So far, Super Castlevania IV is my absolute favourite game in the series. It has Great visuals, smooth controls, and absolutely outstanding music. I LOVED it.
@@ronnyclayton194 "bloolines and dracula x dont come close" - sure they do....but i agree it's the best of the three (especially for a newb....it's control is just so smooth and intuitive). I actually never played the other two until i hacked my SNES Classic two years ago and added them, and i really like them. Konami was hitting it out of the park back in those days.
I wish I could have played Castlevania IV in the early 90s. I know I would have loved it to death for its atmosphere, music and visuals. Its such a compelling package.
In my area it was very hard to find a copy of castlevania 4! I lived in Arkansas and we had walmart or k mart only for games and it never was on the shelf for sale it seemed! But every game rental place had a copy so when the 2000s came they sold all those so finally grabbed a copy!
I remember some +30years ago when we have lended snes, damn it blew my mind to see how good Super Castlevania looked and sounded. I had only played nes games before that. It's still epic as hell when Dracula is on low hp and Belmonts theme is starting to play.
That is a good choice indeed and I can see why it is your favourite. However, I personally agree with Lord X that Super Castlevania is one of the best games ever made. The only thing that is bad about it is that the controls, even though convenient and fun, they are not completely in the Castlevania spirit. Rondo of Blood on the other hand feels less like a "true Castlevania game" than Super Castlevania and is it's own thing when it comes to tone, graphics, music etc., in the best way possible. As mentioned, good choice!
The Effects, Soundtrack, gameplay and arcade feel on Vampire Killer/Bloodines for the Mega Drive/Genesis is the best 16 bit Castlevania. Rondo of Blood and S.Castlevania IV are both good games but they cant compare to the Masterpiece that Vampire Killer/Bloodlines is.
I got it for my Gameboy pocket from GameStop as a preowned game, I was trying out games on my Gameboy and nothing was really striking me, then he broke out Belmont’s Revenge from his own Gameboy (he had been borrowing it from the store) and I loved it right away and he sold it to me even though he himself had been playing it, he wasn’t upset at all, he was happy to have helped a young gamer find something he (I) liked.
D core Not really comparable. Only thing they have in common are the name “Castlevania” and they both have Dracula as the main villain. Both are amazing for what they are.
I find it hard to believe I'm the only one to believe Castlevania 4 is garbage. Guy that says Bloodlines is better is right. Then again, I'm biased towards those of the metroidvania genre but I even prefer the NES Castlevanias over Super Castlevania.
Ah Castlevania, an amazing series with an amazing legacy... so of course I have to share my personal top ten. These aren't really in any order -Super Castlevania IV: A showcase for the power of the SNES, and it's aged masterfully -Castlevania ReBirth: This is desperately in need of a rerelease -Castlevania (original) interestingly, no nostalgia here. Played it for the first time in 2015 -Castlevania Bloodlines: Another I didn't play til recently. It's so, so good -Lament of Innocence: The PS2 Castlevanias are so underrated it hurts -Kid Dracula (NES) Okay, this is a weird pick, but I love this game -Portait of Ruin: The new environments are wild and imaginative, and having two playable characters rocks -Curse of Darkness: A hack and slash 3D Igavania with a cool story and an emphasis on the RPG elements. So, so good -Dawn of Sorrow: The game that got me into the series, and still a favorite on the DS -Symphony of the Night: You probably don't need me to tell you how amazing this game is. It has an atmosphere and depth that is rarely matched
Curse of Darkness was my introduction to the Castlevania universe and even though it follows it's own story, I feel it's pretty amazing. Surprised it didn't end up on here, at least as an honorable mention.
Great vid. SC4 is also my very favourite. The atmosphere, the music. Oh my the music is simply unbelievable. So so good. Special shout out to SOTN and of course the first originals but this is the one 👌
Lords of Shadow is to me the best game in the series. The story, the gameplay, the mechanics, the combat, the design, the lore and the art/visuals were just amazing.
1. Order of Ecclesia 2. Bloodlines 3. Dawn of Sorrow 4. Rebirth 5. 64 6. Super IV 7. Potrait of Ruin 8. Lament of Innocence 9. Circle of the moon 10. Aria of Sorrow
Sadly, I haven't been able to play Rebirth yet. This would be the current ranking, though: 1. Dracula's Curse 2. Bloodlines 3. Castlevania 4. Akumajo Dracula (aka Castlevania Chronicles) 5. Rondo of Blood 6. Super Castlevania IV 7. Belmont's Revenge 8. Dracula X SNES 9. Order of Ecclesia 10. Aria of Sorrow
The atmosphere is great and I also love the stages without music like the maze garden, it can make you feel in an isolated and sad place. Creepy isn it ?
Aria of sorrow was the first game I beated and is one of my favorites to this day. I know a lot of people hate Order of Eclesia, but I think its great too
Actually Order of Ecclesia is considered the best Castlevania game on Nintendo DS, and one of the best metroidvanias. I prefer Aria & Dawn of Sorrow to be honest though.
I think Ecclesia is great too! For some reason the animation of the main character is beyond important to me and I love how Shanoa looks when she runs. I just cant for the love of god play a castlevania in which the character just walks xD it annoys me so much but I know that its a weird criteria :D
I love OoE also but if I had to guess (or nitpick) I'd imagine people wouldn't like how fragmented it can feel. Because of the stage designs, you play a lot of short stages divided up on a map. The only big exploration stage is when you finally make it to the castle. It didn't bother me though, it's so fun becoming over powered in that game and the soundtrack rocks : )
Finally a Castlevania list that doesn't end with SOTN! Super Castlevania IV was the one for me and my brother growing up, although we did still like the first and third ones. I just completed SOTN again and couldn't get into LOS apart from Mirrors of Fate which was the LOS 3D side scroller.
1. Lament of Innocence 2. Castlevania 3. Super Castlevania 4 4. Curse of Darkness 5. Dawn of Sorrow 6. Bloodlines 7. Portrait of Ruin 8. Dracula's Curse 9. Rondo of Blood 10. Aria of Sorrow
You won't regret it. The game is fantastic today and more so in the days it came out. One of the best action games of the 4th generation without a doubt.
@@leojf1ca1 It's very similar to how the Genesis and SNES both had/have equally great versions of Contra as well. Konami really gave it their all back in those days. (They're a very different company now to say the least)
I totally agree that the CV series is one of the most consistent in gaming. I've played almost every entry in the series, and love almost all of them. My top 10, in order: SotN, CV4, Dawn of Sorrow, CV3, Rondo of Blood, Lords of Shadow, Aria of Sorrow, Curse of Darkness, Bloodlines, Order of Ecclesia.
I'm happy to see LOS in your list. Really enjoyed that entry. It's story alone with the great voice cast was worth it to me. I was invested in finding out what happens to Gabe. I've played SOTN more times than I remember. Enjoyed Bloodstained recently as well. I need to finish Super Castlevania now. Thanks again for the great content!
