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What games should I play from the Castlevania series
- Thread starter Lunchbox
- Start date
Symphony of the Night - one of the best games ever made and a wonderful example of Metroidvania style Castlevania.
Play it on PS1/Saturn or, easier, on an Xbox One or 360.
Rondo of Blood - the pinnacle of 'classic' Castlevania for me. I'd probably recommend just emulating the PC Engine CD version for ease.
Super Castlevania IV - also wonderful 'classic style' Castlevania. Probably easier to find and play than Rondo (but I think Rondo is the better game personally). Most recently released on the SNES Classic Mini.
Another thing - don't stress about the order of Castlevania games. There is lore and there is plot but, honestly, there's nothing there that will stop you from enjoying any game picked out of the series. They jump around so much. They're action/platformers with an emphasis on tone and gameplay. Don't stress about starting at the beginning or anything. Go back to 1 and 3 on the NES if you fall in love with the series. I wouldn't recommend starting there really.
Seriously though... play Symphony of the Night. That's the right answer. It's easy to buy and play in (essentially) it's original form in 2018 if you have an Xbox.
Play it on PS1/Saturn or, easier, on an Xbox One or 360.
Rondo of Blood - the pinnacle of 'classic' Castlevania for me. I'd probably recommend just emulating the PC Engine CD version for ease.
Super Castlevania IV - also wonderful 'classic style' Castlevania. Probably easier to find and play than Rondo (but I think Rondo is the better game personally). Most recently released on the SNES Classic Mini.
Another thing - don't stress about the order of Castlevania games. There is lore and there is plot but, honestly, there's nothing there that will stop you from enjoying any game picked out of the series. They jump around so much. They're action/platformers with an emphasis on tone and gameplay. Don't stress about starting at the beginning or anything. Go back to 1 and 3 on the NES if you fall in love with the series. I wouldn't recommend starting there really.
Seriously though... play Symphony of the Night. That's the right answer. It's easy to buy and play in (essentially) it's original form in 2018 if you have an Xbox.
I can't help since I've only played Portrait of Ruin but I really enjoyed it. Good amount of challenge and diversity in locales and gameplay between Jonathan and Charlotte.
Both Lords of Shadow games are incredible, and I mean BOTH!
I'll leave now though because I'm the only one that feels this way :-)
I'll leave now though because I'm the only one that feels this way :-)
I was to pick two I'd go for Super Castlevania IV for the linear style and Order of Ecclesia from the later ones, but there's so many good Castlevanias. Honestly I'd find a list of the series, compare it to which platforms you have access to, and then ask people here to narrow it down.
If you have a vita get Dracula X Chronicles.
It has two of the best Classic style and Metroid style games(Rondo of Blood of Symphony of the Night) as unlockables.
From ther I recommend Castlevania 4 for classic style and Aria of Sorrow for Netroid style.
It has two of the best Classic style and Metroid style games(Rondo of Blood of Symphony of the Night) as unlockables.
From ther I recommend Castlevania 4 for classic style and Aria of Sorrow for Netroid style.
Castlevania (NES)
Castlevania 2 (NES) with Bisquit patch https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/1032/
Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (NES)
Super Castlevania IV (SNES)
Castlevania: Bloodlines (MD)
Akumajō Dracula (X68K) (play it as Castlevania Chronicles on PSX if you have trouble playing it on X68K)
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (PCE)
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PSX)
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon(GBA)
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (GBA)
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (GBA)
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (DS)
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (DS)
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (DS)
Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth (Wii)
That's all the good ones imo. Order should be right for those games it matters for.
Castlevania 2 (NES) with Bisquit patch https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/1032/
Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (NES)
Super Castlevania IV (SNES)
Castlevania: Bloodlines (MD)
Akumajō Dracula (X68K) (play it as Castlevania Chronicles on PSX if you have trouble playing it on X68K)
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (PCE)
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PSX)
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon(GBA)
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (GBA)
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (GBA)
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (DS)
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (DS)
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (DS)
Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth (Wii)
That's all the good ones imo. Order should be right for those games it matters for.
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I think I'll start with Symphony! Doesn't really matter the order correct? No interlocking story or anything I'm guessing?
Oh wow, thanks.
In this order?
Boo this list.
CV1, 3, 4, Chronicles, Bloodlines, SotN, Order of Ecclesia, Dawn Of Sorrow, Aria of Sorrow, then ReBirth and Rondo to remind you why the level-based games are better.
