Long-running series Castlevania features both good and awful games, which has been both its blessing and burden. With games on practically every popular console, Castlevania has been a mainstay of the gaming industry for years. The Belmont family’s ongoing struggle to slay Count Dracula has given rise to an incredible 25+ games. The design of Castlevania games has seen a significant transformation as well. Over the years, titles in the series have alternated between conventional side-scrolling adventures, the acclaimed (and often imitated) Metroidvania genre, and 3D action adventures.
Castlevania by Konami, which debuted way back in 1986, has grown to be one of the most recognisable and well-known series in gaming. Its influence has extended well beyond the world of interactive entertainment; for instance, it was recently adapted into a popular animated Netflix series. Many of its instalments are regarded as among the best games of all time. One of the most prolific and enduring gaming franchises, Castlevania has produced some of the best video games ever developed, and the popularity of its many titles even inspired a hit Netflix animated series. Below we have mentioned Best Castlevania Games.
7 Best Castlevania Games
Super Castlevania IV
Is it debatable to rank anything other than Symphony of the Night (or Aria of Sorrow) first? Probably, but it’s not always simple to be right. The classic Castlevania formula has been improved in Super Castlevania IV, which also has some of the best action-platforming ever presented in a 2D game. The Super Nintendo’s enhanced capability allowed Konami to offer more ambient effects, nicer environments, and a significantly more detailed Simon Belmont sprite, replacing the rigid movement of the preceding games.
When attacking foes, a very minor, purposeful freeze-frame effect provides each blow greater impact without requiring the controller’s rumble, which is crucial when battling the challenging bosses in the game. Overall, this is one of the Best Castlevania Games you can suggest your friends.
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin is a good addition to the series. This instalment, which takes place after Castlevania: Bloodlines, allows players to simultaneously control two characters. Although each playable character has a unique handling style, learning both of their skills was essential for advancement. You can get this game from its Official website.
Strong gameplay and the series’ customary excellent music were enhanced by the diverse realms and the Portraits of Ruin themselves. Although Portrait of Ruin may not be everyone’s favourite entry, it is unquestionably good and deserving of a playthrough for any fan. Currently, this is one of the Best Castlevania Games.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
The game that started it all, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, moved from mostly level-based action-platforming to an open-ended action-RPG that was obviously influenced by the Metroid series. A whole subgenre of video games was given a new moniker as a result—metroidvania—and Castlevania largely followed this model for more than a decade. Overall, this is one of the Best Castlevania Games.
Symphony of the Night was released on the original PlayStation late into its existence, but Konami avoided forcing 3D graphics into the game, unlike what it had to do with the inferior Nintendo 64 games, and instead provided a flashy and classic 2D visual style. Unintentional comedy was also included in the English version of the game, such as the infamous “miserable little mound of secrets” line. But enough chit-chat—number two!
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
A classic is Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow. Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow takes the gameplay that was introduced in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and improved on the Game Boy Advance and gets it as close to perfect as is humanly possible. A compelling plot, a magic system, some RPG growth, exciting foes, and incredible music are all present. Fans of Metroidvania games in general, as well as fans of the Castlevania series, must play this. For now, this is the Best Castlevania Games.
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
Rondo of Blood is most likely best known in the United States under the moniker Dracula X, which Konami used for the SNES port of the Japanese TurboGrafx-16 game. The issue is that Rondo is still the finest version of the game because most diehard fans believe Dracula X to be a poor port. Rondo of Blood shared many paths, amazing level design, and some competent action-based fighting with Castlevania III. Both Richter Belmont and Maria, his lover’s sister, were playable characters. This is the Best Castlevania Games that you can consider.
Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
Koji Igarashi redoubled his efforts with another 3D action-adventure, this time set shortly after the events of Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse — a game Igarashi has a particular affinity for — maybe stung by the cool reception given to Castlevania: Lament of Innocence. This time, instead of controlling a Belmont (although Trevor Belmont does appear in the game as a selectable character), you take on the role of Hector, a former ally of Dracula who also happens to resemble Alucard (Ayami Kojima sure does like to draw men with long white hair). Overall, this is one of the Best Castlevania Games you can install now.
The RPG aspects that were absent from Lament of the Innocent have been added back, and the fighting has improved, but Igarashi and his crew haven’t given the player a fun world to explore. The majority of the stages in Castlevania: Curse of Darkness are desolate and boring, making navigation a genuine effort especially when you take into account that Hector moves more slowly than you’d want. While many characters from the Netflix Castlevania series are introduced in the game, such as Hector’s adversary Issac and the enigmatic Saint-Germain, Castlevania: Curse of Darkness is yet another entry in the series that falls short of the glory of its 8, 16-bit, and 32-bit predecessors despite using better hardware.
Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse
Numerous new characters, including series favourite Alucard, the Dracula’s son, were introduced in Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse. Additionally, it steered clear of Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest and went back to the more traditional side-scrolling adventure gameplay of the first game. Instead, Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse broke new ground by enabling players to switch between unlocked characters as they progressed through the game.
Additionally, the storyline introduced some of the most well-known characters from Castlevania and was strong enough to serve as the basis for the Netflix Castlevania series. Currently, this is one of the Best Castlevania Games.
Conclusion
Despite the lengthy history of the Castlevania franchise, there are a surprising number of timeless titles inside it. There is a lot of variety in the Castlevania series, with the poorest entry being a bad Game Boy title with little to no content, and the finest being a PlayStation classic that has had a significant impact on the gaming industry for decades.
