15 Best Video Game Platformers Ever
13. Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night
Considering the introduction mentioned that MetroidVania style titles would be eligible, it should come as no surprise that a Castlevania game has made the cut here. No prizes for guessing which other series will feature further down the line too...
Symphony Of The Night isn’t always heralded as a classic in the way that earlier Castlevania games are. It’s true that likes of Rondo’s Blood, Dracula’s Curse and of course, the original Castlevania in 1986 had more of a hand in the series’ overall legacy. But in terms of raw quality? Symphony Of The Night takes the strengths of those earlier efforts and updates them with some modern (by 1997’s standards at least) ideas.
The definitive example of a sleeper hit, Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night was a throwback to sidescrollers when other games were exploring the brave new world of 3D.
With nonlinear exploration, a new, bigger than ever range of weapons and new attributes influencing gameplay, what Symphony Of The Night lacked in graphics it made up for with gameplay.
Though it’s not typical of the way the PlayStation One pushed gaming forward, it deserves to be in the conversation as one of the consoles best ever releases.