20 Best Games Like Castlevania in 2026 (Metroidvania Picks)

Castlevania created an entire genre — and it's still thriving. Whether you love the classic NES platformers or the exploration-heavy Symphony of the Night style, here are the best games like Castlevania you can play right now.

The modern Metroidvania king. Hollow Knight offers 40+ hours of exploration in a hauntingly beautiful underground world. The combat is precise, the bosses are challenging, and the world design is masterful. Available on Amazon, Steam, Humble Bundle, and GOG.

Made by Koji Igarashi, the creator of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Bloodstained is basically a new Castlevania in everything but name. If you loved Symphony of the Night, this is a must-play. Find it on Amazon and GameStop.

A roguelike Metroidvania with incredibly tight combat. Dead Cells takes the exploration of Castlevania and adds permadeath — every run is different. Grab it on Fanatical, CDKeys, or Epic Games.

Dark, gothic, and brutally difficult. Blasphemous captures the religious horror aesthetic of Castlevania better than almost any other game. The pixel art is stunning.

The other half of "Metroidvania." Super Metroid shares DNA with Castlevania and defined the exploration-based side-scrolling genre. An absolute masterpiece.

While not a Metroidvania, Mega Man X shares Castlevania's tight platforming and challenging boss fights. The hidden upgrades add exploration elements too.

Capcom's brutally hard platformer shares Castlevania's gothic horror theme and unforgiving difficulty. Not for the faint of heart.

The Metroidvania genre is booming. Keep an eye on Hollow Knight: Silksong and other indie titles. The genre Castlevania created is alive and well.

Check out our full pages for games like Castlevania, games like Super Metroid, and games like Mega Man 2 for more recommendations across every platform.

Started with Hollow Knight instead? Here are the best games like Hollow Knight.