Rumour: Koji Igarashi's Castlevania Successor Could Rise From The Grave This Week

I didn't even know about this. Sounds good.

Looking forward to this. And fingers crossed it ends up on Nintendo hardware.

Oh yeah...a great game that will be just like a classic Castlevania title!!!!

When you think about this, Mighty no. 9, and Yooka-Laylee, it shows that the importance of character IP means very little. The fact that the original/most important creators can just go and make reimaginations of Castlevania, Mega man and Banjo kazooie and people buy into them shows it's the people who make the game, not the name they put on the box.

I'd only be interested in this game if it came to Wii U, because that is the only system I'd want to play it on. I admit that I've never played a Castlevania game though, so I'm not 100 percent sure if I'd like to play this type of game or not. I am into gothic style horror at least.

Man, all this 2D stuff coming more and more, I love it. From Shovel Knight, Axiom Verge to Mighty No. 9 release, can't get enough of it. Not to say for sure this is 2D though, but here's hoping.

@MrGawain And then you realise, that the games are so popular, because they mimic their legacys gameplay and style.
Yooka & Laylee wouldnt be as anticipated, if it would be a minigame collection like that Viva Pinata party game.
Mighty No.9 would be less praised if it would be a generic first person shooter.

They are so anticipated, because they "emulate" games we havent seen in a long long time. If its purely the dev that counts, "Kinect Sports" would have been a huge hit instead of being the punchline of eveny Xbox joke.

But the saddest thing is, that of all those "reincarnations" of classic franchises comming up, Mighty No.9 is probabl ythe one game im the least excited about.
And as a die hard MegaMan addict from day one, that kinda breaks my heart.

Hope its called Castlemania or something to really stick it to those turds over at Konami

I hope IGA knows what he's doing here. It's not like Castlevania isn't in high demand anymore, but Konami ruined the franchise's image with the relentless push towards styles that alienate the fanbase.
With LoS2, the whole Castlevania legacy crumbled to pieces (much like Dracula's castle, eh?), and today only bait-term "Metroidvania" remains to remind people of what Castlevania brought us.

@Einherjar This. Very much all of this!

This is exciting. I was pretty disappointed by the last castlevania on 3ds. The alchemist idea sounds cool, I hope it borrows heavily from the sorrow series.

I've been waiting for more news on his indie project since I first knew about it. Finally it's back in the spot light. And I am excited to hear more from Iga's new game!

The prophecy is TRUE! I knew his greatness would reveal himself! Lol Now we just need Hideo Kojima to make a move

I'm interested to see what this is, but I don't expect it to come to a Nintendo platform.

Because the spiritual successor is the new sequel in the era of crowd funding.

A developer used to be famous for a game - nowadays a game is famous for its developer!

This may be the only dark prophecy I'd ever want to come true.

Man I haven't played a true castlevania since Order of Ecclesia.
I didn't hate the Lords of shadows games but they just felt like generic action games given the Castlevania property in hopes of more sales and well the console versions had Patrick Stewart and you cannot go wrong with Patrick Stewart.

@audiobrainiac Yes, Kojima and his indie MGS when he feels like making another one.

@Knuckles It could happen! It would probably be called Plastic Equipment Liquid.

I hope this is true. I'd chip in

Why can't they be like Yuji Naka or so many others. Naka didn't leave Sega to make another 2D platformer with a non-natural-colored fast animal. He created Ivy the Kiwi and Let's Tap and not only he created new characters, he created new ways of playing.
Why to make Mighty No.9? Anybody can create a Mega Man clone and could even surpass it (and they've gotten pretty close to do that). Another Castlevania? Don't you have more than enough of them? There are also good clones like Vampire for the GG and Gameloft's Soul of Darkness.
Just like when they were employees in their companies, they were only selling you a name, not a new experience. Maybe the games will turn out to be good, but their creators should be ashamed for being lame. I know creating stuff is by no means easy, but, aren't they supposed to be the geniuses?

Oh man... Crossing fingers for Nintendo. I'm also hoping it takes on a higher bit than 8-bit but if it turns out to be 8 then that's okay too. (I'm one of those people who likes Mega Man X games rather than mega man due to the preferable art style and armor customization).

So excited for this! I LOVE Castlevania and Castlevania-esque lore!!

