My favourite Metroid game has got to be Zero Mission on the GBA.
A weird choice maybe but it was my first metroid when I played the GBA, I thought the music and atmosphere was kick ass and enjoyed the simple enough controls.
For a 3D Metroid it would be the trilogy on Wii at the time.
What about you?
Ori and the Blind Forest! The story, the gameplay, the progression, the level design. Everything just fits together perfectly and then there’s the soundtrack. God, I love that game!
I think they were asking for the franchise not the Metroidvania style of game.
That said, Hollow Knight has finally gotten its hooks into me and will not let go.