Note - For this thread I'm only talking about the 2d games.

Metroidvania style games are some of my favorites ever and I've been replaying alot of them lately. I'm just here to spark a discussion and maybe discover some new titles I've never played. I've got three questions, you can answer them all or just reply in general.

1. Which half of Metroidvania do you like more, Metroid or Castlevania?

2. The games that started it: Super Metroid vs Symphony of the Night?

3. What are your other favorite Metroidvania titles?

My answers.

1. Metroid for me but not by much. I'm a big Sci-fi fan so I like the space setting a little bit more and the classic enemies like ridley and mother brain are just too cool. While I like the rpg elements in castlevania it can be frustrating farming for rare item drops while trying to get 100%. Music is a tie I guess, Castlevania has some straight up great jams while metroids soundtrack sets the atmosphere perfectly.

2. I know this goes against my last answer but I'm gonna say SOTN. I love super metroid but actually enjoy both Fusion and Zero Mission more so my number 1 castlevania title beats my third favorite metroid. SOTN is just amazing, best soundtrack ever, Alucard is cool and has great abilities plus I just love the way it looks visually.

3. Guacamelee was awesome, Ori and the Blind Forest is beautiful yet punishing and Alien Infestation is a fun DS game.

Metroid, not only is it a better 2D game, but it's had a VASTLY better 3D transition.

1. I mean, Super Metroid is better than every 2D Castlevania.

On the other hand, almost every 2D Castlevania I've played is better than all the other 2D Metroids, sooooo.

Not really fair.

2. Super.

3. Honestly, all the other wannabe platform adventure (I hate the term Metroidvania because it allows people to get away with calling games like Arkham Night and Dark Souls part of this genre when they are definitely not) games I've played don't even come close to any of the greats in either franchise, so I don't even really want to pick. Guacamelee I guess.

Yeah I agree its not even a comparison in 3d, that's why I wanted to just focus on 2d.

I think the transition was pretty attrocious, even if it did result in a great game anyway.

Then again, all of Nintendo's big three franchises had really unfaithful transitions, so it's not really fair to pick on just Metroid there.

1. Metroid's my 2nd favourite franchise, behind Zelda.
2. Haven't played much of Symphony of the Night yet. Beat Super Metroid for the first time last year, and it was really good.
3. Shadow Complex is probably my favourite non-Metroid Metroidvania game.

Metroid is the only answer

Great choice. Shadow Complex is a terrific "Metroidvania."

I'd rank the top 5 as follows:

5) Harmony of Dissonance
4) Symphony of the Night
3) Aria of Sorrow
2) Metroid: Zero Mission
1) Super Metroid

5/10 too little Metroid Fusion

Anybody play Salt and Sanctuary yet?

Also: I say Metroid since there are literally, like, 30 Castlevania games and they're pretty much indistinguishable from one another... Though I did love Symphony of the Night, back in the day, and a few of the handheld releases.