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Castlevania Checklist: A Miserable Little Pile of Draculas Yet To Beat

by mento

I'm a big fan of Konami's series of vampire killing platformers, perhaps their most famous franchise that doesn't involve cardboard boxes. Yet I'll be daggered if I still don't have a veritable holy waterfall of these gothic adventures left to whip in the keister, so I axed myself why I haven't taken the time to stopwatch I'm doing and cross off the rest. So that's what this is: a list of Castlevania games I've beaten followed by a list I have yet to see the ending of (though I suspect they could end with the all-too-transitory death of one Mr. D. Dracula).

I am of course excepting those Pachinko games. Because what the fuck.

Showing 1-10 of 28 items

Castlevania

1. Castlevania

Like more than a couple of people, this was my first Castlevania. Took damn near forever to finish too. I suspect my entire history with the Castlevania series came about due to some residual Stockholm Syndrome from playing this game.

Castlevania: The Adventure

2. Castlevania: The Adventure

The first GB one. Liked "Battle of the Holy", its default music. I don't really recall much of the rest, besides that there were a hell of a lot of chains to climb up. Chains hanging everywhere were a thing in the 80s thanks in part to Terminator, Die Hard and Alice Cooper music videos.

Super Castlevania IV

3. Super Castlevania IV

Actually had to revisit this one some time after the SNES era. It's like the first, but with way more Mode 7 screen-tilting shenanigans.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

4. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

This game stole my soul and made me its slave. And yet I give tribute?! I don't belong in this world...

Castlevania

5. Castlevania

The risible Castlevania 64. It's precisely as scary as The Fear Gauntlet would have you believe.

Castlevania: Circle of the Moon

6. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon

The first in a long line of GBA/DS Castlevanias that borrowed from Symphony of the Night's groundbreaking infusion of RPG elements and non-linear exploration. It's not particularly good though.

Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance

7. Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance

Juste Belmont, the clearest indication that Alucard had it away with a female Belmont relative at some point in the past. I feel this was Konami having its cake and eating it too. Like Circle of the Moon it's another GBA SOTN, but a pretty good one.

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

8. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

Of course, Harmony of Dissonance can't whip a candle compared to the duology of one Soma Cruz. The soul mechanics were what made this game stand out. It's still one of my favorites.

Castlevania: Lament of Innocence

9. Castlevania: Lament of Innocence

"I'll kill you AND the night!" And so began the Belmont family's proclivity for vampire-hunting and absurd melodramatic statements. 3D Castlevanias still had some ways to go.

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

10. Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

Soma's still struggling with his inner demons with this DS sequel. Curiously, it's not that much graphically superior to its forebear. But holy hell does it have things you can tap on now. Wheeee.

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