Racketboy

For those of you that are looking for a good deal on some 2D Gameboy Advance action, Konami recently released the Castlevania 2 in 1 pack. With this compilation you receive 2002’s Harmony of Dissonance (follow-up to GBA Circle of the Moon) and 2003’s Aria of Sorrow (prequal to Dawn of Sorrow on Nintendo DS).

One of the main complaints about these Castlevania games when they were released was that they were hard to see clearly on the older GBA. Now with the brighter screens on the Gameboy Micro and the SPs with the enhanced screen, this problem should disappear.

The nature of the two games is the same when it comes to its explorative gameplay, but the stories go in completely different directions. However, anyone that has enjoyed the modern 2D Castlevanias (like Symphony of the Night) should get a thrill from both of these.

Due to limited printing of the carts, you could only find these two games second hand and for non-so-discounted prices. Now you have the chance to pick up a new copy of both games combined on one convenient cartridge.
Buy at Amazon

Review Tidbit for Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
“Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance tweaks a lot of the gameplay that was found in CotM. The whip is still the weapon of choice, however the slack whip is back (although the spinning whip is available as a powerup,) and you still have to earn a bunch of movement powerups like the double jump, super jump, etc. However, there is no run powerup in the game. It’s replaced by the shoulder button controlled left and right dashes that were found in SotN, which surprisingly come into play more than they ever did in SotN. It’s not too bad once you get used to it. Other then that, the gameplay is right at home for any Castlevania fan.”
Full Review at Monsters At Play

Review Tidbit for Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
“What really sets AOS apart from previous installments, and gives the game extended longevity, is the soul system. Each creature in the game, and there are over 100, has a chance of dropping it’s soul. Soma uses these souls as spells and abilities, such as using various protective auras, projectile spells and even short time transformation spells that are simply awesome to witness. There is a Pokémon effect here, where you will want to collect all of the souls. Many creatures are stingy about giving theirs up, and I’ve spent over two hours alone trying to get a single soul. There is a fantastic monster encyclopedia that keeps track of each monster you have fought, and whether or not you have captured its soul.”
Full Review at Wicked Toast

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Nintendo, Gameboy, Portable Gaming