On October 3, 1997, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night was released, forever changing the landscape of action-adventure games. Now, 27 years later, it’s widely regarded as one of the most influential games in gaming history, and a key title that cemented the term “Metroidvania” — a hybrid genre that borrows exploration, backtracking and platforming elements from Metroid, combined with the dark, Gothic stylings and RPG mechanics of Symphony of the Night.
