The Metroidvania Is Decades Old, But One Year In Particular Is The Undisputed King

The original Metroid and Castlevania both turn 40 years old this fall. As the two series most responsible for creating the “metroidvania,” we’re taking this occasion to take a comprehensive view of the popular genre. This is Metroidvania Week. Metroidvanias have been around for decades, with numerous high points over those years. Super Metroid–which set the template for the beloved (and much-iterated-upon) formula–hit the SNES in 1994. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night–which established a bo...