Castlevania Symphony of the Night is a 2D sidescroller developed and published by Konami in 1997. Its Japanese title is Akumajou Dracula X -Gekka no Yasokyoku meaning ("Demon Castle Dracula X-Nocturne in the Moonlight"). It's the 13th game of the Castlevania series and the first time on the PlayStation.It is a direct sequel to the Japan-only release Akumajou Dracula X Chi no Rondo for the Turbografx Turbo duo/Pc-Engine Super-CD(although I recall Konami releasing it here through special order).
Symphony of the Night is and will always be the best of the Castlevania series. It steered the series away from the standard level-by-level platforming formula of older titles and introduced the Super Metroid(SNES)style of open-ended game play mixed with RPG-like elements. Koji Igarashi was on the money when he put together this instant classic.
In 1998 Symphony of the Night was ported to the Sega Saturn with some extra features. This port was never released outside Japan.I own SOTN on the Saturn it is an awful port but I still love it.There are 2 areas of the castle (Cursed Prison and Underground Garden) which were not in the PS1 version. The Underground Garden area features a new boss, the Skeleton King and the Cursed Prison which holds a new Dagger.Maria is a boss/selectable character in this version.Richter got a new outfit and Running shoes are now available which helps out(there is a lot of slowdown).
The Sega 32X (known as the Sega Genesis 32X in the U.S., the Sega Super 32X in Japan, and the Sega Mega 32X in Europe and other PAL countries), in theory, contributed very little to the world of Castlevania. If you're reading this, I'd bet, you've probably never even heard of Castlevania The Bloodletting.The 32X was significant in this respect because Bloodletting's never having appeared in its library of games is perhaps one of the best things to ever happen to the series as a whole. To put it simply by appearing on the system, it would have gone down in flames with the 32X and would have thus become another in a long line of lost titles. This is something Konami couldn't possibly afford after the series' virtual disappearance between the time of Super Castlevania 4 and Bloodlines.
The sprites from the 32X verison were intragrated into the SOTN.The unused hero became Richter,Richter became the undead Trevor(Castlevania 3 NES)and Maria became Alucard(creepy huh).
On October 23 2007 the PSP got a remix of Rondo of blood(Dracula X)and a port of PSX Castlevania Symphony of the Night (with Maria/Maria boss battle).This is proof that SOTN still holds up through the ages.Play on!
Symphony of the Night is and will always be the best of the Castlevania series. It steered the series away from the standard level-by-level platforming formula of older titles and introduced the Super Metroid(SNES)style of open-ended game play mixed with RPG-like elements. Koji Igarashi was on the money when he put together this instant classic.
In 1998 Symphony of the Night was ported to the Sega Saturn with some extra features. This port was never released outside Japan.I own SOTN on the Saturn it is an awful port but I still love it.There are 2 areas of the castle (Cursed Prison and Underground Garden) which were not in the PS1 version. The Underground Garden area features a new boss, the Skeleton King and the Cursed Prison which holds a new Dagger.Maria is a boss/selectable character in this version.Richter got a new outfit and Running shoes are now available which helps out(there is a lot of slowdown).
The Sega 32X (known as the Sega Genesis 32X in the U.S., the Sega Super 32X in Japan, and the Sega Mega 32X in Europe and other PAL countries), in theory, contributed very little to the world of Castlevania. If you're reading this, I'd bet, you've probably never even heard of Castlevania The Bloodletting.The 32X was significant in this respect because Bloodletting's never having appeared in its library of games is perhaps one of the best things to ever happen to the series as a whole. To put it simply by appearing on the system, it would have gone down in flames with the 32X and would have thus become another in a long line of lost titles. This is something Konami couldn't possibly afford after the series' virtual disappearance between the time of Super Castlevania 4 and Bloodlines.
The sprites from the 32X verison were intragrated into the SOTN.The unused hero became Richter,Richter became the undead Trevor(Castlevania 3 NES)and Maria became Alucard(creepy huh).
On October 23 2007 the PSP got a remix of Rondo of blood(Dracula X)and a port of PSX Castlevania Symphony of the Night (with Maria/Maria boss battle).This is proof that SOTN still holds up through the ages.Play on!