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Matlock · Dec 11, 2005

I've avoided CotM and HoD so far, but MAN OH MAN, I <3 me some Metroidvania. Ranked in order of how much I like th' game.

3. Symphony of the Night - The perennial classic. It's the biggest of all of them, CD quality audio, plenty of shitty voiceacting, and solid gameplay throughout. The boss battles are memorable, the whole game is legendary. Hard to NOT like SotN.

2. Aria of Sorrow - The GBA had two underwhelming Metroidvanias up until this one. Aria of Sorrow told the story of a bishounen that unwittingly has the power of ol' Dracs and needs to take down Castlevania. Throughout the game you grow stronger and stronger, each soul you take making you that much more complete. Lots of offensive options, lots of fun, and has the most badass ending of all the Castlevanias (Lose to the real final boss, and you'll see.).

1. Dawn of Sorrow - DS' first Metroidvania. The anime prettyboy returns, along with much of the cast of Aria. He's still weak, but a bit more badass at the beginning of this one. Dawn of Sorrow does EVERYTHING right except for one thing--the seal system. It's a neat idea, and it makes perfect sense, but it's something I'd rather not have to go through after killing a boss. Otherwise, you have a Metroidvania with stats and map that are always available (so no flipping all the time), the best graphics, soundtrack (although quality's a bit eh), and possibly the deepest out of all of 'em.

Man, I hope SotN gets the obligatory anniversary re-release on DS with some added content...Soma Mode?!?!?

Tain · Dec 11, 2005

Circle of the Moon was awesome.

Haven't played DS yet, and I loved Aria, but the difficulty of CotM puts it on the same level.

kablooey · Dec 11, 2005

Could the DS handle SotN? I've been meaning to play it forever (I didn't have a PSX in the 32-bit age...N64 only duder here =X), so it'd save me a lot of trouble if they just re-released it on DS.

And yeah, most of Circle of the Moon was pretty cool, though it got a bit tedious towards the end, and without a light it can be a bitch to see. Awesome soundtrack, btw.

Forgotten Ancient · Dec 11, 2005

SOTN's soundtrack is the ONLY thing keeping that at my #1. It's still my favorite soundtrack and I find myself playing the game just to hear the music at times. Oh...and nostalgia.

...SOTN being nostalgic now makes me feel incredibly old.

Snaku · Dec 11, 2005

kablooey said:
Could the DS handle SotN?

Easily. The music would probably be downgraded a bit though.

Forgotten Ancient · Dec 11, 2005

kablooey said:
Could the DS handle SotN? I've been meaning to play it forever (I didn't have a PSX in the 32-bit age...N64 only duder here =X), so it'd save me a lot of trouble if they just re-released it on DS.

And yeah, most of Circle of the Moon was pretty cool, though it got a bit tedious towards the end, and without a light it can be a bitch to see. Awesome soundtrack, btw.

It should absolutely be able to handle it sans the soundtrack. But really, that's the whole point of playing it! Honestly...the game was fantastic, but incredibly easy. Soul steal has got to be the cheapest move in a Castlevania game ever.

Matlock · Dec 11, 2005

The soundtrack would be compressed, the resolution would drop very slightly, but it would work on DS.

the year 20XX · Dec 11, 2005

kablooey said:
Could the DS handle SotN?

It handled SotN's sprites pretty well.

RevenantKioku · Dec 11, 2005

CotM is almost a new game on the GBMicro (or SP+).
And I really do love these games. Out of all my games in my collection, each one of these has gotten multiple play-throughs, and SotN is one of my yearly play-throughs. (I do Chrono Trigger in the spring, Parasite Eve Christmas ~ New Years week and SotN in September.)

Parallax Scroll · Dec 11, 2005

kablooey said:
Could the DS handle SotN? I've been meaning to play it forever (I didn't have a PSX in the 32-bit age...N64 only duder here =X), so it'd save me a lot of trouble if they just re-released it on DS.

The game is still pretty easy to find and very cheap, so you could just play it on PS2 if you have one. Unless SOTN is one of those games that doesn't run well on PS2... does anyone know?

