Tag: Castlevania - Page 3
News Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Gets a Wii U Stretch Goal
Wii U port will be handled by Armature Studio if the goal is reached
A couple weeks ago, industry veteran Koji Igarashi revealed his latest project to the world, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. The hotly anticipated game will follow the adventure of a character named Miriam as she explores a dark, gothic castle infested with a vast array of...
What a horrible night to have a Wii U
Former Castlevania Producer (and possible vampire) Koji Igarashi has been creating some sinister headlines recently, as word of a new project whipped fans up into a frenzy of speculation. The prophetic Kickstarter reveal on Monday has indeed come to pass, but alas this new project won't be coming to Nintendo...
News Koji Igarashi's Castlevania Successor Teased by Comcept, Set for 11th May Reveal
The moon rises
The past week was rather exciting for fans of Castlevania and Koji Igarashi's work, as Igarashi-san launched a teaser site teasing a spiritual successor, allowing curious fans to choose between a pixelated sword or whip - if this isn't a Castlevania-style project, we'll be amazed. Expected to arrive on Kickstarter - retro-themed...
News Teaser Site For Koji Igarashi's Castlevania Successor Lets You Have Your Say
Sword or whip - which will you choose?
Yesterday, we reported on a rumour which seemed to suggest that Koji Igarashi - he of Castlevania fame - was about to launch a Kickstarter campaign for his next game. The rumblings appear to have been true, as Igarashi has just launched a teaser site for his next venture - and it allows fans to have some...
News Rumour: Koji Igarashi's Castlevania Successor Could Rise From The Grave This Week
"The first sign rises with the full moon. Soon, I will return"
Long-time Castlevania producer Koji "IGA" Igarashi left Konami a while back to move into indie development, but aside from a cryptic double-page PAX flyer, we've heard very little about what he's up to. However, this week could change all of that, if rumours swirling around the dark and...
News Konami Demands That Hardcore Gaming 101 Presents: Castlevania Book Be Removed From Sale
"Their qualm is that it's unlicensed, but it doesn't need to be"
At the request of Konami, the review-packed book Hardcore Gaming 101 Presents: Castlevania by Kurt Kalata has been removed from sale. The full colour book was only released two months ago on September 13th, and not only includes overviews of nearly every Castlevania title, but also...
Review Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (Wii U eShop / GBA)
The best for last?
Konami's Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow is the third and final Castlevania title for the GBA, and arguably the strongest. A departure from the typical period drama involving the extended and ever-complicated Belmont clan, Aria of Sorrow introduces new characters and mythology into the series while also building on what has made...
Review Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (Wii U eShop / GBA)
A perfect harmony?
The Wii U eShop is becoming an embarrassment of riches, with a robust library of indie titles complemented by a growing lineup of strong Virtual Console games. Konami's Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance is the second of three Castlevania titles released on the Game Boy Advance, and while it controls and plays similarly to its...
Book Review Hardcore Gaming 101 Presents: Castlevania
A bloody good read
Castlevania is one of those franchises which will always be inexorably linked with Nintendo. The series became a household name thanks to its well-received NES outings, and in the days of the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS it strengthened this connection with six excellent "Metroidvania" releases. Although its future may well...
Review Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Over the moon
Konami's Castlevania has changed directions in recent years, with the Lords of Shadow titles polarizing fans of the long-running series. That's why fans of the "Metroidvania" outings should flock to the Wii U eShop and download the Game Boy Advance Castlevania titles, which feature the series' signature exploration-based, semi-linear...
Review Castlevania: Dracula X (Wii U eShop / SNES)
Tainted blood
When you think of the definitive side-scrolling Castlevania experience, we imagine for most people it’s imagery of Symphony of the Night or Super Castlevania IV that first creeps into the ol’ noggin. But while those might be the most popular of responses, there’s a slightly more obscure game in the franchise that many die-hards...
News Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow to Complete GBA Trilogy on Wii U Virtual Console
Scarily good
The Game Boy Advance enjoyed a terrific trilogy of 2D Castlevania titles — as did its successor, the DS — which set impressive standards for portable entries in the franchise. With GBA games on the Wii U, the prospect of playing them on the GamePad — or the TV if you like enormous pixels — must have come to the minds of Konami...
