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Metroid vs Castlevania: Which is your favorite and why?
- Thread starter heringer
- Start date
Tarextherex
Banned
What is your favorite entry in both franchises?
Metroid: Super Metroid, pretty much the overall best
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, the soul system is very addicting, game has great pacing and doesn't have as braindead level design/difficulty as SOTN. Dawn is about as good but Aria has the edge for novelty
What is your favorite of the two franchises and why?
Metroid is better because it does really well the whole "get powerups to progress through the world" design. Castlevania feels pretty superficial on that aspect, it's good as an action RPG but for a game that initially felt like it took cues from Metroid it doesn't really feel like one in terms of the core reasons of why Metroid is good
And last question: were they surpassed by other game/franchise in the same genre?
Cave Story is better than most of both, actually it's better than all of them except Super and maybe Fusion. Other than that I wouldn't know, haven't played all of the other revered indie ones
Metroid: Super Metroid, pretty much the overall best
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, the soul system is very addicting, game has great pacing and doesn't have as braindead level design/difficulty as SOTN. Dawn is about as good but Aria has the edge for novelty
What is your favorite of the two franchises and why?
Metroid is better because it does really well the whole "get powerups to progress through the world" design. Castlevania feels pretty superficial on that aspect, it's good as an action RPG but for a game that initially felt like it took cues from Metroid it doesn't really feel like one in terms of the core reasons of why Metroid is good
And last question: were they surpassed by other game/franchise in the same genre?
Cave Story is better than most of both, actually it's better than all of them except Super and maybe Fusion. Other than that I wouldn't know, haven't played all of the other revered indie ones
Crankshaft
Member
Castlevania
I like horror\monsters over space\aliens.
But Zero Suit Samus tho.....
I like horror\monsters over space\aliens.
But Zero Suit Samus tho.....
klabautermann
Member
Super Metroid is the obvious and generic pick, though I also really like Metroid Prime. Aria of Sorrow is probably my favorite Castlevania game, but I haven't beaten Dawn of Sorrow so that could change.
Tavernacle12
Member
3D - Metroid
2D - Castlevania
I love the bosses, monsters, and enviroments in 2D Castlevania more, while the exploration in the Prime games is preferable to both 2D Castlevania and 3D Castlevania.
I'd rank them
3D Metroid
2D Castlevania
2D Metroid
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3D Castlevania
2D - Castlevania
I love the bosses, monsters, and enviroments in 2D Castlevania more, while the exploration in the Prime games is preferable to both 2D Castlevania and 3D Castlevania.
I'd rank them
3D Metroid
2D Castlevania
2D Metroid
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3D Castlevania
Taliban Stan
Member
Metroid.
I never got into Castelvania. Granted, I played it when I was 6 for like 2 minutes and was like "not as good as Mario" and went back to playing Mario so maybe I didn't give it te fairest of shots... but I played Metroid 2 at like 9 and loved it.
I never got into Castelvania. Granted, I played it when I was 6 for like 2 minutes and was like "not as good as Mario" and went back to playing Mario so maybe I didn't give it te fairest of shots... but I played Metroid 2 at like 9 and loved it.
OrbitalBeard
Member
I love the Castlevania series pre-SotN. I love the Metroid series pre-Federation Force.
So, Metroid. Easily.
So, Metroid. Easily.
Charles Brandon
Member
Super Metroid and Symphony of the Night are absolute all-time classics and both stand head and shoulders above everything else in their lineage. Which is better? Too tough to call for me.
The classicvania games and the prime games are great also but those two games in particular are hall-of-famers.
The classicvania games and the prime games are great also but those two games in particular are hall-of-famers.
Pejo
Member
My favorites of each series:
-Super Metroid
-SoTN
No surprises there. Endlessly replayable, and I do replay them every few years.
Castlevania is by far my favorite series out of the two. The RPG mechanics, tons of weapons and content.
I wouldn't say surpassed, but there are some very good games in the same genre that have really grabbed me. Namely Valdis Story, Dust, Ori.
