There's something uniquely satisfying about exploring the intricate 2D spaces of games modeled after Metroid and Castlevania. It's a feeling I don't get from any other games: an acute awareness of how the world fits together, a knack for sensing where there might be a hidden chamber, a fulfillment from gaining new powers that carry me to previously inaccessible heights. A great Metroidvania map makes you want to master every square centimeter, and remains fun to traverse the second and 10th and 20th time you follow the same path.
