Castlevania: The Adventure

This Review was done as part of our review of the Castlevania Anniversary Collection.

I have to say, I’m REALLY glad that Konami chose to include some Gameboy Games in this collection. I feel like they’re so often overlooked when in actuality they so often have a lot to offer. With that said, if I were in charge of making a Castlevania collection, and I for some reason had to choose between series games without any possibility of there being more collections in the future, I MIGHT have just left this one off.

There are some really creative level gimmicks in this game, don’t get me wrong. But everything good this game does is copied and done better in Castlevania II Belmont’s Revenge anyway, so you can safely skip this one unless you just want the achievements.

Castlevania the Adventure utilizes pixel perfect platforming in the worst way, and so many attacks come from off screen in a manner that if you’re not privy to it coming you’re probably going to be hit. Add in a mechanic where some attacks cause you to lose your whip upgrades and you’re in for a very frustrating experience. To be fair they do give you a whip upgrade before each boss (and really the bosses aren’t TERRIBLE) but getting through the levels without abusing savestates and assaulting your ears with that horrific clinking sound is likely going to be a downhill exercise In frustration.