-Super Metroid
-SoTN
No surprises there. Endlessly replayable, and I do replay them every few years.
Castlevania is by far my favorite series out of the two. The RPG mechanics, tons of weapons and content.
I wouldn't say surpassed, but there are some very good games in the same genre that have really grabbed me. Namely Valdis Story, Dust, Ori.
OniLordAsmodeus
Neo Member
I feel kind of bad saying that I never played a Castlevania game, but I really haven't. I mean I've dabbled for a few minutes of so, but never beat one, or spent a serious amount of time in that world. Metroid on the other hand, wow, Super Metroid was a land mark game for me, and Fusion and Zero mission (more ZM that Fusion) just took the formula to new heights.
So yeah, the "Metroid-vania" terminology has always been more Metroid to me, thus that is my answer.
So yeah, the "Metroid-vania" terminology has always been more Metroid to me, thus that is my answer.
All Possible Ways
Member
For me Metroid is better designed overall, with a better difficulty balance, better puzzles and environments and tighter controls. However, I absolutely love the atmosphere in Castlevania, the music and the art direction. I also enjoy the RPG elements, which Metroid lacks. Then again, Castlevania tends to reuse assets a lot, and the songs and atmosphere in Metroid are also amazing!
So it's tough, but I will go with Castlevania by a narrow margin. Favorites would be Zero Mission and Symphony.
So it's tough, but I will go with Castlevania by a narrow margin. Favorites would be Zero Mission and Symphony.
eternalthree
Member
wow, when you said 3d castlevanias i thought you meant Curse of Darkness and Lament of Innocence. I've played and beaten Lords of Shadow, but had forgotten about it's existence along with its sequels.
Rhomega Beta
Member
Tough call. The Metroid Prime games are awesome, as well as most of the sidescrollers, but I love Castlevania's bigger focus on story and gothic horror themes.
eXistor
Member
Metroid at its best is gaming at its best. To this day I still consider Super Metroid to be the best game ever designed. Castlevania never hit those highs with their attempts (well, the pre-SotN games did, but we're not talking about those), I feel the level design just isn't there; way too copy/paste. That said, there are more decent-to-good Castlevania's than Metroids, of the 2D games, really only Super Metroid and arguably Zero Mission are must-plays(what were they thinking with the endgame though). Fusion became too linear, had a boring setting and overall just felt like the begining of the end. Metroid 1 is great, but is marred with a few issues that hold it back. Metroid II was alright, but hardly a must-play.
Most 2D Castlevania's are actually quite solid and fun, if predictable and samey. I much prefer oldskool Castlevania to Metroidvania, those have some all-time greats in there.
Is Cave Story considered a Metroidvania though? It's very linear. I never really considered it the same genre tbh.
Most 2D Castlevania's are actually quite solid and fun, if predictable and samey. I much prefer oldskool Castlevania to Metroidvania, those have some all-time greats in there.
Is Cave Story considered a Metroidvania though? It's very linear. I never really considered it the same genre tbh.
QuantumZebra
Member
Obvious replies are gonna be Castlevania: SotN and Metroid Prime I think.
Super Metroid is the GOAT
Roberto Duran
Member
Both of them are great, but I like Castlevania more. I like them more because of the horror theme and they have more 2D games than Metroid. Metroid 3D is obviously better though.
So, since it's been almost 10 years since my last Igavania, I decided to replay through all of them. I'm done with Circle of the Moon and Aria. The good thing about having a terrible memory is that I remember very little of the games, so they almost feel new to me.
Circle of the Moon is great, and surprisingly long! The visuals in this game hold up very well, and it has aged far, far better than Harmony of Dissonance (man, that game looks terrible). Last boss is very hard, but once you get the patterns down, it's fun to fight. Very solid entry.
Aria of Sorrow is a step up, and it's still really good. I like the castle design better here, and the visuals as well as the controls were improved. The soul system is as fun and addictive as ever. I will say that the bosses were a little underwhelming considering a lot of people consider Aria to be the best entry in the franchise. I think I liked 3 or 4, the rest was forgettable (3 of them were just regular enemies). I'm done with Julius mode too and it's good fun, though it's a lot different from DoS because Julius is super overpowered here and there's no alternate story. Still, a very nice bonus.
