The 2D sidescroller base that’s at the foundation of Metroidvanias is quite a bit older than that, though, so I think it’s fair to call it an older genre. Even though it is fairly evergreen.
The Castlevania date is a little misleading, however.
Castlevania changed from a simple linear level-based side-scroller to the open world exploration, progression, and backtracking formula of the Metroidvania genre with Symphony of the Night in 1997.
I certainly was when I was younger… Good ole Game Boy Color. Glad to see older genre’s are still going strong!
Wait… Older genres? Never thought of it that way but it is true that there are some new ones. When is a genre old? 20 years, 30 years?
The 2D sidescroller base that’s at the foundation of Metroidvanias is quite a bit older than that, though, so I think it’s fair to call it an older genre. Even though it is fairly evergreen.
Metroid (1986) and Castlevania (1986) comprise the portmanteau that is “Metroidvania”.
The Castlevania date is a little misleading, however.
Castlevania changed from a simple linear level-based side-scroller to the open world exploration, progression, and backtracking formula of the Metroidvania genre with Symphony of the Night in 1997.