Konami Uncloaks Castlevania DS
Might be the only 2D Castlevania we see for a while.
In addition to the recently announced Castlevania: Curse of Darkness for PlayStation 2, Konami is also working on another Castlevania game - for the Nintendo DS. Currently just titled Castlevania DS, the game is a direct follow-on from Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, the third of the critically acclaimed Game Boy Advance series instalments.
The decision to make a Castlevania game for Nintendo DS was made at 2004's E3, Castlevania producer Koji Igarashi told Game Informer, when Igarashi saw the hardware and potential it contained.
The game will use the touch screen in various places, including during boss battles. Apart from that, though, the biggest and most obvious improvement over the Game Boy Advance prequel is the graphical upgrade thanks to the more powerful hardware of the Nintendo DS. This has allowed for more enemies on-screen, increasing the pace somewhat too.
Unfortunately, for fans of the 2D arm of the series, it seems that there will probably not be another 2D Castlevania game on anything other than a handheld - at least not now.
When the issue of 2D vs 3D was raised, Igarashi said, "Personally, I would really love to. Though, the realities of the marketplace prevent me from it. If I got the opportunity, I'd like to take advantage of it."
For more on Castlevania DS, including the first ever footage, check "related articles" below.
Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games
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