Snaku · Dec 11, 2005

Parallax Scroll said:
The game is still pretty easy to find and very cheap, so you could just play it on PS2 if you have one. Unless SOTN is one of those games that doesn't run well on PS2... does anyone know?

Runs fine on the PS2.

Forgotten Ancient · Dec 11, 2005

Parallax Scroll said:
The game is still pretty easy to find and very cheap, so you could just play it on PS2 if you have one. Unless SOTN is one of those games that doesn't run well on PS2... does anyone know?

It's always run fine for me.

Teddman · Dec 11, 2005

Metroidvania's are like my favorite genre. I include the new GBA Metroids under the umbrella of that term as well, they're like flipsides of a coin: One sci-fi, one gothic horror. All kickass gameplay!

kablooey · Dec 11, 2005

Cool, I'll try to find a copy of SotN once I get back home from school.

Oh, and as good as Metroidvania games are, for the record...true Metroid > Metroidvania games.

Ristamar · Dec 11, 2005

Hmph. Am I the only guy that misses stuff like Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse and Super Castlevania IV?

ghibli99 · Dec 11, 2005

Ristamar said:
Hmph. Am I the only guy that misses stuff like Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse and Super Castlevania IV?

Nope. I wouldn't mind a stage-based Castlevania title again (whether it's linear or branching). That would eliminate all the backtracking you have to do in the Metroidvania versions.

Forgotten Ancient · Dec 11, 2005

ghibli99 said:
Nope. I wouldn't mind a stage-based Castlevania title again (whether it's linear or branching). That would eliminate all the backtracking you have to do in the Metroidvania versions.

I wouldn't mind either...as long as a different team was making it. I want nothing to get between me and my Metroidvania!

Naked Snake · Dec 11, 2005

Holy shit at the prices SotN is going for

(

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t.../ref=dp_bb_a/103-6298920-3636623?s=videogames

Monk · Dec 11, 2005

Ristamar said:
Hmph. Am I the only guy that misses stuff like Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse and Super Castlevania IV?

You have the bonus mode on the DS...

Ninja Scooter · Dec 11, 2005

Naked Snake said:
Holy shit at the prices SotN is going for (

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t.../ref=dp_bb_a/103-6298920-3636623?s=videogames

i bought the greatest hits SotN at Blockbuster for $10 like six months ago.

Teddman · Dec 11, 2005

Wow, I was under the impression that SOTN Greatest Hits was easy to get. Glad I bought a backup copy a couple years ago.

Error · Dec 11, 2005

Ninja Scooter said:
i bought the greatest hits SotN at Blockbuster for $10 like six months ago.

Costco once had the game for $12 there were like 5 copies I bought 3

one for me the other two went the ebay route.

dark10x · Dec 11, 2005

Of course DS could handle SotN. It's hardware is essentially from that same generation (more powerful even). As others have noted, the only potential sacrifice would be the audio (which, I must admit, would be a pretty BIG sacrifice...but still).

I just wish they'd do one of those on PSP as well, but I know it will never happen (based on Iga's current stance).

ohamsie · Dec 11, 2005

I bought Circle of the Moon about a month ago, and it is my first GBA Castlevania. I am really enjoying it so far, last night I just beat the

zombie dragons

. What I like about this game is that the bosses seem so impossible the first time you face them, but after a little while you get into kind of a groove and can kick their ass.

Gantz · Dec 11, 2005

Naked Snake said:
Holy shit at the prices SotN is going for (

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t.../ref=dp_bb_a/103-6298920-3636623?s=videogames

How much is the original non-greatest hits worth?

Duck of Death · Dec 11, 2005

Don't avoid Circle of the Moon. It's fantastic.

Matlock · Dec 11, 2005

dark10x said:
I just wish they'd do one of those on PSP as well, but I know it will never happen (based on Iga's current stance).

And SCEA concept approval.

Raven. · Dec 11, 2005

dark10x said:
Of course DS could handle SotN. It's hardware is essentially from that same generation (more powerful even). As others have noted, the only potential sacrifice would be the audio (which, I must admit, would be a pretty BIG sacrifice...but still).

I just wish they'd do one of those on PSP as well, but I know it will never happen (based on Iga's current stance).

