Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →If you want another game after Metroid Dread, start with Hollow Knight for the deepest interconnected world and toughest discovery-led combat. Choose SteamWorld Dig 2 for a shorter, friendlier loop of digging, upgrades and treasure. Choose Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown if fast combat, acrobatic movement and cinematic presentation matter most.
All three fit the broad Metroidvania formula, but they emphasize different parts of it. The guide below compares exploration, backtracking, combat, platforming, ability gating, atmosphere, session structure and Nintendo Switch 2 support so you can pick the right follow-up rather than simply the most famous title.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Hollow Knight - For Nintendo Switch | $42.20 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
![Hollow Knight - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51nXCF+sf5L._SL160_.jpg)
|
Hollow Knight - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code] | $14.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
![Hollow Knight: Silksong Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51mOgOC8xEL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Hollow Knight: Silksong Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code] | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
![HOLLOW KNIGHT [E10]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51gHoLA9kNL._SL160_.jpg)
|
HOLLOW KNIGHT [E10] | $33.39 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Shadow Labyrinth Nintendo Switch Standard Edition | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Quick answer: which Metroid-like should you play?
| Game | Best for | What feels most Metroid-like | Switch 2 note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hollow Knight | Players who want a large world, demanding combat and discovery-driven backtracking | Interconnected exploration, secrets and ability-led progress | Nintendo lists a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition; check the current regional product listing for the exact edition |
| SteamWorld Dig 2 | Players who prefer an approachable, compact progression loop | Digging, upgrades, treasure, secrets and traps | Nintendo marks the Switch version as supported on Nintendo Switch 2 |
| Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown | Players who prioritize fluid combat, acrobatics and cinematic presentation | Ability-gated exploration combined with precision movement and puzzles | Nintendo marks the Switch version as supported on Nintendo Switch 2 |
There is no single “best” choice for every Metroid fan. Hollow Knight is the strongest substitute for the feeling of getting lost in a hostile, interconnected map. SteamWorld Dig 2 is the easiest recommendation when you want steady upgrades without committing to a very long or punishing adventure. The Lost Crown is the best fit when movement and combat are the main attraction.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
What makes a game feel like Metroid?
“Metroid-like” usually means more than side-scrolling. The defining loop is exploration followed by a new ability, weapon or tool that changes where you can go. You revisit earlier areas, open previously unreachable routes, find optional secrets and gradually turn an unfamiliar map into a readable one.
#1 Best Overall
- Classic side-scrolling action, with all the modern trimmings. Dodge, dash and slash your way through even the most deadly adversaries.
- Tightly tuned 2D controls. Dodge, dash and slash your way through even the most deadly adversaries.
- Forge your own path! The world of Hallownest is expansive and open. Choose which paths you take, which enemies you face and find your own way forward.
- An enormous cast of cute and creepy characters all brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation.
- Leap into minds with the Dream Nail. Uncover a whole other side to the characters you meet and the enemies you face.
That loop has several parts, and different games weight them differently:
- Map structure: A connected world encourages you to remember blocked doors, suspicious walls and unexplored branches.
- Backtracking: Returning to an old location should reveal a meaningful route, shortcut, collectible or challenge rather than simply repeat a corridor.
- Ability gating: Progress is controlled by tools or movement abilities. The most satisfying gates make you recognize a solution when you return with the right upgrade.
- Combat: Enemies and bosses can make exploration itself a test, or combat can remain a lighter layer around the map.
- Platforming: Precision jumping, dashes, wall movement and environmental hazards determine how demanding navigation feels.
- Atmosphere: Isolation, mystery, visual storytelling and a strong sense of place are as important to many Metroid fans as the upgrade tree.
The three recommendations below all use this structure, but none is a direct replacement for every aspect of Metroid. Use the emphasis of each game as your deciding factor.
Hollow Knight: the deepest exploration-first choice
Why it suits Metroid fans
Hollow Knight is the closest match here for players who want a broad, interconnected world built around discovery. Nintendo describes its Switch 2 edition as classic side-scrolling action with modern enhancements. The important distinction is scale and structure: the game is designed around finding routes, learning how regions connect and returning when a new capability changes the map.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThat makes it a strong answer to “What should I play after Metroid Dread?” if your favorite part of Dread was exploration rather than a particular weapon or story beat. The game asks you to pay attention to landmarks and blocked passages instead of presenting every objective as a straight sequence.
