Demons Crest on the SNES was an absolute blast, don't know why it isn't talked about these days. I think its better than the SNES castlevanias, and close to Metroid.
There was a related game to Demons Crest, the Gargoyle's Quest on the Game Boy. It mixes several genres. If you have access to it (or an emulator) give it an eye because it's worth it.