@ottospooky "Spiritual Successor" I hate hate euphemism so much. It's just a way to say over-glorified hyped clone. I can't wait to see this "non-sequel" bubble to burst, however, "There's a sucker born every minute" and suckers is fund-raisers fuel.

@Einherjar

Exactly. What I mean is that people can say 'Capcom have got Mega Man and Street Fighter and Resident Evil', or 'Konami have got Castlevania and Contra and Gradius', but those names aren't really worth anything beyond nostalgia merchandise. If someone comes along and makes a clone of those games with different graphics and different names for the characters, there isn't really anything these companies can do. That's why companies like Nintendo don't bother to buy up IP's- they aren't really worth anything unless they have a unique copyrighted game play mechanic.

@OMC79 Why? If the original creator(s) of a beloved game sets out to do a new game in the same style, with a different name, why is it an "over-glorified hyped clone"? Would you say the same of a returning franchise if it used the original IP?

@audiobrainiac I am still saying that it will be Plastic and Liquid, but not equipment.

@OMC79 It's like if, in some alternative reality, Shiggsy left Nintendo in 1995 to pursue other interests, after they decided to focus on wearable fitness products.
Miyamoto is seeking crowd funding for the new 2D, sprite based platforming title Amazing Miguel Sisters, Spanish siblings working as electricians, who one day mysteriously put their finger in an electrical socket and find themselves in the Carrot District, where they are tasked with rescuing Prince Pineapple from the evil clutches of Dowser the evil Rabbit and his seven rabbit maybe-offspring, De Niro, Coleman, Van Damme, Kilmer, Angelina, Lungren and Pee Wee

@Butt @Dpullam I would say Symphony of the Night, Aria/Dawn of Sorrow and Order of Ecclesia are the best ones. SotN is the most ambitious one, for sure.

Aria or Sorrow is available on Virtual Console, at least in Europe. Give it a shot!

Ecclesia has excellent gameplay and level design, in my opinion, but it's not as much of an exploration game as the other ones.

@ottospooky Amazing María Sisters would be better, Miguel is a men's name

Good analogy though...

@ottospooky In that alternate reality, is obvious Shiggsy is not Japanese, is a European C64 and movie junkie.
In another alternate reality, Mr. Shigeru Miyamoto would have left Nintendo in 1995 and just like he did and does in the real world, he would be creating something completely new. In that same reality, Inafune would have left Capcom in 1995 to create the same games only adding just a little something borrowing stuff from animé he watched as a kid, just like always did, I mean, does in the real world.

@Trash-Boat Maybe they are transgender, after all, is an alternate reality where a European named Shiggsy played C64, worked for Nintendo and somehow became very important.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJbmB9k2Y88

Yes, yes, keep sucking my money and give me the same things I already have and bought by the dozen already. Yes, give me the same, I'll pay even more.
No wonder Marvel is gonna hit jackpot with the 3rd Secret Wars, fans want to see the same thing forever.

@Butt @Dpullam @hiptanaka

Symphony of the Night is on PSN in both PSX and PSP format. Dracula X Chronicles isn't a bad purchase, as it has SoTN and Rondo of Blood (remastered and original) but there are subtle differences between the rerelease the original. As I hardly touch my Vita, it may be best to get the PSX SoTN to play it as intended. SoTN is one of my very favorite games, and is a must own. I loved all of the GBA ones, and they're all on the NA eShop. I do suggest SoTN first for the exploration branch.

Rondo of Blood is on Wii Shop Channel under TurboGraffx-16. Its insanely awesome, using traditional Castlevania gameplay (no Metroid exploration) and is hard as nails. Its also the prequel to Symphony of the Night. My favorite traditional Castlevania is 3 on NES, but its REALLY hard.

Super Castlevania 4 and the other Dracula X are both good, but I wouldn't start with those. I'd definitely play Rondo of Blood before the SNES version, and 4 doesn't hold as much charm and challenge as the NES games do for me.

Theres also Castlevania Chronicles on PSN and Adventure ReBirth on Wii Shop Channel. If you liked the tradtional games, theres more for ya there. Please avoid Lords of Shadow until you play real Castlevania, that way you'll know what to compare it to.

@VR32F1END Now, that something worth to spend your money on.

@ottospooky
Thats funny!

