History SoYouWantTo / MakeAMetroidvania

* LevelGrinding[=/=]MoneyGrinding: Or, even worse, ForcedLevelGrinding. Making the player do this goes pretty strongly against the idea of a game based around exploration (they'll want to be exploring new areas, not killing the same room full of mooks over and over again!). If the player can level up, either make it optional or give them an AbsurdlyLowLevelCap to avoid this.

* GrapplingHookPistol: Or some other means of letting the player pull themselves up to higher ground (as well as a means of ripping shields or armour off enemies to expose them). See ''VideoGame/BionicCommando'' for an excellent implementation of grappling hook physics.

* WarpWhistle: This can make travelling a lot less frustrating, but might discourage players from exploring too much.

# '''The Environment''': Even if the player character never interacts with another intelligent being or [[SilentProtagonist speaks a single word]], abandoned camps, ruined civilizations, or even some non-hostile fauna can all (to use a clichéd expression) tell their own story. In addition, changes to older areas (in addition to reassuring the player they're [[EventFlag getting somewhere]]) can create a sense of a moving narrative as well as add a bit of variety to the BackTracking ("Who left this rabid wilderbeast here!?") or serve as a not-too-specific clue where to go next ("So where did that come from...").

# '''It's easier to write a story than avoid one''': The gameplay in a Metroidvania creates a sort of narrative of its own; the PlayerCharacter grows, even if his/her personality isn't [[CharacterDevelopment developed]], and the players, themselves, will (hopefully) go on a journey from a single square on the map to knowing every nook and cranny. Take advantage of it, but remember...

* ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaIISimonsQuest'' -- While it was the first game in the Castlevania series to actually be a Metroidvania, it's a masterclass in how ''not'' to do a lot of the genre's mechanics. It enforced a lot of backtracking (when each screen transition involved LoadsAndLoadsOfLoading) and grinding for the sake of padding the game (the only way to heal was to return to a town, the only way to buy items was with hearts, which were lost after dying); not to mention annoying audio and interrupts as the game shifted (randomly) from day to night. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aip2aIt0ROM See this video by]] ''Creator/{{Egoraptor}}'' for an in-depth analysis of its flaws.

* ''VideoGame/HollowKnight'' -- A modern classic comparable to the above two, and takes plenty of inspiration from both (WordOfGod confirms other classics as inspirations, such as ''Faxanadu'' mentioned below). As a game made in the 2010s, it also shows heavy influence from ''Dark Souls'' (also mentioned below) such as the possibility of [[RPGElements different character builds]] affecting your playstyle, losing all your money upon dying, and interspersed {{autosave}}[[SavePoint points]].

* ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' -- While it's primarily an ActionRPG, the exploration element is very similar to a Metroidvania (not unlike its [[SpiritualSequel spiritual prequel]], ''VideoGame/VagrantStory''). In particular, note how the game rewards exploration (with hidden items and sequence breaking), but also quite harshly punishes dying (forcing the player to balance the risks and rewards of exploring, since getting killed in the wrong place could cost them all their accumulated souls). It's a great constrast to the aforementioned ''Hollow Knight'': whereas that game is a pure Metroidvania with RPGElements, ''Dark Souls''is an ActionRPG with Metroidvania elements.

* ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' -- While it's primarily an ActionRPG, the exploration element is very similar to a Metroidvania (not unlike its [[SpiritualSequel spiritual prequel]], ''VideoGame/VagrantStory''). In particular, note how the game rewards exploration (with hidden items and sequence breaking), but also quite harshly punishes dying (forcing the player to balance the risks and rewards of exploring, since getting killed in the wrong place could cost them all their accumulated souls).

* CriticalAnnoyance: This can be incorporated into the music to make it less likely to be a MostAnnoyingSound. Options include making the music more frantic as the PC loses health, or adding a HeartbeatSoundtrack.
* MostAnnoyingSound: This can be hard to avoid (especially for sounds which are meant to warn the player, which usually ''need'' to be irritating to some degree), but there are ways to reduce it:

* MutuallyExclusivePowerups: Be weary of making the player trek back to an older location just to switch powerups out, but this can still make for an interesting mechanic (or replay value, if the player has to stick with their choice for the rest of the game).

* SavePoint: In the distant future of the 21st Century, computers and consoles have enough memory that any game can have a "save anywhere" feature. That said, it's hard to imagine an metroidvania without them (where's the fun in deciding whether or not to press on if there isn't any risk?). AutoSave features can co-exist, but avoid letting the player {{Save Scum|ming}}.

* RevivingEnemy: These can be a good way to make a formerly dangerous area safer or just provide an obstacle in the form of a BeefGate.

The most important sound in a metroidvania is ''always'' the tune which accompanies an ItemGet (consider the enticing music which plays [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi4jKa6jaek while Link's rummaging through a treasure chest]], or the triumphant fanfare [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewQ6fRYfHvg whenever the player finds an item in a Metroid game]]). It needs to be short, sweet and memorable; the association will [[MostWonderfulSound do the rest]], as long as its tolerable. You can also use a shorter version in lieu of a chime for picking up extra health/ammo and a longer version for when the player picks up something especially cool (like a new piece of gear).

* AbilityRequiredToProceed: Smashing the same obstacle again and again isn't a puzzle on its own. Do your best to use your obstacles in interesting ways (Lighting torches opens doors? Make some of them traps which explode when lit or introduce a means of putting torches out and have the player work out the pattern!). Remember that while most games in the genre assume you'll need to "pick up" the abilities (i.e. you won't have all of them available from the start), this isn't mandatory. Games like ''VideoGame/TokiTori'' have demonstrated that it's perfectly possible to preserve the essence of this trope while having every ability available from the start ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=084BUNlI7Gk see here]] for a quick explanation).