Exploration, map size and backtracking
Of the three games in this guide, Hollow Knight is the clear choice for the largest-feeling interconnected journey. Its appeal comes from the relationship between areas: a discovery in one place can change the value of an earlier detour, and optional paths are part of the core experience rather than a separate checklist.
Backtracking is therefore a feature, not a flaw, if you enjoy building a mental map. Players who dislike revisiting areas should understand this emphasis before buying. The reward is a stronger sense of ownership over the world; the trade-off is that progress can feel less linear.
Combat and platforming
Hollow Knight is the demanding-combat recommendation. Expect combat to influence how you explore: positioning, timing and learning enemy behavior are part of making progress. Platforming and environmental hazards also matter, but the defining recommendation is its challenge rather than a claim about a particular control scheme or difficulty setting.
Rank #2
- Classic side-scrolling action, with all the modern trimmings.
- Forge your own path! The world of Hallownest is expansive and open. Choose which paths you take, which enemies you face and find your own way forward.
- Evolve with powerful new skills and abilities! Gain spells, strength and speed. Leap to new heights on ethereal wings. Dash forward in a blazing flash. Blast foes with fiery Soul!
- Equip Charms! Ancient relics that offer bizarre new powers and abilities. Choose your favorites and make your journey unique!
- An enormous cast of cute and creepy characters all brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation.
If you want a relaxed game in which combat rarely interrupts exploration, this is not the safest pick. If you want every new region to feel dangerous and every successful return to an earlier area to feel earned, it is the strongest fit.
Upgrades, atmosphere and session structure
Ability-led progress and secrets support the game’s discovery-first atmosphere. No verified total playtime, named review score or player-count statistic is established in the official information for Hollow Knight, so no numerical session estimate should be treated as authoritative. In practical terms, select it for depth and room to explore, not for a tightly bounded evening-sized campaign.
The art direction is atmospheric and focused on a mysterious world rather than a bright, purely mechanical adventure. That tone reinforces the feeling that you are uncovering a place whose history is not explained all at once.
Switch 2 buying check
Nintendo lists a Hollow Knight – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. Because edition names and retail availability can differ by region, open the current Nintendo product page for your territory and verify whether you are viewing the original Switch release, a Switch 2 edition or an upgrade path. Do not assume that a listing in another region has the same contents or purchase options.
SteamWorld Dig 2: an approachable mining Metroidvania
Why it suits Metroid fans
SteamWorld Dig 2 is the best recommendation when you want the Metroidvania loop in a more compact and approachable form. Nintendo describes it as “a platform mining adventure forged in Metroidvania flames.” That wording captures its central idea: you progress by digging, collecting resources and using upgrades to reach places that were previously out of reach.
It is a particularly good answer for players who enjoy the satisfaction of an upgrade changing the map but do not want the largest or most demanding world available on Switch.
Digging, upgrades and route planning
The core loop combines mining with exploration. You make routes through the underground, look for treasure and secrets, avoid traps and decide how far to push before returning to improve your equipment. This gives backtracking a practical purpose: an upgrade is not merely a combat increase; it changes what you can extract and which hazards you can safely negotiate.
Rank #3
- Discover the fallen insect kingdom of Pharloom! Explore mossy grottos, gilded cities and misted moors as you ascend to the shining citadel at the top of the world.
- Engage in lethal acrobatic action! Wield a huge suite of deadly moves as you dance between foes in swift, beautiful combat.
- Craft powerful tools! Master an ever-expanding arsenal of weapons, traps, and mechanisms to vanquish your enemies and explore new heights.
- Solve shocking quests! Hunt down rare beasts and solve ancient mysteries to grant the wishes of the downtrodden and restore the kingdom’s hope.
- Face over 200 ferocious foes! Beasts and hunters, monsters and knights. Defeat them all with bravery and skill!
Compared with Hollow Knight, the progression loop is more compact. That does not mean every player will finish in a specific number of hours—no verified playtime is provided in the official information for SteamWorld Dig 2—but it does make the game easier to approach in shorter sessions. Choose it when you want visible progress each time you play.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Combat, platforming and difficulty
The official description emphasizes mining, upgrades, treasure, secrets and traps rather than a particular combat difficulty. For that reason, it is more accurate to call SteamWorld Dig 2 approachable than to assign it a numerical difficulty or promise that every encounter will be easy.
