@Kaizuden: I'll second that. If not on the Wii, I'll take it on any system.

@Shiryu: I have to agree with wired_fenix, Dawn of Sorrow is probably the Castlevania that's come closest to surpassing SOTN. Still waiting for one to actually do it though.

While I would definitely love for a 3-D Castlevania to work, the past few efforts were not too fun, imo. The portable Castlevania games, however, (as well as SOTN) are some of the best spent hours in my life.

arazzor

For the love of God, make a Symphony of the Night II in high-resolution!

Strangelove

@Genocyde: It has always taken only 5 to 10 minutes to get it for me. Try some luck potions.

This post is one of those that makes me feel all warm inside. Thanks Kotaku!

Furysetzer

I got it:

Cel-Shaded SotN "re-imagining" in 2.5D. With better Crissaegrim drop rates.

...I'm just sayin, fuck grinding Schmoos for a Crissaegrim.

Genocyde

The time has come when, with a given budget, a 2D game with 3D models can look better than the same game with sprites. 3D modelling and texturing have improved a lot, while skilled 2D designers have the same problems they always had creating high definition animated characters.
The only requirement is that animation looks 2Dish enough, just like Street Fighter IV does, and backgrounds are not generic shit, as happened with the poor PS2 castlevanias (although I liked Lament of Innocence's attempt at creating a 2D game with a 3D camera, even if it failed).

@Madeira: Well, the only reason why I bought a DS was to be able to play all 2D Metroids and Castlevanias available for Advance and DS. So, Iga, don't stop! I may cheat on the Belmont's from time to time, but I return to them being more in love than when I left.

EloraHRanma

2D only, not 2.5D please.

k_dash

@exkon:

I've been waiting for a high quality sprite-based Castlevania console game for over a decade now. One of the things that got me excited about Odin Sphere was that it might give Igarashi the kick in the ass needed to see what was possible. Or the Konami execs over him.

Mikaze

I just finished playing through SOTN on the 360 and it really got me wishing for a beautiful, HD, Castlevania made for the next gen consoles.

I'm thinking either something along the lines of the new KOF game where every frame is hand drawn or possibly something more out there like using the concept of portrait of ruin except every painting is actually done in a different art style. How cool would it be to have a level that looks like a living tapestry :)

evilpenguin81

@wild homes 5: no disassemble!: - So, I think we're all agreed on the SOTN HD Remix, right?"

Yes.

I'm glad that Igarashi is keepin' it real with the 2D. It pissed me off something fierce when Metroid went 3D. Now, I did enjoy Prime and its sequels quite a bit ... but Metroid: Prime Hunters for the DS was nothing short of shit .... fucking handcramp central with a hackable multiplayer game. I'm hoping that Igarashi is going to announce a HD 2D Castlevania title here soon. Hell, I'd even be happy with a 420p title for the Wii.

dead_red_eyes

@wired_fenix:

Dawn of Sorrow also happens to be my favorite so far, but I'm woefully new to this series, and have only played the handheld and now Super castlevania.

I have extremly high hopes on this new ds title. The graphics are even better this time and Soma's two games were perfectly fleshed out, so I think it's good to switch their focus to something new.

I only hope they also include a Julius mode of sorts as well since I loved the extreme shifts in gameplay that wrought.

The guiding blue

@Bones_Jackson:@NoBullet: Well said.

Castlevania has been banished to the handhelds for far too long. A few spinoff vania games on the GBA/DS would've been cool- not 6 full fledged entries into the series. It's time for a vania game that lives up to it's legacy and finally eclipses SotN as the high point of the series- HD, 2D, 360/PS3.

Madeira

@Kyattsuai: Meowth, thats right!

emulsifier

The worst thing that could come out of the 3D game, is that: It'll look horrid which will turn off reviewers/people who know nothing about Castlevania, it'll have bad game play mechanics, if it's linear then it'll be short, disappointment from fans.

So they have a lot to live up to if they're stone solid with a 3D game... if anything can he make a 2D HD Castlevania on the 360 or PS3? :<

Kaizuden

I'm tellin' ya, Castlvania RPG.

But really, a new Castlevania would be a definite purchase for me. What about a Wii-Ware one?

I think a 3D Wii-mote controlled Castlevania could be good. But probably wouldn't be.

Eltigro

@Shiryu: I thought Dawn of Sorrow came the closest to meeting the high excellence of SoTN.

I am glad developers as still interested in making 2D based games. When the polygons start to look old and worn, the 2D remains true. ^_^

wired_fenix

This topic made me think a little. When I think of 2D games I think of something along the lines of the original mario, where its a scrolling game and you've got two dimensions to work with, the up down dimension and the left or right directions. That is, to me, the definition of a 2D game.

