There are a few genres from the early days of gaming that have persisted into the modern day. One of those genres that has fallen by the wayside a bit is the Metroidvania, pioneered by the Metroid and Castlevania franchises.
These games combine 2D side-scrolling action with dynamic puzzling that often requires players to double back once they've received new abilities, creating a replayability that is seldom found in other genres. In recent years, much of the genre has been supported by indies
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