The next one is Portrait of Ruin. After around 1 hour I think it's better than I remember. There's a bit more focus on platforming and more ways to approach combat because of the partner system. The light puzzle elements using your partner is cool too, but I remember being a little underused. We'll see.
Circle of the Moon is great, and surprisingly long! The visuals in this game hold up very well, and it has aged far, far better than Harmony of Dissonance (man, that game looks terrible). Last boss is very hard, but once you get the patterns down, it's fun to fight. Very solid entry.
Aria of Sorrow is a step up, and it's still really good. I like the castle design better here, and the visuals as well as the controls were improved. The soul system is as fun and addictive as ever. I will say that the bosses were a little underwhelming considering a lot of people consider Aria to be the best entry in the franchise. I think I liked 3 or 4, the rest was forgettable (3 of them were just regular enemies). I'm done with Julius mode too and it's good fun, though it's a lot different from DoS because Julius is super overpowered here and there's no alternate story. Still, a very nice bonus.
The next one is Portrait of Ruin. After around 1 hour I think it's better than I remember. There's a bit more focus on platforming and more ways to approach combat because of the partner system. The light puzzle elements using your partner is cool too, but I remember being a little underused. We'll see.
ienjoyrawfish
Member
What is your favorite entry in both franchises?
Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
What is your favorite of the two franchises and why?
Metroid.
The gameplay is geared more towards testing the player's dexterity, reflexes and mastery of the game's many intricate mechanics, especially if you want to go for 100%. I feel like some of this naturally going to be lost once you start designing these games with RPG elements in mind.
Finding as many items as possible in a 2D Metroid game requires you to solve some really vexing puzzles that the game creates using its own environment. Castlevania games have an element of this, but the emphasis on map completion rather than item collecting means that it's often more about pure exploration and less about puzzle solving or manipulating mechanics in clever ways to try and find secrets.
I also feel like Metroid nails the difficulty curve better than Castlevania games. Symphony of the Night for example is the best game in the series but has a horrible difficulty curve. It starts out as a moderate challenge, then becomes really easy once you level up a bit, then there's a *very* sudden and abrupt difficulty spike as soon as you get to the inverted castle, and then it just becomes an absolute joke again once you get the Alucard shield/crissaegrim. Metroid games by contrast have a much smoother, more linear difficulty spike even as you acquire new power ups, which is how it should be. And yes, I know SOTN becomes more of a challenge if you want to impose arbitrary conditions on yourself like "no game breaking items", but the fact that such game breaking items are there in the first place points to a lack of polish in design that you simply don't see in Metroid games. I mean, the Alucard shield isn't even hard to find and it practically makes you invincible for the rest of the game.
There's a post on this forum here that compares Super Metroid and SOTN in greater detail and explains why Metroid is the better designed game.
Were they surpassed by other game/franchise in the same genre?
Never played a non-Metroid or Castlevania Metroidvania so can't really say.
When removed from the context of the game, maybe (although even that's debatable), but I feel like the music in Metroid works within the game to create atmosphere more effectively than Castlevania's soundtracks do.
Fwiw, I think the classic Castlevania's like Super Castlevania IV, Bloodlines and (especially) Rondo of Blood have the best music in the series, but they're excluded from OP's discussion.
Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
What is your favorite of the two franchises and why?
Metroid.
The gameplay is geared more towards testing the player's dexterity, reflexes and mastery of the game's many intricate mechanics, especially if you want to go for 100%. I feel like some of this naturally going to be lost once you start designing these games with RPG elements in mind.
Finding as many items as possible in a 2D Metroid game requires you to solve some really vexing puzzles that the game creates using its own environment. Castlevania games have an element of this, but the emphasis on map completion rather than item collecting means that it's often more about pure exploration and less about puzzle solving or manipulating mechanics in clever ways to try and find secrets.
