Ranking by genre

The best Metroidvania games.

96 games compete in this selection. Metroid Prime tops it with 1,988 points: the ranking comes from player votes alone, and moves with every duel settled.

  1. 1 Metroid Prime 2002 · Metroidvania 1,988
  2. 2 Dead Cells 2018 · Metroidvania 1,953
  3. 3 Ori and the Will of the Wisps 2020 · Metroidvania 1,905
  4. 4 Ori and the Blind Forest 2015 · Metroidvania 1,878
  5. 5 Hollow Knight 2017 · Metroidvania 1,867
  6. 6 Hollow Knight: Silksong 2025 · Metroidvania 1,866
  7. 7 Metroid Dread 2021 · Metroidvania 1,849
  8. 8 Super Metroid 1994 · Metroidvania 1,835
  9. 9 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night 1997 · Metroidvania 1,829
  10. 10 Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow 2003 · Metroidvania 1,813
  11. 11 Metroid: Zero Mission 2004 · Metroidvania 1,776
  12. 12 Metroid Prime 2: Echoes 2004 · Metroidvania 1,769
  13. 13 Metroid Fusion 2002 · Metroidvania 1,743
  14. 14 Zelda II: The Adventure of Link 1987 · Metroidvania 1,682
  15. 15 Metroid 1987 · Metroidvania 1,671
  16. 16 Castlevania: Circle of the Moon 2001 · Metroidvania 1,659
  17. 17 Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition 2016 · Metroidvania 1,613
  18. 18 Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow 2005 · Metroidvania 1,600
  19. 19 Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia 2008 · Metroidvania 1,599
  20. 20 The Messenger 2018 · Metroidvania 1,589
  21. 21 Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown 2024 · Metroidvania 1,589
  22. 22 SteamWorld Dig 2 2017 · Metroidvania 1,586
  23. 23 Salt and Sanctuary 2016 · Metroidvania 1,577
  24. 24 Metroid: Samus Returns 2017 · Metroidvania 1,575
  25. 25 Castlevania II: Simon's Quest 1987 · Metroidvania 1,567
  26. 26 Gato Roboto 2019 · Metroidvania 1,560
  27. 27 Metroid Prime Remastered 2023 · Metroidvania 1,553
  28. 28 Metroid II: Return of Samus 1991 · Metroidvania 1,552
  29. 29 Carrion 2020 · Metroidvania 1,551
  30. 30 Hue 2016 · Metroidvania 1,551
  31. 31 Blasphemous 2019 · Metroidvania 1,548
  32. 32 Metroid Prime 3: Corruption 2007 · Metroidvania 1,543
  33. 33 Guacamelee! 2 2018 · Metroidvania 1,540
  34. 34 Yoku's Island Express 2018 · Metroidvania 1,537
  35. 35 Animal Well 2024 · Metroidvania 1,532
  36. 36 Wario Land 3 2000 · Metroidvania 1,531
  37. 37 Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit 2012 · Metroidvania 1,519
  38. 38 Nine Sols 2024 · Metroidvania 1,518
  39. 39 Dex 2015 · Metroidvania 1,516
  40. 40 Mega Man ZX 2006 · Metroidvania 1,510
  41. 41 Guacamelee! 2013 · Metroidvania 1,509
  42. 42 Cave Story+ 2011 · Metroidvania 1,507
  43. 43 Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition 2014 · Metroidvania 1,506
  44. 44 Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night 2019 · Metroidvania 1,504
  45. 45 Shantae 2002 · Metroidvania 1,503
  46. 46 Rogue Legacy 2013 · Metroidvania 1,501
  47. 47 Death's Gambit 2018 · Metroidvania 1,500
  48. 48 Supraland 2019 · Metroidvania 1,496
  49. 49 Blasphemous II 2023 · Metroidvania 1,494
  50. 50 Cave Story 2004 · Metroidvania 1,494
  51. 51 Strider 2014 · Metroidvania 1,494
  52. 52 Rogue Legacy 2 2022 · Metroidvania 1,494
  53. 53 Iconoclasts 2018 · Metroidvania 1,491
  54. 54 Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles 2007 · Metroidvania 1,490
  55. 55 Axiom Verge 2015 · Metroidvania 1,485
  56. 56 Sundered 2017 · Metroidvania 1,482
  57. 57 Metroid Prime Hunters 2006 · Metroidvania 1,477
  58. 58 Mega Man ZX Advent 2007 · Metroidvania 1,477
  59. 59 Song of the Deep 2016 · Metroidvania 1,472
  60. 60 Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight 2016 · Metroidvania 1,470
  61. 61 Shantae: Half-Genie Hero 2016 · Metroidvania 1,469
  62. 62 Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin 2006 · Metroidvania 1,463
  63. 63 Shantae: Risky's Revenge 2010 · Metroidvania 1,458
  64. 64 Indivisible 2019 · Metroidvania 1,453
  65. 65 Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom 2018 · Metroidvania 1,452
  66. 66 Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate 2013 · Metroidvania 1,451
  67. 67 Dust: An Elysian Tail 2012 · Metroidvania 1,448
  68. 68 Apotheon 2015 · Metroidvania 1,446
  69. 69 Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth 2021 · Metroidvania 1,443
  70. 70 Rain World 2017 · Metroidvania 1,442
  71. 71 Shantae and the Seven Sirens 2020 · Metroidvania 1,441
  72. 72 Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap 2017 · Metroidvania 1,433
  73. 73 Timespinner 2018 · Metroidvania 1,425
  74. 74 Pseudoregalia 2023 · Metroidvania 1,424
  75. 75 Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance 2002 · Metroidvania 1,419
  76. 76 Xeodrifter 2014 · Metroidvania 1,416
  77. 77 Rabi-Ribi 2016 · Metroidvania 1,407
  78. 78 Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 2020 · Metroidvania 1,406
  79. 79 Touhou Luna Nights 2019 · Metroidvania 1,403
  80. 80 Muramasa: The Demon Blade 2009 · Metroidvania 1,391
  81. 81 Monster Sanctuary 2020 · Metroidvania 1,388
  82. 82 The Fall 2014 · Metroidvania 1,386
  83. 83 Headlander 2016 · Metroidvania 1,385
  84. 84 Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights 2021 · Metroidvania 1,374
  85. 85 Shadow Complex 2009 · Metroidvania 1,374
  86. 86 Blaster Master 1988 · Metroidvania 1,374
  87. 87 Chasm 2018 · Metroidvania 1,373
  88. 88 Aquaria 2007 · Metroidvania 1,370
  89. 89 F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch 2021 · Metroidvania 1,369
  90. 90 AM2R: Return of Samus 2016 · Metroidvania 1,358
  91. 91 Unepic 2011 · Metroidvania 1,355
  92. 92 Faxanadu 1987 · Metroidvania 1,347
  93. 93 Moonscars 2022 · Metroidvania 1,339
  94. 94 Castlevania: Belmont's Curse 2026 · Metroidvania 1,311
  95. 95 Tomba! 1997 · Metroidvania 1,298
  96. 96 Silver Pines 2026 · Metroidvania 1,258