Graphics within a game can differ however they want, but as long as they offer choices in how you can play the game, more than jumping and moving from side to side, the game will always be, to me, a 3D game.

If you want to classify the games with singular colors for textures and lines defining certain areas as 2D, more power to you, but you'll always be able to find certain elements of a 3D world in that game, you'll always have some sense of depth, so really creating a 2D game to me isn't possible, however, I must say that games with "2D graphics" can be really amazing, and allow you to try do something different.

Grecaun

So, I think we're all agreed on the SOTN HD Remix, right? What has Capcom wrought?

wild homes 5: no disassemble!

He is rockin' the SHIT out of that hat.

Genocyde

@NoBullet: Why? I love having some Vampire Hunting Soul Collecting fun times on my little portable.

It's great being able to pull that sucker out when there's a downtime and just make with the Castlevania.

A bigger, beefier, prettier console Castlevania would be awesome yes, but Igarashi, don't stop with the DS titles!

Lyrai

The trick with high-res 2D games is that many of them look like they use flash-style vector graphics, which look cheap. An HD Castlevania would have to be hand-drawn in calligraphy pen with blood for ink to match the quality and mood of the series.

Kyattsuai

Igarashi is such an interesting guy...

Blind_Evil

@Grahf:

Also, Super Castlevania IV is still the masterpiece of the Castlevania Universe. I'd love to see a next-gen CV take that title.

Grahf

some better non-blurry scans of Wario Land Shake have appeared on Jeux France, the background art looks fantastic and Wario's sprite looks very sharp en detailed, a Metroidvania with the same 2D quality graphics would be heavenly

Bluetribal

if you love it so much, stop throwing it on the DS.

NoBullet

They should do one of two things. Make a true sequel to Castlevania SOTN in HD for the PS3, 360...except they keep it in 2D. People would preorder that in droves.

or

They can bring the game up to date with an entry that rivals Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden in terms of combat greatness. I would be all over that. The 3D Castlevania of the last generation weren't all that bad and if they had a little more polish they could have been great.

Bones_Jackson

Aria of Sorrow was the point at which I started to tire of SotN X.0...

The series needs a new direction. I really did enjoy Lament, and it could have been much better than it was.

Grahf

2D games that have the level of detail like Guilty Gear or the new SF2THDR are definitely one way to keep the 2D genre alive. You can easily have a high-res sprites with some wonderful looking particle effects.

I hope Castle Crashers will show developers that 2D gaming is still a viable way to make a game.

Now Treasure needs to get Guardians Heroes out on XBL.

exkon

The more the merrier. I really do fell bad for the decline of 2D sprite and tile based games... even the DS is not really a portable SNES... I guess the GBA is still the finest example of 2D gaming (with a few exceptions on the DS, like Contra 4, that is).

Castlevanias eh? Nope, can't seem to get tired of them. The more Iga makes, the more ill buy. Lookign forward for the DS new one, but id really like to see something on the Wii/*insert name of your console fo choice here* that could surpass Sympohny of the Night. Come on, after all these years, there has to be SOMETHING able to surpass it, no?

Shiryu

Still waiting patiently for Bionic Commando Rearmed. That should satisfy any 2DHD needs.

chuffhoncho

The 2D assets for both recent DS castlevania titles were absolutely fantastic. 3D assets can be incredibly ugly and limited by the applications used to produce them and the DS hardware itself. I have absolutely no problem with future Castlevania games being in 2D.

Atheist Jew

I'd prefer a 2D NSMB2 over any more Castlevania.

nonpareil

@Mikazukinoyaiba: Hell, if they bring back Team Rocket, they could make it 1D for all I care.

Kyattsuai

Oh, you'll be announcing something soon, Iggy. Castlevania Wii! :D You know... Once the hype over MGS is over and Konami feels they can safely throw that monkey wrench at the PS3... You know... Without hurting MGS4. :p

3D WiiVania? Eh. Well... The despite their reputation, the 64 ones weren't half bad. As opposed the the PS2 ones... >_< They barely even counted as Castlevanias...

Metroidvania? Wait... 3D WiiVania + MetroidVania = ... MetroidVania Prime! :D Yeah, right! XD

GenRedLeader

I'm sorry but I gave up on my Wii. I'll take a 2D high res sprite on either one of the other consoles.

knikola

@Kaizuden:
Can you image a 1080p HD 2D game with Disney quality animation and color? Why haven't we gotten that yet?