News This Castlevania Super NES May Be The Spookiest Console Yet
We want one
The eagle-eyed among you have no doubt noticed that we like some modded retro consoles here at Nintendo Life; giving a new design and style to a lovely old system can be a fine thing indeed. This latest effort is also perfect for the upcoming Halloween festivities. It's the work of Vadu Amka, who we've featured before with some stylish...
News New Hardcore Gaming 101 Book Takes On Konami's Classic Castlevania Series
Physical and digital versions available now
Remember Sega Arcade Classics Volume 1? Well Hardcore Gaming 101 founder Kurt Kalata is taking a break before starting Volume 2 and has put together another fine tome in the form of Hardcore Gaming 101 Presents: Castlevania. Kalata will be famous among seasoned Castlevania fans as the man behind The...
Rumour PAX Prime Flyer Teases Potential 2D Castlevania Successor
Could this be Koji "Iga" Igarashi's next project?
Last week, Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune hosted a panel at PAX Prime, and during the event flyers appeared which seemed to hint at a new Castlevania-style adventure. The rumour is that Koji "Iga" Igarashi — who oversaw the Castlevania series and recently parted company with Konami to make games on...
Review Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (Wii U eShop / NES)
Blood relative
After the success of the original Castlevania title on the NES system, Konami decided to change things up quite a bit for Castlevania II: Simon's Quest. Gone was the straight-ahead platforming action of the original, replaced with a much more rpg-flavored approach that placed more emphasis on item collection and exploration. While...
Review Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (3DS eShop / NES)
Join the fang club
Looking back, it's incredible to think that Konami took such a risk with the Castlevania series during its formative years. Having tasted critical and commercial success with the original NES outing, the Japanese company decided to give its direct sequel a different spin. The result was Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, a game which...
News Animal Crossing and Metroidvania GDC Talks Now Available For Your Viewing Pleasure
New Leaf and Castlevania devs discuss the intricacies of game development
Many of the presentations at last month's Game Developers Conference are now available to view for free on the GDC Vault website, including Animal Crossing: New Leaf producer Katsuya Eguchi and co-director Aya Kyogoku's "How to Turn a New Leaf at the Animal Crossing" and...
News Castlevania: Dracula X And Mega Man 5 Hitting The Japanese Wii U Virtual Console Next Week
Scream bloody murder
Next week's Japanese Wii U Virtual Console titles have been confirmed, and fans of Konami and Capcom should be pretty pleased with what's on offer. Arguably the most notable release is Castlevania: Dracula X (known as Akumajou Dracula XX in Japan and Castlevania: Vampire's Kiss in Europe), the SNES port of the PC Engine classic...
Feature The Castlevania That Konami Doesn't Want You To Know About
A chilling look at the 1988 arcade release Haunted Castle
Despite the critical mauling Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 received at the hands of the gaming press, Konami's gothic franchise has arguably never been in better health. After years of dismal sales and underexposure, the mainstream appeal of the series was emphatically restored by 2011's...
News Dracula Is Cursing The Japanese Wii U Virtual Console Next Week In Castlevania III
Mystic Quest, Gradius and Neutopia also coming along for the ride
Castlevania fans will be pleased to know that NES classic Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse — one of the best entries in the entire lineage — is hitting the Japanese Wii U Virtual Console next week, which means a western release shouldn't be far behind. Originally released in...
News Castlevania Composer Michiru Yamane Joins Flying Hamster II Team
Aiming for a campaign boost
Composer Michiru Yamane, best known for her work on music for the Castlevania series, has joined forces with Parisian indie studio Game Atelier for its upcoming Kickstarter-funded title, Flying Hamster II. Check out Game Atelier's reveal video for the composer below: [ Flying Hamster II is currently in development for...
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow and F-Zero: GP Legend appear eShop-bound
The Australian government's Classification Board is infamous for its censorship of violence in games, hindering the release of dozens of highly-anticipated titles over the years. But sometimes its ratings bring us good news: Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow and
"When you turn Zelda into a 2D platformer, it resembles Metroid"
We reported yesterday on the news that Koji "IGA" Igarashi has parted company with Konami after 24 years of service. Igarashi-san is perhaps best known for his work on the Castlevania series, an association which began with the seminal Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The game...
News Koji Igarashi, Best Known for the Castlevania Series, Departs from Konami
"I've decided to break out on my own"
It's possible that gamers relatively fresh to Nintendo hardware won't know much of Koji Igarashi's work, but Castlevania fans that enjoyed the terrific series entries on the Game Boy Advance and DS — in particular — may mourn the formal passing of an era today, even if it's been on the cards for a...
