Video game ratings board Australian Classification has potentially spilt the beans on a brand new Castlevania project. A new rating suggests that 'Castlevania Anniversary Collection' is soon to be released as a "multi-platform" game.
Of course, no such game has been officially announced at this stage with that title (last year saw the launch of Castlevania Requiem on other platforms, which included two games in one, but Konami has previously said that it has "absolutely no plans" to release it on other systems). This sounds like it could be something new entirely.
The rating shows that it has gained a PG classification and features "mild fantasy themes and violence" - so no surprise there, then. It's worth noting, though, that "multi-platform" doesn't necessarily mean that Switch would be included - there have been plenty of times over the last couple of years where multi-platform has actually meant PS4, Xbox, and PC. Still, the recent Belmont content in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has us hopeful that new Castlevania games could well arrive on Switch.
So, what will this Anniversary Collection be? Will it launch in September, on the 33rd anniversary of the original game on NES? We'll let you guess away in the comments.
[source classification.gov.au, via gematsu.com]
Comments 72
I guess it'll be the NES and SNES games.
I refuse to get excited about this until it is officially announced for Switch.
About time Konami got their head out of their ass for one day. Surely this would come to Switch considering how well Bomberman did on the system and the Smash collaboration. Of course with Konami who knows.
I'm not sure multiplatform will mean anything. Publishers often file for a multiplatform rating to save having to file again should they rerelease the game later on. For instance, Nintendo always goes for a multiplatform rating.
It would be awesome if they did remasters of all the DS Castlevania games!
If all the GBA & DS Games plus Symphony of the Night is included I’ll be happy.
Heck make two collections: Classic Castlevania Collection & Metroidvania Castlevania Collection.
In Alucard voice:
I'm interested in this
I wish they would actually remake the first few Castlevanias (especially 2) so they wouldn't be such a chore to play nowadays. But I doubt that will happen.
I know Castlevania is supposed to be difficult, but a lot of that "difficulty" in the first one comes from stiff controls. You can have difficulty without having to wrestle with the controller, as evidenced by many modern games like Hollow Knight (though I wouldn't expect ol' Simon to jump around as much as the main character from HK).
There are so many but it would be ace if all were included from NES to PS3 but it will never happen.
That’s all well and good, but I can’t stop playing Tetris 99.
Wow that would be pretty cool Konami! Please include a Switch version no excuses!!
About time! Been waiting and hoping for a nice HD collection of the original 3x NES games and hopefully the Super NES title and the (one that I really enjoyed) Genesis title (Castlevania Bloodline). Hopefully it does come out as a retail game for Switch too, but until then, I'll purchase first on PS4, then Switch and finally XBONE.
Been wanting a collection like this for ages. Can’t wait to see the line up. Hope it will have them all but guessing it will just be the mainline console ones. Will be gutted if it’s just the two lords of shadow games put in a package though.
No way, no how a Castlevania collection (of the original games) is coming to any system if not Switch or 3DS. You telling me Konami would release those OGs on Xbox and PlayStation but not the system which they were first introduced? Not in this lifetime.
How cool would it be to have even some of the GBA titles in there too... Circle of the Moon? Oh man....
EDIT: OH and for how well they might not have aged, please for the love of Dracula, include Castlevania 64 and Legacy of Darkness. I NEED to play those again.
The fact that it is rated PG really limits things. I assume that it may only include the NES/SNES/GB/GBA era titles. Lord of Shadows 2 is the only game in the franchise to be rated R18+. The NES/GB games were rated G, the GBA games PG, the DS games M, and pretty much M or MA15+ for all other games in the series.
This at least narrows down which games will be included in the collection.
Oh god, please let this be true! My dream compilation would be:
-Castlevania
-Castlevania 2
-Castlevania 3
-Castlevania Adventure
-Castlevania Adventure 2
-Super Castlevania IV
-Castlevania Bloodlines
-Dracula X (SNES)
-Rondo of Blood
-Haunted Castle
-Castlevania 64
I wouldn’t mind two separate compilations, with a second putting the focus on the Metroidvanias:
-Symphony of the Night
-Circle of the Moon
-Harmony of Dissonance
-Aria of Sorrow
-Dawn of Sorrow
-Portrait of Ruin
-Order of Ecclesia
My guess? NES games, Snes games, and MAYBE the game boy games. Then again, this is Konami we're talking about. There's a good chance they won't include everything so they can release more collctions later down the line.
Love me some Castlevania. A GBA and DS compilation would be great.
