NYPLarcade Teen is an opportunity to play, watch, and discuss independent, experimental, and thought-provoking games in a library setting. Think of it as a book club, but for video games. This fall at Muhlenberg Library we will be exploring the world of metroidvania-style video games.

The term "metroidvania" is a portmanteau derived from the first entries in Nintendo's Metroid and Konami's Castlevania series. A metroidvania game can be defined as:  1) a platformer 2) with role playing game (RPG) elements, 3) set in a non-linear, open world environment. Additional features that are common (but not always present) include: an automap which reveals the outlines of the world as the player explores, and a 2D side-scrolling perspective.

Lastly, the presence of "sequence breaking" is a clear marker of a metroidvania game, in which a player exploits a software glitch in order to reach an area or obtain an item outside of the linear progression of  the game.

Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet (2011)

All events listed take place in the community room of the Muhlenberg Library and begin at 3:30 p.m. For ages 12 and up.

Please note: Guacamelee has been rescheduled for Thursday, October 30. Feel free to contact Thomas Knowlton at thomasknowlton@nypl.org if you any questions. You can also friend us on Playfire or join our new NYPLarcade Steam Group.

SteamWorld Dig (2013)