Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Newegg drops prices on 50 Cent, Metal Slug 7, and more]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/newegg-drops-prices-on-50-cent-metal-slug-7-and-more/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/newegg-drops-prices-on-50-cent-metal-slug-7-and-more/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/newegg-drops-prices-on-50-cent-metal-slug-7-and-more/#commentsThanks to Newegg, you can grab 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand for a price closer than ever to 50 cents. As part of a "blowout" sale, you can pick up 50 for $9.99 on Xbox 360, or $12.99 on PS3 (a paltry 300 Cent more) with free shipping. If that's not the particular style of bullet-ridden gameplay you seek, why not grab Metal Slug 7 on DS for just $9? Or incite real violence in your home with Singstar -- available on its own for $10, or with two microphones for $25, with Volume 2 also down to $10.

Many of the other deals are questionable, but they're also cheap. Maybe you didn't care about Beowulf on PSP, but you probably care a little more now that it's $4. And $14 is a much more reasonable price for the chance to enjoy Castlevania Judgment's brutally insane cutscenes and actually kind of enjoyable gameplay. Click the following links to browse the sale by platform. Happy impulse purchasing!

JoystiqNewegg drops prices on 50 Cent, Metal Slug 7, and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>50-cent50-cent-blood-on-the-sand50-Cent-BotScastlevania-judgmentDSmetal-slug-7MicrosoftneweggNintendosaleSwordfish-StudiosTHQWiiXbox-360Thu, 18 Feb 2010 12:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Why 'Lords of Shadow' wasn't 'Castlevania: Lords of Shadow' at first]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/27/why-lords-of-shadow-wasnt-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-at-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/27/why-lords-of-shadow-wasnt-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-at-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/27/why-lords-of-shadow-wasnt-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-at-f/#comments

Being Dave Cox, head of European development for Konami, can't be an easy job. For one, he's not Hideo Kojima, so he's already got that going against him. Worse yet, he's had to tow the company line and let his upcoming Castlevania: Lords of Shadow languish out of the spotlight while Castlevania Judgment got all the attention. It seems Konami didn't even have the confidence to allow Lords of Shadow the Castlevania license -- nor did fans. "It was quite a radical departure from what had gone before with Castlevania, and there was a little bit of nervousness that perhaps it wouldn't be accepted as a Castlevania game," Cox told GameReactor.

Though he claims the project was approved originally as a Castlevania game and was built from the get-go with the vampire-hunting series in mind, the folks in charge at Konami had cold feet going into the big reveal at Games Convention 2008. "Senior management took the decision that we were going to announce it as Lords of Shadow, see what the reaction is, and if it's a good one then this would become a fully-fledged Castlevania." It was definitely a good one.

Gallery: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow


[Via VG247]

JoystiqWhy 'Lords of Shadow' wasn't 'Castlevania: Lords of Shadow' at first originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentcastlevania-lords-of-shadowdave-coxkonamikonami-europelords-of-shadowmercury-steamMicrosoftXbox-360Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fanswag: Castlevania Judgment goes to ...]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/23/fanswag-castlevania-judgment-goes-to/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/23/fanswag-castlevania-judgment-goes-to/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/23/fanswag-castlevania-judgment-goes-to/#commentsFiled under:


It's about time we crowned the winner of our latest giveaway involving Castlevania Judgment. Our copy of the game shall be awarded to this lucky reader:
Congratulations to our winner and better luck next time to the rest of you. Thanks for reading!

JoystiqFanswag: Castlevania Judgment goes to ... originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentfanswagfighterfightingkonamiFri, 23 Jan 2009 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Reminder: Castlevania Judgment still up for grabs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/20/reminder-castlevania-judgment-still-up-for-grabs/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/20/reminder-castlevania-judgment-still-up-for-grabs/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/20/reminder-castlevania-judgment-still-up-for-grabs/#commentsFiled under:


Time is running out. Through the mist, Dracula's castle begins to emerge. You have precious little time if you're to arm yourself against the forces of darkness with our copy of Castlevania Judgment. Before you take on the castle, see our original contest post to arm up with whips and stakes and hearts and maybe, just maybe, a free game.

