Create and edit connected 2D maps with a local, workspace-scoped MCP server and Lua scripts.
Metroidvania Studio MCP Server
Metroidvania Studio is a local, workspace-scoped MCP server with Lua scripts for creating and editing connected 2D maps. It provides a web-based 2D world editor to build metroidvania-style layouts, paint tilemaps, and design minimaps, with JSON export for cross-engine workflows. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux without requiring a game engine install.
🛠️ Key Features
Create and edit connected 2D maps
Tilemap painting for room/world layout
Minimap design
JSON export for cross-engine workflows
Local, workspace-scoped MCP server
Lua scripts and automation via editor scripts/CLI
🚀 Use Cases
Metroidvania world building (“connected rooms, one room at a time”)
Level design and world editing with minimaps
Generating rooms or repeating editing tasks
Headless automation using the CLI
Cross-engine asset exchange via JSON export
⚡ Developer Benefits
Local MCP server integration
Script-based room generation and repeatable edits
Headless operation through the CLI
Compatibility with cross-engine workflows via JSON export
⚠️ Limitations
Availability is described for Windows, macOS, and Linux only
Requires running locally with a workspace-scoped setup
Metroidvania Studio is a free, open-source 2D level editor for metroidvania games. Build connected rooms, paint autotiled maps, and design minimaps with JSON export for multiple game engines. The room-based map editor runs locally in your browser or the Windows program.
Add a second room, paint rock tiles, then pan back and connect the first room
Configure Tile Palettes
Resize, Rotate & Connect Rooms
Design Your Minimap
Explore with Game Preview
Get Started
Runs locally on Windows, macOS, and Linux. No game engine installation is required.
Download a ready-to-run package from GitHub Releases, extract it, and open the launch file at the top level. The prebuilt web package requires ASP.NET Core Runtime 10.
To build from source, install:
Requirement
Used for
Node.js 24+
Building the web UI and running build scripts
.NET SDK 10
Building the local server and command-line tools
Git
Validating source files during the build
Then use the scripts for your platform:
Platform
Build
Run
Windows
platform/win/web/build.bat
platform/win/web/run.bat
macOS
platform/mac/build.command
platform/mac/run.command
Linux
bash platform/linux/build.sh
bash platform/linux/run.sh
Run checks your local build against the current version and source files. It builds automatically when needed, then opens the studio in your browser. An up-to-date build starts immediately.
Maps and Textures are stored beside the launcher or at the source project root. Find them through File → Storage folders. Room JSON updates automatically in Maps/AutoExport; palette settings are managed in .studio/catalog.json. Keep Maps, Textures and .studio when updating the studio.
Try the Sample World
A new workspace opens a six-room world with a looping route, a vertical shaft, a side chamber, slopes, background tiles, and object markers. You can also open it through Help → Open sample world.
Paint a room, Ctrl-click two rooms to move them together, or switch to the minimap and double-click a room to jump back into editing. See the five-minute walkthrough or sample JSON.
Editing Basics
Paint: left-drag inside the active room. The first click on another room selects it.
Erase: right-drag inside the active room.
Pan and zoom: middle-drag to pan, mouse wheel to zoom, Ctrl + wheel to change brush size. Right-drag on empty space also pans.
Arrange rooms: right-click empty space to add a room, drag a room's title strip to move it, or drag its outer handles to resize. Rotation is available in the inspector.
Save and exchange maps: use File for saving and JSON import/export. Use Edit for Undo/Redo. Set PPU and resolution in the top toolbar (defaults: 16 and 320×180).
Preview: choose Game camera and drag its white frame. Game Preview follows immediately; expand, maximize, or collapse it as needed.
See Help → Shortcuts for the full control list. The interface follows your browser language and can be changed from the language picker.
Open Help → Documentation for searchable guides and the API reference, including offline access.
Each engine folder includes translated installation guides. Maps use a shared JSON format; engine packages handle importing and rendering, while gameplay stays in your game project.
Scripts & Automation
Use File → Scripts to generate rooms or repeat editing tasks. Run the same operations headlessly through the CLI, or connect an AI agent through the local MCP server. Dry runs, atomic updates, and revision checks keep scripted edits reviewable.
Install the CLI and MCP tools with Node.js 24+ and the .NET 10 runtime:
sh
npm install --global metroidvania-studio
Using a program download? Run metroidvania-studio-cli.cmd help on Windows, or bash metroidvania-studio-cli.sh help on macOS/Linux. See headless from a download.
Metroidvania Studio
