castlevania posts(Subscribe to this feed)
European Nintendo downloads: Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, Muscle March ... Flashlight
All right, we didn't think there would be anything that could distract us from the release of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood -- but here we are, on the day of its European release, with pretty much all our focus elsewhere. And no, the object of our gaze isn't Muscle March, as amusing as that is.It's ... Flashlight for DSiWare. It's ... a flashlight. You pay 200 DSi Points for something that displays a solid color on your screens. We kind of knew it would arrive someday, since there are a million of these on the iPhone, but still. A flashlight.
- Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (Turbografx CD-ROM, 1 player, 900 Wii Points)
- Milon's Secret Castle (NES, 1 player, 600 Wii Points)
- Muscle March (WiiWare, 1-4 players, 500 Wii Points)
- Car Jack Streets (DSiWare, 1 player, 800 DSi Points)
- Flashlight (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points)
- Flips: The Enchanted Wood (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points)
- Libera Wing (DSiWare, 1 player, 800 DSi Points)
- Photo Dojo (DSiWare, 1-2 players, 200 DSi Points)
VC in Brief: Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (TG-16)
As far as imports go, Castlevania: Rondo of Blood is a pretty sweet one. For $9, it's a great game to add to any Castlevania fan's collection and plays quite well on the Wii: casual players get a forgiving save structure and stage system, while the hardcore fans get the same tried-and-true gameplay. Rondo of Blood is suited for quick pick-up sessions or even long marathon outings. Basically: you should play this game. It's good -- seriously good.
- Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (Turbografx-16 CD-ROM, 1 player, 900 Wii Points)
NintendoWare Weekly: Rage of the Gladiator, Castlevania: Rondo of Blood

New 'Castlevania: Lords of Shadow' screens, artwork
This post may not offer any new Castlevania: Lords of Shadow details, but you can find new pictures and art in the gallery below. Those looking to do creature comparisons should check out the enemy renders -- the warg from Symphony of the Night has certainly grown in both size and definition.
European Nintendo downloads: Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth, Dracula: Undead Awakening

- Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth (WiiWare, 1 player, 1,000 Wii Points)
- Reel Fishing Challenge (WiiWare, 1 player, 500 Wii Points)
- Dracula: Undead Awakening (WiiWare, 1 player, 1,000 Wii Points)
- Bird & Bombs (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points)
- Dracula: Undead Awakening (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points)
- Electroplankton: Marine-Crystals (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points)
- Electroplankton: Varvoice (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points)
- Zoo Frenzy (DSiWare, 1 player, 800 DSi Points)
Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth out in Europe next week

As always, it's a rare treat to know ahead of time when a WiiWare game's coming out -- especially when it's a game someone out there may actually be interested in buying. Everyone, buy the Rebirth games so we can get a Parodius or Mystical Ninja Rebirth!
[Via GoNintendo]
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood on Virtual Console 'soon'

Hudson (and/or Konami) must have spent all that time implementing the English translation used in the PSP release, right? Nope! The Hudson rep said that "it will not be released in English, however." You'll just have to do your very best to understand how to whip a Medusa head in Japanese.
David Cox details the 'epic yet sad' score of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