JoystiqReminder: Castlevania Judgment still up for grabs originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentfanswagkonamiTue, 20 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Koji Igarashi and Simon Belmont team up to sell Castlevania Judgment]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/koji-igarashi-and-simon-belmont-team-up-to-sell-castlevania-judg/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/koji-igarashi-and-simon-belmont-team-up-to-sell-castlevania-judg/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/koji-igarashi-and-simon-belmont-team-up-to-sell-castlevania-judg/#commentsFiled under: ,


Rest assured: when we reviewed Konami's Castlevania Judgment, we did so completely free of influence from external factors like whip-wielding producers in cowboy hats or vampire hunter cosplayers. Had there been somebody in our office whipping at us and cosplaying at us, we'd like to think the score would have remained firm, but we have yet to be tested in such a way to find out. Mostly we'd have been happy to suddenly have an office!

That's right, the time-altering ability of Aeon brought Simon Belmont into the modern age, specifically the day of Castlevania Judgment's Japanese release. The legendary vampire hunter joined forces with Castlevania series producer Koji Igarashi to bother Dengeki staffers, with a truly amusing set of photos as a result. Will it sell Castlevania? No idea.

We thought there was no way to make the outfits Takeshi Obata designed for the characters look any more ridiculous, but Konami found a way: putting them on real people.

JoystiqKoji Igarashi and Simon Belmont team up to sell Castlevania Judgment originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentcosplayfightingigarashikonamiThu, 15 Jan 2009 17:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Fanswag: Castlevania Judgment]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/fanswag-castlevania-judgment/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/fanswag-castlevania-judgment/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/fanswag-castlevania-judgment/#commentsFiled under:


Another fanswag giveaway is upon us and this time we're unloading one copy of Castlevania Judgment ($50). Want it? Simply leave a comment on this post telling us what your favorite Castlevania game of all time is. You should have plenty to choose from!

Of course, we've got a couple of rules. For one, you have to be at least 18 years of age and a current and legal resident of the United States or Canada (excluding Quebec). Also, you may only enter once per day. Entries must be in before Wednesday, January 21 at 11:59PM ET. Before entering, make sure you read the official rules right here, too!

Best of luck to you all and thanks for reading!

JoystiqFanswag: Castlevania Judgment originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dcastlevaniacastlevania-judgmentfanswagfighterfightingjoystiqfeaturesThu, 15 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Tenchu 4, Broken Sword, Onechanbara, more dated for Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/12/rumor-tenchu-4-broken-sword-onechanbara-more-dated-for-europ/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/12/rumor-tenchu-4-broken-sword-onechanbara-more-dated-for-europ/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/12/rumor-tenchu-4-broken-sword-onechanbara-more-dated-for-europ/#commentsFiled under: ,

A list of 'retailer info' containing release dates for upcoming games popped up on NeoGAF. Judging by the use of the German title for Broken Sword, we decided to try Amazon.de to check these dates against their database, and they match. These dates might be placeholders, and they might be subject to change, or our PALs might have an awesome March to look forward to!

Tenchu: Shadow Assassins might actually come out in Europe in the same month as North Americans get to play it: Amazon says it'll be out February 26, alongside Castlevania Judgment. Broken Sword: Director's Cut is listed for March 26, while Onechanbara: Bikini Zombie Slayers (retitled, as is the Xbox game, Onechanbara: Bikini Zombie Killers) is expected March 18 -- a slight delay from the official date.

[Via NeoGAF]

JoystiqRumor: Tenchu 4, Broken Sword, Onechanbara, more dated for Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>broken-swordcastlevania-judgmentd3europekonamionechanbaratenchu-4ubisoftMon, 12 Jan 2009 16:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Top 5: Worst. Cutscenes. Ever.]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/12/top-5-worst-cutscenes-ever/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/12/top-5-worst-cutscenes-ever/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/12/top-5-worst-cutscenes-ever/#commentsFiled under:


According to Activision (and after all, they made Pitfall!), video games will "eclipse" all other forms of media. Head honcho Mike Griffith went on to say that "Movies, recorded music and TV - these are all stagnating or contracting entertainment sectors."

