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Dungeon of Zolthan

PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, Mac • 2016

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Quick resume

Dungeon of Zolthan is a casual, arcade-style metroidvania platformer where your goal is to defeat Zolthan; a powerful mage that lives inside the dungeon. Using an array of powerups and your own wit and guile, guide your character through Zolthan's Dungeon!

Global score

77/100

Genres

Action, Adventure, Indie

Similar games

    Pros

    • Excellent value for price
    • Challenging but fair gameplay
    • Tight and responsive controls
    • Retro aesthetic and music
    • Well-designed boss fights

    Cons

    • Very short game length
    • Minimal story or narrative
    • Repetitive music
    • Some control issues (double tap dash)
    • Limited enemy variety

    Analysis

    Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Expression, Fellowship, Cooperation, Competition. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Value. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Story, Sensation.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      4

      "Players freely explore interconnected rooms and choose their path, acquiring abilities to access new areas, showing strong player control and decision-making."

    • Competence
      3

      "The game features challenging platforming, boss fights requiring pattern recognition and skill, and achievements that encourage mastery."

    • Competition
      -3

      "No evidence of player-vs-player competition or leaderboards; focus is on personal challenge and self-improvement."

    • Continuation
      2

      "Players report replaying for achievements and speedruns, though the game is short and can be completed quickly."

    • Cooperation
      -5

      "Single-player only with no multiplayer or cooperative elements."

    • Creativity
      1

      "Limited creativity in level design and mechanics; mostly follows classic metroidvania conventions with minimal customization."

    • Domination
      -5

      "No social dominance or power over others; gameplay is individual and cooperative elements are absent."

    • Escapism
      3

      "Players use the game as a distraction and stress relief, enjoying retro aesthetics and gameplay to escape real life."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily for fun and challenge, with no indication of obligation or external pressure."

    • Experimenting
      2

      "Exploration and acquiring new abilities encourage some experimentation with game mechanics and paths."

    • Exploration
      3

      "Metroidvania style encourages discovering new areas and backtracking with new skills to access previously unreachable zones."

    • Expression
      -4

      "No character customization or cosmetic expression; presentation is fixed and minimalistic."

    • Fantasy
      2

      "The game features a fantasy dungeon setting with bosses and powerups, though the story is minimal or absent."

    • Fellowship
      -5

      "No community or social group interaction; purely solo experience."

    • Growth
      3

      "Players develop skills and acquire upgrades that improve abilities, reflecting personal growth and mastery."

    • Health
      -5

      "No physical activity or health-related gameplay elements; typical sedentary gaming."

    • Idle
      -4

      "Requires focused attention and precise input; not suited for casual or background play."

    • Intimacy
      -5

      "No social or emotional connections formed through gameplay."

    • Leadership
      -5

      "No leadership or group management roles; single-player experience only."

    • Progression
      4

      "Clear progression through acquiring new abilities and upgrades to access new areas and defeat bosses."

    • Relaxation
      1

      "Some players find the game relaxing and nostalgic, but the challenge and difficulty create tension at times."

    • Sensation
      1

      "Retro visuals and music provide sensory enjoyment, though the audio is repetitive and minimalistic."

    • Status
      -5

      "No social recognition or status systems; achievements are personal and not publicly ranked."

    • Story
      -4

      "Minimal to no narrative or plot; gameplay focus is on mechanics rather than story immersion."

    • Strategy
      2

      "Boss fights and puzzles require pattern recognition and planning, though overall gameplay is straightforward."

    • Thrill
      2

      "Challenge and boss battles create moments of tension and excitement, though not extreme suspense."

    • Value
      4

      "Players widely agree the game offers excellent value for its low price, providing fun and challenge."

    • Violence
      3

      "Combat involves shooting enemies and bosses, with destruction as a core mechanic."

    • Survival
      2

      "Players must avoid hazards and manage health to survive, though frequent checkpoints reduce harshness."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026