10 Awful 3D Video Games That Should Have Stayed 2D

Castlevania 64 – released in 1999 – was received positively upon release, but has since been recognised as a notoriously dreadful instalment in the otherwise classic series.

The game – a platformer – was the first to implement three dimensional environments, which made the platforming portions of the game especially troublesome. Worse, the awkward controls and a lock-on-system that made gameplay a nightmare - a fact accentuated by the visuals, which are still surprisingly awful.

Earlier instalments in the series have aged splendidly, especially Circle of the Moon, Harmony of Dissonance and Aria of Sorrow, which have a certain timelessness about them, their visuals components especially. Symphony of the Night – which was released two years prior to Castlevania 64 – looks downright stunning by comparison, and even the original NES entries have a quaintness about them, ensuring their sustained relevance.

In comparison, the polygonal graphics of Castlevania 64 are downright unattractive. It may have achieved a degree of praise following its initial release, but it certainly can’t be credited with transitioning the series into 3D.

The game is downright unplayable, the three dimensional aspects only accentuating the problems inherent in the game.