So I was watching a review for one of the many Metroidvania style games when I suddenly stopped and thought about the term itself.
Metroidvania
After mulling it over a little I came to a weird conclusion; the "-vania" part of that word has no need to be there. As the Castlevania titles that resulted in the term being used did not add any elements that would define what it takes to be a metroidvania title. The only things they add are the setting and a leveling system, bot of which haven't carried over into other IPs claiming to be metroidvania in style.
Castlevania; SotN is an excellent game, but rather than calling it the birth of the "metroidvania" should we not be calling it the first of the successful Metroid-like games?
Metroidvania
After mulling it over a little I came to a weird conclusion; the "-vania" part of that word has no need to be there. As the Castlevania titles that resulted in the term being used did not add any elements that would define what it takes to be a metroidvania title. The only things they add are the setting and a leveling system, bot of which haven't carried over into other IPs claiming to be metroidvania in style.
Castlevania; SotN is an excellent game, but rather than calling it the birth of the "metroidvania" should we not be calling it the first of the successful Metroid-like games?