As we speak 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 sequence on Nintendo consoles. (Spoilers — Aria charges fairly extremely within the checklist under.) Get pleasure from!
The Castlevania sequence has a wealthy historical past on Nintendo consoles ever for the reason that authentic sport got here first to the Japanese Famicom Disk System manner again in 1986, after which to the NES a 12 months later. There could also be a major launch or two from Konami’s vampire-killing catalogue nonetheless lacking from Nintendo platforms (we’re you, Symphony of the Evening), however the overwhelming majority of the sequence will be discovered on Nintendo consoles.
However the place must you begin if you happen to’re new to the Castlevania sequence? Which Castlevania sport is the perfect? These are robust questions, however we have achieved our greatest to whip up a ranked checklist of the perfect Castlevania video games (on Nintendo consoles) under. The sequence has many excessive factors, plus a few very low ones, and is available in two distinct flavours: the extra simple 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 sequence to start a complete style of ‘Metroidvania’ video video games.
For Swap homeowners, the Castlevania Anniversary Assortment ought to clearly be your first port of name, with the newer Castlevania Advance Assortment containing one of many best possible video games within the sequence, too. And there is at all times Koji Igarashi’s non-affiliated Bloodstained: Ritual of the Evening as soon as you have exhausted all of the Belmonts under. The Swap 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 Evening on Swap till Konami decides to place Symphony of the Evening on Swap.
We have included a few spin-offs and oddities, however that is sufficient speak. Wipe away these bloody tears, and let’s go kill us some vampires.
Writer: 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 achieved nothing to heal the injuries this one inflicted. A depressing pile, certainly.
Writer: Konami / Developer: Konami
The primary entry for the sequence on the Sport Boy, and one greatest left forgotten, Castlevania: The Journey is a turgid, terminally sluggish approximation of the sequence’ traditional gameplay with repetitive, bland stage design. Given the host console’s limitations, you could be tempted to provide it the advantage of 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.
Writer: Konami / Developer: Konami
Accessible on Swap as a part of Konami’s Arcade Classics Anniversary Assortment, Haunted Fort is an odd duck. Made completely for arcades, it occupies an odd 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 Rely. The music is by far the perfect 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 in the end it isn’t a patch on the unique.
In case you’re you possibly can try the variations between the unique NES sport, its VS Castlevania arcade port and Haunted Fort on this video.
Writer: Konami / Developer: Konami Laptop Leisure Nagoya
With out figuring out that this was the third Castlevania for Sport Boy, you would be forgiven for pondering this was the second sport earlier than Konami perfected issues with Belmont’s Revenge. However 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 Evening on PlayStation would have been an unenviable job, to make sure, however even bearing in mind the platform’s inherent limitations that is an intense disappointment. With poor animation, lacklustre sprite work and equally unimpressive stage design, it is laborious to imagine that this got here a whopping seven years after its implausible predecessor.
Merely put, it wasn’t adequate on the time, and regardless of being a sought-after collector’s merchandise lately, it is solely received worse with age. Keep away from.
Writer: Konami / Developer: Konami
A flawed stab at a polygonal 3D Castlevania, this is not ‘dangerous’ 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. Digital camera points have been a perennial drawback for video games of the period, however the perfect Castlevania titles have at all times 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 most likely greatest left within the crypt.
Writer: Konami / Developer: Konami
This second N64 entry launched lower than a 12 months after the primary and really consists of the whole first sport as an unlockable bonus as soon as you have accomplished the prequel journey. Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness is basically the sport its predecessor ought to have been and would little question be a DLC launch with umpteen patches lately. It options quite a few gameplay tweaks and in addition makes use of the Enlargement Pak for improved visuals, however paying full value for this after placing down laborious money for its predecessor at first of the 12 months was painful, even for sequence devotees. These N64 carts have been dear again within the day, and even in its polished kind Legacy of Darkness is a great distance from ‘traditional’ standing, despite our residual affection for it.
Writer: Konami / Developer: Konami
One other sport we have now fond recollections of, regardless of itself. Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest is obtuse, infuriating and downright low-cost at instances… nevertheless it’s received 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 in the end irritating) non-linear strategy. Again within the day it could have been an absolute nightmare, and we completely perceive individuals who lose persistence with it, however if you happen to’re not against sitting down with a walkthrough and making use of save states, we might suggest giving Simon’s Quest one other likelihood. The soundtrack alone makes it price a playthrough.
Writer: 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 most likely aware of. For instance, it wasn’t attainable to implement scrolling within the MSX2 model so every stage is split into single screens that you simply transfer between. In case you’re concerned about a side-by-side comparability, try this overview video from Splash Wave.
So what’s this doing on a listing of Castlevania video games for Nintendo consoles, you ask. Effectively, Vampire Killer launched on the Wii U Digital Console in Japan, so whereas we might not have had the pleasure within the West, it has technically appeared on a Nintendo platform. Ergo, it is inclusion right here.
Writer: Konami / Developer: Konami
Generally known as Vampire’s Kiss within the EU, Castlevania: Dracula X is a Tremendous NES remake of the PC Engine authentic Rondo of Blood, and it would not stand as much as comparability with the sport on which it’s based mostly, though it is definitely not dangerous taken in isolation. It provides strong, old-school Castlevania fare and is price investigating if you happen to’ve chewed your manner by means of higher video games within the sequence (most notably the unique Rondo of Blood). In case you’re new to the sequence, we would not begin right here, although.
Killer field artwork, thoughts.