The History Of The Word “Metroidvania” And How It Spread – A Critical Hit (2025)

TITLE
The History Of The Word “Metroidvania” And How It Spread

AUTHOR
Kate Willaert

PUBLICATION
A Critical Hit

YEAR
2025

ARTICLE TYPE
Article
Documentary

EMBED

FROM THE ARTICLE
“Metroidvania” is a portmanteau of Nintendo’s Metroid and Konami’s Castlevania. But how has its meaning changed over time?

What got its Wikipedia page deleted for almost a decade?

And why do some people still insist that Metroid is not a Metroidvania?

GAMES MENTIONED
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Metroid
Shadow Complex

PEOPLE MENTIONED
Duckroll
Richard Hutnik
Koji Igarashi
Donald Mustard
Christian Nutt
Ed Oscuro
Jeremy Parish
Scott Sharkey
Morgan Webb

TOPICS MENTIONED
Etymology

ALTERNATE LINK
Transcript @ A Critical Hit