5. Castlevania: Poison
We've all seen this one before. What started in Symphony of the Night has continued throughout most subsequent Castlevania titles: coming into contact with certain enemies will cause specific status ailments. Being poisoned will slowly but steadily drain your health for a set amount of time. While the bloated health meters of recent Castlevanias make it almost a non-issue, it eventually becomes noticeable when you find that you're suddenly winding down to your last sliver of health. There's nothing more embarassing in Castlevania than to survive an onslaught of vicious enemies only to be done in by poison. The only way to stop the hemorrhage is by using an antidote. While this small facet of the Castlevania universe won't drastically alter one's feelings towards the series, it's certainly a nice touch.
