It’s rare for two unconnected video game franchises to be linked as closely as Castlevania and Metroid, especially considering their differences on every level except gameplay.
The “Metroidvania” genre takes its name from both Castlevania and Metroid, with a focus on exploration of a map that gradually opens up as the player unlocks new abilities and items. For many, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Super Metroid were the titles that spawned the genre, being all-time classics that showed the world just how fun exploring could be.
But how do these iconic franchises stack up against each other? A Belmont wandering the dark halls of Dracula’s castle with a whip in hand feels worlds apart from Samus searching an infested space station, ready to shoot anything that enters her view, but how different are they really?
The list won’t factor in pieces of media outside of the video games, such as the Netflix Castlevania show or the many Metroid manga. This list is focused entirely on the official video games. It also won’t factor in cameos in other games, such as the Castlevania Vampire Survivors DLC.
10 Contemporaneity
Winner – Metroid
While Castlevania and Metroid are beloved franchises with incredible critical reception, that hasn’t always translated into sales. Both Konami and Nintendo have treated these series as low priority, to the point where the fandoms feel lucky whenever they get any new content.
Konami has been on a revival tour of late, with Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater receiving an acclaimed remake that will likely lead to more down the line. Meanwhile, Silent Hill f is in the running for GOTY 2025, while the remake of Silent Hill 2 was well received by fans of the original.
Castlevania has yet to see the same kind of love, with the ports of the Nintendo DS games being the best fans can expect. While they did get the TV show and DLC in games like V Rising, there is no word on any Castlevania remakes or new entries.
While Metroid doesn’t get the love it deserves, fans have still received the occasional awesome title, like Metroid Dread. The release of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is also on the horizon, and the footage revealed so far is incredible, potentially being another GOTY contender.
9 Narrative & Lore
Castlevania
Like most video games, there doesn’t appear to be any long-term plans for either the Castlevania or Metroid franchises. It seems that the developers just add onto the timeline, tying in previous events where it’s convenient and ignoring them when necessary.
In terms of lore, Castlevania is the clear winner, with a story that transcends generations of vampire hunters, fighting Dracula and his servants throughout human history. The Belmonts and their allies have bloodlines that maintain vigilance for the return of evil even into the modern day, which means tons of history and lore for the developers to call on.
Metroid, meanwhile, doesn’t delve into its lore as much, because there’s just not as much there. While there are a handful of recurring characters outside of Samus, the Metroid series is more focused on gameplay than creating an expanded universe.
8 Difficulty
Metroid
We’ll discount the NES entries of both franchises for the purposes of this list, since they’re all as teeth-scratchingly frustrating as each other, and move on to the Metroidvania era, starting with Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
There’s a clear disparity in difference between the two franchises, as Castlevania is more RPG, while Metroid is more action. This means that Castlevania players can level up their heroes for stat boosts, switch out their equipment loadout, use powerful healing items in battle, and call on a bevy of powers in their toolbox to help them.
The Metroid games tend to offer far fewer options in battle, forcing the player to rely on what they have and master the mechanics that are available to them. Maybe it’s the Souls fan in me talking, but I love that Metroid doesn’t compromise its difficulty, forcing players to rise to the game’s level, rather than offering cheap ways to overcome challenges.
7 Storytelling
Castlevania
Ultimately, the reason anyone plays a Castlevania or Metroid game is for the gameplay. Sure, if Konami and Nintendo made visual novels based on these franchises, they’d get a few sales from the diehards, but the public would turn their nose up at a chance to explore Ridley’s inner feelings.
Regardless, some people do like the stories in their games, and Castlevania is the clear winner in actually having a narrative in each game. Metroid players are lucky if they get chat logs or voice calls to tell them what’s happening.
Meanwhile, Castlevania games are filled to the brim with characters and cutscenes that escalate the current conflict and prod the player further on their journey. Metroid just isn’t as involved with Samus’ story, except in one notable exception (Metroid: Other M), which the fans all hated.