@OMC79 I can only speak for myself, but I never said I want the same thing. A new game in the same vein doesn't mean a carbon copy. For example, I'd love a new 2D Metroid, but I'd also love to see them try new things with it, even radically so. Get rid of the obvious space jump and varia suit, and come up with some other abilities. Have Samus start with most of her powers, and center the game around learning to master those, and figuring out all the ways they can be used. Focus on exploration and discovery. Make the world more open from start. They tried the directed approach in Fusion, quite effectively, why not go the opposite way now? Or something completely different. You get the point.

An uninspired copy is not the ideal form of a spiritual successor.

I think, I can understand their motives somehow; they try to go new ways and want to make new IPs, which is too risky for the companies as they demand the same IP over and over again, since this is safer for them. This is why Kojima and all the other go their own ways, to fulfill their dream of making new stories and games they like, no matter if this will hit the spot or not. And to be frank, I welcome this. Sometimes, a series was over long time ago and a new IP with an equal quality would be great, but as I said, companies only do this on less occasions because they see this kind of change as too risky for them in case that players won't like or buy it. I will look forward this and hope that Koji will be able to make his dream real.

All the hope went away with "kickstarter" word.

Seriously, why can't companies simply follow player demands? There would be a money rain with Symphony of the Night 2 properly executed.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone! I'll definitely try one of them out!

@MrGawain Not only that, but it needs to have the same "charme" the beloved "nostalgic" game has.

So, lets say Nintendo buys the Contra IP, makes a side scrolling shooter out of it, same mechanics, same style, everything BUT gives it the usual "Nintendo accessability" treatment and boom, not the Contra game people wanted to see, insert Ruined Forever Trope.

So its actually neither the IP itself, nor is it the devs reputation that makes the game, its the game itself.

Another good example ? Banjo & Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts.
It looks fantastic, features lots and lots of nice cameos, the original devs made it and it is still considered to be a terrible game.
Why ? Because of its gameplay. Neither the IP nor Rares reputation could save it or at least give it a free pass as the black sheep. Nope, most hardcore fans outright denounce it as part of the series.

Buying out IPs from other devs is only good if you have the proper team to work on them.
Lets say Capcom went bankrupt, the best IP that could be bought by Nintendo would be Devil May Cry. Why ? Because of their close relationship with Platinum Games, consisting of many people who worked on the original game. That way, the IP could continue the way it used to be.

Thats one of the reasons these comapnies failed so hard. They gave their IPs to studios, who had no idea what to do with them and banked on the fact, that the IP itself might sell it.

Ninja Theorys DmC ? Greatly appreciated by its fanbase, all two of them.
Spark Unlimiteds Lost Planet 3. Are people even aware that it exists ?
How about BigRedButtons Sonic Boom ? Masterfully done piece of code.
Even MercurySteams Castlevania: Lords of Shadows failed miserably to grab fans, even though i personally love it to death.
Its simply not what the core fanbase wanted.

And i think at that points, its pretty clear that, for a pure software developer, "broadening your demographic" is a recipe for desaster.
For the console market ? Sure, the Wii showed that it definitly works and it was a brilliant move that greatly helped to get rid of the "gaming nerd" stigma.

But from a pure game perspective ? There is nothing worse then NOT listening to your core demographic.And sadly, this is not just a fanboy opinon, at this point, its a cold, hard fact.

Konami never delivered on a proper, classic Castlevania game, Capcom dropped the MegaMan IP, EVEN THOUGH 9 and 10 were pure goldmines right off the bat (how stupid can you get...) and Sega is so ridiculously stupid, that they never noticed that Sonic Generations and its classic 2D sidescroller parts actually struck a nerve with its fanbase and quickly went the opposite way again.

And all three comapnies are in the worst shape theyve ever been.
I mean, just look at Capcom, even their money printing Street Fighter series, the core pillar of their company for the past few years needs funding from Sony to actually exist. They are running on life support right there and STILL refuse to wake up from their self induced blindness and coma.

And people are moaning about Nintendo "not growing up".
Yeah, they are stuck in their youth, but guess what, they at least still got all of their teeth, even after all these bruises. What could possibly be the reason for that...

This is exciting can't wait to hear more!

This is now up: http://swordorwhip.com/

told yall it was a kickstarter in 2014.