre you're looking for - games...

Look for:
-Bunny Must Die (PC, indie, Japanese but has an English translation ), is kind of hard, but not crazily so.
-Shaman King and The Nightmare Before Christmas ( both for GBA ) are exactly like the GBA Castlevania games.
-Monster Tale ( DS ) is pretty good, too.
-Iconoclasts ( PC, indie ), which is still being made, is shaping up to be really good.

Also, I'm sure someone out there must've made a Terraria dungeon that works exactly like a metroidvania game.

[A Zarkin' Frood]

Demon's Crest for SNES is somewhat like that. It's from a time when Metroidvania wasn't really a word people actually used.

EDIT: Of course Cave Story. There's a free version. It's the full game. Not sure in which ways the paid version is different. http://www.cavestory.org/index.php

[BB]

You might enjoy AnUntitledStory (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4HYmsdHqUo), free on PC. It's similar (get upgrades and unlock new areas) but VERY open-ended. It's got cute storybook visuals that hide a keen difficulty curve.

[Jagos]

Demon's Crest for SNES is somewhat like that. It's from a time when Metroidvania wasn't really a word people actually used.

EDIT: Of course Cave Story. There's a free version. It's the full game. Not sure in which ways the paid version is different. http://www.cavestory.org/index.php

Paid version has remixed music on the Cave Story+ version. New music, but still great gameplay that I'm doing a playthrough on Youtube for.

[Yrcrazypa]

Batman: Arkham Asylum is a third person version of a Metroidvania, kinda, and is really good. Haven't tried Arkham City yet.

[Donomni]

Cave Story is the best game in this genre, in my honest opinion.

Escape from Puppy Death Factory is a fun, browser-based one.

There's another good one that Donomni recommended me a while back that would be worth checking out.

Herocore. (http://www.remar.se/daniel/herocore.php) Very retro, pretty good, and it runs well on just about any PC I can think of if you can use the internet.

Iji, on the same site as the above, might interest you too.

[BitVyper]

There's a real fun game in this genre called "I Wanna Be The Guy". It's free for the PC, you should give it a try.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v229/BitVyper/Cakeboss.gif

[Locke cole]

Yeah, in case it isn't clear, the game Fifthfiend suggested is what is known as a "Platform Hell" game.

[Kim]

Everyone who called Fifth out on his recommendation is the worst kind of person.

[Flarecobra]

There's a real fun game in this genre called "I Wanna Be The Guy". It's free for the PC, you should give it a try.

Let's not forget about it's unoffical sequel. "I Wanna Be the Fangame."

[Gregness]

Everyone who called Fifth out on his recommendation is the worst kind of person.

Didn't mean to call it out, I just want to make sure the OP knows what he's getting into.

[Kim]

Didn't mean to call it out, I just want to make sure the OP knows what he's getting into.

The. Worst. Kind. Of. Person.

[Locke cole]

Like knowing what you're getting into helps you...

[BitVyper]

IWBtG is actually a pretty fantastic game. It's just that you can expect to die a thousand or so times your first time through. I actually find it really fun and not remotely frustrating, even when it blatantly cheats (which is always).

Everyone who called Fifth out on his recommendation is the worst kind of person.

I'm just gonna cheat and use it again. (http://www.nuklearforums.com/showpost.php?p=1174843&postcount=13)

[rpgdemon]

A bit off topic, but Kaizo Mario World was an excellent platform hell game. I beat the entire thing. Might replay it.

[stefan]

IWBtG is actually a pretty fantastic game. It's just that you can expect to die a thousand or so times your first time through.

I consider myself a fairly good player of the Metroidvania genre.

I have yet to reach the third screen of IWBTG.

[natowarhead]

I appreciate the suggestions. I'll definitely be getting Cave Story and probably gifting it to my friend as well.
An Untitled Story also looks good. I'll try out most of the games suggested, though we (my friend and I) tend to lean towards open-ended, adventure-y ones rather than platformers that only progress linearly.

Oh, and I have played IWTBTG before. I think it's a great game, though not exactly the type I was thinking of. Still can't get past the screen with the giant falling moon though.

[Ryong]

IWBTG isn't exactly a metroidvania: Upgrades are an important part of the genre, y'know.

[BitVyper]

IWBtG does have upgrades you can get. They just don't do anything.

[Moogle0119]

Gameboy Advance & DS have several Castlevania games, all in the same style as SOTN. If you're able to get access to an Xbox 360 I would also highly recommend Shadow Complex.

[Kim]

IWBtG does have upgrades you can get. They just don't do anything.

IIRC doesn't one upgrade you from three shots to four and another makes your shots go slightly further? I may be pulling this completely out of my ass, but I seem to recall this being the case.

[Arhra]

Definitely recommending Cave Story as well.

Bunny Must Die was interesting as well. Very bizarre though.

Oh, and I have played IWBTG before. I think it's a great game, though not exactly the type I was thinking of. Still can't get past the screen with the giant falling moon though.

You have to outsmart the Moon!

[BitVyper]

IIRC doesn't one upgrade you from three shots to four and another makes your shots go slightly further?

Not that I'm aware. I don't think your shots have a limited range anyway, do they? It's been awhile since I played.

[natowarhead]

Holy Crap, how in the world did I miss Cave Story? I purchased it a few minutes after my last post in this thread and have been playing non-stop since then!

@Moogle0119
I don't have a 360, but my friend has access to one. I'll definitely look into Shadow Complex for him.

P.S. - Was also directed to both TV Tropes and VGMuseum "Metroidvania" sections.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MetroidVania
http://www.vgmuseum.com/mrp/multi/Essays/essay-squalidpumpkin5.htm (can anyone say Geocities circa '98?)

[EVILNess]

Does Iji count as a Metroidvania? I would say yeah.

Megaman Zero 1-3 and ZX are good Metroidvanias (If you are broad with the definition.)

Shantae for the GBA is a pretty good one. I almost wish I had a DSi to buy the sequel.

OH YEAH! Tomba! OH MAN, NOSTALGIA ATTACK.

La-Mulana, qualifies. Definitely.

[Ecks]

Shantae is also available via 3DS if that helps.

While on the subject of 3DS, virtual console gives access to actual Metroid titles (so far sitting at Metroid II and Metroid Fusion, the latter only if you're an Ambassador at this point).

This may or may not be relevant, I don't remember what you have access to, so I'll edit my post again later.

If I feel like it.

[Jagos]

IIRC doesn't one upgrade you from three shots to four and another makes your shots go slightly further? I may be pulling this completely out of my ass, but I seem to recall this being the case.

You got it right. Good luck getting the upgrades though.

[phil_]

I'm not some nerrrrrrrrd, so I don't know what the video games even are. I'm just so glad there's so much Cave Story love here that I have to post anyway.

vvEdit:I'm still boggled as to how I went so long without noticing it.I guess because you haven't read my signature since... 2005? 2006?

[natowarhead]

I appreciate the responses thus far. Everything that's been recommended should satisfy the Metroidvania craving... for now.

Now, if you'll excuse me, time to go yell at some RL friends I am 100% positive knew about Cave Story this whole time and never informed me. I'm still boggled as to how I went so long without noticing it.

[Fifthfiend]

vvEdit:I guess because you haven't read my signature since... 2005? 2006?

Nobody's read anything you've posted since 2005.

[phil_]

Nobody's read anything you've posted since 2005.You can do better; I'm disappointed.

Edit: Like, I keep coming back to this. Are you ok? You've gone through some stuff recently; maybe you should take some time off.