Metroidvania for the Nintendo Switch: these are the best games

Metroidvania games are extremely popular. Accordingly, there is a large selection of such games for the Nintendo Switch. To help you choose, we looked at four representatives of the genre for you.

Metroidvania and the Switch - a successful concept

Everyone likes to explore things: that's the principle on which Metroidvania games are built. Exploring large, nested maps, finding equipment and defeating bosses are as much a part of the Metroidvania genre as a lot of secrets that want to be discovered. The following list is only a small selection because there are countless titles with the tag "Metroidvania". The following four games stand out because of their success on multiple platforms. However, since many gamers still prefer Metroidvanias to play with a classic controller, the Switch is a great platform for this popular genre. The games are sorted by release date, it is not a ranking list in the strict sense.

Shantae and the Pirate's Curse (2014)

The saga about Shantae, the half-Djinni, is so popular that there are now four parts with the protagonist. Pirate's Curse is the third part of the series. We present this and not the newest part because Pirate's Curse is by far the most popular with fans of the series. It is not necessary to have played the first two parts to understand and enjoy the story of Pirate's Curse.

• Shantae lost her magical powers in the last part of the series and got used to life as a person. However, her hometown is attacked by her friends, Scuttle Town. Only by joining forces with her former archenemy, Risky Boots, can Shantae do anything about the situation.
• So one hand washes the other - Shantae helps Risky Boots settle accounts with an old rival, and in return Shantae receives pirate tools that replace their magical powers.
• Shantae's weapon is her hair, with which she skillfully knocks out enemies.
• Shantae and the Pirate's Curse captivates with a colorful game world and great soundtrack written by Jake Kaufman.
• Despite a serious history, the humor is not left behind. After all, the Shantae series is known for it. However, you should not be fooled by the brightly colored world - the joke of the game is not always suitable for children!
• If you like a platformer with clean controls, a story told with a wink, rapid action and classic Metroidvania elements, you will definitely get your money's worth here.

Axiom Verge (2015)

Described by many fans as the game that is most similar to the forefather of the Metroidvania genre, namely Metroid on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Axiom Verge is the masterpiece of a single man: Thomas Happ. Both the game and the soundtrack sprang from his work. The background story of the game is touching: Happ developed the game to cover the treatment costs of his seriously ill son.

• Axiom Verge is all about the scientist Trace. After an accident, he finds himself in a completely different place in his laboratory - on the planet Sudra. Little by little he explores this strange world on which he has landed, discovers its tragic history and also parts of his own past.
• The parts of Sudra that you explore in Axiom Verge all have their own atmosphere. The opponents are varied, the landscapes a feast for the eyes.
• When it comes to equipment, Axiom Verge is not weak either. There is something to find and discover on every corner. For example, there is a weapon that changes enemies and their behavior so that they can, for example, uncover secret ways.
• The replay value is very high because there are some areas in the world that want to be found somewhere else with each new game. You need a good eye for this.
• The game is rounded off by a fantastic soundtrack that excellently stages the world.
• Axiom Verge thus delivers a round overall concept that no fan of the Metroidvania genre should miss.
• If you have played through the game and still not enough of the world of Axiom Verge, there is good news: The second part was announced for the Switch at the end of 2020!

Steam World Dig 2 (2017)

As the title suggests, Steam World Dig 2 is part of a series of four games. We chose the second part of the series because it has a lot more to offer than its predecessor and the following two games are no longer Metroidvanias. Steam World Dig 2, however, is a Metroidvania in the classic sense. A labyrinth that has to be discovered and that holds many secrets.

• Young Dorothy, a steam robot like all the other characters in the series, goes in search of Rusty, the protagonist of the first part. It was lost in a mine after the supposed defeat of a major evil.
• Even if the story relates to part one, you don't have to have played it in order to follow the story easily.
• In Steam World Dig 2, not only do you have to be platformer and mine worker, you also have to strain your brain. Many of the items and upgrades you can find are hidden behind tricky puzzles. These require you to insert your objects correctly, as well as sometimes very difficult platforms and skillful mining work.
• The items, life points, and steam - which powers all of your equipment - can be upgraded with money in the city. You earn the currency by finding gems in the mine.
• You also have to find gears. These unlock additional functions of your equipment. The gears are not for sale, but must be found in the fairly extensive world.
• All in all, "Steam World Dig 2" is a very charming Metroidvania game with an interesting story and a lovable protagonist, which are magnificently staged by the enchanting graphics.

The Messenger (2018)

The latest game on our list, The Messenger, takes you into the fantastic world of ninjas and comes up with loving pixel graphics and exciting action. Slightly less known and smaller than the other games on this list, it has only appeared on three platforms. But that doesn't stop the Metroidvania jewel from Canada, because it was awarded the prize for the "Best Debut Indie Game of 2018".

• In The Messenger you slip into the role of messenger, as the title suggests. The protagonist gets its name from this: The city in which he lives is attacked by the demon king. A hero from the west appears and gives our protagonist a message that he has to take to the top of a mountain. It becomes a messenger.
• The story now sounds linear, but later it becomes a lot more complex because the hero turns the space-time continuum upside down.
• The Messenger is a love letter to an old NES classic: "Ninja Gaiden". While not as extremely difficult as its role model, The Messenger is packed to the brim with fast action and complex platforming.
• So-called "spirit shards" want to be found in the world or beaten out of opponents. These can then be used to improve your equipment. However, if you die, these "Spirit Shards" will be taken away from you for a while. So be careful.
• You start with a double jump as an inherent skill, but there is much more to learn.
• The special charm of The Messenger is that you play in the past as well as in the future. In the past, the graphics were simplistic thanks to the 8-bit pixel style, the 16-bit graphics marked the future. The aim is to explore the world at different times and to go through old sections with new skills again and again in order to find new equipment.
• Although not as well known as the other representatives on this list, The Messenger is a beautiful, complex game that you should definitely have played!

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