metroidvania
/ˌmɛtɹɔɪdˈveɪni.ə/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.84 in modern English
18
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
3
Syllables
10
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A (genre of) platform game with role-playing game elements and inventory items, involving more exploration than a traditional linear platform game, particularly revisiting previously explored areas.
Countable; Informal; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "The Castlevania games share similarities with the Metroid series, in particular the free-roaming design in which new abilities allow access to different areas. Because of this, fans often refer to such games as “Metroidvania” in style."
- "It's got Metroidvania elements - it's structured like one, I guess, in that it's lots of exploration with a fair bit of backtracking and getting new abilities that unlock previously unopened areas and that sort of thing."
- "Pure Metroidvania... with 3D in-engine cutscenes."
- "Metroidvanias are an inherently clever genre, and the cleverness can sometimes sap a little of the energy."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Hellenic *mā́tēr Ancient Greek μήτηρ (mḗtēr) Proto-Indo-European *tpelH- Proto-Hellenic *ptólis Ancient Greek πόλῐς (pólĭs) Ancient Greek μητρόπολις (mētrópolis)bor. Latin metropolis Proto-Indo-European *-tósder. Ancient Greek -της (-tēs)der. Ancient Greek -ῑ́της (-ī́tēs)der. Latin -īt(ēs) Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Italic *-nos Proto-Italic *-ānos Latin -ānus Latin -itanus Latin mētropolītānuslbor. French métropolitainclip. French métrobor. Japanese メトロ Proto-Indo-European *h₂nḗr Proto-Hellenic *anḗr Ancient Greek ἀνήρ (anḗr) Proto-Indo-European *weyd- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *wéydos Proto-Hellenic *wéidos Ancient Greek εἶδος (eîdos) Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *-ēs Proto-Hellenic *-ēs Ancient Greek -ης (-ēs) Ancient Greek -ειδής (-eidḗs) Ancient Greek ἀνδροειδής (androeidḗs)bor. New Latin androideslbor. English androidbor. Japanese アンドロイド blend Japanese メトロイドbor. English Metroid Proto-Indo-European *ḱes- Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-trom Proto-Indo-European *ḱstrom Proto-Italic *kastrom Latin castrum Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Indo-European *-elós Proto-Italic *-elos Latin -lum Latin castellumbor. Proto-West Germanic *kastell Old English castel Middle English castel English castle Proto-Indo-European *terh₂-der. Proto-Indo-European *térh₂t Proto-Indo-European *-ónts Proto-Indo-European *tr̥h₂ónts Proto-Indo-European *tr̥h₂n̥ts Proto-Italic *trāns Proto-Italic *trāns- Latin trans- Proto-Indo-European *sel-der.? Latin silva ▲ Latin -ānus Latin silvānus Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia ▲ Hungarian Erdeuelucalq. Medieval Latin Trānsylvānialbor. English Transylvania blend English Castlevania blend English Metroidvania Blend of Metroid + Castlevania, two influential games of this type.