@SmaggTheSmug
you read my mind.
i'd love a remake of 2. my favorite one.
I would love to have Rondo of blood and Symphony of the night on Switch!
@BanjoPickles was going to say something like that. All I care are the metroidvania ones, especially the later 3 with no DS touch controls.
@wratih9 Even ignoring Bomberman, you’d think the success of classic Castlevania-like games like Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon would show there’s a market for these games. Also I think the abundance of metroidvanias on the Switch should show how lucrative that market is, especially for an already well-known series like Castlevania.
@BanjoPickles That would be awesome, I’d probably just go for the metroidvania one though. I don’t know what they’d do about the second screen in the DS games. Maybe put the info screen on the right like Fairune Collection?
I know it is almost out of the question but I want a physical release as well!
Either way if this is true I would bend my own bias and make another digital purchase for the sake of CASTLEVANIA!
If it is, then it will be all Castlevania's that have only graced a Nintendo platform, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but I'll temper my expectations until I hear otherwise.
@cacnea310
That's why I think splitting them up would be the best thing to do. Castlevania fans seem to be fragmented: those who prefer the old style (myself) and those who gravitate towards the Metroidvania formula. I do love both styles, and I would definitely buy both hypothetical comps day one.
As for the touch controls, I think it would be easy to get rid of them entirely. Dawn's, in particular, were so unnecessarily gimmicky that their absence wouldn't be missed.
@Reverandjames
Last I heard Kanomi moved away from the console games business to work on slot machine/micro transaction based mobile games.
Makes me sad because I would really like Castlevania Lords of Shadow ported to the switch (I know a lot of people didn’t like this one) as well as maybe that game cube Metal Gear Twin Snakes.
@Tharsman
Oh man, Dawn of Sorrow without the stupid tracing of the insignias would be a dream! The touch screen aspects of that game held it back from trouncing Aria! Actually, Dawn had the potential of being Symphony of the Night's equal, but was held back by them.
All I know is that those games deserve a rerelease!
As many as they are able to put in there would be great. But it also would be great to have it physical and not PlayStation exclusive. Too many projects from Konami are Sony-only lately...
@FX102A You're going to be unhappy. This is Konami we're talking about here XD
Yes, yes. Rerelease the old games. Do a Contra collection as well. Just no mediocre reboots. We don’t need a Castlevania live service game with loot boxes.
I picked up Requiem on my PS4, I'd love to see a compilation with all the GBA/DS Metroidvania's though.
I mean a collection would probably make a lot of easy money for Konami, so that's why we shouldn't expect it.
@Jokerwolf Oh my... I didn’t even think of that. I went straight to the IV and SotN assumptions that I imagine most do.
The DS games were incredible. I’d LOVE that.
If it has Symphony of the Night, I’m 100% in with this. By far my favorite in the franchise. If it doesn’t then no buy.
@BanjoPickles I'd love to see Castlevania 64 included in the collection, one of my favorite games of the console, and my introduction to the Castlevania franchise.
@Edu23XWiiU
Yes! It is not NEARLY as bad of a game as people think it is! It has a lot of flaws, yes, but it also did a good job of feeling like a 3D take of the pre-Symphony Castlevania games.
It sucks that there isn't a demand for it, because a full remake could fix the one issue--the camera--that killed the game in the eyes of the fanbase. The game had ridiculous amounts of potential!
"THIS IS WHY THE BELMOUNTS ARE IN SMAS BROS!1!!1"
If its specifically for the Classicvania titles, I really hope if includes every mainline one, including Bloodlines and possibly the Adventure (Rebirth version obviously)
Also, SotN has to be the OG PS1 version with the "What is a man?" scene or I riot
My money is on a rerelease of Castlevania 3 and 4, which no one was asking for. Maybe a rerelease of Chronicles... again, like nobody requested.
I bet playing the early NES Castlevania games with modern day input lag from TVs and wireless controllers will be loads of fun
What a way to rehash the same crap, didn't they make a Castlevania collection not too long ago? Why make another one as if Symphony of the Night couldn't be milk to death. If it's coming to Switch it better include these or else Konami can stay dead: Castlevania 1, 2, 3, 4, Bloodline, Dracula X, Rondo, Symphony, Adventure Rebirth, Circle, Harmony, Aria, Dawn, Portrait, and Ecclesia. They can keep those Lords of Shadow craps away from this.
All hands brace for disappointment. Can't see the recent ps4 games being on this.
It better have Kid Dracula on it!