I'm not sure how much I agree with that statement. Strictly in terms of cash flow, it's already happening. Gaming is a fairly pricey hobby, and it's been outpacing the other forms of media for several years (in terms of growth). Yet I have a difficult time imagining a time where video games are everyone's preferred form of escapism. Although their respective industries may see drastic changes with direct, indirect, or unrelated connections to gaming, music and film will always have a place. As much as I love gaming, it's not rare that I find myself preferring to zone out with TV or just listen to music and read instead of playing a video game.

What I do see is a further merging of the three into ubiquitous, all-purpose media devices. Microsoft and Sony currently do this, and it's only a matter of time before Nintendo catches up. While most households currently don't rely on gaming consoles as their sole provider of film / TV and music, I imagine that this will change. Perhaps the mediums will start to bleed into one another. With Metal Gear Solid blurring the lines between game and film and Audiosurf doing the same for games and music, perhaps media will merge and propagate a completely new and unique form of entertainment. Interesting stuff.

What was this Top 5 about, again? Oh, right: cut scenes. A lot of them stink. Here's the 5 worst ones.



The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up.

JoystiqTop 5: Worst. Cutscenes. Ever. originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 12:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentcd-icut-scenecut-scenescutscenecutsceneshotel-mariojoystiqfeaturesmariomortal-kombatresident-evilresident-evil-deadly-silenceresident-evil-dsresidentevilsuper-paper-mariozeldaMon, 12 Jan 2009 12:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Wii Fanboy Review: Castlevania Judgment]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/17/wii-fanboy-review-castlevania-judgment/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/17/wii-fanboy-review-castlevania-judgment/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/17/wii-fanboy-review-castlevania-judgment/#commentsFiled under:

It's hard to place Castlevania Judgment in terms of an ideal audience. The wild deviation from pretty much anything characterizing Castlevania means that the series' fans are unlikely to be well-served by the game, and people who don't care about the series probably would never give it a second look. Furthermore, fighting game lovers would find Judgment too simplistic for their tastes.

That said, having given the game a chance, I slowly found myself warming to it. It took me a while to shed my expectations of what it should be, however. It's not much of a Castlevania game, and it's not much of a fighting game, but it is a decent third-person, one-on-one brawler. Like Power Stone mixed with Lament of Innocence.

I must confess that I was slightly disappointed to find the game not-terrible, because I expected to completely savage it in this review. Oh, well.

Continue reading Wii Fanboy Review: Castlevania Judgment

JoystiqWii Fanboy Review: Castlevania Judgment originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentfeaturesfightingjoystiqfeatureskonamiWed, 17 Dec 2008 12:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo dates Play on Wii, other 2009 releases for Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/15/nintendo-dates-play-on-wii-other-2009-releases-for-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/15/nintendo-dates-play-on-wii-other-2009-releases-for-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/15/nintendo-dates-play-on-wii-other-2009-releases-for-europe/#commentsFiled under:


Supposedly, a list for what's coming next year in Europe was issued by NoE and it's been found on a few sites. The problem is that none of these sites source anything entirely credible, so we're remaining a bit skeptical on this one. What are you waiting for? Dive past the break for this rather extensive list of what's apparently going to release in Europe, including some Play on Wii titles, next year.

Continue reading Nintendo dates Play on Wii, other 2009 releases for Europe

JoystiqNintendo dates Play on Wii, other 2009 releases for Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevania-judgmenteuropemadworldmario-power-tennispikminplay-on-wiireleasessonic-and-the-black-knightMon, 15 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Metareview -- Castlevania Judgment (Wii)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/metareview-castlevania-judgment-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/metareview-castlevania-judgment-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/metareview-castlevania-judgment-wii/#commentsFiled under: ,

Nobody seems to have been whipped into a frenzy by Konami's recent stab at a Castlevania fighting game. A small group of reviewers has finally passed judgment on the Wii-only release, and, by-and-large, the consensus is a resounding groan - and it's not coming from Frankenstein's monster.
  • IGN (75/100): "In the list of games I'm dying to play in the Castlevania series, a 3D fighter was about as far from the top as possible, but Judgment was a pleasant surprise."
  • G4 X-Play (20/100): "The soundtrack is the only thing in Castlevania Judgment that does proper homage to the series."
  • 1UP (D-): "As a fighter, Castlevania Judgment employs too many design ideas that are neither well planned nor well executed. It's a strange misstep for the beloved series, one that Konami hopefully learns from."

