With the recent release of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate for 3DS earlier this year, I figure now is a good time as any to see where the entire Castlevania series stands according to the ratings given by the Negative World community! Over the years, Konami has created true classics spanning many of Nintendo's systems, but which Castlevania games are considered the best? Of course, since our game database only includes games on Nintendo systems (this is a Nintendo site after all), this list will not include Castlevania games from other platforms.
(Notes: Release dates shown are for U.S. The score shown is out of a max of 10 points.)
05/18/13, 09:34 Edited: 10/31/13, 22:23
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
Click here for database entry! Score: 8.47(19 votes)
The second GBA Castlevania title comes in at tenth place. Starring Juste Belmont, the game featured a brighter color palette compared to Circle of the Moon before it.
Castlevania
Click here for database entry! Score: 8.62(20 votes)
Released for NES 1987
Here is where it all began: the never-ending battle between the Belmonts and Dracula. The Vampire Killer whip is the weapon of choice. Some truly enduring music tracks were first heard here, especially the track "Vampire Killer." Don't you love flying Medusa Heads?
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
Click here for database entry! Score: 8.69(19 votes)
The first Castlevania game on a Nintendo system implementing the Metroid-like features, it was also a launch title for the Game Boy Advance. It was definitely a showcase for Nintendo's new handheld system, although the graphics were a bit hard to see on the original 'no-backlight' GBA!
Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
Click here for database entry! Score: 8.72(16 votes)
Released for NES 1990
The last NES entry ranks higher than either of the first two games. This game came late in the NES era, and Konami really knew how to push the 8-bit hardware to create a memorable experience. The 'choose-your-path' adventure and the ability to play as multiple characters really sets this game apart, even from the SNES game that came after. I haven't actually finished it though, because I can't pass the falling block stage.
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
Click here for database entry! Score: 8.72(21 votes)
It's a tie with Castlevania III! But this one has more votes.
The second DS Castlevania also ranks the lowest compared to the other two DS games. This game had an interesting story line that took place in 1944 Europe during World War II, allowed the player to control two characters, Jonathan and Charlotte, and had outdoor environments as opposed to the castle interior setting the series is well known for.
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
Click here for database entry! Score: 8.93(17 votes)
Released for Wii Virtual Console 2010
Originally released for TurboGrafx-16, Japan only, in 1993. A number of us here at Negative World played this game together for Retro Game Club # 5. A Castlevania game previously not seen in North America, its release on the Wii Virtual Console allowed fans to appreciate Konami's work for the first time!
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
Click here for database entry! Score: 8.96(18 votes)
The final DS game comes in at a respectable fourth place. You would think that, at this point, gamers would have grown tired of the series already. But the truth of the matter is, Konami was quite good at keeping the quality in place and adding some different features to the game even as they released one game after another.
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
Click here for database entry! Score: 9.00(25 votes)
The final GBA entry (and third since Circle of the Moon) ended up being quite the polished experience. The Tactical Soul System is considered by many to be one of the best magic systems in the series (i.e. you collect souls from fallen foes or special candles. When you gain dominance over their soul, you can use their abilities in battle).
Super Castlevania IV
Click here for database entry! Score: 9.01(29 votes)
Released for Super NES 1991
What a classic! This is perhaps the finest pure Castlevania experience before the series became Metroid-like. The soundtrack is easily one of my favorite in the SNES library. This game really shines as an early SNES title; lots of great SNES special effects really created a chilling atmosphere appropriate to the Castlevania franchise.
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
Click here for database entry! Score: 9.06(28 votes)
The first Metroid-style Castlevania to appear on the DS (and the fourth in the series since Circle of the Moon). This game was a direct sequel to its predecessor, Aria of Sorrow on GBA (which sits in at 3rd place on the list!), and and thus also stars Soma Cruz as the main protagonist. The Tactical Soul System returns from Aria of Sorrow, with some updates!
Where do your favorites stand on the list? I included links for each game so you can add your own rating if you have not done so already! In the end, the only thing that matters is that Castlevania games are pretty awesome and are a significant part of Nintendo's legacy. Where will the series go from here?
Simon's Quest was awful. It had some cool things here and there but overall the game was a mess.
Bite your tongue, sir. It's only a mess if you let it be. This game is like the wild thoroughbred, out grazing the plains. It doesn't want to be tamed...at first. It needs a strong, steady hand to domesticate its wild ways. You approach this game with caution. Rushing in scares it off. With enough patience, and proper rope skills, it will learn to trust you. And you will trust it. The moment you both understand each other, and ride without a care into the wind towards Dracula's Castle to reassemble his body parts only to kill him again... that's what you LIVE for, man!
Ha ha. Sorry man, not many people think that game is all that great. It's cool if you dig it, though.
This being "tired" of all the hate towards something you love? That's how I feel quite often whenever I talk about handheld gaming. (not so much in this forum, but on others. Sometimes in real life, too. Isn't it frustrating when you KNOW something is great, but no one really agrees with you?!?)
I have a soft spot for Castlevania II, but it's an incredibly flawed game. It derives the majority of its "challenge" from being needlessly obtuse and suffers from an absolutely horrible localization. If I remember the script correctly, there's nothing you're told that suggests that equipping the crystals lets you see hidden platforms unless you spam the shit out of holy water and get the scroll that sort of suggests it, kind of.
Those obscure-ass secrets were magical, in a way. The stuff of schoolyard legend.
There's something incredibly satisfying about finding a totally random secret. Granted, whipping every block and bombing every wall in a game isn't always the most enjoyable way to play...