DigitalHero

I want that poster

Winterbringer

Metroidvania ftw.

Altough I'm biased since I started with those. Just finished Super Castlevania for the SNES for the first time :)

The guiding blue

So.... 2d with high res sprites on the Wii please?

Kaizuden

A new 3D Castlevania with Wiimote controls would be shway.

Green-clad Gamer Dude

I'm glad he believes 2D games are alive and well, I mean 3D has it's perks and immersion (which I play many games for) but 2D games have their own charm and far better consistency in artistic/graphic design then 3D titles (Okami and Wind Waker being the exception).

It always breaks my heart when I hear people say "When will Nintendo make us a 3D pokemon game?" as if that is one of the most important changes they need to make.

I'd rather have a decent plot and character development.

Mikazukinoyaiba

Keep them coming!

fire ze missiles

besides 2D should be able to take advange of this new age tech advances. thus creating some 2D games that r just out of this world!!!!!! street fighter 4 has the rite idea and odian sphere and okami too! and in the age of HD gaming anything is possible!!

pwn-master3001

dont worry 2d will always be in our hearts

pwn-master3001

For the love of god, let someone else make a CV game D:

DarkLinkinfinite

@Lyrai: Maybe because the GBA/DS has had enough Castlevania games? This is their 6th Castlevania game on a Nintendo portable! Come on. It's ridiculous. Bring a 2D Castlevania with huge graphics and a giant castle. Enough with the portables. I'm not saying theyre bad, but i'm getting sick of them. Portables are meant for twitch short burst gameplay. I want a real castlevania game on a console.

NoBullet

Why the hell is everyone praising a 3D Wii game when he obviously wants 2D?

knikola

If he gets his act together and try to remain faithful to his franchise in 3D, unlike the previous uninspired PS2 games with a cheap imitation of DMC combat, i´m all for it.

One thing that he should look into, is the sections in GoW 2 where Kratos uses his weapons to move through the environment. That screamed to be in a 3D Castlevania.

Phantasos

@DigitalHero:
Because it is complicated as hell. You'd have to draw every sprite in such high quality. It's more likely that Cel-Shading finally reaches hand-drawn quality.

Tadashi

@Mikazukinoyaiba: The whole get single pokemon and grow it better than your rival due to love while fighing off team whatever until you reach and defeat the elite five (oh yes it is!)and become the greatest pokemon master there ever wuz thing isn't doing it for you anymore? Me niether! Maybe Bioware should take a crack at it. A Pokemon MMO sounds like the best idea to me though.

JokesJokes

2D sprites and scenery really is an art unto itself, and very different and distinct from 3D graphics in obvious ways. For a long time it seemed they were looked down on as last-gen and avoided by most, but I really think they're coming back due largely in part to the interest in indie games and each console's downloadable titles (and mobile and flash games due sometimes to technical limitations or visibility issues.)

I find 2D game characters and items are usually more visually distinct from their surroundings so they are easier to notice and mentally recognize. There is also great flexibility of expression in drawing every frame by hand, where to represent things like facial expressions, proportion changes and deformations in 3D is a much more technical challenge that instead of simply drawing the character in that way, you would have to conceive the expression, and then decide how to modify the model in order to achieve it, which is why early generations seemed so robotic and lifeless.

Games now seem to be arriving at a really flexible expressive level of 3D now though so you can pretty much pick any style you can think of to make a game. Thankfully it even seems we're reaching an exhaustion of the graphics arms race, so a developer can release a game like Mad World, EchoChrome, Loco Roco, or Katamari Damacy and not only not be ashamed of not using the most graphical effects on the highest polycount model, but even get wide acclaim for the original design! Traditionally developers would be constrained by the limitations of the hardware in almost every aspect of their game's design, so the greatest skill yielded the most realism. (Mario had a big nose and moustache so you would know he had a face! Those are AWESOME graphics compared to the generation before NES...) Now, faced with hardware that given the right encouragement can almost display any scene that can be dreamt up, developers are challenged with no longer relying on pushing the technical envelope, but instead having to come up with an original style for their game. Of course the best games have done this before now anyway, but I think this is one of the mounting challenges of this and future console generations as additional graphical refinements become less impressive.

And given that kind of environment, why should 2D die out if it happens to work best for something?

Also, I've played Castlevania in 3D... it wasn't pretty visually, or gameplay-wise.

fuchikoma

Oh, and I think Metroidvania is wearing thin. There's nothing fundamentally wrong with it, but it's starting to seem a bit unnecessary. They should go back to the old style and revamp the hell out of it for a game or two.

