/jp/ - Otaku Culture

In the case of Sonic and the Mega Man series, the problem can be traced to the developers forgetting their roots. That is not the case with Castlevania. Symphony of the Night was a reinvention of the franchise that received universal acclaim. It didn't just borrow elements from the Metroid series, it took the Metroid formula to another level--hence the term Metroidvania. All Castlevanias that followed SotN attempted to emulate its success. SotN came at a time when the 'classicvanias' were dying. Had it not been for SotN the franchise would have died by the late 90s. Only a vocal minority prefer the linear Castlevanias. They're not even big enough to be considered a niche market.