Platforming is part of navigating the mine, while traps make route choice matter. Players who prefer exploration problems and resource decisions to relentless combat pressure will find its balance appealing.
Atmosphere and session length
The game has a playful, mechanical identity built around a mining adventure. Its shorter-feeling loop makes it a useful second game alongside a larger adventure: you can return, buy or unlock an improvement, then immediately test it in a new tunnel or previously blocked area.
No official session-length figure is published for SteamWorld Dig 2. Treat “compact” as a description of the progression structure, not a promise of a fixed completion time.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallCrashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteSwitch 2 compatibility
Nintendo marks the Switch version as supported on Nintendo Switch 2. Compatibility labels can still vary by product page, region and edition, so confirm the label on the individual listing before purchasing. Support means the game can be played on the newer console; it does not by itself establish that every version has a paid upgrade, enhanced resolution or additional features.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown: combat and acrobatics first
Why it suits Metroid fans
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is the right choice when your ideal Metroid-like game is built around movement. Nintendo lists the Switch release date as January 18, 2024. Ubisoft describes it as a Metroidvania in which players “manipulate time and space” while mastering acrobatic combat, exploring biomes, solving puzzles and completing quests.
Rank #4
- Includes four giant bonus content packs: Hidden Dreams, The Grimm Troupe, Lifeblood, and Godmaster
- Classic side-scrolling action, with all modern trimmings
- Tightly tuned 2D controls. Dodge, dash, and slash your way through even the most deadly adversaries
- Explore a vast interconnected world of forgotten highways, overgrown wilds, and ruined cities
- Forge your own path. The world of Hallownest is expansive and open. Choose which paths you take, which enemies you face, and find your own way forward
That description signals a different emphasis from Hollow Knight. The attraction is not only discovering a connected map; it is moving through that map with a broad acrobatic toolkit and combining movement with combat and environmental problem-solving.
Platforming and combat
Fluid combat and acrobatic platforming are the principal reasons to choose this game. If you enjoy the feeling of chaining movement through a dangerous room, clearing an encounter and immediately using a new ability to reinterpret the environment, it is the most natural fit of the three.
The official description also identifies time and space manipulation as part of play. That places puzzles and traversal alongside fighting rather than treating them as occasional diversions. It is a good option for players who want a more cinematic presentation and a strong action-game rhythm.
Exploration, quests and ability gates
The game is described as a Metroidvania, with biomes, puzzles and quests. Those terms establish an exploration structure, but Nintendo and Ubisoft’s published descriptions do not state a total map size, a precise amount of backtracking or a definitive completion time. Do not compare it to Hollow Knight using invented area counts or hours.
Instead, decide based on what you want to do while exploring: The Lost Crown gives equal weight to traversal challenges, combat encounters and quest objectives. That makes it suitable for players who prefer clear activities within a larger adventure rather than a world whose mystery is the main reward.
Switch 2 compatibility
Nintendo marks the Switch version as supported on Nintendo Switch 2. Check the individual product page for your region before buying, especially if you are choosing between a physical cartridge, a digital listing or any separately identified upgrade. The January 18, 2024 date applies to the Nintendo Switch release listed by Nintendo.
Recommended Free Tools
Side-by-side comparison
| Comparison point | Hollow Knight | SteamWorld Dig 2 | Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Map and backtracking | Large, interconnected, discovery-driven backtracking | Compact progression built around revisiting mining areas with better tools | Metroidvania exploration across biomes; exact map scale and backtracking amount not stated |
| Combat difficulty | Demanding combat is a central recommendation | Official material emphasizes mining and upgrades; exact combat difficulty not stated | Fluid, acrobatic combat is a primary attraction; exact difficulty range not stated |
| Platforming precision | Side-scrolling movement and hazards support exploration; exact precision requirements not stated | Platforming and traps shape mining routes | Acrobatic platforming and movement are defining features |
| Ability and upgrade gating | New capabilities make earlier areas worth revisiting | Equipment and upgrades expand what you can dig through and collect | Time/space abilities, puzzles and quests structure progress |
| Atmosphere and art direction | Mysterious, atmospheric world focused on discovery | Playful mechanical mining-adventure identity | Cinematic presentation and a mythological world |
| Expected session length | Exact playtime not stated; designed for a deep, expansive journey | Exact playtime not stated; compact loop suits shorter sessions | Exact playtime not stated |
| Accessibility options | Not stated in the official information for Hollow Knight | Not stated in the official information for SteamWorld Dig 2 | Not stated in the official information for Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown |
| Switch 2 status | Nintendo Switch 2 Edition listed; verify the regional listing | Switch version marked supported on Nintendo Switch 2 | Switch version marked supported on Nintendo Switch 2 |
Choose by the kind of Metroid experience you want
If you want the biggest sense of discovery
Pick Hollow Knight. Its large interconnected world and demanding combat make exploration itself the main event. It is the recommendation for players who enjoy getting temporarily lost, marking mental landmarks and returning later with a new way through.
