I am a major fan of Action/Platformers which focus on exploration.  I can't get enough of them.  But the problem is, there's also not many of them.  We all know of Metroid, Castlevania and Cave story...but where does the genre go from there?

That's where this thread comes into play.  I'd like to ask people to confirm any and all games from this genre that you know of, and I will list them.  Together we can make an accurate account of this genre, which is hard to classify even by the developers.

Just to clarify, a game falls under the 'Action/Platformer' or 'Metrovania' genre when it has:

• Item Based Progression - Collecting Items unlock new areas and/or story.
• A Focus on Platforming - Climbing, Jumping, Crawling and all manner of platforming based exploration.
• Free Roaming Exploration - Past levels/areas can be accessed even when new ones have been unlocked.

2D Action/Platformers:

-Metroid

• Metroid (NES)
• Metroid II: Return of Samus (GB)
• Super Metroid (SNES)
• Metroid Fusion (GBA)
• Metroid: Zero Mission (GBA)

-Castlevania

• Symphony of the Night (PSX)
• Circle of the Moon (GBA)
• Harmony of Dissonance (GBA)
• Aria of Sorrow (GBA)
• Dawn of Sorrow (DS)
• Portrait of Ruin (DS)
• Order of Shadows (Mobile)
• Oder of Ecclesia (DS)
• Harmony of Dispair (XBOXLive)

-Dragon Slayer Series

• Dragon Slayer (MSX/PC-Engine/Game Boy)
• Xanadu (MSX/PC-Engine/NES)
• Faxanadu (NES)
• Sorcerian (MSX/PC-Engine/Genesis)

Derek Yu Developer:

• Eternal Daughter (PC)
• Aquaria (PC)

-Muramasa: The Demon Blade (Wii)

-Cave Story (PC, Wii)

-Shadow Complex (XBOXLive)

-Rush 'n Attaack: Ex-Patriot (XBOXLive/PSN)

3D Action Platformers:

-Metroid

• Metroid Prime (GC, Wii)
• Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (GC, Wii)
• Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (GC, Wii)
• Metroid Prime: Hunters (DS)
• Metroid: Other M (Wii)

-Castlevania

• Lament of Innocence (PS2/XBOX)
• Curse of Darkness (PS2/XBOX)

-Assassins Creed

• Assassins Creed (PS3/360)
• Assassins Creed II (PS3/360)
• Assassins Creed Brotherhood (PS3/360)
• Assassins Creed Bloodlines (PSP)

-Batman: Arkham Asylum (PS3/360/PC)

-inFAMOUS (PS3)

Cross Genre:

-Vanillaware Action/Platformer

• Princess Crown (Saturn/PSX)
• Odin Sphere (PS2)

-OddWorld Series

• OddWorld: Abe's Oddysee (PSX/PC)
• OddWorld: Abe's Exoddus (PSX/PC)

-Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (NES)

-Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (NES)

-River City Ransom (NES/GBA)

-Phantom 2040 (SNES/Genesis/GameGear)

-Landstalker (Genesis)

-Alundra (PSX)

-Outland (PC)

PS: Please don't turn this into another thread complaining certain games don't 'count' in the genre.  I speak specifically about Metroid: Other M and Zelda II: Adventure of Link.

Might want to add Shadow Complex and Rush N Attack: Ex Patriots to the list. SC is the better of the two - absolutely fantastic Metroidvania gameplay....Much more akin to Metroid, though.

Thanks.  Don't know why I completely forgot Shadow Complex.

Speakingo f which, I wish it could be put on PSN.  Oh well.

The 3D games like Metroid Prime and Batman: Arkham Asylum aren't sidescrollers, though the 2D games are.  Also, I laid out what makes them fall under the genre quite clearly.

I didn't say they counted or not.  Looking up gameplay from both, it seems to be more of a genre bending example and looks closer to Zelda than the traditional Action/Platformer.  I will put them under the cross-genre section because they appear to focus more on action and puzzle solving than platforming.

What's wrong with: platform adventure games? like they used to be called?

Add Princess Crown (Saturn, PSP) under Vanillaware Action/Platformers.

Princess Crown is another of those hard to classify.  While the gameplay is 2D Action, there's not really any platforming aspects and little chance to move outside the games set paths.  And battles are limited to set areas.  I admit Odin Sphere has the same things going on, so I'm going to move that one.

I will put both under the cross genre section.

I guess you could call it whatever you want.  I know it as Action/Platformers and most of the games are classified that online so I just go with that.

I don't see why games in series such as Sly, Ratchet and Clank, Jak and Daxter, Banjo Kazooie, Conker's Bad Fur Day and Rayman 2 wouldn't count in this massive genre.

Well, admittedly, just like the RPG and straight action'adventure genres, their classifications have gotten so mixed into other genres that its hard to really say which goes where.  But for most of the series you mentioned, they seem to focus on straight Platforming/puzzle solving more than free roaming aspects.  Its the same grey area as a series like Zelda, which has all the ingredients to fit in the genre (including item progression and exploration), but focuses more on the action and puzzle solving than the free roaming exploration aspect.  Though you could argue the first two Zelda games could still technically classify.