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Just a few months after Hollow Knight: Silksong launched, developer Team Cherry announced a DLC expansion called Sea of Sorrows, set to come out sometime in 2026. With only four months left in the year, fans are starting to get antsy.
It’s entirely possible we’re not seeing Sea of Sorrows anytime soon. Longtime fans may remember Silksong itself was originally planned as DLC for Hollow Knight, before growing into a massive, standalone sequel. So, whether you’re waiting a few months or seven years, you could probably use another game or two to pass the time. We’ve rounded up seven games, across genres, that Silksong fans are sure to love.
1
Blue Fire
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One
Blue Fire is a 3D metroidvania platformer, demanding the level of precision Silksong fans have come to love. Often referred to as “Hollow Knight but 3D,” Blue Fire shares a lot of similarities with Team Cherry’s celebrated duology. Even the game’s silent protagonist, a tiny, masked sword-wielder named Umbra, resembles Hollow Knight’s enigmatic player character. The game also features fast-paced platforming, including dashes and wall climbs, as well as a spirit system analogous to the crests and charms of Silksong and Hollow Knight. But Blue Fire sets itself apart from Silksong with uniquely 3D mechanics, like Z-targeting and blocking, which may remind players of their favorite 3D Zelda titles.
2
Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link
Where to play: Nintendo Switch (via Nintendo Switch Online NES library)
Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link, alongside Metroid, Faxanandu, and Mega Man, was one of several NES titles that inspired Hollow Knight. Of every game in The Legend of Zelda’s 40-year history, it makes sense that Zelda 2 heavily influenced Team Cherry. For one, it’s unlike any other Zelda game. It’s a side-scroller with RPG elements, reminiscent of some Castlevania titles. It’s also the hardest Zelda game by a long shot. Enemies are fast, lives are limited, and, if you die, you’re sent all the way back to the beginning of the game. Talk about a runback.
3
Cuphead
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One
At first glance, Cuphead and Silksong seem pretty different. One is a run-and-gun boss rusher, with stylish graphics straight out of 1920s rubber hose animation. The other is an immersive metroidvania, with a heavy emphasis on open-world exploration and platforming. But they share one key element: being really, really hard. Grasping and dodging attack patterns are key to both games. In Cuphead, you run, jump, and duck your way around enemy projectiles, with the occasional platform. If you loved Silksong’s tensest boss battles, long runbacks and all, you’ll love Cuphead’s intense, multi-phase fights.
4
Tunic
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One
Tunic is an isometric, action-adventure metroidvania with a unique storytelling gimmick — as you progress, you collect pages of the game’s instruction manual. Piecing together the manual slowly reveals Tunic’s overarching story, though much of that manual is written in a unique script (don’t worry, there are plenty of fan translations). You play as an extremely cute fox, clad in a green tunic and wielding a sword and shield, who wakes up on the shore of the game’s world. Like Silksong, Tunic emphasizes exploration. Hidden passageways are tucked all across Tunic’s gorgeous overworld, and new abilities or items can unlock even more areas.
5
Mina the Hollower
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One
If you liked Hollow Knight enough to enjoy its even-harder sequel, you probably love a challenge. Mina the Hollower is that challenge. The difficulty curve is front-loaded, so you’ll have to be patient as you get used to rigid combat limitations punishing enemies. Unlike Silksong, though, optional modifiers could make the game more manageable for players seeking less of a challenge. Where Silksong and Hollow Knight before it are love letters to their NES-era inspirations, Mina the Hollower pays homage to the Game Boy Color, particularly Zelda games like Link’s Awakening. With both a story and a map teeming with secrets, Mina the Hollower has a lot to offer Silksong fans.
6
Rain World
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One
Like Hollow Knight and Silksong, Rain World plops a weird little creature with big dark eyes into an unfamiliar world with minimal guidance. You play as a “slugcat” (exactly what it sounds like), trying to survive in a hostile post-apocalypse. Emphasis on hostile — if you loved making Hornet stronger through needle upgrades, mask shards, and new equipment, you’re not going to get that experience from Rain World. This survival platformer’s unique focus on creating a believable ecosystem stands out from the pack. You’ll need to scavenge for food and seek shelter from intermittent rainstorms, all while evading deadly predators.
7
Yoku’s Island Express
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One
Metroidvania pinball. That’s it, that’s the description.
Okay, there’s actually more to say. In Yoku’s Island Express, you play as a dung beetle postman tasked with saving Mokumana Island. If you thought Hornet’s diagonal pogo was hard to pick up, get ready for a platformer with no jump button! Instead, Yoku is attached to a ball that you launch using pinball paddles, sending him careening through chutes and tracks all over the map. If you’re looking for a metroidvania truly unlike any other, Yoku’s Island Express is a safe bet.
