Metroidvania is one of the more storied gaming genres. It draws inspiration from Castlevania and Metroid, and combines the best gameplay aspects of the two. At a glance, Metroidvania is easily mistaken for one of the best platformers on Android, and there's a fine line between both genres.

But Metroidvania adds nuance to exploration, with backtracking being a staple of the genre. It can easily take dozens of hours to fully explore any given locale. And with challenging, skill-based combat, even getting from point A to point B is never a straightforward affair.

Certain titles offer exceptional animation fluidity, which definitely becomes apparent on Android tablets with a hight frame-rate. And this list focuses on that: the best Metroidvania games that we could find on Android.

1 Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Castlevania has seen plenty of copycats over its lifespan. Some good, some bad. But who could better capture the essence of the source material than someone whose name is synonymous with the franchise? That someone is Koji Igarashi, the man who worked on over a dozen entries, including some of the 3D titles.

Bloodstained puts you in the shoes of Miriam, as you explore a fully-realized gothic castle along with everything you've come to expect from Metroidvania. The game boasts 120 different enemies and over one hundred weapons to defeat them with. This variety of offensive tools gives you an unprecedented number of approaches to each combat encounter. Bloodstained goes for a hefty $9.99 on the Play Store, but you're getting Igarashi's signature work right on your mobile device.

2 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

While Metroid games are exclusive to Nintendo platforms, Castlevania has been released on almost every major platform since 1986. Widely considered to be the best in the series, despite the hit-or-miss voice acting, Symphony of the Night is the pinnacle of 2D platforming and the very title that popularized the term Metroidvania.

Symphony of the Night is the epitome of Igarashi's work as an assistant director, programmer, and writer. It pushed the PS1 console to its limits regarding 2D platformers, thanks to the crisp pixelated graphics and astoundingly smooth animations. Even decades later, not many games have captured the game's atmosphere and depth of exploration. For $2.99, you can experience the best Castlevania specifically designed for mobile platforms, and it even comes with controller support.

3 Dandara: Trials of Fear Edition

Dandara is more Metroid than it is Castlevania if that makes sense? It's a 2D platformer that sees you scale the environments to avoid traps and uncover new abilities to overcome previously insurmountable obstacles.

As Dandara, you'll leap across pitfalls and employ the heroine's unique ability to cling to various surfaces. The title has received several noteworthy nominations -- including Best Portable Game of the Year — and even won some of them. Moreover, the Trials of Fear Edition comes with new content, including new bosses, challenges, and upgrades, unavailable in the initial release. Dandara costs $3.99 but is also included with a Play Pass subscription.

4 Dead Cells

When it comes to indie titles released in recent years, few have amassed as much critical praise as Dead Cells. That said, this is a game that puts a greater emphasis on combat as even the slightest misstep during a fight can lead to permadeath.

Dead Cells is more or less a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to mobile games. It combines the merciless gameplay of a roguelike with elements of Metroidvania. It's also one of the most technically-demanding titles on Android, with gorgeous visuals and astoundingly high framerates. Dead Cells goes for $9.99 on the Play Store or free with the Play Pass subscription. Several DLCs have launched since release, which makes Dead Cells one of the most content-packed Metroidvania games out there.

5 HAAK

Most of the world has been reduced to ruins, now inhospitable to normal life. Merciless mutants roam the land, preying on anyone foolish enough to venture outside. But there's a safe haven down south where remaining survivors have managed to find refuge. Inspired by the best Metroidvania aspects, HAAK puts you in the shoes of a lone wanderer.

Intent on finding this sanctuary in the south, HAAK uses his many abilities to traverse perilous environments. Jump, dash, charge, and use HAAK's hook to overcome obstacles and defeat imposing enemies. HAAK stands out among other Metroidvanias thanks to its distinct visual flair.

6 ICEY

While more action-oriented than your typical Metroidvania game, Icey has a lot to offer in terms of narrative and progression. Icey employs a witty narrator who guides you through the game's mysterious world. In fact, it's up to you to decide whether to follow his guidance at all.

Ignore him, and you'll discover many of the Metroidvania mechanics. Veering off the beaten path allows you to discover new upgrades, and locations that supplement the game's main story. At $2.99, Icey is a premium mobile title, which brings with it a certain degree of quality.