Filter, combine and travel back in time in the full ranking

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In detail

The best Metroidvania games, what this ranking says

Metroid Prime leads this selection with 1,988 ELO points, ahead of Dead Cells and Ori and the Will of the Wisps. The 96 games competing in it have played 22,900 duels.

This selection in figures
Games competing in this selection 96
Duels played by those games 22,900
Game in the lead Metroid Prime (2002)
Score of the leading game, in ELO points 1,988
Point gap between 1st and 10th 175
Best represented decade 2010s
Last reading November 3, 2026

The best Metroidvania game of every decade

A selection is not read in one block: here is what leads each of its brackets.

The best Metroidvania game of every decade
Decade Games competing In the lead ELO score Duels played
1980s 5 Zelda II: The Adventure of Link 1,682 355
2000s 21 Metroid Prime 1,988 743
2010s 46 Dead Cells 1,953 548
2020s 20 Ori and the Will of the Wisps 1,905 336

What moved this week

The ranking changes with every duel settled. Over the past seven days, the score of 95 games in this selection moved.

What moved this week
Game Points gained in 7 days ELO score
Strider +77 1,494
Castlevania: Belmont's Curse +61 1,311
Faxanadu +59 1,347

The most contested match-ups

These pairs of games have faced each other more than any others in this selection.

The most contested match-ups
Wins Against Duels played Win rate
Ori and the Blind Forest Hollow Knight 25 56%
Hollow Knight Super Metroid 23 52%
Metroid Prime Hollow Knight 22 50%
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Hollow Knight 21 71%
Super Metroid Ori and the Blind Forest 20 65%

How this ranking is established

No jury, no press score, no sales figures: two games face off, players vote, and every vote updates an ELO score. This page is a view of the world ranking, never a standing kept apart.

Understand the method in detail →

FAQ

What players ask

What is the best Metroidvania game?

According to community votes, the best Metroidvania game is Metroid Prime, with 1,988 ELO points in the world ranking. It stands ahead of Dead Cells and Ori and the Will of the Wisps, and its place is replayed with every duel.

How many Metroidvania games are ranked?

96 games of this selection take part in the duels, and they have played 22,900 of them so far. The full site catalogue is much wider: only games kept for their fame enter the running.

Which Metroidvania game is climbing right now?

Strider is the strongest climb in this selection over the past seven days, with 77 ELO points gained. Over the same period, the score of 95 games in the selection moved.

Vote on a duel