I love everyone who puts SOTN and CV4 on the top of a tier list! Although I still can't decide untill today which is my favorite. I replay SOTN way more often than CV4 but that's maybe just because CV4 only takes around 1h 15min too complete. Oh... and I love Alucards hair ❤🦇
The Vampire Killer theme tune from Castlevania on the NES is just as iconic as the main theme from Super Mario Bros. Every time i hear Vampire Killer it takes me right back to the 80's. Love it.
ah yes, Super Castlevania IV. my all-time favorite game. Castlevania is indeed my favorite franchise but this game is the absolute best! aside from the snes slowdown i love everything about this game. the graphics, the sound, the music, the controls, the atmosphere, the overall presentation, freaking awesome box art! i can't get enough of this game and have multiple ways to play and for me it NEVER gets old. i could play it a million times over and never get tired of it. i still enjoy a lot of other games in the series, especially the nes trilogy, but this one to me is what Castlevania should be. it is and always will be my favorite game of all-time.
One of the best all time gaming franchises. Have loved it since the first Castlevania NES classic. SOTN is an absolute gem and so is Castlevania Bloodlines. I loved the SNES Castlevania as well and the DS and GBA ones as well. I even enjoyed the PS2 and 360 ones. My list of favorites is as long as the franchise is old. Here is hoping that we will get a new Castlevania on PS5/Series X that blows us away in the future. We can but hope.
Castlevania Bloodlines is my favorite Castlevania game. Two selectable characters, WWI Europe, Elizabeth Bartley, plus superb music and visuals, and the Dracula fight at the end being the most fun I have had killing him on any title.
You do another episode on my favorite series EVER when I need a distraction from the real world the most. SLX, you aren’t the hero we deserve; just the hero we need.
This is a very good list. Swap out Belmont's Revenge (adding in Portrait of Ruin) and move Aria of Sorrow up several spots, and this is pretty much the same as my list.
Aria of Sorrow needs to get more love. If has my second favorite map behind Symphony of the Night's, and does some really amazing, unique stuff with its gameplay and story. Fighting Julius Belmont near the end was one of my favorite moments in the whole series, and probably my favorite boss fight from any Castlevania. What a way to change things up, playing as a "good Dracula" fighting a Belmont who is decked out with all the best abilities of past Belmonts since he was the one to finally finish off Dracula for good. Such an amazing game.
Gonna be honest, I wasn't into gaming until Castlevania was a Metroidvania, but your videos and a couple other creators videos have me trying out a bunch of the old Castlevania games and the Bloodstained games and I gotta say I'm loving it.
I thought Lament of Innocence was also up there in terms of quality. It had its quirks, but as 3D Castlevanias go, it was a great, fun addition to the franchise :)
Probably the best top 10 in the channel so far! And Super Castlevania IV as the number 1 choice was spot on! Castlevania is my favorite game franchise of all time and the titles of your top 10 are more than worthy of a mention. Very good indeed!
Agreed though, i swap Bloodlines as #1 with Castlevania IV from time to time. Like Game vs Game said when he compared both, best "Castlevania" is Super Castlevania IV, best "game" from the Castlevania franchise is Bloodlines. I agree with him. You can find here his comparison which is excellent! th-cam.com/video/BFl3IXS0DEI/w-d-xo.html
10 castlevania 64 9 castlevania legacy of darkness 8 Dracula X 7 Simon's quest 6 castlevania 1 5 Chronicle's 4 bloodlines 3 castlevania 3 2 castlevania 4 1 symphony of the night Haven't played the gba games but that's about to change
That’s a great list, I struggle to choose between Super Castlevania IV and Vampire Killer as my favourite. It’s funny how everyone finds Symphony of the Night easier than the regular adventure games I find it much harder! 😅
it's the spells that break the difficulty of SOTN. but if you haven't looked them up or discovered them by accident it's a bit harder. still the best castlevania game by some margin though. it really added some much needed variety to a formula that had become a bit stale.
This was probably one of the best cv list in a long time. It's a healthy mix of different generations. My favorites are mostly the older titles with a good dash of 3d and a couple of the iga era games. Alot of the time I see people only mention the iga games and kind of snub the older titles for who knows what reason and lords of shadow too, So to see a list like this, again, is really fresh and inspiring. 30+ years of games and some blow off more than what 60 maybe 70% of a franchise? That's just blocking ones own entertainment.
Excellent series and one of my all time faves. Great list too. I’d be hard pushed to choose my favourite but is nice to see LOS get some love as I personally thought it was a quality game even if it does upset the so called ‘purists’
never played it, but it looks identical to god of war, so i'm sure i'd love it. next time i'm out i'm gonna see if gamestop has a pre-owned copy, for ps3, this video gave me an overwhelming urge to play it.
yeah its really annoying when they complain that there's not platforming, yet platforming was not a major factor in the previous games, which is why the N64 vanias failed.
My personal top 10 Castlevania games 1. Castlevania SOTN 2. Castlevania Rondo of Blood 3. Super Castlevania IV 4. Castlevania Lament of Innocence 5. Castlevania Bloodlines 6. Castlevania Lords of Shadow 7. Castlevania 8. Castlevania Curse of Darkness 9. Castlevania 2 Simon's Quest 10. Castlevania 64
Castlevania IV has the best soundtrack in the series IMO. It's just so eerie and dirty! Perfect score for such a game. But Bloodlines is a close second. Some magnificent tunes in that one that also benefit from the Mega Drive distinctive sound hardware. Now about the games themselves, it's very hard to establish a top because so many entries in the series are just top notch games, but for sure Bloodlines was underrated for a long time while the X68000 instalment was overlooked since ages too (and still is to some extent, even more since it's best played on original hardware...).
1.Super Castlevania 4 2.Simon's Quest 3.Synphony of the Knight 4.Dracula X Snes 5.lords of Shadow 6.curse of Darkness 7.portrait of Ruin 8.harmony of Dissonance 9.Blood lines 10.Rondo of Blood
Not sure it’s underrated, I’ve seen it in basically every top ten Castlevania list but I will say I do think it’s better than both Castlevania 4 and Rondo of Blood and that it’s the best non metroidvania Castlevania game.
1. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night ( Sega Saturn version because of extra content) I can live without transparencies and some slowdown here and there people! 2. Castlevania: Rondo of Blood 3. Castlevania: Bloodlines
While Bloodlines is excellent, I think it pales in comparison to Rondo of Blood. IMO the X68000 version should definitely be on this list, in the top five. It's a beautiful game, with great music, attention to details (the backgrounds are full of them) and it's arguably the best looking 2d action based Castlevania. The X68000 was much more powerful than the home consoles at the time, and the Akumajou Dracula dev team really took advantage of that. Getting an X68000 + the game these days is very hard and expensive, but you can play its PS1 port (which was renamed Castlevania chronicles). If you're a Castlevania fan you owe it to yourself to discover this gem, but be warned that it's a brutal game difficulty wise.
Those videos suck, 3D Castlevanias on PS2 were amazing, Gamesack just based their opinions on rumors, they even tried to merge them with the N64 ones that are two complete different worlds.
@Ultra CNC N64 ones not bad, they are not amazing like the 3D PS2 ones that are incredible, but the N64 were not bad games, they just didn't feel like Castlevania that much, similar to the PS3 Lords Of Shadow ones.
