An update on recent technical problems and more from the admin: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/250292/on-technical-difficulties-mod-coverage-and-other-things/p1?new=1
Options
Castlevania. Which ones should I play?
Corsair
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I don't have much experience with this series, other then the DS games. I really enjoyed both of them, so now I would like to go back and play some of the older ones. So, which ones do you guys recommend, and which can I safely skip? I'd like to play most of them, so unless it's really bad feel free to recommend it if you like it. Thanks!
Corsair on
0
Posts
I probably spelt the name of the second game on the GBA double pack wrong, but I don't care, you get the idea.
My favourite Castlevania is Bloodlines on the Genesis (Castlevania: The New Generation in Europe), even now it is so absolutely fantastic.
By the way, I picked the Castlevania game on the PS2 up. I'm getting a little picker with the games I play, but what are the good points about the game?
EDIT: I could just check out reviews, but I only seem to get solid, unbiased and well thought out 'reviews' from you guys.
The older NES ones are definately classic but revolve around fiendish level design that can result in fits of rage and the removal of hair from one's own cranium. The newer GBA/DS ones have certain aspects that many players (although not myself personally) find annoying like soul or card collecting. Symphony of the Night is pretty much just great level design with a great soundtrack that is backed up by solid gameplay and as a result is just plain a delight to play.
*Edit* Forgot the PS2 3D games. They're enjoyable but they didn't really feel like Castlevania to me. If you can find them for cheap though (especially CoD) I'd reccomend picking them up as they are pretty fun.
I haven't played the DS ones but I just got them for 11 bucks each off eBay (no joke, 11 bucks for both Dawn of Sorrow and Portrait of Ruin -- I'm psyched). So I'm glad to hear that everyone likes them.
I am also a fan of the game boy Castlevania games. Yes.. the original Game Boy.
And Castlevania 64/Legacy of Darkness. =P
Rondo Of Blood is another super great one, but unless you want to go all dubious on this one you will either have to shell major $$$ [$150-200] for the PC Engine version, or be patient for the PSP port sometime in the misty future. or settle for the bastardized SNES version Dracula X.
and Symphony Of The Night is totally classic, if you want to play Metroid in a castle. personally i prefer the gangster platforming of the older games but i think im in the minority on that one. if you are getting into the series through the DS games this is probably going to be the most familiar one.
every time a new Castlevania game is announced i pray that they will whip up a true sequel to the old school platformers, but konami seems pretty devoted to milking the Metroivania style into the ground. i still hold on to my dreams though.
I know the SNES Castlevania is available on Wii virtual console, and I'm sure that Castlevania III will be available there eventually.
Gametap has Castlevania 1, 2, 3 and Bloodlines.
I also like Simon's Quest, but please note that there're certain puzzles which're absolutely indecipherable without help of a walkthrough.
Circle of the Moon (GBA)
Harmony of Dissonance (GBA)
Aria of Sorrow (GBA)
Harmony of Dissonance is, admittedly, weak. But it's still worth your time. It's not wholly meritless.
And I almost prefer Circle of the Moon's tarot system to Aria of Sorrow.
yea, in retrospect i have no idea how i beat this game as a youngin. it was definitely a highlight of my NES years, but i would hesitate to recommend it to Castlevania neophytes. its more of an acquired taste i think.
I wish I could remember how I figured out the red crystal trick back in the day, but somewhere in that game is a clue that you need to do it. Its not totally impossible, its just hard like games used to be hard (and really should still be hard but aren't)
I noticed that Portrait of Ruin is now a $20 game at Real Canadian Superstore, for those that have missed it in the past.
猿も木から落ちる
There are two PS2 Castlevania games. Which one do you have?
My Backloggery
i wouldnt hesitate to recommend I, III and IV at all. as long as whoever im reccing them to has an appreciation for old school platforming of the Ghost N Goblins school (ie brutal, salt in the wounds difficulty level)
Lament of Innocence? Nothing really. Level design is extremely poor and uninspired, music is bland, cutscenes are corny and fighting is mostly dull hack' n slash. Only tolerable if you are huge fan of the series.
Especially IV--it's just incredibly polished and a complete joy to replay again and again.
For the record, the Ghosts N Goblins games are all harder than Castlevania and Castlevania III. Both of those games hold up nearly as well as Castlevania 4, though the original lacks a save function and will squeeze your balls once or twice before you're through with it.
And even though there's alot of love for III and all the branching level business, 4's levels are alot better, and the difficulty is more balanced. That and the fact that the music rocks.
For some reason I just can't beat Dracula. I've gotten to him a zillion times, and one evening a couple of years ago I even went to a friend's house (for emotional support) with the express purpose of beating the fucking game. I must have fought him 75 times in a row before I finally gave up. I was so frustrated I haven't yet been able to play the game again.
Eventually I'll finish it, once the scars heal.
This is a good choice. There's even a quick save feature which is vital to beating Death in the first Castlevania.
Simon's Quest has the distinction of being the first game I ever beat as a kid. I did it basically on my own with some help from the Nintendo Hint Line (remember that) but not much since my parents didn't like the long distance phone calls.
As an aside, I got an NES when they were first released in the USA. I was Elementary School Age and I remember that there were two games that I really, really wanted to play but could never find. My parents and I searched so long and hard for them we finally gave up. Those games were Castlevania 1 and Kid Icarus.
Flash forward to two months ago when I visit my girlfriend's parents for the first time. While there we decide to get out her old NES system and low and behold, she had both games. It's a given that the system and the games came home with us. She also had the first TMNT, Battletoads, Metroid, Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and a couple of other rare-ish games. Most were her brother's but still...I hit a goldmine.
Vital? Death in first game is extremely easy. When Death drops from the ceiling, you just throw holy water beneath him, before he starts to move. After six bottles, Death is dead. Of course, you need triple launcher for this to work.
GNG and its sequels were pretty much the pinnacle of fucking sadistic difficulty as far as im concerned, just trying to get in the same ballpark yknow. Castlevania I has some tough bits in it, in particular.
Pffft, let's say you didn't have a sub weapon. Can you beat Death then? Probably not without quicksave.
Actually yes. But Death in Castlevania III is really problematic if you don't have Sypha with that blue ball thingie.
The difficulty in that game ramps up absurdly once you get to the latter stages.
Do it man. It's not hard, which I know, is a limp thing to say under the circumstances, but seriously, Dracula can be one of the easiest bosses in the game with a little delicacy.
Keep the holy water. Hang onto it for dear life. You need it for part II of the fight. Part I? Easy. Leap towards him as he appears and you'll clear his fireball entirely, putting you in the perfect position to strike him in the head. Repeat, and you won't lose a single block of life.
In form II, just spam the hell out of him with the holy water. Pin him in place and he's yours.
I don't know what's wrong with me. It's some kind of learning disability.
Oculus: TheBigDookie | XBL: Dook | NNID: BigDookie