One of this year’s most anticipated titles is only a few days away, and soon the world will finally get its hands on Team Cherry’s Hollow Knight: Silksong. After seven years of conversation and speculation, all that’s left is to build up the excitement and prepare for the follow-up to one of the most impressive metroidvanias of modern gaming.
But before you begin your Silksong adventure with Hornet, why not brush up on your skills with these titles?
Nine Sols
Easily the strongest contender for a metroidvania that can stand alongside Hollow Knight. Developed by the horror studio Red Candle Games (Detention, Devotion), Nine Sols is a Tao-punk metroidvania heavily inspired by FromSoftware titles like Dark Souls and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
Unlike its inspirations, Nine Sols is a 2D adventure with tight combat and a parry system that feels incredibly satisfying to master. Its bosses grow increasingly difficult, and its deep lore of fallen kingdoms and Chinese-inspired mythology is a fascinating blend of narrative and atmosphere.
You’ll love this if you enjoy Hollow Knight’s challenge and unlocking new abilities that open new areas. You’ll hate it if you dislike punishing boss fights, contact damage, and constant pressure.
Ori and the Blind Forest
Moon Studios’ first foray into the genre is both breathtaking and brutal. Ori and the Blind Forest tells an emotionally resonant story about a spirit and its kingdom, all while pushing you with demanding platforming. If the opening hours don’t move you to tears, the intentionally tricky level design might at least make you cry out in frustration.
Like Silksong, Ori also features a grappling hook mechanic that lets you soar across areas in seconds. It’s the perfect warm-up for Silksong’s new acrobatic mechanics, as Hornet is far more agile and mobile than the Knight ever was.
Celeste
One of the hardest 2D platformers around, Celeste hides its cruelty behind charming pixel art and catchy chiptune music. Don’t be fooled. It’s a nerve-wracking platforming gauntlet that thrives on testing your patience. But every death, every retry, is part of its central theme of overcoming hardships.
If you thought Hollow Knight’s Path of Pain or White Palace were brutal, that’s nothing compared to Celeste’s B-Sides. And if that’s not enough, its Farewell DLC adds some of the most punishing levels ever designed in a platformer. It’s the perfect place to sharpen your reflexes before Silksong introduces its own skill trials.
Metroid Dread
It wouldn’t be a Metroidvania list without the series that started it all. Metroid Dread is Nintendo’s best entry in years, mixing classic exploration with tension-filled horror elements that keep you on edge.
Dread delivers exactly what you’d expect from a 2D Metroid game. Samus can still blast enemies, morph into a ball, and take on alien bosses that look like they belong in Star Wars.
If you’re on Nintendo Switch, Metroid Dread is the ultimate way to relearn the fundamentals of Metroidvania design in its purest form.
Hollow Knight
And of course, if none of these grab you, it’s always worth revisiting the original Hollow Knight. For newcomers, it’s essential to play this first; otherwise, you’ll miss the references and easter eggs woven into Silksong.
For returning players, diving into the DLCs like The Grimm Troupe or attempting 112% completion. And if you’re looking for the ultimate challenge, going for the Pantheon challenges is a badge of honor that proves you’ve conquered everything Hallownest has to offer.
But even if you’ve done it all, there’s nothing wrong with simply wandering through Hallownest one last time with the Knight before you ascend into a new kingdom of Silk and Song.
That’s about it. While many other games share similarities with Hollow Knight, these titles stand out for their reputation and fan appeal. Silksong finally arrives this September 4, and I can’t wait to see what new adventures Team Cherry has crafted for us.
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