There are a great number of Metroidvania games from 2026 already, releasing throughout the year to add excellent entries into a genre all about beautiful worlds to explore. However, there are still some exciting Metroidvanias coming out before the year ends, including some that continue series tied to the genre’s inception. With that in mind, players can look forward to particular titles that push out new innovations, whether it’s fascinatingly beautiful hand-drawn animation or rich stories begging to be experienced.
Some titles like MIO: Memories of Orbit have already become a trailblazer among Metroidvanias this year, yet many would argue that the best is yet to come. This come after the incredibly anticipated release of Hollow Knight: Silksong in 2025, which was developed over the course of a half decade to reach its highly refined state. With multiple Metroidvanias in 2026, they reflect multiple years of work for similarly polished, exciting adventures for fans of the genre to try.
Undoubtedly the biggest Metroidvania coming out this year is Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, which is set to release in October 2026. This game continues the Castlevania series that helped establish the genre alongside Metroid, almost acting as a return to form after a long period of absence. Developed by the same creators behind Dead Cells, the group who made an excellent Castlevania crossover in that game’s DLC, Belmont’s Curse is clearly being produced by a team that adores all of the franchise’s history.
The gorgeous environments of Belmont’s Curse are already clear through the gameplay snippets shown for the game, which takes place in a historical period of France as Dracula’s Castle appears once again. Dynamic levels call back to the series’ gothic origins, with players traversing the castle’s dark interior alongside a variety of other stunning locations. Several characters players might recognize from Castlevania‘s history are set to show up in Belmont’s Curse too, including Trevor Belmont, and a new protagonist that shared the family’s lineage.
Everything about this game is nostalgic Castlevania, from the combat against enemies to the special powers players seem to be able to get as they progress. Bosses are a huge part of the game too, with a few recently revealed alongside a stellar voice acting cast. Returning characters like Issac merge with classic bosses, such as Death, Medusa, and even Dracula himself. This game doesn’t seem to be a spiritual successor, but rather a direct sequel to what has come before, likely creating a Metroidvania for everyone to jump into.
For anyone who prefers a faster-paced Metroidvania, Aeterna Lucis is an upcoming title that might be more their speed. Defined by swift, relentless combat encounters, this game offers a rich story among a huge interconnected map that offers challenges in unique ways, encouraging those eager to prove themselves to search for new obstacles. A sequel to Aeterna Noctis, Aeterna Lucis follows the events of the first game, continuing a journey of balancing Light and Darkness after unintended consequences from the last adventure.
The new protagonist of Aeterna Lucis has a variety of new abilities, making the game far different than what has come before while still remaining somewhat familiar. The Metroidvania world of this title is more diverse than its predecessor, with more diverse biomes and regions to explore and double-back to for various secrets. Optional challenges are scattered around the world in greater number, which are easier to engage with through refined controls established in Aeterna Noctis.
The hand drawn glass art of this game is wonderful to look at, with coherent design consistencies making every region, enemy, and boss feel connected to the overall world. Alternate routes toward new areas make discovery feel impactful, and the result of your individual choices within Aeterna Lucis. Although a straightforward Metroidvania through and through, Aeterna Lucis represents an understanding of the genre elevated by an enjoyable soundtrack and meticulous attention to world details.
Mariachi Legends is perhaps my personal favorite upcoming Metroidvania of this year, mainly due to the stunning pixel-art design this game has. Almost like Blasphemous or Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Mariachi Legends is equally dark and vibrant, with stylized art that pops at every frame of animation or gameplay. This game takes place in the heart of Mexico, where detective protagonist Pablo Cruz works with Death herself to fight against evil. Using the mystical powers of La Sombra, you’ll fight criminals and other supernatural threats within a deep, varied world.
As La Sombra, you can customize a brutal combat style to reflect your own preferences, equipping an arsenal of different weapons that suit your taste of justice. The fighting style you adopt could be centered on guns, magic, swords, whips, and more, all depending on how you want your adventures to proceed. Other abilities make the fighting of Mariachi Legends exciting, including Castlevania-inspired skills for La Sombra to unleash in the allies he travels through.
There are many qualities that make Mariachi Legends stand out from other Metroidvanias, including a dynamic hub world whose changes influence familiar levels and a cast of NPCs with gameplay benefits. Some of the most interesting features of this game include:
Embracing fortune and history adds so much replayability to Mariachi Legends, especially when you factor in the amount of ways levels can change. Areas during the Day are not the same during a Full Moon, with Sun and Moon gates hiding plenty of secrets within certain locations. There is simply a ton of variety in this Metroidvania, whether it’s forging relationships with favorite characters or constantly experimenting with shifting map changes throughout your journey.
For fans of Ori and the Blind Forest‘s art style, a game like Dumbriel: Magnificent Adventures in Hell might be a fascinating experiences, as this Metroidvania’s world shares the same “lived-in” quality. Originally beginning as a Kickstarter project, Dumbriel has come a long way, planning to launch in Q3 2026 with a large, interconnected and hellish landscape for players to get lost in. This game has similarities to the original Hollow Knight in gameplay, with you controlling a small character capable of attacking, dodging, and using other abilities to fight monsters in a strange world.
Unlike Hollow Knight, though, the character in Dumbriel can pick up a variety of weapons to face different challenges. A big focus of this game is actually on crafting systems rather than simply finding whatever item or ability you need to progress. To move forward, you’ll have to craft elixirs designed to make the the journey a little easier, while also applying upgrades to your arsenal as you find new tools. The maze-like nature of Dumbriel‘s map is also full of environmental traps, adding a level of danger to exploration that not every Metroidvania is brave enough to try.
One of the best aspects of Dumbriel is how you can form bonds with various demons, changing how they interact with you based on your actions. For example, you can barter with specific characters to lower their prices, making some items easier to get. Multi-phase boss fights and challenging platforming segments add interesting gameplay elements to this title too, turning Dumbriel: Magnificent Adventures in Hell into a memorable Metroidvania from its blend of ideas alone.
Well Dweller is a Metroidvania inspired by dark fantasy, full of charming characters and terrifying enemy designs that will unnerve you just as much as it will charm you. As the protagonist Glimmer, you have a simple matchstick and a purpose — to burn the wicked queen of a corrupt world to save your family. This game is perhaps the simplest one on this list when it comes to gameplay, but this is more than made up by the almost bullet hell enemy design that emphasizes movement rather than fast-paced combat.
As you might expect, the world in Well Dweller is massive, and full of secrets to discover through collectible items and specialized tools to help beat certain areas. The physics and interactions of this game are never expressed plainly, instead allowing your creativity to flow in crucial moments. Precise platforming often defines your journey, as well as several puzzles that may leave you scratching your head for the right solution. Trinkets you find during your adventure can upgrade your abilities, but you’re limited in what you can carry, so mixing and matching what items work best adds some personalization.
Customizing your own gameplay is one of the best mechanics you can have in a Metroidvania, as Well Dweller shows in its available demo on Steam. Some of the games mentioned here have previews public through their own demos, meant for players to try their Metroidvania experiences before their launch in 2026.
