Metroidvania Games on Android: 11 Picks With Prices and Ads Checked (2026)

A metroidvania is a 2D game where you explore one big, connected map. You find new powers, and those powers open doors you could not reach before. The name mixes two old series, Metroid and Castlevania. Wikipedia has more on the genre.

We checked 11 metroidvania-style games on Google Play on October 12, 2026. Six have a price up front, and five start free. Three of the five free games show no ads label. We could not find an official Hollow Knight listing on Google Play, so it is not on this list.

How we picked these

• Every game is on Google Play in the US store, with at least 500 ratings and at least 3.5 stars.
• Two metroidvania-style listings had fewer than 500 ratings, so we left them out: Elderand (385) and Vohenn (115).
• Carrion and Swordigo appear on 2026 metroidvania roundups, but their Google Play pages do not use that word. We include them as adventure games with exploration, and we say what each page says.
• Prices, ratings and labels are from Google Play, checked on October 12, 2026.

Best all-round pick: Dead Cells

Dead Cells has the highest rating in this list, and it has a big crowd of ratings behind it. Its store page calls it a roguevania action platformer. You die, you start again, and you keep some unlocks.

Dead Cells

The store page describes an ever-changing castle, and you start again from the bottom when you die. It is a good first pick if you want one game with a strong rating.

• Google Play: $8.49 up front, with in-app purchases ($0.49 to $7.99 per item) and no ads label. Rated Teen. 4.8 stars from 135,006 ratings. Updated October 8, 2026. Open the Google Play listing.

There is also a Netflix version called Dead Cells: Netflix Edition. The store page says it is only for Netflix members, so you need a Netflix membership to play it.

Best story pick: Prince of Persia: Lost Crown

This action-adventure game is inspired by the metroidvania genre. Its store page says you can try it for free, then unlock the full game with one in-app purchase.

Prince of Persia: Lost Crown

It is set in a mythological Persian world, with a big map to explore and a story to follow. It is a good pick if you want a story-first adventure.

• Google Play: Free, with in-app purchases ($2.99 to $15.99 per item) and no ads label. Rated Teen. 4.4 stars from 48,513 ratings. Updated April 7, 2026. Open the Google Play listing.

For hard fights: Blasphemous and Runic Curse

Both have tough enemies and bosses. Blasphemous is rated Mature 17+, so read its store page first.

Blasphemous

This is a 2D action platformer with soulslike fights in a dark, gothic world. Its store page says it is an award-winning indie game.

• Google Play: $7.99 up front, with no ads or in-app purchase labels. Rated Mature 17+. 4.4 stars from 4,590 ratings. Updated February 20, 2026. Open the Google Play listing.

Runic Curse

This is an action RPG metroidvania on a cursed island. Its store page lists more than 55 spells, a boss rush mode and unlimited New Game+.

• Google Play: $4.99 up front, with no ads or in-app purchase labels. Rated Teen. 4.2 stars from 1,670 ratings. Updated August 7, 2026. Open the Google Play listing.

Cheap classics

These games cost a few dollars, and none of them show an ads or purchase label. The oldest one, Symphony of the Night, first came out on a game console in 1997.

Castlevania: SotN

The store page calls it a direct port of the classic console game, Symphony of the Night. You play as Alucard and explore Dracula's castle. Many fans credit the 1997 original with setting the style for the genre.

• Google Play: $2.99 up front, with no ads or in-app purchase labels. Rated Teen. 3.9 stars from 29,287 ratings. Updated October 27, 2025. Open the Google Play listing.

Dandara Trials of Fear Edition

The store page lists several awards, and it describes a world that has fallen into ruin. This is the Trials of Fear Edition, the version on Google Play.

• Google Play: $3.99 up front, with no ads or in-app purchase labels. Rated Everyone 10+. 4.1 stars from 5,193 ratings. Updated November 4, 2025. Open the Google Play listing.

Teslagrad

This is a 2D puzzle platformer with action parts. The tower puzzles use magnetism. Google Play shows its last update as October 3, 2022, so check that it runs well on your phone before you buy.

• Google Play: $6.99 up front, with no ads or in-app purchase labels. Rated Everyone. 4.0 stars from 4,515 ratings. Updated October 3, 2022. Open the Google Play listing.

Free to start

Try these first if you do not want to spend money yet. Read each store page before you tap, because the labels do not tell the whole story.

Super Mombo Quest

This is a precision platformer where you chain combos through a huge, connected world. The store page calls it a metroidvania with classic arcade mechanics.

• Google Play: Free, with ads and in-app purchases ($1.99 to $9.99 per item). Rated Everyone. 4.7 stars from 116,412 ratings. Updated May 12, 2026. Open the Google Play listing.

HAAK

You play a wasteland adventurer with a hook, a dash and a charged slash. The store page describes hidden rooms and puzzles to solve.

• Google Play: Free, with in-app purchases ($1.99 to $6.99 per item) and no ads label. Rated Teen. 4.1 stars from 14,615 ratings. Updated September 24, 2026. Open the Google Play listing.

Carrion

Carrion is a reverse horror game. You play as a creature that hunts the people who trapped it. Its store page says you can try it free with no ads, then unlock the full game and DLC with one in-app purchase. Play shows no in-app purchase label, even though the store page mentions one, so read the page before you buy.

• Google Play: Free, with no ads or in-app purchase labels. Rated Mature 17+. 4.3 stars from 28,572 ratings. Updated August 10, 2026. Open the Google Play listing.

Swordigo

You run, jump and slash through a big world of platforming challenges. Its store page does not use the word metroidvania. It is still the most-rated game in this list, with more than 840,000 ratings.

• Google Play: Free, with ads and in-app purchases ($1.49 to $1.99 per item). Rated Everyone. 4.7 stars from 840,913 ratings. Updated August 18, 2026. Open the Google Play listing.

Things to know before you search

• Hollow Knight: We could not find an official listing on Google Play. The search results show fan guides, so do not install those as the game.
• Castlevania: 40th Anniversary: It is free for a limited time, and its store page calls it the Castlevania game that started it all. That is the 1986 original, an action platformer rather than a metroidvania.
• Dead Cells: Netflix Edition: It is free only for Netflix members.

Where to go next

Start with Dead Cells if you want one great game and can pay $8.49. Start with HAAK or Prince of Persia: Lost Crown if you want to try the genre for free. PocketGamer also has a long Android metroidvania list. If you like roguelike runs, read our roguelite games guide. For tough fights, see best soulslike games.