5 Best Video Games Like Hollow Knight

Among the many most spectacular Metroidvania video games launched inside the previous decade is “Hole Knight,” an indie recreation developed and printed by Workforce Cherry. The sport has gamers management an insectoid swordsman as they enterprise right into a cursed kingdom, battling formidable enemies alongside the way in which. The sport ultimately acquired a full sequel with “Hollow Knight: Silksong” in 2025, increasing the journey significantly. Any Metroidvania fan ought to give “Hole Knight” and its sequel a glance, particularly as “Silksong” ranked among the best games of 2025.

In fact, there are many wonderful Metroidvania titles round. They embody each established video games within the style and newcomers that proceed its legacy. Right now, we’re specializing in video games which might be performed from a side-scrolling perspective, like “Hole Knight,” fairly than their 3D Metroidvania counterparts. These video games additionally revolve round exploration and intense fight, with outstanding motion RPG components highlighted as gamers progress. These are the 5 greatest video video games like “Hole Knight,” every offering their very own side-scrolling thrills.

It is unattainable to jot down an inventory of Metroidvania suggestions with out truly together with a Metroid or Castlevania recreation. The perfect of the bunch is 1994’s “Tremendous Metroid” for the Tremendous Nintendo, choosing up from the occasions of “Metroid II: Return of Samus.” After an toddler Metroid is stolen by Area Pirates, bounty hunter Samus Aran pursues them to their hideout on the distant planet Zebes. Samus upgrades her gear as she progresses deeper into the planet, battling Metroids and different monsters earlier than dealing with a resurrected Mom Mind.

“Tremendous Metroid” is a sci-fi video game everyone should play at least once and nonetheless a significant excessive level for the Metroid collection total. The sport perfects the exploration and fight gameplay launched by its predecessors whereas profiting from the Tremendous Nintendo {hardware}. The sport has an successfully creepy, sci-fi horror temper to it (enhanced by its clear homages to Ridley Scott’s sci-fi legendary sci-fi horror franchise, kicked off by “Alien”), elevated by the evocative sound design as gamers delve deeper into the setting. Among the finest video games on the Tremendous Nintendo, “Tremendous Metroid” is a permanent Nintendo title at all times value revisiting.

The opposite enduring Metroidvania recreation from the ’90s, 1997’s “Castlevania: Symphony of the Night time” for the PlayStation is the debatable pinnacle of the Konami franchise. Inside the entire “Castlevania” timeline, the story begins 5 years after the occasions of “Rondo of Blood.” Dracula’s dhampir son Alucard revives and explores his father’s citadel after vampire hunter Richter Belmont goes lacking. After finishing the sport, gamers can revisit it enjoying as both Richter and, in later variations, as Maria Renard, every with their very own strikes and assaults.

Whereas “Castlevania” had experimented with nonlinear stage development earlier than, “Symphony of the Night time” cemented the franchise inside the realm of Metroidvania experiences. The sport additionally stays a marvel to have a look at almost 30 years later, that includes detailed sprites and environments, together with a haunting authentic rating. “Symphony of the Night time” additionally ups the dimensions of the journey when it utterly inverts the preliminary map, successfully doubling the world for Alucard to discover. A video game from the ’90s that holds up today, “Castlevania: Symphony of the Night time” stands as the most effective Metroidvania on the unique PlayStation.

The appearance of roguelike, or procedurally generated, video games and stage development closely inform the 2018 recreation “Lifeless Cells.” Developed and printed by Movement Twin, the sport’s protagonist is called the Prisoner and is able to possessing lifeless our bodies to progress. Trapped on a distant island, the Prisoner units out to assassinate the dominion’s ruler believing it’ll quell a contagion ravaging the neighborhood. Upon completion of a playthrough, players are inspired to revisit the sport on greater difficulties, opening up extra of the story and scope.

By means of its procedurally generated ranges, no two playthroughs of “Lifeless Cells” are precisely the identical, inviting replayability. The sport has been supported by a number of DLC expansions since its launch, including a “Castlevania” crossover in a transparent nod to the title’s influences. Past simply new aesthetics and content material to discover, the “Dead Cells” DLC adds new features to the general expertise. Inviting gamers to sink numerous hours into every playthrough to understand its full breadth, “Lifeless Cells” is a deceptively deep journey.

Bringing a extra theological theme to the Metroidvania social gathering is the 2019 recreation “Blasphemous,” developed by the Spanish studio The Sport Kitchen. The sport’s protagonist, recognized merely because the Penitent One, embarks on a pilgrimage to hunt penance, touring via the ominous kingdom of Cvstodia. Battling monsters and different enemies via this realm, the Penitent One builds up his fervor meter, fueling his magical skills, as he slays opponents along with his sword. Because the Penitent One continues his journey, the character of Cvstodia and this sanguine faith is explored and detailed.

“Blasphemous” is elevated by its atmospheric setting and detailed artwork design whereas additionally clearly impressed by the legacy of the16 and 32-bit Metroidvania video games earlier than it. The melee fight has been positioned to replicate the newer soulslike era as properly, encouraging timing and parrying to defeat formidable foes. The sport has since acquired a sequel in 2023, with “Blasphemous 2” reveling in the glory of the grotesque. An ignored indie title that deserves way more consideration than it is at the moment acquired, each “Blasphemous” video games are value trying out.

After making the transition to 3D gameplay in 1999, the “Prince of Persia” collection returned to a side-scrolling perspective for “Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown.” Launched in 2024, the sport contains a new protagonist in Sargon, a younger warrior out on a quest to rescue a captive prince. In one other twist in comparison with among the collection’ previous titles, “The Misplaced Crown” is a real Metroidvania, revolving round a big interconnected map that encourages gamers to backtrack. This enables gamers to find and full numerous aspect quests, acquire extra gear and skills, and undertake non-obligatory boss battles as a part of the journey.

“Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown” is a new jewel in the franchise, returning the Ubisoft property’s roots. The platforming is as acrobatic because it was within the 3D titles and the fight has a clean refinement to it. However whereas the sport supplies a wholesome quantity of problem, it does so in a manner that is accessible and lets gamers advance at their very own tempo. A reinvigoration of considered one of gaming’s most influential platformers, “Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown” is an absolute pleasure and return to kind for the franchise.