I played SotN long after SCIV and SotN still takes the cake. SCIV is a little on the clunky side to be considered perfect. The controls are at times very stiff. #2 should be its rightful spot. I think this video is a little bit too full of nostalgic bias, and tries too hard to accommodate some systems. I mean, not a single DS game made the list! But we are to believe the slow and sluggish Belmont's Revenge beats it outright? Let alone the original Castlevania?
I played both on release and give both these games playthroughs every year. I wouldnt put 4 above SotN. They are absolutely the top 2 of the series, but SotN is the one that is copied and imitated.
Hmm I’d put SCV4 a bit lower it’s fun but they made the character so big and his whip went real far on the screen.good calls on Rondo,Symphony and bloodlines
Castlevania 64 rarely makes a top 10 list but I urge every1 to give it a chance. It has a stigma attached to it thanks to AVGN when in reality it's a very unique and immersive game. The 1 thing it does best is ATMOSPHERE/AMBIANCE due to the color palette and primarily MUSIC. When I first played it in 1999, it didn't blow me away like Goldeneye/Mario 64, but it grew on me and had me coming back to it. Watch ANY Castlevania vid on youtube, game music/review/play through, and you will see the same sentiment reflected in the comments. It's def not better than SOTN/Castlevania 4, but it sure would make my personal top 5. The music is up there with the best of em imo. Give it a chance, let the atmosphere suck you in, and I promise you will be happy you did. - Thanks SegaLordX for all the amazing content! I've been with you since sub 10k subs and I'm happy to see that number explode! WELL DESERVED. Branching out to non Sega related vids is awesome, keep it up! Happy 4th of July! 2020
I made a repro of my own of Bloodlines, looks beautiful on my RGB model 1 or 2 going into OSSC...amazing how nice Genesis/SNES games can still look with proper upscaling and tech. If you missed out buying Castlevania Reborn on Wii ware (Like Star Soldier, Blaster Master Overdrive, Gradius Rebirth, and lots of other digital gems lost forever) have no fear, modding a 5$ Wii in thrift store and finding ALL of the WiiWare games online as WAD packs is a cinche, enjoy what they wont let us pay for!
@D core The reason I think Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness is better is because that version of the game includes the original Castlevania 64 with much needed updates and taking advantage of the N64 Expansion this time.
You could re-upload with the Steam version of Aria of you wanted to. :) I see it placed at the top by a lot of Castlevania fans I need to try it out someday. Even if the same fans rate SOTN as "Not S tier" on a scale that includes an SS tier because in their view SOTN is "overrated", while putting in every single DS release in S and SS tiers (Not surd they understand "overrated" doesn't automatically mean "Those are all better yeah." Not without a good argument why.
Curse of Darkness is underrated beyond comprehension. I agree with your list but i would take out lords of shadow because it didn't feel like a Igavania. I would replace lords of shadow with circle of the moon.
Symphony of the night is one of the best games of all times...you must understand that when it came out it was unique and it created a genre... that's the impact it had on gaming
@@aureateseigneur5317 ...you're right my friend it didn't invent it but it made it what it is today...the graphics,music,gameplay exportation makes it the best game of it's kind and it was released 20 years ago that's how good it is imo
My main problem with SOTN and what drops it down to the middle of my top 10 is the fact that it's so damned easy. Even if you don't know the tricks to overpower yourself early it's still not nearly as challenging as the earlier games in the franchise. I still think it's an excellent game and I do like some of the added RPG aspects and the cues it took from Metroid, but to me personally the 16-bit classicvanias are the pinnacle of the franchise.
Thank you. ....just thank you. Needed an escape while doing boat loadsa housework that im uber behind with. Bloodlines and 4 on snes are equally the best to me....
Castlevania 4 does a lot of the atmosphere stuff right which is the main reason I think people remember it. If only the design choice they picked for dracula at the end complimented it all xD
My favorites are: Rondo of Blood, Adventure ReBirth, Belmont's Revenge (especially the GBC version from Europe), CV1, CV3, Symphony of the Night, Aria, & Portrait of Ruin. Super comes close as it was my first CV game, as well as Chronicles & Bloodlines. Good times to be had for sure! I also love Lords of Shadow 1 & will get to the sequels eventually!
SotN is far superior to Castlevania 4 in terms s of gameplay and storyline. I loved Bloodlines and agree it's one of the best simply because it's unique. Lords of Shadow is in my top 5 games for 360. Great story and flawless execution of hybridization between that old skool flavor and modern age gaming mechanics. Circle of the Moon is the best portable version I've played and it's not even mentioned. Also, the only multiplayer Castlevania deserves a nod. Harmony of Despair was brutally hard to master, and it took forever to get good gear. It was repetitive and tedious at times, but I honestly never had more fun with a Castlevania title. For me it's about gameplay first because that's what really determines how fun a game is to play. Super Castlevania IV may be a masterpiece, but that doesn't make it more fun than other less well developed titles in the series. I'm a fellow Castlevania nut, and I can honestly say that 4 is pretty low on my top list. Then again my opinion isn't always popular as I personally love playing Simon's Quest on an emulator (no passwords please lol) and many Castlvanians hate that one.
I wish Konami had their heads on straight. A Castlevania Remasters compilation would be amazing. Reimaginings of Castlevania 3, Bloodlines etc.... I'll never get the over love of Castlevania 4. Gameplay is so sluggish and clunky. Not to mention the horrible jump and hilarious whip dangle. Good not great imo. 1. SOTN 2. Bloodlines 3. Rondo 4. 3 5. 4
@@SegaLordX When I was 12 and I've had it again since I was 29. 38 now. Hadn't played any of my top 4 till I was in my early 30s. Idk I just find it good. Certainly nothing wrong with that but the 4 I have above it I think are great.
I'm glad Lords of Shadow is getting some love. I recently played LoS as well as the Nintendo DS sequel, Mirror of Fate, and am currently making my way through LoS 2. It's such a detail game, the action is awesome, and the tragic generational story throughout the trilogy must be one of the best I've played. P.D. Oh, yeah, and the soundtrack is great. Belmont's Theme has a nice Game of Thrones ring to it.
@@itadapeeza8559 The PS2 games and Lords of Shadow don't feel like Castlevania games, IMO. The PS2 ones tried to emulate the metroidvania style and failed, Lords of Shadow didn't even seem to try, it's simply a God of War ripoff. Legacy of Darkness is a perfect 3D version of pre-SotN Castlevanias.
@@lioneart19 I haven't played the ps2 ones, but I thought lords of shadow was just switching it up and I thought it did a damn good job. I prefer it to all the God of war games.
@@Skellotronix I thought LoI was too boring with repeated corridors, repeated enemies and repeated challenges over and over and over again with nothing to break the monotony.
Not a bad list, but I would replace Lords Of Shadow with Curse Of Darkness, and the first Game Boy Adventure with Circle Of The Moon from GBA. Curse Of Darkness and Circle Of The Moon are both VERY hard games, but vastly underated entries into the series, and I love them both with a passion.
