What would be a good first Castlevania game to play?

[TechXRenAgadeX]

Hey all never played castlevania before but cmon its Halloween

Whats castlevania game would you recommend to someone who has never played the series before?

[Cronozilla]

If you want classic style, Super Castlevania IV is where it's at. It's a solid mix of great, liberating (controls), and not too hard for Castlevania standards.

If you want exploration style, I think most people would say Symphony of the Night was never topped.

If you want 3D ... well just don't.

[noiseredux]

Go with the original. Straight classic.

[Tanooki]

I'd go with Castlevania 4 (SNES) or 3 (NES) to get the most roots like experience without feeling too old. If you want one with the feel of that but also an overly crude experience with the metroid style there is Castlevania II, and it's also the easiest to get used to it with too.

[flojocabron]

there is a big difference like the others have said.

But I'd say play the first ones, try to do it in order. Cause its harder to go back once you play the old school ones.

Early castlevania is tough but you can do it. Super Castlevania 4 is the best.

More modernish castlevania, aka metroidvania started with Symphony of the Night. And culminated with the excellent DS games.

Play SotN for its place in gaming history. But you still cant go wrong with the GBA and DS versions.

Find Castlevaina Double pak on GBA if you can. It has both GBA castlevanias in it. Cant go wrong with two games in one.

Plus one of the castlevania GBA games has a direct sequel on DS.

But you dont need to play them in any particular order

good luck finding the games at a good price though.

[dogman91]

However, don't feel like you need to play Castlevania II: Simon's Quest... I slogged through it and feel like I wouldn't have missed out on anything if I skipped it. Download it's soundtrack and call it a day.

BTW... with everyone clamoring for a Symphony of the Night sequel / Bloodstained, what makes the three GBA and three DS games that are apparently Metroidvania style?? Is there something about them that doesn't capture the essence of SotN?

[MrPopo]

However, don't feel like you need to play Castlevania II: Simon's Quest... I slogged through it and feel like I wouldn't have missed out on anything if I skipped it. Download it's soundtrack and call it a day.

I'll agree with this. The main difficulty in CV2 is not knowing where you're going/where the invisible floors are. If you know what to do it's pretty damn easy to blow through even on a first playthrough. At that point the difficulty is in a few of the outdoor platforming sections that need you to be pixel perfect.

BTW... with everyone clamoring for a Symphony of the Night sequel / Bloodstained, what makes the three GBA and three DS games that are apparently Metroidvania style?? Is there something about them that doesn't capture the essence of SotN?

Those ones are also quite good. Personally I enjoyed OoE more than SotN, but SotN wasn't my first Metroidvania (it was Dawn of Sorrow). I think SotN gets extra points for being the first and being in the top tier of the Metroidvanias. On the GBA it wasn't really until Aria of Sorrow that they really hit their stride; then the three DS games were great.

[GSZX1337]

Go with the original. Straight classic.

I did this and regret nothing. Except for those things I regret.

[flylikeabird]

I really liked Bloodlines but understand that most people think it is crap compared to the other 16 bit games.

Can't go wrong with SOTN though not for the first. Play one of the classics than that.

[BoneSnapDeez]

The answer to this type of question is almost always "the first game in the series."