"Our composer for this game is Oscar Araujo who is a Spanish composer. He is creating a very epic yet sad and melancholy score that perfectly suits the game and emotion that we are aiming for." While Cox added that he's "a big fan of Yamane-san's work," he admitted that her music wouldn't have been a great fit for Mercury Steam's take on the Castlevania series. It certainly doesn't hurt that, according to Cox, she's no longer an employee of Konami. "Yamane-san left Konami quite some time ago as I understand it. She is currently working freelance, though I am not 100% sure.
"Yamane-san has a style that fits perfectly to the previous Castlevania games but this game is very different to those more recent 'vania's in style and direction. I don't think I would be doing her any favours by including her music in the game." He also pointed out that we'll understand his point more clearly when we "eventually get to see the game." With any luck, that'll be sooner rather than later.
Gallery: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
ESRB rates Castlevania: Rondo of Blood for Wii
According to a recent "T for Teen" classification by the ESRB, Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (better known as Dracula X: Rondo of Blood) appears to be heading to the Wii. An OFLC rating of the game back in December already hinted at the possibility of the game arriving on the Wii's Virtual Console (the Japanese version was released in April 2008), but the ESRB rating's description seems to clinch it, citing the "early-90s rendering" of "reddish blood-like bursts."
Previously, unless you were a resident of Japan who owned a PC Engine CD in the early '90s (or, more likely, a PSP owner anywhere in the world within the past two years ago), there wasn't an easy way for you to get your hands on "Akumajō Dracula X Chi no Rondo" (Rondo of Blood's Japanese title). But now, it seems that Wii owners outside of Japan will get the chance to check out the game.
Previously, unless you were a resident of Japan who owned a PC Engine CD in the early '90s (or, more likely, a PSP owner anywhere in the world within the past two years ago), there wasn't an easy way for you to get your hands on "Akumajō Dracula X Chi no Rondo" (Rondo of Blood's Japanese title). But now, it seems that Wii owners outside of Japan will get the chance to check out the game.
Upcoming Castlevania's 'lead' console is PlayStation 3, Konami producer says
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow may be in development for both the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360, but the game's producer David Cox recently pointed out via his Twitter account that the "PS3 is the lead platform" for the upcoming game. That isn't to say the Xbox 360 version will be lesser for the fact, as he quickly followed up his statement with the assurance that "the game is identical on both formats [Xbox 360 and PS3]." He's also noted a few times recently that we'll be hearing more about the game sometime "soon," so in lieu of no new information, at least be contented with the thought that you'll get some additional Castlevania deets sometime in the near future. Maybe.
Gallery: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Castlevania's last 'Rebirth' -- as a pachinko machine

This game takes us briefly into a weird alternate universe in which gambling machines are marketed and followed like video games. For example, clicking the far-left link in the navigation bar on the official site will bring up a series of desktop wallpapers. And if you liked the music from the trailer, you can buy the soundtrack. To the pachinko machine.
[Via Chris Cummings]
Luigi's Mansion + Castlevania = Mansionvania: Vacuum of Sorrow
We'll have to file this one under the "Games That We Wish Existed" category, as the screen you see above is little more than a pixelart mash-up of Luigi's Mansion and the Castlevania series. Masterfully created by Shane Gill for his PixelJoint page (and spotted by the folks at Tiny Cartridge), the piece is the living embodiment of what we wish the DSiWare service played host to more often.
Alas, we don't believe we'll be seeing "Mansionvania: Vacuum of Sorrow" landing on Nintendo's digital distribution service anytime soon -- but we can at least point to it next time someone asks what we'd like to see available for download. "That! Go make that! That 2D pixel game with the vacuum-wielding Luigi! And enough with the calendars already!"
[Via Tiny Cartridge]
Alas, we don't believe we'll be seeing "Mansionvania: Vacuum of Sorrow" landing on Nintendo's digital distribution service anytime soon -- but we can at least point to it next time someone asks what we'd like to see available for download. "That! Go make that! That 2D pixel game with the vacuum-wielding Luigi! And enough with the calendars already!"
[Via Tiny Cartridge]
NintendoWare Weekly: Castlevania ReBirth, Pilotwings, Oregon Trail
Nintendo's been on quite the roll recently, providing plenty of content in its weekly offerings -- and today is no different. There are ten new titles to check out, including high-profile downloads such as Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth, Oregon Trail and -- finally! -- Pilotwings on the Virtual Console. Head past the break to check out the full list.
Dracula X rated by OFLC

The impact of this development may be dulled somewhat by the game's availability in both original and remade form on the PSP Dracula X Chronicles disc, but we would enjoy the opportunity to play this game without first purchasing another system, and then unlocking the game somewhere in its remake.
[Via GoNintendo]
Mankind definitely needs a Castlevania music collection such as this
Depressed about the lack of availability (as of right now) of Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth in North America? Then you'll be crying Bloody Tears over this Japan-only CD collection, releasing March 24. The Akumajou Dracula Best Music Collections BOX contains nineteen discs of Castlevania music.The collection includes soundtracks for Castlevania games ranging from NES, Game Boy, and MSX releases to more recent games on Game Boy Advance, PS2, and the arcade. Even the spin-off, Kid Dracula, is included on Disc 2! Disc 18 is an "arrange" album, with covers Castlevania tunes by Symphony of the Night composer Michiru Yamane, and disc 19 is a DVD featuring recording studio footage and interviews with Yamane.
It's very unlikely this collection will be officially made available outside of Japan, and if an importer does carry it, you'll have to whip a bunch of candles to scrounge up the coins: Konamistyle prices the collection at ¥21,000 ($232).
[Via Original Sound Version]
