I also feel like Metroid nails the difficulty curve better than Castlevania games. Symphony of the Night for example is the best game in the series but has a horrible difficulty curve. It starts out as a moderate challenge, then becomes really easy once you level up a bit, then there's a *very* sudden and abrupt difficulty spike as soon as you get to the inverted castle, and then it just becomes an absolute joke again once you get the Alucard shield/crissaegrim. Metroid games by contrast have a much smoother, more linear difficulty spike even as you acquire new power ups, which is how it should be. And yes, I know SOTN becomes more of a challenge if you want to impose arbitrary conditions on yourself like "no game breaking items", but the fact that such game breaking items are there in the first place points to a lack of polish in design that you simply don't see in Metroid games. I mean, the Alucard shield isn't even hard to find and it practically makes you invincible for the rest of the game.
There's a post on this forum here that compares Super Metroid and SOTN in greater detail and explains why Metroid is the better designed game.
Were they surpassed by other game/franchise in the same genre?
Never played a non-Metroid or Castlevania Metroidvania so can't really say.
When removed from the context of the game, maybe (although even that's debatable), but I feel like the music in Metroid works within the game to create atmosphere more effectively than Castlevania's soundtracks do.
Fwiw, I think the classic Castlevania's like Super Castlevania IV, Bloodlines and (especially) Rondo of Blood have the best music in the series, but they're excluded from OP's discussion.
Magic Mushroom
Member
BassForever
Member
Super Metroid (and if we count 3d prime 1) is/are better then any metroidvania game, but I think the metroidvania games as a whole are more consistent then the the whole metroid series (2d only or 3d included).
D
Deleted member 231381
Unconfirmed Member
I don't see how you can think SoTN is clearly above AoS. I mean, I can understand liking it more, even though I don't, but thinking there's any appreciable gap seems too far.
JustSomeone
Member
Metroid because it did 3D better
This is an interesting thread because I actually like more the action Castlevania s like the SNES and Megadrive ones than the metroid type ones. And comparing these doesn't make much sense, still if I had to I would give the nod to Metroid because of the super and prime games alone. The super Metroid is perhaps my favourite game ever. The fact that there's no actual dialog and everything moves through the your actions was unprecedent. Sometimes less is more. Metroid vanias stories don't really mean much to me either but they're still good games though.
What is your favorite entry in each series?
Metroid Zero Mission and Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Zero Mission is just a complete joy, to play through completionist or noncompletionist (aside from that one goddamn energy tank you need the speedbooster for in the Pirate ship). Aria of Sorrow is...well, I think my love for it was influenced by watching Liam of Super Best Friend's Play's LP of it, but the way you can just run through it, and do all sorts of different things, and, I don't really know, but it was pretty fun/
Shame Dawn of Sorrow slows down the fast pace of it's predecessor and includes finicky touch-screen minigames that reset boss fights if you fuck up.
Which is your favorite of the two franchises and why?
Normally I would say Metroid, but as you've barred the Prime games I'm going to have to go with Castlevania. I hold a great deal of love for the Prime trilogy for things that simply aren't in the classic 2D games, and though all of them (except Metroid 1) are very good and games I very much enjoy, none of them surpass Symphony of the Night and Aria of Sorrow in my eyes. Even Super Metroid, which I really do respect, simply isn't there for me - this is something I say purely from the perspective of my own enjoyment of the gameplay, not some attempt at an objective ranking.
Were they surpassed by other games in the same genre?
I can't really say, as I've not played many non-Castlevania, non-Metroid Metroidvania games, but I'll echo others and say Cave Story is a strong contender if it counts, and I'm sure Bloodstained will be excellent if that doesn't just fall under Castlevania like AM2R does for Metroid.
Metroid Zero Mission and Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Zero Mission is just a complete joy, to play through completionist or noncompletionist (aside from that one goddamn energy tank you need the speedbooster for in the Pirate ship). Aria of Sorrow is...well, I think my love for it was influenced by watching Liam of Super Best Friend's Play's LP of it, but the way you can just run through it, and do all sorts of different things, and, I don't really know, but it was pretty fun/
Shame Dawn of Sorrow slows down the fast pace of it's predecessor and includes finicky touch-screen minigames that reset boss fights if you fuck up.