7 Mangavania

What do you get when you cross manga with Metroidvania? Apparently, a monochrome action-platformer with anime-inspired visuals. Other than that, Mangavania is a Metroidvania through to its core. Its story focuses on Yuhiko, a ninja who embarks on a perilous trip to find a cure for his brother.

Every level is inspired by retro pixel art and sees you explore dungeons and discover their secrets. As you progress, you'll come across cool new abilities to help you proceed and take down the game's various bosses.

8 Runic Curse

A crew gets shipwrecked on a mysterious island, and you take control of one of its members, Adrian. As Adrian, you'll wield powerful weapons, magic, and runes and, hopefully, uncover whatever led to his crew being stranded. Visually, Runic Curse is a Metroidvania game akin to titles like Castlevania and Salt and Sanctuary.

It may not be much of a looker, as you can probably see from the screenshots. But a recent update makes it playable at a smooth 120Hz, assuming you own a sufficiently powerful device. And with dedicated NG+ and Boss Rush modes, there's not much to complain about at $2.99.

9 Teslagrad

Teslagrad would make a great name for a Soviet-era city ruled by Elon Musk. But jokes aside, Teslagrad is brought to you by Playdigious, the company responsible for Dead Cells and Streets of Rage 4, so you know you're getting a bang for your buck. Or seven, in this case, as unlocking the full game will cost you $6.99. It's all worth it, though, as Teslagrad features beautiful hand-drawn visuals and an enticing story to boot.

In Teslagrad, you control a boy who can manipulate electromagnetic fields and objects. Utilize these unique abilities to overcome obstacles, solve puzzles, defeat imposing bosses, and ultimately, bring down a tyrannical ruler from his throne.

10 Traps n' Gemstones

Metroidvania games rely on mysterious environments and exciting characters to transport you into another world. Ancient Egyptian pyramids? Check. A playable character that resembles Indiana Jones? Check. Segmented maps and secret chambers filled with treasure? Check. Traps n' Gemstones has it all.

This is a game that has all the makings of a Metroidvania game and then some. It puts you in charge of descending into a pyramid to locate a mysterious looter plundering its contents. You'll explore ancient Egyptian chambers, fight monsters lurking, and uncover long-lost relics.

Traps n' Gemstones is available for $4.99, with no ads or in-app purchases, with constant updates that improve upon an already fleshed-out game.

11 Tiny Dangerous Dungeons

It's dangerous to go alone, but Timmy does it anyway. Guide Timmy through deadly traps, moving platforms, and bottomless pits, all the while evading a plethora of different enemies. To progress, you'll need to solve puzzles and unlock abilities that'll help you to move further.

True to its Metroidvania roots, Tiny Dangerous Dungeons sees you explore deep depths to collect items and upgrades that unlock more of the game's environments. While short on the main campaign side, Tiny Dangerous Dungeons extends gameplay with unlockable achievements, as well as a time trial mode.

Unlike Bloodstained and Castlevania, Tiny Dangerous Dungeons features cute visuals, reminiscent of old-school Game Boy titles.

12 Toziuha Night: Order of the Alchemists

It's possible Toziuha Nights comes the closest to capturing the vibe of the Metroidvania genre. For one, there's a dark gothic environment filled with enemies and concealed treasures. Likewise, you're playing as an alchemist intent on pulling Dracula away from his bloody throne.

As alchemist Xandria, you'll battle through hordes of deadly enemies, employ her whip and spells, and uncover plenty of secrets. Toziuha Nights even features a CRT TV filter to give you the full experience of a classic 2D Metroidvania game. The games was initially released on itch.io, is playable for free, and has received numerous content updates.

Now's the time to 100% the best Metroidvania games in 2023

You'd be hard-pressed to find a truer Metroidvania than Symphony of the Night on Android. But there's a good dozen of titles that capture the genre's spirit, ripe with content for dedicated completionists.

What's the best Metroidvania game you've played? Maybe you've used one of our favorite Android emulators to play classic Castlevania and Metroid titles? Share your experiences in the comments below.