A new month means a new Community Game-Along! In April we celebrated Atlus games, but for May it's going to be all Metroidvania, all the time.
When choosing a theme, I always try to gravitate toward more under-appreciated games and genres. Classic adventure games like Metroid and Castlevania are by no means niche, but the two series are closely connected, and have subsequently spawned a subgenre of non-linear 2D action-adventure games often referred to as "Metroidvania." Since there are quite a lot of games in this subgenre that haven't received a lot of publicity, I thought now would be as good a time as any to check them out!
You can head over to my original post for some game suggestions, or try USGamer's great top 10 Metroidvania games list for some ideas!
Possible games include: Virtually anything with Castlevania or Metroid in the title (too easy!), La-Mulana, Aquaria, Cave Story, Tomba!, the Shantae series, Muramasa Rebirth, Shadow Complex, Aliens: Infestation... You've got a lot to choose from, so try to find something you've never played before!
As always, you can use our super special hashtag on social media to talk about your experiences and progress – this month it's #MetroidvaniaMay. I highly encourage folks to post long-form writing here in GAF or on your own site, or even do podcasts or video discussions/let's plays/whatever! The world is your Metroidvania oyster, but if you want me to promote your contribution, make sure to use the hashtag or post it here so I can find it!
One final note: It's totally cool to discuss what makes a game "Metroidvania," but we're all here to have a fun time, so let's not bash anyone's picks because you don't think it's a "true" Metroidvania game. You can also dislike how the term is used, but don't deny that "Metroidvania May" has a nice ring to it
2014 Community Game-Alongs:
January – Falcom (no thread)
February – Dating Sims
March – Monster Hunter
April – Atlus
May – Metroidvania
June – Puzzle Games
everything else TBA