Which is your favorite of the two franchises and why?
Normally I would say Metroid, but as you've barred the Prime games I'm going to have to go with Castlevania. I hold a great deal of love for the Prime trilogy for things that simply aren't in the classic 2D games, and though all of them (except Metroid 1) are very good and games I very much enjoy, none of them surpass Symphony of the Night and Aria of Sorrow in my eyes. Even Super Metroid, which I really do respect, simply isn't there for me - this is something I say purely from the perspective of my own enjoyment of the gameplay, not some attempt at an objective ranking.
Were they surpassed by other games in the same genre?
I can't really say, as I've not played many non-Castlevania, non-Metroid Metroidvania games, but I'll echo others and say Cave Story is a strong contender if it counts, and I'm sure Bloodstained will be excellent if that doesn't just fall under Castlevania like AM2R does for Metroid.
My favorites are Fusion and SotN.
I really dislike the first metroid. Never played 2. The rest are fun. I feel like more could have been done to shake things up if we aren't counting prime which is amazing.
Castlevania I may like more. While I sort of dislike classic castlevania besides Rondo and the parts that I could get through of the first game, the IGA games are great and usually try to make each entry unique. Out of 2d metroid Fusion was the only one I played that tried something new with the whole x parasite thing.
Shadow Complex and Guacamelee are amazing metroidvanias.
I really dislike the first metroid. Never played 2. The rest are fun. I feel like more could have been done to shake things up if we aren't counting prime which is amazing.
Castlevania I may like more. While I sort of dislike classic castlevania besides Rondo and the parts that I could get through of the first game, the IGA games are great and usually try to make each entry unique. Out of 2d metroid Fusion was the only one I played that tried something new with the whole x parasite thing.
Shadow Complex and Guacamelee are amazing metroidvanias.
Adam_Vania
Banned
Castlevania is easily my favorite. there are just so many more great games.
i do love the original Metroid, and Super is a lot of fun, and Prime is really great, but honestly that's about it for me. contrast that to Castlevania, where i can pick from 8-bit (all 3 NES titles are equally amazing imo), 16-bit (that range! 3 very unique SNES/Genesis/Turbo-Duo entries, all wonderful), or GOAT SOTN and the subsequent 16-bit style GBA/DS entries. you can entirely ignore 3D Vania and still have tons of classics to choose from.
it's a bit unfair tho cos Castlevania is very much up my alley in general - the gothic architecture, the dark fantasy setting, the harpsichord soundtracks, all of it, places the series above and beyond every other game series for me.
i do love the original Metroid, and Super is a lot of fun, and Prime is really great, but honestly that's about it for me. contrast that to Castlevania, where i can pick from 8-bit (all 3 NES titles are equally amazing imo), 16-bit (that range! 3 very unique SNES/Genesis/Turbo-Duo entries, all wonderful), or GOAT SOTN and the subsequent 16-bit style GBA/DS entries. you can entirely ignore 3D Vania and still have tons of classics to choose from.
it's a bit unfair tho cos Castlevania is very much up my alley in general - the gothic architecture, the dark fantasy setting, the harpsichord soundtracks, all of it, places the series above and beyond every other game series for me.
For me it comes down to Super Metroid vs SOTN. Both games have two of my favorite settings but I'd say Super Metroid is the better game. It feels better to play, has better level design, is more challenging, and is better paced. I also don't think adding RPG elements makes a game better. SOTN is like a top 10 game while SM is like a top 5 game for me.
lastrealgameralive
Member
Metroid. No contest.
I came into this thread thinking it was a showdown between classic Castlevania and Metroid. That would be a tough decision to make.
I decide on Super Metroid.
As for post-classic Castlevania games, I would write that Orders of Ecclessia is the best designed one. It starts off extremely strong and that's because the beginning is clearly classic Castlevania game design. After that it does fall off. I would write that Aria of Sorrow is my favorite in terms of aesthetic design (audio and visuals).