Zerbrechen

im glad to hear so many ppl going back to super castlevania IV. that game, rondo of blood, and blood lines are the three best pre symphony castlevania games. theyre also some of the best games of the 16 bit era ive played. id actually like to see iga go down the path capcom is going (rumored to be) with megaman 9. making a 2D game from the ground up for wiiware, psn, and live arcade that focuses on the classic castlevania gameplay. save the castleroid game play for the ds game, and go back to just plain whip swinging action, beef up the powerups, moves, and weapons maybe.. but keep the stages simple.

the psp has really had me love 2.5D, castlevania, megaman powered up, and megaman x maverick hunter are all stupendous games. i would love to see super catlevania IV and bloodlines remade in that style.

ive never played wow, but one of my friends who used to and i had a conversation one night about how the castlevania universe would possibly make a cool wow ripoff. you could either be a vampire hunter, or on the side of the undead. and there would be different classes and jobs within those two groups.

after seeing naruto ult ninja storm, im convinced that cel shading now that the graphics allow it could possibly be the best way to get a game to look like a cartoon.

shouryuuken

You know what's funny? Even after the "okay" Portrait of Ruin (it was really fun, but it had nothing on Dawn of Sorrow) I believe him.

Order of Eccselia looks pretty deep and it actually seems to have a good story, again, unlike Portrait of Ruin.

And the art style is different (and you know what? I might actually prefer it to the "old" one... yes, the "old" one)!

Zerbrechen

And why should it die? We finally have consoles that can handle it in their sleep....

Stay beautiful, Koji...

Enigma_20XX

@Genocyde:

I hear that. That weapon is KEY. It makes the game REALLLLLY easy tho :D.

CaptLtrl

I always loved the idea of Castlevania, but rarely the gameplay. I only played the first 3 and the 3D one for N64, but the challenge seemed to rely on stiff controls over innovative design. Falling off a staircase to your doom because you jump near it is lame. Medusa heads are lame.

On the other hand, the bosses and sense of accomplisment are excellent. I don't know.

On the other foot, is Christian Nutt a real name? If so, awesome.

ego531

I love 2D as well, but i also would like to see a good Castlevania in 3D, if that happens, i only hope Konami put some effort on the production.
I'm still trying to forget Castlevania on N64 and Ps2...

MadSystem

Ive said it multiple times, but I will say it again.

As much as I love 2D gaming, making a full fledged HD 2D game like Castlevania wont be "possible". Well it is, but it would eat ressources without end. Similar to say... MGS 4. But in comparison to said title interest in it would be pretty low.

The higher the resolution is the more frames you need, or everything would look stupit.

Lets look at High Def 2D games. Guilty Gear is a fine example. It has several backgrounds and a cast of characters, around 20 iirc. Castlevania would need dozens of backgrounds (to help it look half decent) and around 120 caracters (of which some would need lesser detail than guilty gear chars, I presume)

Odin Sphear is a second good example. God, I was pumped for this game. But sadly the array of characters was REALLY slim. The whole game started repeating itself over and over again. (And the actual gameplay wasnt that hot either)

So, conclusion, if we want a high def, high quality 2D game we would need to settle on either 2.5D (as its much less work) or we would need to make Konami believe that the Castlevania 2D fanbase is alot bigger than your random internet geek congregation, but with current sales for DS titles that will be hard.

Gremory

Damnit, announce a WII 2D SOTN 2 ALREADY!!!!!!!

Mlata

1080p HD CASTLEVANIA!!!!! ALL 2D!!!!!

artofwar420

You know what? 2D is nowadays just 3D side-perspective, fixed camera. There's been "3D" in Castlevania games since the PS SotN game.

Anyway, I'm addicted to these games so... keep them coming please.

mariospants

@MadSystem:

Lament of Innocence... Curse of Darkness...

Enigma_20XX

@ego531:
If you are refering to the NES games as the first three, then you really should give Castlevania another chance. I was a fan of the NES games and the SNES games, but it wasn't until Symphony of the Night that I loved the series. Going back to the older games is nearly impossible after playing the much better 2D ones that followed SOTN because the controls are much better and the Castletroid experience (the merging of Castlevania characters with Metroid style gameplay) is preferred by most people.

Give me as many DS Castlevanias as you can. Portable Castlevania is definitely the best.

kingofallcosmos

The 3D games haven't been bad since the PS2 era, but I'm glad to see that 2D will stay first and foremost in the franchise. Now, if only we got a PS3/360 2D installment, starring Alucard or Julius Belmont (o^_^o)

TheLastSouthernGentleman