6 Art Direction
Castlevania
This is a very tough one to call, especially as both franchises have been interpreted by so many different artists over the years. This isn’t always a good thing, as Castlevania almost lost based on the designs created by the Death Note artist for Castlevania Judgment.
However, Castlevania wins due to the sheer volume of characters, monsters, and locations it has featured over the years, all of which have been realized via absolutely gorgeous artwork.
Metroid’s small cast and limited number of settings (some of which are very similar) hold it back. It’s a shame, as this might be the closest call between the two franchises, but Metroid hasn’t produced anything that quite matches the Ayami Kojima artwork for Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
5 Music
Castlevania
Surprisingly, it’s the music that accentuates the differences between these two franchises that seem so similar on the surface. Metroid is dark sci-fi, which results in moodier tunes that help set the atmosphere, while Castlevania is gothic horror with two massive spoonfuls of anime poured in.
Metroid has some incredible tracks, but they tend to all meld together when played back-to-back. This matches the tone of the franchise perfectly, but it doesn’t result in many all-time bangers that people add to their Spotify list.
Meanwhile, Castlevania has incredible tunes like “Vampire Killer” and “Divine Bloodlines” are the kind you can throw on during any gaming session or road trip and be immediately ready to whip some vampires in the face.
4 Characters
Castlevania
This is an easy win for Castlevania, considering that they have far, far more interest in exploring the personalities of its heroes and villains. The Metroid cast barely have an identity outside their appearance, and what is there isn’t that fascinating to behold.
While I won’t factor in the Castlevania Netflix show on this list, it bears mentioning that it was possible even to make one at all. Could Nintendo even make a Metroid movie or TV show? Well, yes, but most of the content would have to be made up by the writers, including fleshing out Samus’ personality.
This isn’t to say that every Belmont or incarnation of Dracula has Shakespearean-level depth, but there are plenty that are fleshed out and actually interesting to see in cutscenes. Metroid is more about the spectacle, but those who enjoy exploring characters will find little of interest here.
3 The 2D Games
Castlevania
This is a very close race, as both series have produced all-time classics. Metroid has Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion, Metroid: Zero Mission, Metroid: Samus Returns, and most recently, Metroid Dread.
For the 2D category, Castlevania has Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, and Castlevania: Harmony of Despair.
When nailing down the winner, I’m going to give it to the Castlevania series. I just have more fun exploring castles than space stations. The RPG elements give the games more of an identity, unlike Metroid, where the games can be too similar for their own good.
2 The 3D Games
Metroid
It might seem as if Castlevania has swept the board so far, but unfortunately, there’s one aspect in which Metroid decimates it — the 3D entries.
The third dimension hasn’t been kind to Castlevania, with the best of them just being average, and the rest being absolutely terrible. Even Hideo Kojima couldn’t pull out all the stops and make an amazing 3D Castlevania.
Meanwhile, Metroid produced the three incredible Metroid Prime games. Sure, Metroid: Other M also exists, but people dislike it more for story and character reasons, rather than the actual gameplay.
Metroid has consistently produced classic 3D titles, with a fourth title on the way that could easily join the roster. Meanwhile, Castlevania has continually fumbled the ball, with the Vampire Killer whip just never quite meshing with the third dimension.
1 Winner
Castlevania
Metroid almost took the win at the last minute with the 3D games. In the end, dimensions don’t matter when it comes to Metroidvanias, as there have been plenty of amazing examples across 2D and 3D.
Castlevania has done more to experiment and spread its wings over the years. Sure, it hasn’t always succeeded, but when it does, it has resulted in some incredible titles. Metroid fans are lucky if they get a new move or weapon in their games, though Metroid Prime 4: Beyond does appear to be shaking things up a bit more than usual.
If I were going to do a replay of one game today and I had to choose between Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Super Metroid, it’s an easy pick for Alucard. That game has so many different ways to play it that I know I could squeeze more life out of it, making it feel as if it were new again. The Metroid games lack that kind of replayability for me, which is why Dracula takes the win.
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Author: 360 Technology Group