Soapbox A Case For The Defence: Castlevania 64
The only things that suck are the vampires
Castlevania 64, which is how we shall refer to the original Nintendo 64 vampire-killing game to avoid confusion with the other Castlevania, is a game that’s been unjustly left on the series' scrapheap for far too long, and I’m going to tell you why. Now that doesn’t mean I’m here to excuse the...
Review Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (3DS eShop / NES)
What a horrible night to play this game
Sequels of the present day are almost an inevitability; a safe way for a developer to earn some extra revenue by expanding their previous game, slightly tweaking gameplay nuances and throwing in additional levels and enemies. However, in the late '80s, things were different – sequels could vary wildly from...
Review Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (Wii U eShop / NES)
Should've put a stake in it
With 1987's Castlevania on the NES, Konami created a classic. The vampire hunting action game was a whip-roaring success, kicking off one of gaming's most iconic series and introducing a generation of gamers to the adventures of Simon Belmont, the joy of whip-based combat, and the explosive properties of holy water. The...
News MercurySteam's New Next-Gen Title Isn't Coming To Wii U
No love for Nintendo
It has already been confirmed that Spanish studio MercurySteam is moving away from the Castlevania franchise once work is completed on Lords of Shadow 2, but producer Dave Cox has now announced that company's as-yet-unnamed new project won't be hitting the Wii U. Speaking at a round table event attended by GameSpot, Cox...
Talking Point Is The Castlevania Series Finished With Nintendo?
Fangs for the memories, but is it time to move on?
Ever since it began in 1986, Konami's Castlevania series has been closely associated with Nintendo. The vampire-slaying lineage started life on the Famicom Disk System in Japan and shortly afterwards found worldwide fame on the NES. Since then, the franchise has seen some of its most famous and...
Review Castlevania (Wii U eShop / NES)
Just like Dracula, it keeps coming back to life...
Konami, admittedly following the lead of others such as Nintendo and Capcom, sure likes to remind us it was making awesome games way back in the 1980s. "Hey", it says, "remember how great Castlevania was on the NES?" We sure do, Konami and, oh look, now we can buy it again on the Wii U! It's one of...
Review Super Castlevania IV (Wii U eShop / SNES)
Fangs for the memories
The Castlevania series is enjoying something of a renaissance at the moment, thanks largely to MercurySteam's commercially successful Lords of Shadow sub-series. However, as many hardcore Castlevania fans will repeatedly tell you until they are blue in the face and you are deeply, deeply bored, the God of War-style gameplay...
News Super Castlevania IV Is Coming To The North American Wii U eShop In Time For Halloween
The children of the night, what sweet music they make
Nintendo has confirmed that Konami's whip-cracking classic Super Castlevania IV is coming to the North American Wii U eShop on October 31st — just in time for Halloween. Originally released in 1991, the game stars vampire killer Simon Belmont and is regarded by many Castlevania fans as one of...
News Super Castlevania IV Is Whipping The Japanese Wii U Virtual Console Next Week
A 16-bit classic to get your teeth into
Japanese Wii U owners will be able to enjoy what is arguably Simon Belmont's best adventure next week as Super Castlevania IV (or Akumajō Dracula as it's known over there) hits the Virtual Console in that region. The first 16-bit outing for Konami's esteemed vampire-hunting series, Super Castlevania IV was...
News Konami Releases Strategy Portal for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate
You'll be whip-smart in no time
Konami has released a strategy portal for the recently released Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate designed to be accessible both online and through the 3DS Internet Browser — to view on the 3DS visit Since the browser can be used while a game is running, the guide is sure to be a handy tool for anyone...
News Did You Catch The Super Mario Easter Egg In Castlevania: Mirror Of Fate?
If you didn't, allow us to save you the bother
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate launched worldwide recently to a somewhat mixed reception. We really liked it, and the fact that it contains an amusing reference to Nintendo's Super Mario series only endears it to us even further. The Easter egg of which we speak is found on a dead body...
Interview Reinventing Castlevania For A New Handheld Generation
Konami's Dave Cox talks about the latest entry in the bloodsucking franchise
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate is almost with us, so what better time is there to sit down with the producer of the game and chat about its development, inspiration, aims and challenges — as well as the future of the Castlevania franchise? Nintendo Life:...
