""I went to this doctor the other day, all he did was suck blood out of my neck. Don't go see Dr. Acula""

Quote from: Mitch Hedburg.

I'm going to have to admit at this point, that this is only the second Castlevania game I've ever played, the first being the original for NES. With that in mind, this review will be more for the game itself, rather than reviewing it as an addition in the series. That being said, Castlevania has come a long, long way since its days on the NES. Some things still remain similar though: Interesting gameplay, innovative levels and great graphics, just to name a few. As one of the first good platformers for the DS, Castlevania passes with flying colors.

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Gameplay:9

The controls for this game are decent, jumping and double jumping is simple. You might find gliding a bit hard on the fingers, but you should be able to get used to it. The buttons are easy to remember, and shouldn't provide any problems. Attacking is straightforward, and quite simple. The only control problem I find with this game is the touch screen usage. You need to use the touch screen to break the seals on some doors. I find that very inconvenient and unnecessary. You're playing for a solid 20 minutes or so, and then you need to whip out the stylus for a short 5 second spiel, only to replace it shortly after. Or if you're like me, lose them shortly after. They should have removed this feature completely; it would have saved many people a few styluses. The story moves you at start, but soon you forget your cause and just want to explore the castle, and fight as many baddies as you can. Of course that's not a such a bad thing, since the castle is excellently designed. There are plenty of rooms to explore, and you won't get bored for a long, long time. Not to mention several secret rooms which you'll have to backtrack a bit to get to. The enemies are never too overpowered. Some of the bosses might face a problem for the first few goes, but then you figure out the pattern and finish it with ease. Leveling up seems like a side note. You notice it, but you don't really feel its effect so much, as opposed to RPGs. It certainly does help however, to level up before tough bosses. The weapons are probably the best part of this game. There's so much selection for you. You've got everything from your classic broadswords, and your guns, to katana and boomerangs. Your weapons also fuse with souls to create better and stronger weapons, just adding to the interest.

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Graphics: 10

Some people might debate this 10 in graphics. Many think 10s should only be given to games with slick 3d graphics, and smooth textures. But much as one appreciates a well drawn comic as art, you can appreciate Castlevania:DS's hand-drawn graphics. If, by chance, during the hectic gameplay, you get to stop and look at the backdrops and enemies you're fighting, you'll be amazed at how much detail was put in. Now think about all that being hand drawn, every minute detail being put into place by an artist, leaning over the drawing board, tired, hands shaking. It's a feat in its own right. The bosses are spectacular. Many are several times larger than Soma, and are detailed excellently. The attacks are sharp and well drawn; the laser beam ability is amazing. Seeing a pulsing hand-drawn beam taking up more than half the screen is beautiful.

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Sound: 7

The sound effects are average. The faint “swoosh” when you attack or jump, a few animal sounds now and then, and a clock bell here and there. Nothing noteworthy. The music background is nice, and creates a castle-esque atmosphere for you. However the melody sounds very much like a badly created MIDI file. I guess it retains some retro value, but I think they could have done much better in this category.

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Multiplayer/Replay:7

As with many other platformers, once you complete the game, there's not a WHOLE lot to do. Sure you could run through the game once more with different, weapons, but that's not a whole lot of incentive for you. Castlevania is one of those games, where the fun after finishing it comes from bragging about it.
There IS a multiplayer side to this game, but I've yet to find another person with a cart, so I cannot provide insight on it. I'm willing to wager, however, that it's nothing groundbreaking or revolutionary.

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Overall (Not an average) 8

Konami's done it again. They've been impressing me this past year more than any other, with winning eleven 9, Metal Gear Solid 3, and now Castlevania:DS. Konami has somehow managed to create one of the most artistically pleasing games for the DS. Oh, it's definitely pretty, but worth your money? I would say: If you're up for a fairly short, but engaging story with great bosses, go for it. If you're looking for a game that you can replay several times, maybe you should invest in something else.

-Dougmoto(still drooling at the laser beams)

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/25/06