If you have poured dozens of hours into Hollow Knight and its expansion Silksong, you probably know that empty feeling when the credits roll. You want more of that tight combat, the sprawling underground world, and the satisfaction of finally beating a boss that has been destroying you for an hour. I have been there too. After finishing both Hollow Knight and Silksong, I went searching for games that could fill that same void, and honestly, there are some incredible options out there.
This guide covers the 12 best games like Hollow Knight you can play right now. I have included everything from challenging Metroidvania titles to slightly more approachable alternatives, plus free and mobile options that nobody else talks about. Whether you want brutal boss fights, gorgeous hand-drawn worlds, or that same feeling of discovery around every corner, there is something here for you.
Table of Contents
What Makes a Game Like Hollow Knight?
Before diving into the list, it helps to understand what actually makes a game feel like Hollow Knight. The core formula comes down to a few key elements that define the Metroidvania genre.
First, there is the interconnected world design. You start in one area, gain abilities, and then backtrack to unlock previously inaccessible zones. This ability-gating system creates a looping sense of exploration that keeps you moving forward. Second, there is skill-based combat with challenging boss battles that test your reflexes and pattern recognition. Hollow Knight raised the bar here with responsive controls and fair but punishing encounters.
Third, atmosphere matters as much as mechanics. The best Metroidvania games use environmental storytelling, lore hidden in item descriptions and background details, and a sense of mystery that pulls you deeper into the world. When we talk about games like Hollow Knight, we are looking for titles that nail at least two of these three pillars: exploration, combat, and atmosphere.
12 Best Games Like Hollow Knight to Play in 2026
1. Ori and the Will of the Wisps
If Hollow Knight left you craving more gorgeous 2D worlds to explore, Ori and the Will of the Wisps should be your first stop. This game delivers stunning hand-painted visuals with fluid animation that rivals anything in the genre. The platforming feels incredibly responsive, and the chase sequences are some of the most thrilling moments I have experienced in any indie game.
Combat in Ori is faster and more aerial than Hollow Knight, with weapon-based attacks and spirit abilities that let you chain combos. The boss fights are cinematic and intense, though generally less punishing than what you find in Hallownest. Where Ori really shines is its emotional storytelling. The narrative hits hard in the opening hour and does not let up. It is slightly easier overall, making it a great bridge if you want something rewarding without the same level of brutality.
Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch. Difficulty: Medium.
2. Blasphemous 2
Blasphemous 2 takes the dark, punishing world of its predecessor and adds actual Metroidvania exploration, which makes it a much closer match to Hollow Knight. The game drops you into a nightmarish world inspired by Spanish Catholic iconology, filled with grotesque enemies and a deeply unsettling atmosphere. If you loved the oppressive tone of Hallownest, Blasphemous 2 delivers that same sense of dread.
Combat is deliberate and weighty, with three distinct weapons to choose from that change your approach to every encounter. The boss fights are brutal, pattern-heavy affairs that demand patience and precision, very much in the same vein as Hollow Knight’s toughest challenges. The interconnected map design means you will be backtracking with new abilities to unlock hidden areas and secrets.
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch. Difficulty: Hard.
3. Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights
Ender Lilies shares more DNA with Hollow Knight than almost any other game on this list. You play as a young priestess exploring a rain-soaked, ruined kingdom where defeated spirits become your allies and attacks. The dark fairy-tale aesthetic feels immediately familiar if you spent time in Hallownest, with haunting music and desaturated environments that create a powerful mood.
The combat system is unique because you equip the spirits of fallen bosses as your abilities, mixing and matching attacks to create your own build. Boss encounters are challenging and require learning attack patterns, though the difficulty curve feels slightly more forgiving than Hollow Knight’s tougher moments. The map is interconnected with ability-gated areas that encourage thorough exploration.
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch. Difficulty: Medium-Hard.
4. Salt and Sanctuary
Salt and Sanctuary is what happens when you combine Hollow Knight’s 2D exploration with Dark Souls’ RPG depth. This game features a robust stat system, multiple weapon classes, and build customization that goes far beyond what Hollow Knight offers. If you want something that scratches both the Metroidvania and Souls-like itch at the same time, this is it.
The world is dark and oppressive, filled with grotesque enemies and punishing boss fights that will test your patience. Every area connects through a web of passages and shortcuts, and gaining new movement abilities opens up previously blocked paths. The combat feels heavier and more deliberate than Hollow Knight’s nimble nail swings, with blocking, dodging, and parrying all playing important roles. It is a tougher experience overall, but incredibly satisfying when everything clicks.
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch. Difficulty: Hard.
5. Dead Cells
Dead Cells takes a different approach by blending Metroidvania exploration with roguelike progression. Each run generates a fresh layout, but you permanently unlock new abilities and weapons that carry across attempts. The combat is lightning-fast and addictive, with dozens of weapon combinations and a flow state that feels incredible once you master the movement system.
