metroidvania/ deep exploration games for iOS?

[foodeater]

Googling "metroidvania ios" only turns up one game and the art direction doesn't captivate me. Anything else along similar lines? Non-super twitchy combat (I wouldn't care if it didn't have any combat!), lots of secrets and designed, rather than random areas to explore.

[writingsama]

Hmm. Not sure if this 100% fits your question, but I Dig It 2 (not one!) or HD, depending on your platform. I "dug" them both, HA HA.

[writingsama]

Also there was one under the sea that DEFINITELY fits what you're asking. What was it called? The Deep. I remember enjoying it decently, even though it has a 3.5 star average.

[arta]

Robot Wants Kitty is excellent, go grab it.

The Deep is also good.

[Ghouls'R'us]

There's an upcoming side-scrolling exploration game where you control your little guy while exploring some deep caves on Mars. I can't remember its name.

Glowfish has some exploratory aspects, but is separated in individual levels. It's really quite well done and has been received warmly by the Touch Arcade community.

Another one I'm not familiar with, Phoenix Spirit.

EDIT: Another upcoming game, an iOS port of Aquaria, will eventually manifest itself.

[iVoloster]

Robot Wants Kitty
Grokion
The Deep
Elemental Rage
Castlevania Puzzle (Encore of the Night)
Demon Hunter

Those are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head.

RWK
Grokion
The Deep
and Elemental Rage are the gems of that list.

Castlevania EON is a puzzler in which you progress through the SOTN castle, not really the best example of a Metriodvania but a cool game none the less.

Demon Hunter is too grindy and controls never felt right to me, this game looks alot like Aria of Sorrow for GBA but plays nothing like it.

[gunxsword]

Upcoming steam-punk Castlevania style game:
http://forums.toucharcade.com/showthread.php?t=105646

[Ghouls'R'us]

Robot Wants Kitty, which is currently free and should therefore be downloaded asap by every living thing on Earth, consists of non-linear platforming levels. It doesn't look like much but it plays like a dream!

[foodeater]

Thanks all!

It's interesting there are a few water games. I wonder if that floaty control style works well with touch controls. I think the guy that made Cave Story is doing something for iOS set underwater too. Surprised no ones done zero gravity yet.

@writingsama I dig it is close enough! Too much is better than too little.

[Scav]

This is exactly the type of list I was looking for :P I tried googling it too a while back, and the only good hit was for Elemental Rage, which I'm not finding very satisfying.

Most of the games above seem to be iPhone-only. Any ideas on a good iPad metroidvania?

A Cave Story iOS port would make me pass out in excitement.