Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is widely regarded as one of the best games of all time, and for good reason. Along with Super Metroid, it effectively created a genre in its own right, while also creating a rich new vein of vampiric history for Konami’s undead-killing franchise. It is fair to say that the publisher returned to the well several times in the years that followed, with well-documented and similarly well-received GameBoy Advance editions. But the three of Nintendo DS Castlevania titles were a truly golden period for the franchise, and they certainly accounted for more of my gaming time than any of the others throughout the years. Something about the legendary Dual Screen clamshell and touch controls struck a chord with me, and I spent many hours soaking up every available secret from their products.
The Castlevania Dominus Collection, which includes that triad, does a good job, despite the fact that the creator had to work with a single screen rather than the two displays of the original hardware. Several video choices can be used to get around this. As is customary, the main action is displayed in a large box on the left-hand side, with the map and statistical analysis stuff stacked on top of each other to the right. This also worked flawlessly for me when using a Steam Deck. You can replicate the original DS layout, however utilizing a portable monitor reduces everything’s size significantly. You can also rearrange the display tiles to your desire, although for the majority of players, the default configuration should enough.
On the title screen of The Castlevania Dominus Collection, the three DS titles are presented in reverse chronological order, with Order of Ecclesia (2008) first, then Portrait of Ruin (2006), and lastly Dawn of Sorrow (2005). Even while there are parallels and even some repetition in these Koji Igarashi-produced games, each has its own unique selling point and plays in a very different way. Dawn of Sorrow, like many early DS games, relies heavily on touch screen controls as its major gimmick, with a name that pays homage to the console’s name.
Soma Cruz, the anime-styled hero, uses a “Magic Seal” technique in which he draws symbols on the screen to defeat bosses. The original game’s touch screen controls were hit-or-miss, and the same could be said here. I was playing on Steam Deck, so I could draw the symbols with my finger, but the technique doesn’t always work as expected, which is why one of the package’s built-in quality of life features, the ability to rewind the action, came in handy. If you don’t like touch controls or are playing on a traditional console, you can draw things by holding down a trigger and dragging a cursor.
Portrait of Ruin removes many of the touch aspects and adds a second playable character who can switch in real time and combine to execute special powers and solve puzzles. The haunting gallery painting idea is wonderful, allowing the player to explore a variety of fascinating and different locations. It’s another excellent platform role-player.
Finally, there is the Order of Ecclesia. This was the final installment in the truly exploration platform lineage that began with Symphony of the Night, and I recall being fairly disappointed by it when it originally debuted, as it appeared so much more linear and easy than the other two. Nonetheless, it has a lot to offer, including a well-received and extremely powerful female lead and an intriguing Glyph system that lets you to experiment with a multitude of various attack, magic, and buff combinations. Fact nerds may be interesting to know that this was the first in the series’ history that did not include a variation on the traditional Vampire Killer whip.
As a cheeky and very welcome surprise, Konami has also released the first “new” game in the Castlevania oeuvre in many years: a substantially revamped version of the clumsy yet nostalgic 1987 coin-op, Haunted Castle. The three major games featured here would have sufficed, so the fact that the publisher has gone to such lengths to create such a charming and well-crafted remake makes this package an amazing bargain.
If the three DS games have aged wonderfully, right down to their expertly designed sprites and generally opulent Castlevania audio experience, then Haunted Castle has aged just as a coin-operated arcade machine from the 1980s should. It is essentially a version of the iconic original NES Castlevania, and it is uncompromisingly challenging, with moments that can make you rip your hair out in frustration as early as the first stage. It’s great to have it, although a little out of place, but it’s not something I’d recommend. The Revisited remake, however, is fantastic.
The graphical style has been altered, but not to the point where it seems too modern and odd. It wouldn’t seem out of place on a 16-bit system, but it has just the proper amount of modern polish and cunning to really shine. The harsh difficulty is thankfully a thing of the past, and it maintains a respectable challenge throughout with new collectible weapons, more regular power ups, and less insanely cheap foes and barriers. It’s not likely to compete with Super Castlevania IV or Rondo of Blood anytime soon, but it’s a generally high-quality effort.
That class includes Dominus’ choices and extras. There are some magnificent collections of artwork to examine, which I wholeheartedly recommend because Castlevania has some of the most stunning game art design ever, with this package highlighting its seamless blend of gothic vampire horror and more modern anime design. This fan service includes a music gallery and the option to play the games in numerous regional variants. There isn’t much more you could have asked for, unless you wanted to be particularly greedy and request that Symphony of the Night be included, but you can’t have everything.
Review Overview
Gameplay – 90%
Controls – 88%
Aesthetics – 92%
Content – 85%
Accessibility – 86%
Value – 89%
Overall Rating – 88%
EXCELLENT!
Summary: The Castlevania Dominus Collection is a celebration of everything fans love about the classic series. It offers refined gameplay, responsive controls, and beautifully remastered aesthetics that pay homage to its gothic roots. The content is vast, with plenty to explore, although it could benefit from a bit more variety. Accessibility features are solid, making it approachable for newcomers while still challenging for veterans. Overall, it’s a must-have collection for any Castlevania fan, offering great value and a nostalgic trip down memory lane.