Nintendo 64x64

Castlevania Cover (Click to enlarge)
  • Publisher:
    Konami
  • Developer:
    Konami
  • Genre:
    Action, Adventure
  • Players:
    1

5/64

1998

Castlevania

"A divisive first foray into 3D for the franchise as it suffers from mixed fortunes. The feel of 2D versions was captured well through music, locations, enemies and plot. Its controls are quite tight and graphically impressive. It?s a challenge; albeit, for the wrong reasons. Certain areas, bosses and gameplay choices leave one extremely frustrated, taking away elements of enjoyment. One for die-hard fans."

7/10 - Steven Smith 64

#nintendo64x64

User Reviews (6)

"+two playable characters with different play styles +day transitions to harder difficulty night +large bosses with cool surprise entrances +switching between different camera behaviors is neat idea -fighting enemies is a lot more awkward in 3D compared to earlier games -camera has a lot of problems -platforming is too difficult and punishing -too much backtracking at times -weak story -requires Controller Pak for saving"

5/10 - VGScrapbook 64

"If there is anything you can count on when playing a Castlevania game, it has to be the atmosphere. Thankfully, this game delivers it as well and plenty of other things. While it's far from the optimal Castlevania experience, this Nintendo 64 entry still manages to be a great game, even if the camera can find one too many ways to screw you up."

7/10 - Truner 64

"I played this game more than it deserved. Given the technology of the day, it was a great looking atmospheric game that perfectly represented the Castlevania franchise. The issues lied in the uneven difficulty and the awkwardness of the hit detection of the weapons and the bad platforming sections. Not a horrible game, but not the great 3D translation that this classic game deserved."

6/10 - TRON 64

"Castlevania on the Nintendo 64, for me has one of the best soundtracks to a game ever. The atmosphere in the gameplay & cutscenes was enhanced no end by the incredible score. Castlevania, with it's vampiric-fantasy artwork has inspired cosplayers everywhere. Fact. Konami have always created games that have given birth to a cult-following and I think this is the best example. Castlevania has endured."

8/10 - Mikey-ZeroX 64

"Best played late at night. My cousin and I rented the game and ran it the entire time we had it. In the early morning, everything was that much more frightening and I wondered if I shouldn't have picked another game to rent. My favorite part was the feeling we had getting through the first level and past the difficult platforming. That was awesome!"

8/10 - artofmana 64

"Castlevania 64 certainly has problems, most notably the camera and lack of music, but even so it doesn't deserve the bad reputation it gets. The controlls are solid, the level design is pretty good and there are lots of fun enemies to fight. It's not as good as the 2D games or the PS2 games but at least it's better than Lords of Shadow."

7/10 - Mystemo 64

Comments 5

Twilight_Crow

Played this once, but I don't think I can make a proper review of it. I remember it being decent for the time, just rough around the edges.

But seriously guys you need to put this feature somewhere in the front page.

dinosauryoshi

I never really played this one properly either to be honest although I do own it. Always seems to divide opinion that's for sure.

TurboTEF

I got this game the week it came out one night at Best Buy in early 1999 after an eventful trip to Gander Mountain (my best bud's little bro climbed onto a huge bear display and caused a ruckus and we were all kicked out) in Flint, MI. We also picked up Silent Hill (friend's purchase) as well but I could be mixing up memories.

Anyway, the game is really damn to be honest, and the only thing that mars it for me are some spotty platforming sections in later levels (that loving clockwork tower and crystal stage) and very silly looking and easy boss fights. Its a shame the Dreamcast 3D version never came out because this one apparently scared Konami from future 3D versions for quite some time.

Being chased by the guy with the chainsaw through the hedge maze while playing with headphones on at the time was a real scary treat.

Watch the profanity -Lz

KeeperBvK

So glad to see an unbiased, fair and positive review of the game.
It's a classic and I still hold it dearly.

ErrantEmbers

This was my first Castlevania game so I didn't know what to expect, but I knew the series was highly regarded. The first time I played it I thought it was great. This might even qualify as my first "horror" game. It wasn't the best game but it captured the mood perfectly. Years later, I became a Castlevania fan and have now played every Castlevania release since the original. Unfortunately, this game doesn't live up to the name. It's not a bad game, and it does resemble the series in style but the gameplay was clunky, the story was forgettable, and it just really has not aged well at all. But it gets bonus points for being what I think is the best attempt at capturing Castlevania in a 3D environment. 6/10

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