Awesome list! I really like that there are various platforms represented. I don't think many would argue your #1 and #2. There are those two, and then there's the rest.
Aria of Sorrow is great, though I never had the opportunity to play that one because I never owned a GBA. A GBC, yes, but not a GBA. But I played Dawn of Sorrow for the DS quite a few times, I love it very much and I will always remember it fondly (I no longer have my copy of this game and I wish I still had it, this game is discontinued so it's very hard to get a hold of a copy and each and every one of the very few remaining copies are VERY EXPENSIVE and can only be bought online, Aria of Sorrow is discontinued too), I don't get why a great game like Dawn of Sorrow didn't make it to your top 10, both Sorrow games and the entire Sorrow arc is great (also, Soma and Arikado are some of the best characters in the franchise). I also love Legacy of Darkness, though I never got to play this one. I played Castlevania 64. I wish I had had Legacy of Darkness instead so I would have enjoyed that experience to the fullest. Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness is better than Castlevania 64. It features a more complete quest, more characters, more levels, weapons, cut-scenes, bosses and even 4MB Expansion Pak support. It's what Konami originally intended Castlevania 64 to be and it's the more complete title. I also have played the Castlevania games for the NES and the Super NES and practically grew up playing those games with my family, I love those games. Check out my Castlevania collection (it contains; my favorite Castlevania art pieces as well as posts with videos and links to great fanfictions/redemption arcs) : www.deviantart.com/mimi6682/favourites/83468996/castlevania. take care, Michelle.
Symphony of the Night is the most over rated garbage, I remember playing it on the ps1, beat it, never picked it up again, I'd rather play Super Castlevania 4 or Castlevania 1 and 3
While I don't think Symphony of the Night is "garbage", I also agree it's overrated. Despite the series' reputation of being hard, I had no trouble completing that one. But most problematic, I've only played it once and I can hardly remember anything from it, not even its soundtrack, except maybe the ending credits song. And when playing games, I always take all the time exploring and finding everything, no matter the game.
@@wodensthrone5215 I get what you're saying, especially towards the end of the experience, but the tough foes are still tough the first few times you face them. Woe to you without healing items, a library card, or a save room nearby.
I found much of the "challenge" of IV to be cheap deaths from old school design myself. SOTN focused on individual enemy AI paired with your load out and skill with it, which I found superior. But I prefer the other 16-bit entries over IV as well, so there's that.
Thanks for giving Lord of Shadows some love.
You can't get wrong with Castlevania games. They really deliver the best! I recently played Symphony again and it is so cool!
Super Castlevania 4 also has one of the greatest video game soundtracks of all time.
So far, Super Castlevania IV is my absolute favourite game in the series. It has Great visuals, smooth controls, and absolutely outstanding music. I LOVED it.
So does it have great music or outstanding music, which is it?
Mine too.
It is the best out of the regular non RPG type castlevanias by far,bloolines and dracula x dont come close.
@@ronnyclayton194 "bloolines and dracula x dont come close" - sure they do....but i agree it's the best of the three (especially for a newb....it's control is just so smooth and intuitive). I actually never played the other two until i hacked my SNES Classic two years ago and added them, and i really like them. Konami was hitting it out of the park back in those days.
@@RP_Williams castlevania 3 is by far the best traditional castlevania game of all time
the crazy thing is that these games are still just as fun to play today as they were 20 or 30 years ago
I wish I could have played Castlevania IV in the early 90s. I know I would have loved it to death for its atmosphere, music and visuals. Its such a compelling package.
In my area it was very hard to find a copy of castlevania 4! I lived in Arkansas and we had walmart or k mart only for games and it never was on the shelf for sale it seemed! But every game rental place had a copy so when the 2000s came they sold all those so finally grabbed a copy!
I remember the days when people first got it. It was so cool to se it blow 3 out out the water.
I remember some +30years ago when we have lended snes, damn it blew my mind to see how good Super Castlevania looked and sounded. I had only played nes games before that.
It's still epic as hell when Dracula is on low hp and Belmonts theme is starting to play.
I wish the same. I had the Genesis to play Bloodlines
Playing it for the first time way back when… was an experience I’ll never forget
Hard to top Rondo of Blood for me. That game is a masterpiece.
That is a good choice indeed and I can see why it is your favourite. However, I personally agree with Lord X that Super Castlevania is one of the best games ever made. The only thing that is bad about it is that the controls, even though convenient and fun, they are not completely in the Castlevania spirit. Rondo of Blood on the other hand feels less like a "true Castlevania game" than Super Castlevania and is it's own thing when it comes to tone, graphics, music etc., in the best way possible. As mentioned, good choice!
The Effects, Soundtrack, gameplay and arcade feel on Vampire Killer/Bloodines for the Mega Drive/Genesis is the best 16 bit Castlevania. Rondo of Blood and S.Castlevania IV are both good games but they cant compare to the Masterpiece that Vampire Killer/Bloodlines is.
You have excellent taste. Where would you place Bloodlines? Bloodlines is definitely in my top 3.
That game is hard to emulate though. Tried to play it on a turbo CD emulator
Rondo is amazing. I friggin' love that game.
Belmont's Revenge is such a gem, crazy good music for the GB.
I agree. It’s a great title I wish more people would try.
Belmont's Revenge is a fantastic game. No denying!
Sega Lord X another underrated title and my fav in the series is Circle of the Moon.
I got it for my Gameboy pocket from GameStop as a preowned game, I was trying out games on my Gameboy and nothing was really striking me, then he broke out Belmont’s Revenge from his own Gameboy (he had been borrowing it from the store) and I loved it right away and he sold it to me even though he himself had been playing it, he wasn’t upset at all, he was happy to have helped a young gamer find something he (I) liked.
we feel the same way about castlevania 4. it is nearly a perfect game.
D core Not really comparable. Only thing they have in common are the name “Castlevania” and they both have Dracula as the main villain. Both are amazing for what they are.
Bloodlines is better.
I find it hard to believe I'm the only one to believe Castlevania 4 is garbage. Guy that says Bloodlines is better is right.
Then again, I'm biased towards those of the metroidvania genre but I even prefer the NES Castlevanias over Super Castlevania.
MultiTarded yeah because he’s right
Yes, Super Castlevania is brilliant.
I love your line up and explanations. Super Castlevenia for SNES blew me away as well. Such nostalgia.
Ah Castlevania, an amazing series with an amazing legacy... so of course I have to share my personal top ten. These aren't really in any order
-Super Castlevania IV: A showcase for the power of the SNES, and it's aged masterfully
-Castlevania ReBirth: This is desperately in need of a rerelease
-Castlevania (original) interestingly, no nostalgia here. Played it for the first time in 2015
-Castlevania Bloodlines: Another I didn't play til recently. It's so, so good
-Lament of Innocence: The PS2 Castlevanias are so underrated it hurts
-Kid Dracula (NES) Okay, this is a weird pick, but I love this game
-Portait of Ruin: The new environments are wild and imaginative, and having two playable characters rocks
-Curse of Darkness: A hack and slash 3D Igavania with a cool story and an emphasis on the RPG elements. So, so good
-Dawn of Sorrow: The game that got me into the series, and still a favorite on the DS
-Symphony of the Night: You probably don't need me to tell you how amazing this game is. It has an atmosphere and depth that is rarely matched
Curse of Darkness was my introduction to the Castlevania universe and even though it follows it's own story, I feel it's pretty amazing. Surprised it didn't end up on here, at least as an honorable mention.
