8 Switch Metroidvanias That Respect Your Time

People are busy and don’t have time to sink hundredss of hours into a game. I love a sprawling game, but every single one boasting a hundred-hour-long campaign is just not feasible. It’s even worse when the game is artificially bloated with bad check points and constant backtracking.

There are a lot of Metroidvanias that take a long time to complete, but not all of them are massive time sinks. There are some Metroidvanias that have either streamlined their mechanics for easier gameplay, or they’re short and sweet. If you're looking for a Switch Metroidvania that respects your time, these ones are well worth considering.

8 Islets

Small Game, Big Reward

Islets Metroidvania Released August 24, 2022 ESRB E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence Developer(s) Kyle Thompson Platform(s)PC, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series SGenre(s)Metroidvania Powered by ExpandCollapse

Not every Metroidvania needs to be brutally difficult to be rewarding, and a lot of the time small games punch above their weight class. Islets is one such game —it's a charming adventure with very forgiving combat and random time limited upgrades that affect exploration and your combat capabilities. While you still need to learn attack patterns for boss fights, it’s significantly less difficult than most other Metroidvanias.

Islets also has great level design, which uses an interconnected structure that gives you plenty of reasons to revisit locations you’ve already visited. Doing so isn’t unnecessarily complicated, and having a reason to backtrack makes it feel worthwhile rather than a slog.

7 Gato Roboto

Ending on a High Note

Gato Roboto Released May 30, 2019 Platform(s)PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch Powered by ExpandCollapse

Sometimes, the best way to respect the player's time is to deliver a fantastic experience and know when to end it. Gato Roboto is a short Metroidvania that ends on a high note, before it overstays its welcome.

Gato Roboto’s monochromatic presentation gives it a distinctive retro aesthetic, and being able to play as a cat is charming and fun. The environments are relatively compact, which makes sense for a small creature like a cat, but that also makes for straightforward navigation. You'll still discover new abilities and encounter challenging bosses, but the adventure rarely feels like it's padding its runtime with unnecessary bloat.

6 Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth

Closer to Pure Castlevania

Record of Lodoss War -Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth- Action Released March 12, 2020 ESRB T For Teen Due To Blood, Fantasy Violence, Partial Nudity, Simulated Gambling Platform(s)PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series SDeveloper Why so serious?, Team Ladybug Genre(s)Action Powered by ExpandCollapse

Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is a relatively short Metroidvania that makes its inspiration from Castlevania games more obvious even than other Metroidvania games. Its environments and progression system make it a good choice if you want a focused adventure.

Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is short and sweet: it can be completed in approximately five to six hours, depending on how much time you spend exploring. Its story is straightforward, which means it's perfect if you want to turn your brain off and focus on combat. Because it's so short, it's perfect for a weekend or a night in.

5 Touhou Luna Nights

Saving Time in More Than One Way

Touhou Luna Nights Action Metroidvania Released August 20, 2018 ESRB e Platform(s)PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox OneDeveloper Vaka Game Magazine, Team Ladybug Genre(s)Action, Metroidvania Powered by ExpandCollapse

Touhou Luna Nights takes a particularly interesting approach to Metroidvania combat because it introduces time manipulation as one of its central mechanics. As you progress through the levels, you'll encounter increasingly challenging enemies and bosses that require you to understand how your time-manipulation abilities work.

The mechanic is particularly effective because it influences almost every aspect of the experience, a sign of good game design and makes sure that every mechanic does something productive. Touhou Luna Nights is also relatively short, taking approximately five hours to complete. The intentional design means you can enjoy it without having to spend dozens of hours working through repetitive encounters.

4 Blade Chimera

A Different Combat Experience

If you're looking for a Metroidvania that prioritizes combat and movement, Blade Chimera is worth checking out. Blade Chimera combines the traditional Metroidvania level design with a unique weapon mechanic that changes up combat and makes it more interesting.

Because of its focus on the weapon mechanic, there's also considerable emphasis on responsive combat and movement. Its progression system gives you opportunities to improve your character's capabilities without making repetitive grinding the central focus of the experience. This is the perfect game if you like Metroidvania combat without the frustration you get in Soulslikes. The warp skill makes travel instantaneous, and removes a lot of needless repetition.

3 Astalon: Tears of the Earth

Game Design with Intention

Astalon: Tears of the Earth Action Adventure Released June 3, 2021 ESRB T // Blood, Fantasy Violence Developer(s) LABS Works Platform(s)PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Windows, macOS, LinuxGenre(s)Action, Adventure Powered by ExpandCollapse

Astalon: Tears of the Earth is one of the more traditional Metroidvanias on this list. It shows that good level design can make longer games feel short, and it does that by centering its exploration around a tower. Because you can freely switch between three characters with different abilities, there's some strategy required to excel in this game.

Astalon is considerably more challenging and demanding than many other Metroidvanias, but its carefully constructed environments make the additional time feel purposeful. It's a great choice if you enjoy that classic Metroidvania design and want something that offers a little more depth.

2 Ori and the Blind Forest

A Breathtaking Adventure

Ori and The Blind Forest Platformer Adventure Released March 11, 2015 ESRB E For Everyone due to Mild Fantasy Violence Publisher(s)Microsoft Game StudiosPlatform(s)Xbox One, Switch, PCGenre(s)Platformer, Adventure Powered by ExpandCollapse

Ori and the Blind Forest is one of those games that changes you. It's a whimsical, beautiful, and emotional experience, and yet it also understands the importance of maintaining momentum, something that's crucial for good game design. Because of this, its exploration feels like an important part of the journey, rather than something you have to endure between major encounters.

Ori avoids tedious backtracking with a Soul Link checkpoint system, which lets you place your own checkpoints. This gives you considerably more control over your progress and allows you to prepare for particularly challenging sections. It's just one mechanic that forms the greater whole of a good game.

1 Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

The Last Say in Intentional Game Design

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Action Platformer 2D8.8/10Released January 18, 2024 ESRB T For Teen Due To Blood, Mild Language, Violence Developer(s)Ubisoft MontpellierFranchisePrince of PersiaPlatform(s)Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox OneGenre(s)Action, Platformer, 2D Powered by ExpandCollapse

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is arguably one of the best examples of a modern Metroidvania that respects the player's time. While its interconnected world is packed with things to do, it also includes several quality-of-life mechanics that make exploration considerably less frustrating.

One of these mechanics is the Memory Shard system, which allows you to simply refer back to your screenshots when you've acquired the necessary abilities. Guided Mode is also a big help, as it shows you where to go next without forcing you to follow a predetermined route. These mechanics guide you rather than hold your hand, but they're a lifesaver that stops you from getting stuck in one place for hours and reaching for a guide.