Building A Metroidvania Game In Unity

Creating a Metroidvania game is an exciting challenge for any game developer. This genre, known for its sprawling interconnected world, exploration, and ability-based progression, requires careful planning and organization. In this article, we'll explore the fundamental concepts of Metroidvania games, the core elements needed to fit the genre, and why understanding these elements upfront is crucial for a more organized development process in Unity.

What is a Metroidvania?

A Metroidvania game is a subgenre of action-adventure games, combining elements from Metroid and Castlevania franchises. The hallmark of this genre is a large, interconnected world that players can explore, but with areas that are initially inaccessible. As players progress, they unlock new abilities or items that allow them to backtrack and access previously unreachable zones, gradually unfolding the game's world.

Key Concepts in Metroidvania

Interconnected World: The world in Metroidvania games is often one large, continuous map that loops back into itself. This non-linear design encourages exploration.
Progression Through Abilities: Progression is tied to obtaining abilities or items, such as double jump, dash, or the ability to break specific barriers.
Backtracking: With new abilities, players are encouraged to revisit earlier areas to uncover new paths, secrets, or upgrades.
Exploration: Exploration is a core feature, with hidden paths, secret rooms, and upgrades incentivizing players to thoroughly navigate the map.

Game Elements for a Metroidvania

When developing a Metroidvania game in Unity, you'll need to consider a palette of core game elements that define the genre:

Character Abilities: These are the core of player progression. Abilities like wall climbing, double jumps, dashes, or weapon upgrades should be carefully planned and integrated into your game design. Consider how these abilities open new pathways or affect combat mechanics.
Level Design & Backtracking: The layout of your world needs to guide players toward goals but also restrict access until they unlock certain abilities. Implement gates or barriers that require specific items or powers to pass, encouraging backtracking once those abilities are acquired.
Enemy and Boss Encounters: Combat is essential in Metroidvania games. You'll need a variety of enemies that scale with the player's abilities and bosses that require strategy and pattern recognition. Bosses can also serve as gatekeepers for new abilities.
Upgrades & Collectibles: Health boosts, energy upgrades, and new weapons provide a sense of progression and reward for exploration. Hidden upgrades can add depth to your world and encourage players to explore every corner.
Map & Navigation System: An in-game map is essential to help players navigate the large, interconnected world. This system should highlight areas that are yet to be explored and indicate zones that require specific abilities to access.

Analyzing the Genre & Organizing Development

Before jumping into development, it's essential to thoroughly analyze the Metroidvania genre. Understanding the structure of successful games in this space will help you design better progression systems, level layouts, and enemy encounters.

Steps to Organize Development

Outline the Abilities: List out the core abilities your player will gain and how they will impact world exploration and combat.
Plan Level Structure: Sketch out the world design, noting where abilities will gate progress and when the player will revisit earlier areas.
Design Progression System: Ensure the acquisition of abilities feels rewarding and naturally ties into the game’s pacing.
Combat and Encounters: Create a variety of enemies and bosses that will challenge the player as they acquire new powers.

By organizing your game elements early in the development process, you can create a more cohesive and engaging Metroidvania experience that will keep players invested in your game.

What's Next?

Now that you have a solid understanding of what makes a Metroidvania game, it's time to start implementing these elements in Unity! Check out our next article, Create Metroidvania Game Prototype, where we dive into creating these mechanics using Unity’s tools and features.

Hit play!