Great vid. SC4 is also my very favourite. The atmosphere, the music. Oh my the music is simply unbelievable. So so good. Special shout out to SOTN and of course the first originals but this is the one 👌
Lords of Shadow is to me the best game in the series. The story, the gameplay, the mechanics, the combat, the design, the lore and the art/visuals were just amazing.
1. Order of Ecclesia
2. Bloodlines
3. Dawn of Sorrow
4. Rebirth
5. 64
6. Super IV
7. Potrait of Ruin
8. Lament of Innocence
9. Circle of the moon
10. Aria of Sorrow
Sadly, I haven't been able to play Rebirth yet. This would be the current ranking, though:
1. Dracula's Curse
2. Bloodlines
3. Castlevania
4. Akumajo Dracula (aka Castlevania Chronicles)
5. Rondo of Blood
6. Super Castlevania IV
7. Belmont's Revenge
8. Dracula X SNES
9. Order of Ecclesia
10. Aria of Sorrow
@D core For you.
For me is one the best, I actually enjoyed more than Super Castlevania IV.
So deal with it !
Good list
Thanks man! I don't know why, but your videos are somewhat very relaxing and good for these hard times that we are facing
I know many despise the two on Nintendo 64, but I really enjoyed them, especially the music and atmosphere.
The atmosphere is great and I also love the stages without music like the maze garden, it can make you feel in an isolated and sad place.
Creepy isn it ?
Seeing Lords of Shadow on this list was a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.
Aria of sorrow was the first game I beated and is one of my favorites to this day. I know a lot of people hate Order of Eclesia, but I think its great too
Why some people hate Order of Eclesia? i think is a great game
Actually Order of Ecclesia is considered the best Castlevania game on Nintendo DS, and one of the best metroidvanias. I prefer Aria & Dawn of Sorrow to be honest though.
I think Ecclesia is great too! For some reason the animation of the main character is beyond important to me and I love how Shanoa looks when she runs. I just cant for the love of god play a castlevania in which the character just walks xD it annoys me so much but I know that its a weird criteria :D
All the DS Castlevania are great and I cant decide wich is my number one, but its one of them.
I love OoE also but if I had to guess (or nitpick) I'd imagine people wouldn't like how fragmented it can feel. Because of the stage designs, you play a lot of short stages divided up on a map. The only big exploration stage is when you finally make it to the castle. It didn't bother me though, it's so fun becoming over powered in that game and the soundtrack rocks : )
Great choice for first place, so rich and beautiful.
Finally a Castlevania list that doesn't end with SOTN! Super Castlevania IV was the one for me and my brother growing up, although we did still like the first and third ones. I just completed SOTN again and couldn't get into LOS apart from Mirrors of Fate which was the LOS 3D side scroller.
1. Lament of Innocence
2. Castlevania
3. Super Castlevania 4
4. Curse of Darkness
5. Dawn of Sorrow
6. Bloodlines
7. Portrait of Ruin
8. Dracula's Curse
9. Rondo of Blood
10. Aria of Sorrow
I must click the "like" button! I am literally in Love with Super Castlevania 4. My Favorite Game of All Time. 💖
A huge hug!!!!!!!!!!!!
1) Super Castlevania IV
2) Rondo of Blood
3) Castevania III
4) Castlevania Symphony of the Night
5) Bloodlines
Nice top 5
I'm about to go try Castlevania Bloodlines finally on my Genesis Mini!
You're not missing out on anything, Bloodlines is a 6/10 at most.
You won't regret it. The game is fantastic today and more so in the days it came out. One of the best action games of the 4th generation without a doubt.
Bloodlines is up there for me with Super Castlevania IV. Two 10/10 and great creepy music as well. Best music on the Genesis.
@@leojf1ca1
It's very similar to how the Genesis and SNES both had/have equally great versions of Contra as well.
Konami really gave it their all back in those days. (They're a very different company now to say the least)
You're in for a real treat! Easily one of the best games on the Genesis Mini!
I totally agree that the CV series is one of the most consistent in gaming. I've played almost every entry in the series, and love almost all of them. My top 10, in order:
SotN, CV4, Dawn of Sorrow, CV3, Rondo of Blood, Lords of Shadow, Aria of Sorrow, Curse of Darkness, Bloodlines, Order of Ecclesia.
I'm happy to see LOS in your list. Really enjoyed that entry. It's story alone with the great voice cast was worth it to me. I was invested in finding out what happens to Gabe.
I've played SOTN more times than I remember. Enjoyed Bloodstained recently as well.
I need to finish Super Castlevania now.
Thanks again for the great content!
I love everyone who puts SOTN and CV4 on the top of a tier list! Although I still can't decide untill today which is my favorite. I replay SOTN way more often than CV4 but that's maybe just because CV4 only takes around 1h 15min too complete. Oh... and I love Alucards hair ❤🦇
I was literally about to look for a castlevania video and this popped up! Timing
The Vampire Killer theme tune from Castlevania on the NES is just as iconic as the main theme from Super Mario Bros.
Every time i hear Vampire Killer it takes me right back to the 80's.
Love it.
Your list is legit. My boomer ass still loves Castlevania II, yet it took me 20 years to figure out how to beat it.
ah yes, Super Castlevania IV. my all-time favorite game. Castlevania is indeed my favorite franchise but this game is the absolute best! aside from the snes slowdown i love everything about this game. the graphics, the sound, the music, the controls, the atmosphere, the overall presentation, freaking awesome box art! i can't get enough of this game and have multiple ways to play and for me it NEVER gets old. i could play it a million times over and never get tired of it. i still enjoy a lot of other games in the series, especially the nes trilogy, but this one to me is what Castlevania should be. it is and always will be my favorite game of all-time.
One of the best all time gaming franchises. Have loved it since the first Castlevania NES classic. SOTN is an absolute gem and so is Castlevania Bloodlines. I loved the SNES Castlevania as well and the DS and GBA ones as well. I even enjoyed the PS2 and 360 ones. My list of favorites is as long as the franchise is old.
Here is hoping that we will get a new Castlevania on PS5/Series X that blows us away in the future. We can but hope.
It's second behind Zelda for me
Castlevania Bloodlines is my favorite Castlevania game. Two selectable characters, WWI Europe, Elizabeth Bartley, plus superb music and visuals, and the Dracula fight at the end being the most fun I have had killing him on any title.
I agree.
You do another episode on my favorite series EVER when I need a distraction from the real world the most. SLX, you aren’t the hero we deserve; just the hero we need.
Great video! I really cannot believe how regularly you upload and the wonderful quality of the content in this channel. Keep it up man!
I go back and fourth between CV4 and Rondo being the best. SoTN is right behind them. Great list!