What makes Dead Cells appealing for Hollow Knight fans is the precision combat and the sense of constant progression. Boss fights are multi-phase spectacles that demand quick reflexes and adaptability. The hand-drawn pixel art style is gorgeous, and the biomes you explore are varied and atmospheric. It is not a traditional Metroidvania since the map changes each run, but the combat satisfaction and exploration loop feel very similar.
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Mobile. Difficulty: Medium-Hard.
6. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is the spiritual successor to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, created by Koji Igarashi, the father of the Metroidvania genre. If you want a game that helped define the formula Hollow Knight later perfected, this is essential. The castle is massive, packed with secrets, and constantly rewarding your curiosity with new shards, weapons, and abilities.
The combat revolves around absorbing enemy shards that grant you magical attacks and passive buffs. You can craft and upgrade hundreds of weapons, experiment with different builds, and take on optional boss fights that range from challenging to absolutely brutal. The 2.5D art style is a departure from Hollow Knight’s hand-drawn look, but the exploration and progression systems are deeply satisfying. Fans on Reddit consistently recommend this as one of the closest overall experiences.
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch. Difficulty: Medium.
7. Rain World
Rain World is not a traditional Metroidvania, but it captures something Hollow Knight does brilliantly: the feeling of being small in a vast, hostile world. You play as a slugcat navigating a ruined industrial ecosystem where every creature has its own AI behavior and food chain position. The world does not care about you, and that creates an atmosphere unlike anything else in gaming.
Movement is physics-based and requires genuine skill to master. You will die frequently, but each death teaches you something about the ecosystem and how to survive within it. The regions are interconnected and filled with hidden passages and lore that reward persistent exploration. If you loved the oppressive loneliness of Deepnest in Hollow Knight, Rain World amplifies that feeling across an entire game. It is challenging and unconventional, but deeply rewarding.
Platforms: PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch. Difficulty: Very Hard.
8. Animal Well
Animal Well is one of the newest entries on this list, and it takes the exploration side of Metroidvania design to an extreme. There is almost no combat. Instead, the entire game is built around puzzle-solving, environmental manipulation, and discovering secrets hidden within secrets. If your favorite parts of Hollow Knight were uncovering hidden rooms and piecing together the lore, Animal Well will consume you.
The world is dense with interconnected puzzles where every item has multiple uses you might not initially realize. Players have found secrets weeks after release that the community is still decoding. The atmospheric pixel art creates an eerie, dreamlike environment that feels both beautiful and unsettling. It is a shorter experience than Hollow Knight, but every minute is packed with discovery.
Platforms: PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch. Difficulty: Medium (puzzles can be very hard).
9. Grime
Grime puts you in control of a nameless figure made of rock with a black hole for a head, which should tell you immediately that this game has a unique identity. The world is sculptural and alien, with environments that feel like walking through living stone sculptures. Combat is parry-focused, rewarding aggressive play and precise timing in a way that feels distinct from Hollow Knight but equally satisfying.
The ability system lets you absorb traits from defeated enemies, customizing your build as you progress. Boss fights are multi-stage affairs with telegraphed attacks that demand both reaction speed and strategic thinking. The interconnected map has plenty of shortcuts and hidden areas that open up as you gain new traversal abilities. Multiple forum users specifically praise Grime for scratching that Hollow Knight itch while feeling fresh.
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch. Difficulty: Hard.
10. Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight
Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight is a more compact Metroidvania that delivers a tight, focused experience. You play as a priestess exploring a cursed kingdom, battling through enemies with a combination of melee attacks and ranged magic. The pixel art is beautiful, and the world design rewards exploration with health upgrades, items, and shortcuts.
What makes Momodora special for Hollow Knight fans is how well it nails the atmosphere and combat loop without overstaying its welcome. Boss fights are challenging but fair, with clear patterns to learn and exploit. The game is shorter than Hollow Knight, clocking in around 6 to 8 hours, which makes it perfect if you want something satisfying but not as massive. The difficulty feels similar to Hollow Knight’s mid-game sections.
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch. Difficulty: Medium.
11. Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove
Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is not a Metroidvania in the traditional sense. It is a stage-based 2D platformer with incredible level design and tight controls. But if you love Hollow Knight for its precise gameplay, charming world, and boss battles, Shovel Knight delivers all of that in a different package. The Treasure Trove edition includes multiple campaigns, each with a different playable character and unique mechanics.
The boss encounters are creative and varied, demanding pattern recognition and quick reactions. The pixel art is some of the best in the industry, with vibrant colors and smooth animation. Multiple difficulty settings mean you can adjust the challenge to your preference. While the structure is linear rather than open-world, the quality of the platforming and combat makes it a must-play for fans of precision 2D games.
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch. Difficulty: Easy to Hard (adjustable).
12. Nine Sols
Nine Sols is a Taoist-inspired Metroidvania that draws heavy influence from both Hollow Knight and Sekiro. The parry-focused combat system is central to every encounter, and mastering the deflection timing feels incredibly rewarding once it clicks. The hand-drawn art style blends traditional Chinese aesthetics with a sci-fi twist, creating a visual identity that stands apart from anything else on this list.