I know that powerwise it can easily handle as many sprites, animations and stuff as what was on SotN. But what about resolution? Can the DS screens handle it, I don't remember the SotN rez, so just asking.

Y2Kev · Dec 11, 2005

IGA is a hack or whatever that can't do 3D games and for some reason can't do high-res 2d art for PSP or consoles (lack of funds, probably, but his "Sony won't let me" excuse is SUCH shit, especially on PSP with freaking PoPoLoCrois just coming out), so SotN would have to be a DS game. The soundtrack would be ruined.

Dance of Pales. Wandering ghosts. Tragic Prince. These songs play in my head when I take math tests.

I have both the Saturn and the PSX version of SotN. My dad (46) stayed up until 3 AM to beat SotN. We beat Orlox together he was so hard. I love this game.

Snaku · Dec 11, 2005

Divus Masterei said:
But what about resolution? Can the DS screens handle it, I don't remember the SotN rez, so just asking.

There isn't a large difference between the DS resolution and standard TV res.

Matlock · Dec 11, 2005

Y2Kevbug11 said:
"Sony won't let me" excuse is SUCH shit, especially on PSP with freaking PoPoLoCrois just coming out)

It isn't a matter of "Sony won't let me," it's more "SCEA won't let me." PoPoLoCrois was a Sony game so it gets preference, but how many other PSX remakes will see US PSP's?

Y2Kev · Dec 11, 2005

It's not the remake part he was complaining about, he said Sony quality control or whatever won't allow a 2d game to market.

It's not true; I don't know why he says that.

Shaheed79 · Dec 11, 2005

Can anyone name all the original 2d sprite based action games designed for current gen consoles. Anyone? Anyone?

There is a reason why we don't get this that often if at all because drawing that many hi-res sprites takes a LOT of damn work and costs a hell of lot of money. If Dawn of Sorrow used hi-res sprites it wouldn't be 1/10 as big as it is. Its just not feesible to make a sprite based action game as big as DoS at a resolution all that higher than the DS. This is why all of those PSP remakes are using polygons instead which will never animate as well as sprites can but it makes it 10x easier to design enemies and program animations. I would love for a 2D castlevania to look like GGX and animate like SF3 but I realize how impractical and costly something like this is for a studio to do. So don't blame Konami and Iga for not doing it with your beloved Metroidvania because no one is doing it.

koam · Dec 11, 2005

Castlavania + Metroid = bliss.

Whoever it was at Konami who decided to apply the metroid formula to the castlavania games needs a major promotion. I do like the original castlevania's too but mixing the two best 2D sidescrolling adventure franchises together is a great idea

elostyle · Dec 11, 2005

Matlock said:
It isn't a matter of "Sony won't let me," it's more "SCEA won't let me." PoPoLoCrois was a Sony game so it gets preference, but how many other PSX remakes will see US PSP's?

Yes I think SCEA is more rigid than SCEJ (or whatever it's called).

Y2Kev · Dec 11, 2005

Shaheed79 said:
Can anyone name all the original 2d sprite based action games designed for current gen consoles. Anyone? Anyone?

There is a reason why we don't get this that often if at all because drawing that many hi-res sprites takes a LOT of damn work and costs a hell of lot of money. If Dawn of Sorrow used hi-res sprites it wouldn't be 1/10 as big as it is. Its just not feesible to make a sprite based action game as big as DoS at a resolution all that higher than the DS. This is why all of those PSP remakes are using polygons instead which will never animate as well as sprites can but it makes it 10x easier to design enemies and program animations. I would love for a 2D castlevania to look like GGX and animate like SF3 but I realize how impractical and costly something like this is for a studio to do. So don't blame Konami and Iga for not doing it with your beloved Metroidvania because no one is doing it.

Well....you can blame Konami for not wanting to fund the project. I know, it's expensive, I said that. They should realize with DoS sales being so nice, though, that there is a market.

Besides, look how long they've used the sprites they already have. Creating high-res art is not just for one game, Konami would be creating art for a decade's worth of castlevanias.

Do we expect Nintendo QS (quatroscreen, of course) to still have the same Rondo of Blood sprites?