I decide on Orders of Ecclessia even though I beat most of the other ones and dropped this game about 1/5 in.
I came into this thread thinking it was a showdown between classic Castlevania and Metroid. That would be a tough decision to make.
That's a really tough to come up with. Metroid has better unfamiliarity with the the environment than the other Metroid games. Super Metroid has the best graphics, music, and maneuverability through environments than the other Metroid games. Metroid Fusion has the best intense encounter design than the other Metroid games.
I decide on Super Metroid.
As for post-classic Castlevania games, I would write that Orders of Ecclessia is the best designed one. It starts off extremely strong and that's because the beginning is clearly classic Castlevania game design. After that it does fall off. I would write that Aria of Sorrow is my favorite in terms of aesthetic design (audio and visuals).
I decide on Orders of Ecclessia even though I beat most of the other ones and dropped this game about 1/5 in.
Not that I know of.
Nose Master
Member
In general? Castlevania. Much more variety. Metroid just has 2D and fps styles. Every 2D Metroid is super iterative. I love them anyways, but they're basically the Disgaea of the genre.
petran79
Banned
Original Vampire Hunter on the MSX actually involved some exploration, just like Simon's Quest. You needed to backtrack and find door keys and crystals and it had extra areas for exploration. It was the NES version that removed those elements in favour of action platforming and proper side scrolling.
Also Rondo of Blood, despite being a classic action platformer, involved some exploration as well in order to free all characters and get the true ending
Favorite entry:
Original Metroid and Order of Ecclesia.
First because of pure exploration and simplicity, second because it perfected the formula.
Preference:
2D Castlevanias over 2D Metroids, 3D Metroids over 3D Castlevanias. Simply because Castlevania has more protagonists and is not afraid to go to different time periods, even ignoring the original Belmonts. Metroid hasnt dared anything similar.
If they were surpassed:
La Mulana surpassed them in scope but game seems very daunting
Also Rondo of Blood, despite being a classic action platformer, involved some exploration as well in order to free all characters and get the true ending
Favorite entry:
Original Metroid and Order of Ecclesia.
First because of pure exploration and simplicity, second because it perfected the formula.
Preference:
2D Castlevanias over 2D Metroids, 3D Metroids over 3D Castlevanias. Simply because Castlevania has more protagonists and is not afraid to go to different time periods, even ignoring the original Belmonts. Metroid hasnt dared anything similar.
If they were surpassed:
La Mulana surpassed them in scope but game seems very daunting
tryptobphan
Member
I'm late to the party but...
Favorite Metroid Games:
Favorite Castlevania Games:
I enjoy more from each series, but these are the most "fun" games for me. I know most people dislike Metroid: Other M, for instance, but I think its fast-paced action sequences keeps it interesting for me and is the only Metroid game that emphasizes how quick, agile, and powerful Samus is, while all other games aside from the recent Samus Returns doesn't make her seem that quick.
Favorite Series:
I think the better series is Metroid when considering technological breakthrough, design innovation, and historical importance in the gaming medium. However, I find it more fun to play Castlevania games. Symphony of the Night is still my favorite of both series. I played it a decade after its initial and I was floored by how good and enjoyable it was and still is.
Favorite Metroid Games:
- Metroid: Zero Mission
- Metroid Prime 1
- Metroid: Samus Returns
- Metroid: Other M (Gameplay only, ignoring Story & Walking Sections)
Favorite Castlevania Games:
- Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
- Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
I enjoy more from each series, but these are the most "fun" games for me. I know most people dislike Metroid: Other M, for instance, but I think its fast-paced action sequences keeps it interesting for me and is the only Metroid game that emphasizes how quick, agile, and powerful Samus is, while all other games aside from the recent Samus Returns doesn't make her seem that quick.
Favorite Series:
- Castlevania
I think the better series is Metroid when considering technological breakthrough, design innovation, and historical importance in the gaming medium. However, I find it more fun to play Castlevania games. Symphony of the Night is still my favorite of both series. I played it a decade after its initial and I was floored by how good and enjoyable it was and still is.