The Castlevania sequence has been one of the crucial prolific and long-running in all of gaming, with the success of its many games–including a number of the best video games ever made–even resulting in a preferred Netflix animated sequence. With such a wide array, it wasn’t simple to rank the very best Castlevania video games, however we did our greatest and are nearly definitely going to have you ever disagree with a minimum of a couple of of the alternatives and placements. These are the ten greatest Castlevania video games, ranked.
Extra franchise greatest lists
Among the video games on this record will be discovered within the Castlevania Anniversary Collection and not too long ago launched Castlevania Advance Collection.
10. Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse (NES)
We noticed a number of NES franchises make huge adjustments with their second installment earlier than reversing course again to what labored earlier than when a 3rd recreation ultimately launched. Tremendous Mario did it, Zelda did it, and Castlevania did it, too. The non-linear however usually cryptic and tedious Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest was adopted by Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, which took a extra linear strategy with out being as simple as the primary recreation. It featured a number of playable characters, a few of whom you may acknowledge from the animated sequence, each these objections did not imply the sport was simpler. As an alternative, it is arguably the toughest of the unique trilogy, to the purpose that it is cheap to rage-quit and by no means really end it.
9. Castlevania (NES)
The sport that began all of it on the NES and began–at least by way of launch order–the ongoing wrestle between the Belmont household and the legendary vampire Dracula, the primary Castlevania did an entire lot proper. Its artwork course and music, restricted as they needed to be on the system’s primary {hardware}, are nonetheless basic at the moment, and the enemies are simply as iconic. Combating literal Dying and mythological creatures earlier than you ever tackle Dracula confirmed simply how highly effective the vampire was going to be, even should you had full well being and a virtually bottomless provide of holy water to throw his method. Nonetheless, the unique Castlevania was additionally a deeply irritating recreation due to its stiff controls, which did not allow you to course-correct jumps as you would in video games like Tremendous Mario Bros. Mix this with a knockback impact when taking injury, and also you had a few damaged controllers.
8. Castlevania: Bloodlines (Genesis)
A Nintendo-exclusive franchise for years (we can’t speak about that horrible arcade recreation), Castlevania made the leap to the competitors with Castlevania: Bloodlines. A Sega Genesis unique, it wasn’t drastically completely different from its predecessors by way of design, with action-oriented gameplay and the identical mix of platforming and difficult fight the sequence was well-known for. The place it actually stood out, nevertheless, was the bizarre lore implications it made, together with connections to the Bram Stoker Dracula novel that have not been that totally explored in many of the sequence’ different video games. Like the opposite 16-bit period Castlevania video games, Castlevania: Bloodlines’ visuals have held up very effectively, and it is nonetheless simply as playable at the moment because it was again in 1994.
7. Castlevania: Daybreak of Sorrow
The successor to Aria of Sorrow–more on that one in a bit–Castlevania: Daybreak of Sorrow continued its extra trendy story and setting, ditching the centuries-old tales of previous video games and placing gamers again within the footwear of Soma Cruz. A supernatural hero with ever-increasing energy that matches the Metroidvania template first seen in Symphony of the Night time, Soma’s talents are fairly a bit extra various than what the Belmont clan provides. However it’s additionally what the DS itself provided that made Daybreak of Sorrow stand out, with the sport’s map being displayed on the highest display screen completely, thus releasing up house for the motion on the underside display screen and serving to to keep away from pointless pausing. It definitely wasn’t the one DS recreation to do that, however in an exploration-heavy sequence like Castlevania, it is extraordinarily useful.
6. Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
The final Nintendo DS recreation within the series–and the final retail Castlevania recreation earlier than the franchise was reimagined–Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia can be the ultimate unique recreation within the sequence with legendary producer Koji Igarashi’s involvement. His intensive historical past with Castlevania might have been why Order of Ecclesia made such huge adjustments, breaking from the backtracking-heavy castles in favor of a streamlined strategy that melds some parts from later video games with the level-based earlier titles. As soon as once more, it additionally stars somebody apart from a Belmont, placing you answerable for Shanoah, who can steal enemies magic Kirby-style with a purpose to use completely different weapons. Whereas we love the basic Vampire Killer whip, this selection does assist to maintain issues recent, and it makes Order of Ecclesia price revisiting.
5. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Initially revealed with out the Castlevania identify connected to it, anybody enjoying by most of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow might surprise what it needed to do with the sequence, in any respect, except the “Belmont” surname for protagonist Gabriel. A well-known twist makes the Castlevania identify a lot clearer, nevertheless, and caps off what is likely one of the most underrated action-adventure video games of the Xbox 360 and PS3 technology. A superb hack-and-slash fight system, orchestral music, solemn tone, and Hollywood actors within the lead roles all helped it develop into a sleeper hit. Its sequels, each Lords of Shadow 2 and the 3DS’s Mirror of Destiny, weren’t as profitable, which is a disgrace contemplating how nice the unique stays at the moment.
4. Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
That is the place issues get somewhat bit complicated. There are two completely different variations of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood–the one we have ranked because the fourth-best within the sequence, and one other referred to as Castlevania: Dracula X, which got here to the Tremendous Nintendo. Should you needed the higher recreation again within the mid-90s, you needed to have a PC Engine, which is the Japanese model of the TurboGrafx-16. It turned somewhat bit simpler to play later, with a remake included in Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles an eventual port to PS4 with Castlevania Requiem, and a spot on the wonderful TurboGrafx-16 Mini console. Flashy visuals with clean animations and good sound design make it really feel far newer than it really is (the sport was first launched in 1993 and required a CD peripheral). Rondo of Blood is an usually ignored entry that may’t be missed, particularly as a result of one other recreation on our record is definitely a sequel to it.
3. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
The final recreation within the sequence to launch for Sport Boy Advance was additionally the very best, and it did so by transferring additional away from the usual Castelvania setting and premise as a lot as doable. Dracula nonetheless had a task within the recreation, nevertheless it took issues in some unusual instructions unrelated to the Belmonts and their seemingly unending battle towards the vampiric lord. Soma Cruz, who returned within the sequel Daybreak of Sorrow, makes his first look on this recreation, and you should utilize a bunch of various weapons to take down your enemies whereas additionally utilizing their talents to additional enhance your energy. If there have been ever a Castlevania recreation meant for Sizzling Subject patrons with straightened hair and Hawthorne Heights shirts, that is it, however that is not essentially a nasty factor.
2. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night time
The sport that modified every little thing, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night time was a fairly radical departure for the sequence, transferring from largely level-based action-platforming to an open-ended action-RPG that took clear inspiration from the Metroid sequence. It even led to a brand new identify for an entire sub-genre of games–metroidvania–and a template that Castlevania would largely follow for greater than a decade. Regardless of releasing on the unique PlayStation effectively into its lifespan, Konami did not drive 3D visuals into Symphony of the Night time, one thing it could not assist however do within the mediocre Nintendo 64 video games, and as an alternative delivered a flashy and timeless 2D visible type. The sport’s English translation additionally provided some unintentional humor, together with the well-known “depressing little pile of secrets and techniques” line. However sufficient discuss, it is quantity 2!
1. Tremendous Castlevania IV
Is it controversial to have something however Symphony of the Night time (or Aria of Sorrow) within the high spot? Most likely, however being proper is not at all times simple. Tremendous Castlevania IV is the unique Castlevania formulation perfected, accomplished with a number of the greatest action-platforming ever delivered in a 2D recreation. The stiff motion of the sooner video games is changed by fine-tuned jumps which you could regulate within the air, and the Tremendous Nintendo’s elevated energy allowed Konami to supply extra ambient results, higher environments, and a way more detailed Simon Belmont sprite. A really slight and intentional freeze-frame impact when hitting enemies additionally provides every assault extra weight without having rumble within the controller, which is particularly essential when dealing with off towards the sport’s troublesome bosses.
However do you suppose any of that issues? You are so silly! Tremendous Castlevania IV may very well be legendary primarily based on its music alone. Utilizing the SNES’ wonderful sound chip, gothic-style organs blare as you combat by the spooky sections of Dracula’s fortress, and the tunes shall be caught in your head for weeks after you end enjoying.