The MetroidVania intrigues me but there always comes a point in time where I’ll get confused.. That just doesn’t happen with the classic style
Thanks for giving Lords of Shadow some love
Always look forward to your uploads 🍻
Thanks for adding more Castlevania videos to the world!
Glad to see some love for Lords of Shadow. Those are excellent (yes, even LoS2)!
You had me in the first half...
1 is really good los2 was mistake
for me los2 is better than los, and both easily in top 5....
Thank you as Always for your high quality vids! You are the best!
Best wishes to you and your family❤️
This is a very good list. Swap out Belmont's Revenge (adding in Portrait of Ruin) and move Aria of Sorrow up several spots, and this is pretty much the same as my list.
Portrait of Ruin is very underrated.
Castlevania Bloodlines is the best!
Aria of Sorrow needs to get more love. If has my second favorite map behind Symphony of the Night's, and does some really amazing, unique stuff with its gameplay and story. Fighting Julius Belmont near the end was one of my favorite moments in the whole series, and probably my favorite boss fight from any Castlevania. What a way to change things up, playing as a "good Dracula" fighting a Belmont who is decked out with all the best abilities of past Belmonts since he was the one to finally finish off Dracula for good. Such an amazing game.
@@joyasmusicales603 top 5 for me
Super Castlevania IV it's my favorite, I definitely recommend Castlevania The Dracula X Chronicles. You should definitely try this title (psp)
I just got my TurboGrafx 16 mini. I can finally play Rondo of blood
What makes that Mini system so compelling to me, is that its full of stuff I hadn't already played to death.
I hope you enjoy it, mate!
It was the reason I got the Sony PSP way back when
Since you posted this 4 months ago what’s your verdict on Rondo of blood?
Gonna be honest, I wasn't into gaming until Castlevania was a Metroidvania, but your videos and a couple other creators videos have me trying out a bunch of the old Castlevania games and the Bloodstained games and I gotta say I'm loving it.
I thought Lament of Innocence was also up there in terms of quality. It had its quirks, but as 3D Castlevanias go, it was a great, fun addition to the franchise :)
With more time and effort it could have been a 3d masterpiece equivalent to what SOTN was imo
Probably the best top 10 in the channel so far! And Super Castlevania IV as the number 1 choice was spot on! Castlevania is my favorite game franchise of all time and the titles of your top 10 are more than worthy of a mention. Very good indeed!
Castlevania IV is my all time favorite, followed by Bloodlines, then SOTN.
Agreed though, i swap Bloodlines as #1 with Castlevania IV from time to time. Like Game vs Game said when he compared both, best "Castlevania" is Super Castlevania IV, best "game" from the Castlevania franchise is Bloodlines. I agree with him. You can find here his comparison which is excellent! th-cam.com/video/BFl3IXS0DEI/w-d-xo.html
Bloodlines is better.
10 castlevania 64
9 castlevania legacy of darkness
8 Dracula X
7 Simon's quest
6 castlevania 1
5 Chronicle's
4 bloodlines
3 castlevania 3
2 castlevania 4
1 symphony of the night
Haven't played the gba games but that's about to change
That’s a great list, I struggle to choose between Super Castlevania IV and Vampire Killer as my favourite. It’s funny how everyone finds Symphony of the Night easier than the regular adventure games I find it much harder! 😅
it's the spells that break the difficulty of SOTN. but if you haven't looked them up or discovered them by accident it's a bit harder. still the best castlevania game by some margin though. it really added some much needed variety to a formula that had become a bit stale.
@@jrs4516A game playing the same as it’s prequels is not stale.
Great list. Props for choosing SC4 over safer or more popular choices like SOTN or DX. It’s unequivocally my favorite entry in the franchise
This was probably one of the best cv list in a long time. It's a healthy mix of different generations. My favorites are mostly the older titles with a good dash of 3d and a couple of the iga era games. Alot of the time I see people only mention the iga games and kind of snub the older titles for who knows what reason and lords of shadow too, So to see a list like this, again, is really fresh and inspiring. 30+ years of games and some blow off more than what 60 maybe 70% of a franchise? That's just blocking ones own entertainment.
Excellent series and one of my all time faves. Great list too. I’d be hard pushed to choose my favourite but is nice to see LOS get some love as I personally thought it was a quality game even if it does upset the so called ‘purists’
never played it, but it looks identical to god of war, so i'm sure i'd love it. next time i'm out i'm gonna see if gamestop has a pre-owned copy, for ps3, this video gave me an overwhelming urge to play it.
yeah its really annoying when they complain that there's not platforming, yet platforming was not a major factor in the previous games, which is why the N64 vanias failed.
My personal top 10 Castlevania games
1. Castlevania SOTN
2. Castlevania Rondo of Blood
3. Super Castlevania IV
4. Castlevania Lament of Innocence
5. Castlevania Bloodlines
6. Castlevania Lords of Shadow
7. Castlevania
8. Castlevania Curse of Darkness
9. Castlevania 2 Simon's Quest
10. Castlevania 64
Excuse me.
Did you forget Castlevania III Dracula's Curse ?
Castlevania IV has the best soundtrack in the series IMO. It's just so eerie and dirty! Perfect score for such a game. But Bloodlines is a close second. Some magnificent tunes in that one that also benefit from the Mega Drive distinctive sound hardware. Now about the games themselves, it's very hard to establish a top because so many entries in the series are just top notch games, but for sure Bloodlines was underrated for a long time while the X68000 instalment was overlooked since ages too (and still is to some extent, even more since it's best played on original hardware...).
psyance_ql man, those soundtracks stand out as things I can listen to anytime. 4’s ost was definitely lightning in a bottle
Adam J K I’ve got the vinyl :)
Best soundtrack? The organ-sound of Bloodlines IMO.
I think SNES's Dracula X was the best.
Chandaliers
1.Super Castlevania 4
2.Simon's Quest
3.Synphony of the Knight
4.Dracula X Snes
5.lords of Shadow
6.curse of Darkness
7.portrait of Ruin
8.harmony of Dissonance
9.Blood lines
10.Rondo of Blood
Dracula x over rondo.. thats a rare perspective to hold.
Castlevania Bloodlines is criminally underrated and definitely my favorite Castlevania game.
So is 64 in my opinion! ;)
@@twangyeh that is one of my favourite N64 games and is well beyond most of the 3d action games of the time
I love how your comment was immediately hijacked by CV64 fans.🤣
I stand with you Bloodlines brother!
@@nickharris5231 Yeah pretty funny though
Not sure it’s underrated, I’ve seen it in basically every top ten Castlevania list but I will say I do think it’s better than both Castlevania 4 and Rondo of Blood and that it’s the best non metroidvania Castlevania game.
Did you try the one for the X68000 aka Castlevania: Chronicles on playstation? I would put it in my top 5 somewhere.
I very much enjoyed the X68000 Vania, but it’s gameplay doesn’t warrant a top 10 showing for me.
1. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night ( Sega Saturn version because of extra content) I can live without transparencies and some slowdown here and there people!
2. Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
3. Castlevania: Bloodlines
Great stuff as always SLX!