The world is interconnected with ability-gated areas that encourage backtracking and thorough exploration. Boss fights are the highlight, with multi-phase encounters that test every skill you have developed. The story deals with themes of identity and duty, told through environmental details and NPC interactions that reward attentive players. This is one of the newer titles on this list and has quickly become a community favorite on Reddit for how closely it mirrors the Hollow Knight experience.
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch. Difficulty: Hard to Very Hard.
Easier Games Like Hollow Knight for Newer Players
Not everyone wants to slam their head against a boss for two hours, and that is completely valid. If Hollow Knight’s difficulty was a barrier, or if you want something in the same genre that respects your time a bit more, here are three strong picks that deliver the Metroidvania experience without the same level of punishment.
Ori and the Blind Forest
The original Ori game is more focused on platforming and exploration than combat. There are very few traditional boss fights, and the challenge comes from navigation puzzles and escape sequences rather than enemy encounters. The difficulty is manageable, the world is gorgeous, and the emotional storytelling hits just as hard as the sequel. This is the ideal starting point if you want a Metroidvania that feels welcoming.
Guacamelee! 2
Guacamelee! 2 is a colorful, humor-filled Metroidvania with a combat system built around wrestling moves and combo chains. The difficulty is adjustable, the art style is vibrant and fun, and the co-op mode makes it a great choice if you want to play with a friend. It lacks the dark atmosphere of Hollow Knight, but the exploration and ability-progression systems are solid.
Islets
Islets is a charming, compact Metroidvania with a hand-drawn art style and a more relaxed tone. The combat is straightforward, the boss fights are fair, and the game respects your time with a focused 6-hour adventure. It is a great choice if you want the core Metroidvania loop of gaining abilities and unlocking new areas without the punishing difficulty.
Free and Mobile Games Like Hollow Knight
Not everyone wants to spend money on a new game, and some players are specifically looking for something to play on their phone during a commute. This is an area where most guides fall short, so here are the best free and mobile options that capture the Hollow Knight spirit.
Free-to-Play Options
Dead Cells Mobile is available on iOS and Android through Netflix Games, meaning if you have a Netflix subscription, you can play the full game at no extra cost. It delivers the same tight combat and exploration loop as the console version, optimized for touch controls or a connected controller.
Minoria is from the same studio behind Momodora and features a similar blend of combat and exploration with anime-inspired visuals. While not free on all platforms, it frequently goes on deep sale and delivers a compact Metroidvania experience worth watching for.
Mobile-Native Options
For mobile players specifically, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is available on iOS and Android through the Castlevania Dominus Collection. This is the game that defined the Metroidvania genre alongside Super Metroid, and playing it on mobile is a fantastic way to experience where the genre began.
Dead Cells also runs excellently on mobile devices and supports both touch controls and Bluetooth controllers. The roguelike structure actually works well for shorter play sessions, making it one of the best portable alternatives to Hollow Knight.
FAQs
What are some good games like Hollow Knight?
The best games like Hollow Knight include Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Blasphemous 2, Ender Lilies, Salt and Sanctuary, Dead Cells, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, and Nine Sols. These games share Metroidvania exploration, challenging boss battles, and atmospheric world-building that Hollow Knight fans love.
What games feel most similar to Hollow Knight?
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights and Nine Sols feel the most similar to Hollow Knight. Both feature dark, atmospheric worlds, interconnected maps with ability-gated exploration, challenging boss fights with pattern-based combat, and a haunting tone that closely mirrors the experience of exploring Hallownest.
Are there easier games like Hollow Knight?
Yes. Ori and the Blind Forest, Guacamelee! 2, and Islets are all easier Metroidvania games that deliver exploration and ability progression without the same punishing difficulty. Dead Cells on lower difficulty settings is also a good option for players who want fast combat with adjustable challenge.
What should I play after finishing Hollow Knight Silksong?
After finishing Silksong, try Nine Sols for its parry-based combat and interconnected world, Blasphemous 2 for dark atmosphere and brutal boss fights, or Ender Lilies for the closest overall feel to Hollow Knight. If you want something different but in the same genre, Dead Cells and Rain World offer unique takes on 2D exploration.
Wrapping Up Your Next Adventure
Finding games like Hollow Knight is not just about matching genre checkboxes. It is about recapturing that feeling of wonder when you stumble into a new area, the adrenaline of a close boss fight, and the satisfaction of mastering a combat system that seemed impossible at first. Every game on this list delivers at least some of that magic.
If you want the closest overall experience, start with Ender Lilies or Nine Sols. For something visually stunning with slightly less punishment, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a must-play. If you crave brutal difficulty and dark atmosphere, Blasphemous 2 and Salt and Sanctuary will test everything you have. And if you want a more relaxed take on the formula, the easier alternatives section has you covered.
The Metroidvania genre is in an incredible place right now, and there has never been a better time to dive into these worlds. Pick one that matches your mood and start exploring. You will not be disappointed.