Metroidvania History Quiz
What is the first Metroidvania (MV), going by its generally accepted definition today (2022)?
Brain Breaker
Below the Root
Metroid
A Journey to the Centre of the Earth
Castlevania II
Impossible Mission
Faxanadu
Super Metroid
The Sacred Armour of Antiriad/Rad Warrior
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
When did the term MV first come into use and how was it used?
1994 thanks to Super Metroid and Castlevania II, then used to describe a new subgenre of AA games combining elements of each series
1999 thanks to the Castlevania X Metroid crossover game for the N64
1997 thanks to Symphony of the Night, a smash hit at the time
2003 thanks to online publications starting to use it in reviews to describe the CV games designed similarly to Metroid games.
How did the evolution of platformers into MVs differ in the west compared to in Japan?
It didn't
The subgenre was ignored in favor of Mario-style games
Fewer MV games were made due to developers focusing on other genres or aspects of games.
Metroid was heavily associated with feminism, which the west was generally against at the time and so the subgenre struggled commercially
Which of these are alternate terms for MV games that people tend to use? Pick 3.
Platform Adventure
Metroid-like
Search Action
Action Adventure Platformer
Open World Platformer
Sidescrolling Action Adventure
Historically, are most MVs linear or non-linear in their overarching structure (area to area progression)?
Most are linear or mostly linear
Most are non-linear or mostly non-linear
MV and Open World are synonymous terms
While most MVs aren't ARPGs, there is a lot of overlap between the genres historically. Particularly in Japan. How did the evolution of ARPGs differ in the west?
Evolution stagnated until King's Field (PS1) and Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64) showed the west how it's done
In the west, a first person view game called Dungeon Master pretty much became the new standard for real-time gameplay in RPGs for a few years to come, up until Ultima Underworld and Elder Scrolls in the early '90s. The next major change came with the popularity of Diablo in 1996
It didn't
There were a lot of Quest for Glory clones and not much else
Which of these are subgenres or spinoffs to the MV subgenre?
Igavania (after Koji Igarashi)
Soulsvania
Roguevania
Sims-like
Zelda II-like
Clash at Demonhead-like or Crest-like
Kirbyvania
Rhythmvania
Another subgenre of AA games, which is rather similar to MVs as well as a bit older, is Zelda-likes. How do Zelda-likes generally differ from MVs? Pick 3.
Less focus on narration and NPC interaction
Overworld and dungeons world structure
No need to backtrack into a dungeon after you've beaten the boss and/or got the tool item in it
Melee combat only
No or less of a platforming focus
Zeldas are high fantasy while MVs are cyberpunk
What are the most influential games and series on the MV subgenre? Pick 8.
Early Zelda series
GTA III
Metroid 1-3
Castlevania II
Cave Story
Diablo series
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Metroid Prime
Hollow Knight
Pac-Man
Tomb Raider
Terraria
Shadow Complex
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
Ori and the Blind Forest
La Mulana
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is famous for starting you off at the finale of a reimagining of the previous game, but another similar game did this first. Which game?
Rygar
Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap
Wonder Boy in Monster World
The Maze of Galious
Metroid II
Gargoyle's Quest II
What were the last 8-bit MVs pre-2000s? Pick 4.
Wizards & Warriors III
Ghoul School
Wonder Boy in Monster World (SMS)
TMNT III (GB)
Tails' Adventure (GG)
Addams Family (SMS/NES)
Crystalis
Zillion II
What were the first two 3D Metroidvanias?
Castlevania 64
Strife
The Divide: Enemies Within
Powerslave/Exhumed
System Shock
Tomb Raider
Ultima Underworld
Metroid Prime
Jumping Flash
Tomba!
What are the 12 most popular MVs on Steam?
Touhou Luna Nights
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Death’s Gambit
Record of Lodoss War-Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth
Guacamelee!
Ori and the Blind Forest
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights
UnEpic
Supraland
Hollow Knight
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Axiom Verge
Carrion
Sundered
Blasphemous
Iconoclasts
Salt and Sanctuary
Dust: An Elysian Tail
Monster Sanctuary
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom
FIST: Forged In Shadow Torch
Cave Story
Which 6 countries stand out for having made more than one genre hybrid MV in recent years?
Australia
Sweden
Canada
Taiwan
United States
Germany
Netherlands
Brazil
Poland
Singapore
France
Japan
Which 6 games are considered the next major leap forward for the subgenre since CV: Symphony of the Night (according to Reddit)?
Metroid 6
Cave Story
CV: Portrait of Ruin
Toki Tori 2
La Mulana
Metroid Prime
CV: Aria of Sorrow
Hollow Knight
Environmental Station Alpha
Ori and the Blind Forest
Axiom Verge
Dark Souls
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