Super CastleVania IV blew me away. A perfect game. And the music wow! Konami put an orchestra in that cartridge.
While Bloodlines is excellent, I think it pales in comparison to Rondo of Blood. IMO the X68000 version should definitely be on this list, in the top five. It's a beautiful game, with great music, attention to details (the backgrounds are full of them) and it's arguably the best looking 2d action based Castlevania. The X68000 was much more powerful than the home consoles at the time, and the Akumajou Dracula dev team really took advantage of that. Getting an X68000 + the game these days is very hard and expensive, but you can play its PS1 port (which was renamed Castlevania chronicles). If you're a Castlevania fan you owe it to yourself to discover this gem, but be warned that it's a brutal game difficulty wise.
I enjoyed the X68000 version very much. But it's gameplay simply isn't as strong as some of the others. It's level design is also quite a bit weaker.
Was just about to finish watching Gamesack's couple of episodes on Castlevania. Guess i will watch just another one :).
Those videos suck, 3D Castlevanias on PS2 were amazing, Gamesack just based their opinions on rumors, they even tried to merge them with the N64 ones that are two complete different worlds.
@Ultra CNC N64 ones not bad, they are not amazing like the 3D PS2 ones that are incredible, but the N64 were not bad games, they just didn't feel like Castlevania that much, similar to the PS3 Lords Of Shadow ones.
@Ultra CNC yeah Lord Of Shadow are cool despite no gering like Castlevania.
@Ultra CNC typo, it was feeling
Castlevania lords of shadow looks awesome. Really need to try that one out
Great game being a first from that development team, the follow up was a let down tho
My #1 is your #2, and vice versa. Mainly because I played SotN first, so I have more nostalgia to SotN. Both great games.
I played SotN long after SCIV and SotN still takes the cake. SCIV is a little on the clunky side to be considered perfect. The controls are at times very stiff. #2 should be its rightful spot. I think this video is a little bit too full of nostalgic bias, and tries too hard to accommodate some systems. I mean, not a single DS game made the list! But we are to believe the slow and sluggish Belmont's Revenge beats it outright? Let alone the original Castlevania?
I played both on release and give both these games playthroughs every year. I wouldnt put 4 above SotN. They are absolutely the top 2 of the series, but SotN is the one that is copied and imitated.
Hmm I’d put SCV4 a bit lower it’s fun but they made the character so big and his whip went real far on the screen.good calls on Rondo,Symphony and bloodlines
Castlevania 64 rarely makes a top 10 list but I urge every1 to give it a chance. It has a stigma attached to it thanks to AVGN when in reality it's a very unique and immersive game. The 1 thing it does best is ATMOSPHERE/AMBIANCE due to the color palette and primarily MUSIC. When I first played it in 1999, it didn't blow me away like Goldeneye/Mario 64, but it grew on me and had me coming back to it. Watch ANY Castlevania vid on youtube, game music/review/play through, and you will see the same sentiment reflected in the comments. It's def not better than SOTN/Castlevania 4, but it sure would make my personal top 5. The music is up there with the best of em imo. Give it a chance, let the atmosphere suck you in, and I promise you will be happy you did. - Thanks SegaLordX for all the amazing content! I've been with you since sub 10k subs and I'm happy to see that number explode! WELL DESERVED. Branching out to non Sega related vids is awesome, keep it up! Happy 4th of July! 2020
Castlevania 64 is one of my favorite games.
Also Legacy of Darkness.
And I prefer Dracula X than Super Castleviania IV.
AVGN is a scripted comedy show, so odd how people really go off everything a fictional character said for laughs lol
I made a repro of my own of Bloodlines, looks beautiful on my RGB model 1 or 2 going into OSSC...amazing how nice Genesis/SNES games can still look with proper upscaling and tech. If you missed out buying Castlevania Reborn on Wii ware (Like Star Soldier, Blaster Master Overdrive, Gradius Rebirth, and lots of other digital gems lost forever) have no fear, modding a 5$ Wii in thrift store and finding ALL of the WiiWare games online as WAD packs is a cinche, enjoy what they wont let us pay for!
👍👍👍 Simply amazing! I love Castlevania since I played its NES original right from the start back in 1987! Thank you so much for this video!!! 😀
Castlevania on the Nintendo 64 specially Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness version is most criminally underrated 3D Castlevania game ever made.
@D core The reason I think Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness is better is because that version of the game includes the original Castlevania 64 with much needed updates and taking advantage of the N64 Expansion this time.
@@johnv7317 Yup, and Legacy of Darkness has more stages than Castlevania 64.
They're fucking terrible games lol
You could re-upload with the Steam version of Aria of you wanted to. :)
I see it placed at the top by a lot of Castlevania fans I need to try it out someday. Even if the same fans rate SOTN as "Not S tier" on a scale that includes an SS tier because in their view SOTN is "overrated", while putting in every single DS release in S and SS tiers (Not surd they understand "overrated" doesn't automatically mean "Those are all better yeah." Not without a good argument why.
"Area of sorrow"
I am here to defend the honour of 64 and Legacy Of Darkness. They're great games!
I'm here to support your comment.
C64 and Legacy of Darkness two of my favorite Castlevania games.
Curse of Darkness is underrated beyond comprehension. I agree with your list but i would take out lords of shadow because it didn't feel like a Igavania. I would replace lords of shadow with circle of the moon.
I agree with you. I personally liked Lament of innocence better but curse of darkness is a great game that almost no one talks about.
It not feeling like an Igavania was a good thing.
Circle of the Moon is no doubt the most underrated and needs to be brought back to current consoles with all the gba and ds castlevanias
i love CoM. I think is one of the best 2d castlevania game
Symphony of the night is one of the best games of all times...you must understand that when it came out it was unique and it created a genre... that's the impact it had on gaming
It had a huge impact but it absolutely did not invent a genre. It contributes to it but its many many years behind in inventing the genre.
@@aureateseigneur5317 ...you're right my friend it didn't invent it but it made it what it is today...the graphics,music,gameplay exportation makes it the best game of it's kind and it was released 20 years ago that's how good it is imo
Symphony of the night was the Bruce Lee of the Metroid Vania.It didn't invent it but my God, it took it way beyond.
My main problem with SOTN and what drops it down to the middle of my top 10 is the fact that it's so damned easy. Even if you don't know the tricks to overpower yourself early it's still not nearly as challenging as the earlier games in the franchise. I still think it's an excellent game and I do like some of the added RPG aspects and the cues it took from Metroid, but to me personally the 16-bit classicvanias are the pinnacle of the franchise.
@@jokerzwild00
Isn't it harder on Richter mode? No level ups or gear.
I like Lament of Innocence. It’s a slightly more linear hack n slash style.
Thank you. ....just thank you. Needed an escape while doing boat loadsa housework that im uber behind with.
Bloodlines and 4 on snes are equally the best to me....
Castlevania 4 does a lot of the atmosphere stuff right which is the main reason I think people remember it.
If only the design choice they picked for dracula at the end complimented it all xD
Number 1: lament of innocence
The cry is free!