Shaheed79 · Dec 11, 2005

Y2Kevbug11 said:
Well....you can blame Konami for not wanting to fund the project. I know, it's expensive, I said that. They should realize with DoS sales being so nice, though, that there is a market.

Besides, look how long they've used the sprites they already have. Creating high-res art is not just for one game, Konami would be creating art for a decade's worth of castlevanias.

Do we expect Nintendo QS (quatroscreen, of course) to still have the same Rondo of Blood sprites?

DoS sales are nice but they aint THAT nice. Sorry man the numbers just aren't there for any 2d game to be done like that especially a game as big as this is. It sucks yes but thats just the way it is. Just be thankful we get ANY 2d CV goodness. I would weep if they ever used poly models for a 2D CV game.

sykoex · Dec 11, 2005

I think the only thing that would really hold back SOTN on the ds is the screen resolution or the awkward aspect ratio that most handhelds have.

APF · Dec 11, 2005

I love the Metroidvanias (more than the Metroidmetroids even), but my big wet-dream fantasy is a 2.5d remake of Rondo of Blood for PSP.

Raven. · Dec 11, 2005

Snaku said:
There isn't a large difference between the DS resolution and standard TV res.

Nope

From what I recall tv rez is 640i
or 640x240(i'd assume as 640p is 640x480)

Now I'm asking about SotN because I dunnoh if it uses the psxs lowest rez which would be amenable to DS, or something a bit higher(I've heard most psx games where in the 320xsomething range.).

Wiki stats
Playstation:
Resolutions from 256×224 to 640×480
DS:
256×192
SNES:
Resolution: between 256x224 and 512x448. Most games used 256x224, 320x224, 512x224 pixels
PSX

Edit:

BTW on the issue of high-rez sprites, nowadays we've moved from 2d. Couldn't they just loop animation video sequences of the character on top of some polys to achieve the various moves, etc. without using sprites? I'd imagine it'd be cheaper to do some traditional animation of the character's moves rather than high-rez sprites, and providing a few frames of animation for a few dozen characters shouldn't be too expensive(Basing this on the complaints of high-costs for sprites vs low-costs for such a low-amount of traditional animation.).

The high-rez backgrounds, I suppose are no biggie in terms of costs.

elostyle · Dec 11, 2005

First mario world had mario be different pieces that would move around and animate him that way. Looked pretty cool.

Reilly · Dec 11, 2005

kablooey said:
Could the DS handle SotN? I've been meaning to play it

-_- you haven't played SotN yet?

be a man and get the original version. The GH version ruins the box art.

Pimpbaa · Dec 11, 2005

Reilly said:
-_- you haven't played SotN yet?

be a man and get the original version. The GH version ruins the box art.

All that matters is the game inside.

Shaheed79 · Dec 11, 2005

SotN uses a resolution pretty damn close to the DS's. Dragona made damn sure everyone knew that when DoS was revealed.

Reilly · Dec 11, 2005

Pimpbaa said:
All that matters is the game inside.

Pimpbaa · Dec 11, 2005

Reilly said:

The cheaper price the green stripe indicates is much more attractive.

Tain · Dec 11, 2005

The cover reminds me of how disgusting the game's CG is.

The cutscenes and audio scream 1997 all over. Only the audio does it in a good way.

CarlosX360 · Dec 11, 2005

I've played every Castlevania game except for DoS. SOTN remains the best, IMO.

Until I play DoS, It shall stay that way.

ghibli99 · Dec 11, 2005

Tain said:
The cover reminds me of how disgusting the game's CG is.

The cutscenes and audio scream 1997 all over. Only the audio does it in a good way.

Yeah, Konami was rockin' some really bad CG around that time (Gradius Gaiden's intro comes to mind). During the SOTN CG intro, I remember thinking, "They didn't texture half the castle!"

Oh well, KCET's 2D guys were certainly up to task.

The US boxart sucks compared to the Japanese one with Ayame Kojima's godly work:

This thread definitely makes me want to play this game again...

Error · Dec 11, 2005

Reilly said:

as much as I love SOTN, that has an horrible cover. :shudders: the Japanese cover of the game is much much better.

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