[[Castlevania]]
 
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Castlevania

A series of monster-movie themed videogames, made by Konami, which can be classified into two broad groups split before Symphony of the Night; IGA, and pre-IGA.

Identifying Elements

Characters

Mechanics

Key Staff

Games

FIXME - out of date

Series Order

Current "canon"

Apocrypha

Remakes/Alternates

Release Order

  1. 1986 - Vampire Killer (MSX)
  2. 1987 - Castlevania (NES)
  3. 1988 - Haunted Castle (Arcade)
  4. 1988 - Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (NES)
  5. 1989 - The Castlevania Adventure (GB)
  6. 1990 - Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (NES)
  7. 1991 - Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge (GB)
  8. 1991 - Super Castlevania (SNES)
  9. 1991 - Akumajou Dracula Special - Boku Dracula-kun (NES)
  10. 1993 - Kid Dracula (GB)
  11. 1993 - Akumajou Dracula X: Chi no Rondo (PC-Engine)
  12. 1993 - Akumajou Dracula X68000 (X68000)
  13. 1994 - Castlevania: Bloodlines (Genesis)
  14. 1995 - Castlevania: Dracula X (SNES)
  15. 1997 - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PSOne)
  16. 1998 - Castlevania Legends (GB)
  17. 1999 - Castlevania 64 (N64)
  18. 1999 - Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness (N64)
  19. 1999 - Castlevania Resurrection (Dreamcast) (cancelled)
  20. 2001 - Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (GBA)
  21. 2001 - Castlevania Chronicles (PSOne)
  22. 2002 - Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (GBA)
  23. 2003 - Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (GBA)
  24. 2003 - Castlevania: Lament of Innocence (PS2)
  25. 2005 - Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (DS)
  26. 2005 - Castlevania: Curse of Darkness (PS2)
  27. 2006 - Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (DS)
  28. 2007 - Castlevania: Order of Shadows (mobile)
  29. 2008 - Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (DS)
  30. 2009 - Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth (Wii)
  31. 2010 - Castlevania: Harmony of Dispair (360)
  32. 2010 - Castlevania: Lors of Shadow {360/PS3)

Igavania

Term used to refer to games of the Castlevania series created by Koji Igarashi (IGA), who updated the classic Castlevania formula, avoiding the level structure in favor of a more open, exploration driven approach, like the Metroid series. They are also sometimes referred to as Metroidvania for this reason. Rather than use Metroid's strictly rationed upgrade system, Igavanias require players to gather up experience points and level in the usual Japanese RPG fashion, creating new gameplay issues like grinding and power levelling (as well as inherent issues with boss design) which are alien to the Metroid formula. An obscure term for a specific series of Action Adventure titles.

“Igavania” can also be used to refer to the conceptual overhaul Igarashi has imposed on the series during his tenure, rather than to any particular game design; Bishounen, neo-gothicism, a focus on overall series continuity, trying to rebrand the series as “Castlevania” in Japan and fanboy easter eggs relating to the NES trilogy. Is it a case of close, fussy, obsessive caretaking or merely fanboy construct? IGA has claimed plot comes after concept and initial design, and the stereotypical bishounen leads are a hallmark of the departed series artist Ayami Kojima. The series looks set for annual instalments on Nintendo DS, so only time will tell.

They come in pairs; Harmony of Dissonance tries too hard to be like Symphony of the Night, Lament of Innocence and Curse of Darkness are both 3D titles that suffer from performance anxiety and the Sorrow titles share the same hero and gameplay hooks. Anything else in the list is included for it's historical and/or design connections.

Staircase Glitch

The staircase glitch appears in the Famicom Disk System version of Castlevania, at the top of the stairs leading to Dracula's chamber. Since then references to it have been included in Rondo of Blood, and Symphony of the Night.

Legacy

Homages

Fangames

See also

See Also

 
 game/castlevania_series.1369192019.txt.gz · Last modified: 2017/04/08 09:58 (external edit)
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