Aria of Sorrow and Dawn of Sorrow are.
and DO play those two as well. Some of the best Castlevania games.
I mean... your list includes all three of the games I suggested?
Within just the past 48 hours I've beaten Symphony of the Night, Rondo of Blood, and Dracula X. It's my favorite series! I recommend grabbing Dracula X Chronicles, which you can play on Vita, PSP, or PS3. You get the 3d remake and original Rondo and Symphony.
There's also a lot of great GBA and DS games! I suggest Portrait of Ruin.
There's also a lot of great GBA and DS games! I suggest Portrait of Ruin.
Yep. I edited it just after you quoted though as one of the games got eaten as I was shuffling them.
3, 4, 64, Symphony of the Night, Circle of the Moon, Dawn of Sorrow, and Lords of Shadow 2.
I'd suggest skipping over Aria, as Dawn is basically a better version of the same game.
I'd suggest skipping over Aria, as Dawn is basically a better version of the same game.
My starter points for the two main branches of Vania would be...
Classicvania: Super Castlevania IV (or the NES original if you're up for the challenge)
Metroidvania: Symphony of the Night or Aria of Sorrow
Classicvania: Super Castlevania IV (or the NES original if you're up for the challenge)
Metroidvania: Symphony of the Night or Aria of Sorrow
Yea I think I'd like to see the progression I don't mind waiting for the "good" ones.
Castlevania III is my fave in the series so you don't have long to wait if you end up liking the pure classicvanias. :)
Castlevania 2 is probably the weakest game in the list even with the patch - which helps by correcting poor translations and adding some QOL features. Without the patch I probably wouldn't even recommend it honestly.
Well i can't agree with the second one, but the first Lords of Shadow is my favorite Castlevania so you have half my sword.
I'm going to recommend the two best classic and the two best Metroidvanias.
As for the Metroidvanias these recommendations are more straight foward:
- Rondo of Blood is the best classic Castlevania. Konami took everything they learned from Castle 1-4 and applied it here. Super tight design without being overly annoying. Enemy placement and Ritcher's moveset perfectly complement each other, offering a fair and consistent challenge throughout the whole game. Being able to find secrets in each level is super satisfying. My highest recommendation.
- Castlevania Bloodlines is super underrated and it's a shame, cause it's probably the second best classic Castlevania. This game is pretty hard but it has the best game feel out of all the classic Vanias. Jonathan is feels great to control and it helps alleviate some of the more aggressive enemy placements. The game kinda suffers from old school design but it's well worth a playthrough.
As for the Metroidvanias these recommendations are more straight foward:
- Symphony of the Night is an all time classic and a must play. It also kinda suffers from old school design philosophies but it's still amazing to this day and one of the most important games in history.
- Aria of Sorrow is basically Symphony but better. Igarashi removes all the bloat from Symphony's castle design to make a more consistent and fast paced experience. This one also gets my highest recommendation.
You're going to get nothing but the obvious certified gamer classics ITT but I think the original is still great and a solid starting spot.
Circle of the Moon is an absolute piece of shit and has such poor controls and physics.
Avoid that, but play the rest of the GBA and DS games. Maybe start with Aria.
Avoid that, but play the rest of the GBA and DS games. Maybe start with Aria.
All of them. There isn't a single Castlevania game on console I would recommend against. At most maybe sidestep the PS2 3D Castlevanias and the first Gameboy one, as well as Judgment.
Other than that, there isn't a Castlevania you could pick and be wrong about your choice. The Castlevania community is also quite a bit vitriolic on here because there is the Igavania faction, Classicvania faction, Mercuryvania faction, etc. They're all worth playing
Some of my most beloved CV are the ones that people likes to rag about: Circle of the Moon is fantastic, Chronicles is great, Portrait of Ruin is far more enjoyable than people makes it out to be.
You won't know until you try it, there is going to be more people trying to drive you out of playing some games than the other way around.
Castlevania 1
Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse
Super Castlevania IV
Symphony of the Night
Aria of Sorrow
Dawn of Sorrow
Order of Ecclesia
Those are the must plays IMO. Of course, you really can't go wrong outside of the few super bad ones (like the N64 games)
If you were to only play two, I would recommend 3 and Order of Ecclesia.
Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse
Super Castlevania IV
Symphony of the Night
Aria of Sorrow
Dawn of Sorrow
Order of Ecclesia
Those are the must plays IMO. Of course, you really can't go wrong outside of the few super bad ones (like the N64 games)
If you were to only play two, I would recommend 3 and Order of Ecclesia.
I'd start with Castlevania 1 and 3 just to get a feel for what the old games were. If they are too hard (which they probably will be) to complete, go ahead nad move on to games like Super Castlevania IV and Rondo of Blood. But, if you can only play one game, make it Symphony of the Night.
Symphony of the night is great but I actually prefer 2 of the DS games: Dawn of Sorrow and Order of Ecclesia. Also its quite easy to find a DS to play those.
Order of Ecclesia on DS is my favorite Castlevania. I think Castlevania 4 is an average game compared to the others I mentioned. The old Castlevanias (before SOTN) feel old to play, basically it's always the same gameplay found in the NES games and are not really enjoyable now.
Order of Ecclesia on DS is my favorite Castlevania. I think Castlevania 4 is an average game compared to the others I mentioned. The old Castlevanias (before SOTN) feel old to play, basically it's always the same gameplay found in the NES games and are not really enjoyable now.
It's quite easy to play SOTN if you have an Xbox!
I really wish they'd rerelease those GBA/DS games. They'd be perfect for a Switch collection or something. I want them to Mega Man Legacy Collection that shit.
Symphony of the Night works well as a stand-alone game but it is a direct sequel to Rondo of Blood, which you can find on the Wii Virtual Console or the PSP as Dracula X Chronicles.
Didn't they shut down the Wii Store/Virtual Console? I don't think it exists as a thing now.
Honestly it's a lot easier to compile a list of Castlevania games that are worth skipping.
So do not bother playing these:
Haunted Castle
Dracula X
CV The Adventure
CV Legends
CV 64
CV Judgment
CV Mirror of Fate
CV Lords of Shadow 2
Feel free to skip these, as they are mediocre:
CV 2
CV Circle of the Moon
CV Harmony of Dissonance
CV Legacy of Darkness (this is the expanded version of CV64)
CV Lament of Innocence
CV Curse of Darkness
CV Harmony of Despair (this one is multiplayer)
Every other Castlevania game is worth playing.
So do not bother playing these:
Haunted Castle
Dracula X
CV The Adventure
CV Legends
CV 64
CV Judgment
CV Mirror of Fate
CV Lords of Shadow 2
Feel free to skip these, as they are mediocre:
CV 2
CV Circle of the Moon
CV Harmony of Dissonance
CV Legacy of Darkness (this is the expanded version of CV64)
CV Lament of Innocence
CV Curse of Darkness
CV Harmony of Despair (this one is multiplayer)
Every other Castlevania game is worth playing.
Dang you're right, can't add points anymore and the whole thing will be shut down in a few months. Kind of a pain that one of the best entries is so inaccessible (and Bloodlines is still only available on the Genesis!)...we really need a definitive collection released.
Even the bold are fun to a certain extend. Judgement is a great fan service game if you played most of the series.
Also will like to comment that Aria of Sorrow is indeed the best metriodvania* and is only underrated because more people played SOTN.I low key hate that those top 100/200/whatever list include SOTN but not AOS at all.
*Order of Ecclesia is more of a remix of old and new
Edit,
I miss the GBA/DS/PSP days where we have a new 2D/2.5D Castlevania every year :(
If you mean the floating Medusa head boss, then yes, that is the Medusa from the Smash stage. :)
The bosses you won't find in Castlevania 1 from there is the werewolf and the floating mask crying blood that appeared in the background, as they are from Rondo of Blood and Castlevania 2, respectively.
This is a good post. I really like the NES games and have mad nostalgia for the N64 games because I was a teenager when they came out. I wouldn't recommend anyone start with them though. There are too many great Castlevania games. Might as well start with the best! Which is why I suggested just three games rather than a 25 game list.
That's really cool! I forgot about that crying mask, scary..
Sakurai put more thought into castlevania in that direct then Konami has in a decade. :(
That mask is supposed to be Carmilla, one of the characters Konami took from Gothic horror/vampire literature of the 19th century, much like Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, etc. were.
She also appears in other games, but takes on a quite different appearance in them, even though the mask is referenced in most of them.