Today is Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow’s twentieth anniversary, so in honour of its twenty years of utter magnificence, we’re republishing this text rounding up and rating each sport within the collection on Nintendo consoles. (Spoilers — Aria charges fairly extremely within the listing under.) Enjoy!
The Castlevania collection has a wealthy historical past on Nintendo consoles ever for the reason that unique sport got here first to the Japanese Famicom Disk System method again in 1986, after which to the NES a yr later. There could also be a big launch or two from Konami’s vampire-killing catalogue nonetheless lacking from Nintendo platforms (we’re you, Symphony of the Night), however the overwhelming majority of the collection might be discovered on Nintendo consoles.
But the place do you have to begin should you’re new to the Castlevania collection? Which Castlevania sport is one of the best? Those are robust questions, however we have carried out our greatest to whip up a ranked listing of one of the best Castlevania video games (on Nintendo consoles) under. The collection has many excessive factors, plus a few very low ones, and is available in two distinct flavours: the extra easy right-to-left type of the unique video games or the extra expansive model of Koji Igarashi-produced video games — typically known as ‘IGAvanias’ — which mixed spiritually with Nintendo’s Metroid collection to start a complete style of ‘Metroidvania’ video video games.
For Switch homeowners, the Castlevania Anniversary Collection ought to clearly be your first port of name, with the more moderen Castlevania Advance Collection containing one of many highest video games within the collection, too. And there’s all the time Koji Igarashi’s non-affiliated Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night as soon as you have exhausted all of the Belmonts under. The Switch model is not good, however it’s a lot improved since launch and is arguably the closest factor followers will get to Symphony of the Night on Switch till Konami decides to place Symphony of the Night on Switch.
We’ve included a few spin-offs and oddities, however that is sufficient discuss. Wipe away these bloody tears, and let’s go kill us some vampires.
Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami
We begin with a spin-off. Set within the Castlevania universe, this 2008 Wii sport introduced all of your favorite characters and monsters collectively for a momentously garbage one-on-one 3D fighter with terrible controls and questionable character designs. Castlevania Judgment was panned by critics and followers alike on launch and time has carried out nothing to heal the injuries this one inflicted. A depressing pile, certainly.
Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami
The first entry for the collection on the Game Boy, and one greatest left forgotten, Castlevania: The Adventure is a turgid, terminally sluggish approximation of the collection’ traditional gameplay with repetitive, bland degree design. Given the host console’s limitations, you is likely to be tempted to present it the good thing about the doubt, however the sequel would present what the platform was really able to and expose this for the horror that it’s. Do your self a favour, skip this and begin your moveable Castlevania journey with Belmont’s Revenge.
Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami
Available on Switch as a part of Konami’s Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection, Haunted Castle is an odd duck. Made solely for arcades, it occupies a wierd center floor someplace between homage, parody and port and sees Simon Belmont (with a sprite which stands 1 / 4 of the display tall) rescuing his new bride from the villainous clutches of the Count. The music is by far one of the best factor about it, however regardless of trying superficially ‘higher’ than the unique, it is an unfairly punishing arcade expertise designed to empty your pockets of shiny cash. As such, there’s not a lot enjoyable available and finally it is not a patch on the unique.
If you are you’ll be able to take a look at the variations between the unique NES sport, its VS Castlevania arcade port and Haunted Castle on this video.
Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami Computer Entertainment Nagoya
Without figuring out that this was the third Castlevania for Game Boy, you might be forgiven for considering this was the second sport earlier than Konami perfected issues with Belmont’s Revenge. But no, Castlevania Legends was a late launch for the ageing console (1997 in Japan, 1998 within the West) – the third and closing entry and a lower than auspicious farewell to Nintendo’s 8-bit handheld. Following the discharge of the towering Symphony of the Night on PlayStation would have been an unenviable process, to make certain, however even taking into consideration the platform’s inherent limitations that is an intense disappointment. With poor animation, lacklustre sprite work and equally unimpressive degree design, it is onerous to imagine that this got here a whopping seven years after its unbelievable predecessor.
Simply put, it wasn’t ok on the time, and regardless of being a sought-after collector’s merchandise as of late, it is solely acquired worse with age. Avoid.
Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami
A flawed stab at a polygonal 3D Castlevania, this is not ‘unhealthy’ as a lot as ‘crushingly common’. Launching a number of years into the N64’s cycle in 1999, gamers anticipated higher from a 3D sport on the dawning of the brand new millennium. Camera points have been a perennial downside for video games of the period, however one of the best Castlevania titles have all the time been characterised by tight controls and Castlevania (sure, it eschewed the ’64’ colloquially appended to its title) merely wasn’t as much as snuff. We respect it – from afar – however this one’s in all probability greatest left within the crypt.
Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami
This second N64 entry launched lower than a yr after the primary and truly consists of your complete first sport as an unlockable bonus as soon as you have accomplished the prequel journey. Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness is actually the sport its predecessor ought to have been and would little doubt be a DLC launch with umpteen patches as of late. It options quite a few gameplay tweaks and in addition makes use of the Expansion Pak for improved visuals, however paying full value for this after placing down onerous money for its predecessor in the beginning of the yr was painful, even for collection devotees. Those N64 carts have been dear again within the day, and even in its polished kind Legacy of Darkness is a good distance from ‘traditional’ standing, despite our residual affection for it.
Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami
Another sport we now have fond recollections of, regardless of itself. Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest is obtuse, infuriating and downright low-cost at instances… nevertheless it’s acquired a killer soundtrack and admirably adjustments issues up by constructing on the unique sport with new concepts, together with a day/night time cycle and an intriguing (if finally irritating) non-linear method. Back within the day it will have been an absolute nightmare, and we completely perceive individuals who lose endurance with it, however should you’re not against sitting down with a walkthrough and making use of save states, we might advocate giving Simon’s Quest one other probability. The soundtrack alone makes it value a playthrough.
Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami
This MSX2 model of Castlevania was developed in tandem with the NES sport and options many similarities in addition to some fascinating variations from the sport you are in all probability conversant in. For instance, it wasn’t potential to implement scrolling within the MSX2 model so every degree is split into single screens that you simply transfer between. If you are eager about a side-by-side comparability, take a look at this overview video from Splash Wave.
So what’s this doing on an inventory of Castlevania video games for Nintendo consoles, you ask. Well, Vampire Killer launched on the Wii U Virtual Console in Japan, so whereas we could not have had the pleasure within the West, it has technically appeared on a Nintendo platform. Ergo, it is inclusion right here.
Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami
Known as Vampire’s Kiss within the EU, Castlevania: Dracula X is a Super NES remake of the PC Engine unique Rondo of Blood, and it would not stand as much as comparability with the sport on which it’s primarily based, though it is definitely not unhealthy taken in isolation. It presents stable, old-school Castlevania fare and is value investigating should you’ve chewed your method via higher video games within the collection (most notably the unique Rondo of Blood). If you are new to the collection, we would not begin right here, although.
Killer field artwork, thoughts.
Discussion about this post