With a little more polish and content Lament of Innocence could have been as legendary as SOTN
My favorites are: Rondo of Blood, Adventure ReBirth, Belmont's Revenge (especially the GBC version from Europe), CV1, CV3, Symphony of the Night, Aria, & Portrait of Ruin. Super comes close as it was my first CV game, as well as Chronicles & Bloodlines. Good times to be had for sure! I also love Lords of Shadow 1 & will get to the sequels eventually!
First! I love Sega and Castlevania SOTN is my favorite game of all time!
Good taste.
Wait... What? Its not over ??Why is everything upsid...HOLY SHIT!
Dems good times🙃
SOTN for me with super Castlevania IV a close second.
Lords of Shadow is so underrated not just as a castlevania title but as a game in general.
SotN is far superior to Castlevania 4 in terms s of gameplay and storyline.
I loved Bloodlines and agree it's one of the best simply because it's unique. Lords of Shadow is in my top 5 games for 360. Great story and flawless execution of hybridization between that old skool flavor and modern age gaming mechanics. Circle of the Moon is the best portable version I've played and it's not even mentioned. Also, the only multiplayer Castlevania deserves a nod. Harmony of Despair was brutally hard to master, and it took forever to get good gear. It was repetitive and tedious at times, but I honestly never had more fun with a Castlevania title. For me it's about gameplay first because that's what really determines how fun a game is to play. Super Castlevania IV may be a masterpiece, but that doesn't make it more fun than other less well developed titles in the series. I'm a fellow Castlevania nut, and I can honestly say that 4 is pretty low on my top list. Then again my opinion isn't always popular as I personally love playing Simon's Quest on an emulator (no passwords please lol) and many Castlvanians hate that one.
I wish Konami had their heads on straight. A Castlevania Remasters compilation would be amazing. Reimaginings of Castlevania 3, Bloodlines etc....
I'll never get the over love of Castlevania 4. Gameplay is so sluggish and clunky. Not to mention the horrible jump and hilarious whip dangle. Good not great imo.
1. SOTN
2. Bloodlines
3. Rondo
4. 3
5. 4
I never like the grafix on IV. Belmont's sprites are huge and it doesn't look good to me lol
Out of curiosity, when did you play IV? When it came out or after?
@@SegaLordX When I was 12 and I've had it again since I was 29. 38 now. Hadn't played any of my top 4 till I was in my early 30s. Idk I just find it good. Certainly nothing wrong with that but the 4 I have above it I think are great.
Always great to revisit this video SLX. Loved watching this for Halloween! Castlevania is the PREMIER Halloween gaming franchise!
I'm glad Lords of Shadow is getting some love. I recently played LoS as well as the Nintendo DS sequel, Mirror of Fate, and am currently making my way through LoS 2. It's such a detail game, the action is awesome, and the tragic generational story throughout the trilogy must be one of the best I've played.
P.D. Oh, yeah, and the soundtrack is great. Belmont's Theme has a nice Game of Thrones ring to it.
Great video! But I'm not sure I'd put Castlevania 4 in my top 5. Keep up the great work 👍
Might not agree with the order, but can't really argue against any of the picks.
Great content here. Hope your channel keeps growing bro.
Castlevania Legacy of Darkness is so underrated! Surely the very best 3D Castlevania.
Nah, lords of shadow.
@@itadapeeza8559 The PS2 games and Lords of Shadow don't feel like Castlevania games, IMO. The PS2 ones tried to emulate the metroidvania style and failed, Lords of Shadow didn't even seem to try, it's simply a God of War ripoff. Legacy of Darkness is a perfect 3D version of pre-SotN Castlevanias.
@@lioneart19 I haven't played the ps2 ones, but I thought lords of shadow was just switching it up and I thought it did a damn good job.
I prefer it to all the God of war games.
@@lioneart19 Lament of Innocence is damn good. The "first" Castelevania was awesome. Leon is as badass as any of his future ancestors if not more.
@@Skellotronix I thought LoI was too boring with repeated corridors, repeated enemies and repeated challenges over and over and over again with nothing to break the monotony.
Not a bad list, but I would replace Lords Of Shadow with Curse Of Darkness, and the first Game Boy Adventure with Circle Of The Moon from GBA. Curse Of Darkness and Circle Of The Moon are both VERY hard games, but vastly underated entries into the series, and I love them both with a passion.
Castlevania: Curse of Darkness is numero-uno in my book.
Super Castlevania 4, Rondo of Blood, & Symphony of the Night, are my top 3
Yep, this series rocks, enjoyed your perspective.
Awesome list! I really like that there are various platforms represented. I don't think many would argue your #1 and #2. There are those two, and then there's the rest.
Aria of Sorrow is great, though I never had the opportunity to play that one because I never owned a GBA. A GBC, yes, but not a GBA. But I played Dawn of Sorrow for the DS quite a few times, I love it very much and I will always remember it fondly (I no longer have my copy of this game and I wish I still had it, this game is discontinued so it's very hard to get a hold of a copy and each and every one of the very few remaining copies are VERY EXPENSIVE and can only be bought online, Aria of Sorrow is discontinued too), I don't get why a great game like Dawn of Sorrow didn't make it to your top 10, both Sorrow games and the entire Sorrow arc is great (also, Soma and Arikado are some of the best characters in the franchise). I also love Legacy of Darkness, though I never got to play this one. I played Castlevania 64. I wish I had had Legacy of Darkness instead so I would have enjoyed that experience to the fullest. Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness is better than Castlevania 64. It features a more complete quest, more characters, more levels, weapons, cut-scenes, bosses and even 4MB Expansion Pak support. It's what Konami originally intended Castlevania 64 to be and it's the more complete title.
I also have played the Castlevania games for the NES and the Super NES and practically grew up playing those games with my family, I love those games.
Check out my Castlevania collection (it contains; my favorite Castlevania art pieces as well as posts with videos and links to great fanfictions/redemption arcs) :
www.deviantart.com/mimi6682/favourites/83468996/castlevania.
take care,
Michelle.
Absolutely fantastic video man!!!
Symphony of the Night is the most over rated garbage, I remember playing it on the ps1, beat it, never picked it up again, I'd rather play Super Castlevania 4 or Castlevania 1 and 3
While I don't think Symphony of the Night is "garbage", I also agree it's overrated. Despite the series' reputation of being hard, I had no trouble completing that one. But most problematic, I've only played it once and I can hardly remember anything from it, not even its soundtrack, except maybe the ending credits song. And when playing games, I always take all the time exploring and finding everything, no matter the game.
SOTN is overrated, but calling it garbage is hyperbolic to the point of ludicrousness.
@@davidcooper8371 its garbage for me because of the leveling system, takes away the need to be skillful when you can just grind levels.
@@wodensthrone5215 I get what you're saying, especially towards the end of the experience, but the tough foes are still tough the first few times you face them. Woe to you without healing items, a library card, or a save room nearby.
I found much of the "challenge" of IV to be cheap deaths from old school design myself. SOTN focused on individual enemy AI paired with your load out and skill with it, which I found superior. But I prefer the other 16-bit entries over IV as well, so there's that.