Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
3.5 out of 5. Between its no-handholding castle and the card system, there are undeniably some impressive things about Circle of the Moon, but you do need to accept that you have to grind to get there.
Castlevania Anniversary Collection
4 out of 5. Its only “Metroidvania” game, Simon’s Quest, may be skippable for most players, but the rest of these games are must have hard-but-fair classics. Save states help with accessibility.
Castlevania Bloodlines
4 out of 5. A hidden gem from the vaults of Konami’s accomplishments. A fun alternative to the rock hard difficulty of other Classic-vania games.
Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse
4.5 out of 5. A glorious evolution of the original classic, with multiple paths to choose from and several endings to see. Perhaps the best Classic-vania of them all.
Weebish Mines
3 out of 5. A unique exploration experience about resource management and goofy lighthearted themes. The oldschool design is likely to turn off many, but if you can get past that it’s very rewarding.
Death’s Gambit
3.5 out of 5. It’s good, but it’s definitely not finished. There are plans to rectify some of its flaws, so you may want to wait, but for now it still has well thought-out level design and fun bosses.
Porradaria 2: Pagode of the Night
1.5 out of 5. An amusing attempt at “So bad it’s good” camp that falls flat when it tries to also be a game. While intentionally bad is still bad, some might enjoy the humor anyway.
Salt and Sanctuary
4 out of 5. Local Co-op. Souls-Like Metroidvania Hybrid. Methodical and rewarding combat sweetened by its punishing nature. Potentially thousands of ways to customize your character.
Rogue Legacy
3 out of 5. Roguelike Castlevania where death only makes you stronger. The procedural castle and random character quirks keep this game interesting for a good while.