Best Value
- Includes Base Game
- Search the remnants of an age-old intergalactic conflict, started long before your arrival, and discover new powers and abilities
- Master the fluid combat and combine powerful skills to create a playstyle of your own
- Team up with PUCK, and dive deeper into the maze of a mysterious alien world
If you want a shorter, clearer upgrade loop
Pick SteamWorld Dig 2. Digging gives every upgrade an immediate practical purpose, while treasure, secrets and traps keep individual runs through the mine meaningful. It is the most approachable option when you want progress without committing to the broadest world.
If you want movement and action above all else
Pick Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Its emphasis on acrobatic combat, time and space manipulation, puzzles and biomes makes it the strongest choice for players who value fluid traversal and cinematic action.
If you are unsure about difficulty
Use the emphasis rather than an unsupported numerical ranking. Hollow Knight is explicitly the demanding-combat pick. SteamWorld Dig 2 is presented as approachable, but its official description does not define a difficulty scale. The Lost Crown foregrounds fluid combat and acrobatics without a published difficulty comparison in official descriptions.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
How to check Nintendo Switch 2 compatibility before buying
Nintendo says Switch 2 can play compatible physical and digital Nintendo Switch games, while some titles may be unsupported or not fully compatible. Nintendo also says that some games receive free updates or paid upgrades for Switch 2. Compatibility is therefore a product-by-product question, not a guarantee that every Switch game behaves identically on the new console.
- Open the individual Nintendo product page. Search for the exact game and edition you intend to buy, not only the franchise name.
- Find the compatibility label. Confirm that the page identifies the title as supported on Nintendo Switch 2 or lists a Switch 2 edition.
- Read the edition details. Check whether the listing refers to the original Switch software, a free update or a paid upgrade. Do not infer the upgrade model from another region.
- Match the format. If you are buying a cartridge, verify physical-game support; if buying digitally, verify that the digital listing is the one covered by the compatibility statement.
- Recheck regional availability. Nintendo can show different editions, release information or purchase options by territory. Confirm the page for your country immediately before purchase.
For this shortlist, Nintendo lists a Switch 2 Edition for Hollow Knight and marks the Switch versions of SteamWorld Dig 2 and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown as supported. Those labels are the safest basis for a purchase decision; claims about enhancement features, pricing or retail stock require checking the live regional listing.
A practical play order
If you want to sample the formula before committing to a large adventure, start with SteamWorld Dig 2. Its mining-and-upgrade loop demonstrates the central Metroidvania idea in a compact form.
Move to Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown if you want to make movement, combat and puzzles the focus of your next game. It broadens the formula with acrobatics, quests and time-and-space abilities.
Save Hollow Knight for when you want the most exploration-heavy option and are comfortable with demanding combat and substantial backtracking. This order moves from compact progression to action-focused exploration and finally to the deepest discovery-led world in the shortlist.
Quick Recap
Common buying mistakes
- Choosing by the word “Metroidvania” alone: The label does not tell you whether combat, platforming, mining or atmosphere dominates. Use the emphasis of each recommendation.
- Assuming all Switch games are fully enhanced on Switch 2: Nintendo distinguishes compatible software from games with free updates or paid upgrades.
- Expecting an official playtime number: No robust named playtime statistic is published for these titles in their official information.
- Ignoring regional listings: Edition names, physical availability and upgrade paths can vary by territory.
- Buying the hardest fit for your preferred session: Choose the compact mining loop for shorter, clearer progress; choose the expansive interconnected world when you want a longer exploration commitment.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