Yeah! If "Hyper Sports R" sells well 😂
Would kindof explain why Castlevania 1-3 haven't hit NES NSO. I hope the collection could include GBA, DS, and The Adventure ReBirth titles too.
"Still, the recent Belmont content in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has us hopeful that new Castlevania games could well arrive on Switch."
This makes zero sense.
I’m very ready for this. Include Rebirth please.
@BanjoPickles I love everything, even the low points! That final battle with Dracula was super epic, also the battle against Death, that music!
@SmaggTheSmug Nah. Fixed jump is a hallmark of Classicvania.
The WiiWare 'ReBirth' had an option for this, and I think the free jump made it too easy and just felt wrong, but having option wouldn't be a terrible idea.
If you're looking for a more flexible, "modern" Castlevania, Odallus is a fantastic homage.
Maybe BLOODLINES will FINALLY get a re-release.
@BanjoPickles that would be awesome!
I'd take any castlevania on the switch with the exception of the lords of shadow games
Are you okay Konami? You're doing somthing smart and that's not like you.
Lords of Shadows & LOS Mirror Of Fate was a collection from the PS3, but seeing how they said anniversary collection maybe they’ll release at least a couple of GBA & DS titles in there. I wouldn’t put it past them to release it at the same time as Bloodstained Ritual of the Night.
Circle of the Moon on the Switch please🙏
I never got to play ORDER OF ECLESSIA so just that and I would be happy. Grabbed the GBA titles on WiiU VC. I guess SYMPHONY OF THE NIGHT would be very welcome. I am just hoping that BLOODSTAINED: RITUAL OF THE NIGHT is worth the wait. For me MIRROR OF FATE was a giant let-down.
@Spaniard
CIRCLE OF THE MOON is my favorite CASTLEVANIA next to SYMPHONY. Was my GBA launch title. I really dig the art direction, music, and castle layout. Some really great bosses in there. I beat the water area without getting the antidote my first playthrough because I never found basement area. That took a lot of healing and some quick jumping!! I am on another playthrough right now on WiiU.
A collection like this would be the perfect way for me to see what the series is all about, I have played very little of Castlevania and would love to see what the fuss is about!
@SmaggTheSmug HEAR HEAR!!
@FX102A That would make me very happy. As long as they don't pull a capcom and do a half n half.
@Alto Wouldn't be the first time a company did that. If you'll recall the Disney Afternoon Collection incident. Though I'm unsure if the fault lay with Capcom or Disney?
@DoomTurtle Yeeess. I would love to try Kid Drac. It looks like a blast to play.
I just want Symphony of the Night on Switch! GBA games would be nice, too. But if it is only CV I-IV, I am not that interested..
@retro_player_22 The earlier collection just had Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night so it's probably reasonable to assume those 2 games won't be present in this anniversary collection.
So what happened to KONAMI after all the brilliant 16 bit games?
Between the Wii/U, 3DS and Xbox One I think that I already own most of the Castlevania games. I skew towards the old style games, with SCIV being my favourite in the series. If the collection features a complete range from NES to Arcade to PS3 then I would definitely buy it, otherwise probably not.
What I'd really like from Konami is an arcade perfect Gradius collection on the Switch, but that will never happen.
@Tempestryke oh wow, that is perhaps the very best example/argument. I totally forgot about that Disney Collection! It would be so unfortunate if this Castlevania collection didn’t come home to Nintendo.
@Alto It so would. I hope it does come to the Switch too. I'm missing CV3 on the NES mini. I would love to play SotN, Kid Dracula and Portrait of Ruin.
Bloodlines and Symphony of night
Well, the way these collections usually go... It'll probably be Castlevania 1, 2, 3 on one collection.... Then IV, Bloodlines, Chronicles on another.... Then Symphony, Circle of the Moon, Harmony on one.... Then Aria of Sorrow and Dawn of Sorrow on another..... You get the point.
@GravyThief
Game mode man, even an old school NES junkie like myself knows that eliminates input lag. If it doesn’t for you then, without making assumptions, your’s would be the 1st tv I’ve ever heard of that this doesn’t solve the issue. Even my 2008 1080p TV fixed the input lag I was having trying to play NES remix on the wiiU back when I had that.
@Tempestryke
I know it’s not the same thing but the creator of Castlevania Symphony of the Night released a game that’s very similar to Castlevania 3 called Bloodstained curse of the moon, it’s NES style with a larger symphony of the night style high res version of the game hitting shelves later in the year.
@Dilated
Oh I definitely have my eye on both Bloodstained games. I can't wait! X3
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