News Konami Won't Rule Out Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow 2 On Wii U
Never say never
Konami has been fairly adamant that Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 isn't coming to the Wii U, thanks simply to a lack of available resource and time. This is perfectly understandable; developer Mercury Steam has only just finished work on the 3DS title Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate, and has its hands full developing...
News Latest Castlevania: Mirror Of Fate Trailer Teases Simon Belmont's Tale
It's a family affair
It's not long until Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate launches on the Nintendo 3DS in North America and Europe, and the latest trailer for the game is here to push excitement levels even higher. The trailer focuses on Trevor's son Simon Belmont, who was the star of the first few Castlevania titles on the NES but has...
News Castlevania: Mirror of Fate Kept Mercury Steam Afloat
Producer Dave Cox gives more details on 3DS epic
In an interview with Eurogamer, Konami producer Dave Cox has revealed that were it not for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate, Spanish developer Mercury Steam might not be here today. Reflecting on the current demands of video game development, Cox said: Look what's happened to [Darksid
News Castlevania Producer Would Love To Work With Nintendo On Zelda
Dave Cox wants a link to the future
Nintendo's stance on collaborating with other developers is resulting in some interesting new titles, and rightly so — given the highly-esteemed nature of the company's portfolio, it's no surprise that other devs are falling over themselves to join forces with the Kyoto-based veteran. Speaking to Dutch site...
News Street Fighter And Samurai Shodown Influenced Castlevania: Mirror Of Fate's Combat
More interview goodness from Konami's Dave Cox
Konami producer Dave Cox must have an aching jaw, because he's given so many interviews recently relating to Castlevania: Lords of Shadow: Mirror of Fate that he must be absolutely pig-sick of talking about the upcoming 3DS title. However, we're not complaining, because each new interview gives fresh...
Also, don't expect a home console version of Mirror of Fate
Konami producer Dave Cox has already stated that a Wii U version of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 isn't going to happen, but he's never really elaborated on the reason why - until now, that is. Speaking to Dutch site n1ntendo.nl, Cox had this to say:
News Castlevania: Mirror of Fate Could Come To Home Consoles
Nintendo exclusivity could mean a Wii U version in the future
It's something of a bumper morning for Castlevania fans, as Konami producer Dave Cox has been giving interviews with several different sites regarding the forthcoming 3DS title Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate. Having already spilled the beans on the game's development and...
News Konami: Forget Everything You Know About Castlevania
"You've got to drive the series forward" says producer Dave Cox
With the release of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate looming on the horizon, Konami producer Dave Cox has given a little more insight into the game's storyline and how it fits within the twisted Castlevania canon. Speaking to GameSpot, Cox stressed that although it's part...
News Castlevania Is Stalking Onto The 3DS Virtual Console Soon
Just in time for Lords of Shadow: Mirror of Fate
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate is due to hit 3DS consoles this March, but it won't be the only chance for fans to get their fill of Dracula-slaying action - the original NES classic has recently been given an ESRB rating for the Nintendo 3DS, which means a Virtual Console download is in...
News Nintendo Takes A Bite Out Of Euro Publishing Duties For Castlevania: Mirror Of Fate
Responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution
In a move which mirrors the agreement between Nintendo and Capcom in Europe, Nintendo and Konami have confirmed that they have entered into a deal which will see the former company handling the European (and Australian) distribution of the gothic 3DS adventure Castlevania: Lords of Shadow -...
News Castlevania: Mirror of Fate Will Take About 16 Hours To Suck You Dry
And that's just the first playthrough
Worried about whether or not Konami's forthcoming 3DS epic Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate is going to have the staying power to keep you occupied when it launches in March? Well put your mind at ease because Konami producer Dave Cox has revealed that the game's first playthrough will take you...
News Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate Demo On The Way
Whipping up a storm in the eShop
Yesterday Konami producer Dave Cox took to Twitter to answer a few eager Castlevania fans' questions regarding the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow series. Unfortunately he reiterated his stance that Lords of Shadow 2, a game already confirmed for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, would not be coming to Wii U. He has since...
News "No Chance" Of Castlevania Lords Of Shadow 2 On Wii U
Fangs for nothing
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate is hitting the 3DS early this year, giving fans of the franchise a fresh reason to pick up their vampire-killing whip and lay the smackdown on the undead hordes. The game is part of the Lords of Shadow sub-series, which started in 2010 with the Xbox 360 and PS3 reboot and will continue...