JoystiqMetareview -- Castlevania Judgment (Wii) originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentkonamimetareviewWiiMon, 24 Nov 2008 15:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Metareview: Castlevania Judgment]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/20/metareview-castlevania-judgment/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/20/metareview-castlevania-judgment/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/20/metareview-castlevania-judgment/#commentsFiled under:


We've said a lot about Castlevania Judgment -- some good, some bad, some after giving it a go. But the time has come to see what's really going on with it, now that it's in circulation. And so, with bated breath, we present ... other people playing Castlevania Judgment, and then talking about it.

Nintendo Power (70/100) says not to expect Castlevania from this Castlevania: "If you forgo your expectations of what a Castlevania game should be--or are simply looking for a respectable 3-D fighting game--you should have a good time with Judgment."

1UP (16/100) kind of, well, hated it: "Beyond the strange art direction, Judgment suffers from jarring mechanics that disregard established fighting conventions. The uncompromising camera displays the action in a bizarre, disconcerting manner that tracks players in a 3D area filled with environmental hazards. And in combat, the camera's way too difficult to control. "

IGN (75/100), however, did not: "The combat is deep and entertaining, the characters are well balanced and very unique as a full-on roster, and everything from sub-weapons to specials, combo attacks, in-level traps and monsters, and epic super attack animations are well done and true to the source material."

Gallery: Castlevania Judgment

JoystiqMetareview: Castlevania Judgment originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevania-judgmentfightingkonamiThu, 20 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania Judgment launch trailer is too effective]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/18/castlevania-judgment-launch-trailer-is-too-effective/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/18/castlevania-judgment-launch-trailer-is-too-effective/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/18/castlevania-judgment-launch-trailer-is-too-effective/#commentsFiled under:

Warning: this trailer for Castlevania Judgment, out this week, may have the unexpected side effect of making you want to play Castlevania Judgment. Until now, we've been insulated by our Castlevania fandom -- we love Castlevania so much that it's painful to see it as an anime-style 3D brawler/fighter with silly character designs (Eric Lecarde doesn't just look like a little boy -- he is a little boy for some reason).

But between the top-notch CG and the surprisingly exciting gameplay, we fear that Konami has us under a spell. Oh, look, there's the castle. There's Alucard doing something badass. Oh, they're playing "Vampire Killer." There is officially no hope for us.

JoystiqCastlevania Judgment launch trailer is too effective originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentfightingkonamiTue, 18 Nov 2008 12:52:00 EST<![CDATA[Retail and download releases for the week of November 17th]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/retail-and-download-releases-for-the-week-of-november-17th/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/retail-and-download-releases-for-the-week-of-november-17th/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/retail-and-download-releases-for-the-week-of-november-17th/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Just as we all found out last week, today marks the release of the fourth episode of Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People. Oh, and we're also getting a bunch of other games. This week, seriously, has a lot of games. Head on past the break for the full list.

Also, our apologies. There likely won't be a VC Monday Madness video today, but we'll try to get it up as soon as we can. Sorry!

Continue reading Retail and download releases for the week of November 17th

JoystiqRetail and download releases for the week of November 17th originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animal-crossinganimal-crossing-city-folkscastlevaniacastlevania-judgmentCookingCooking-MamaCooking-Mama-Ltdcooking-mama-world-kitchenMajesco-EntertainmentMinigamesraving-rabbids-tv-partyraymanreleasesshaun-whitesonicsonic-unleashedtomb-raidertomb-raider-underworldMon, 17 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo reveals early 2009 lineup, Mario & Luigi 3 in Feb.]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/13/nintendo-reveals-early-2009-lineup-mario-and-luigi-3-in-feb/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/13/nintendo-reveals-early-2009-lineup-mario-and-luigi-3-in-feb/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/13/nintendo-reveals-early-2009-lineup-mario-and-luigi-3-in-feb/#commentsFiled under: ,

Nintendo has revealed its Japanese lineup for the onset of 2009 (via IGN). Unsurprisingly, the list consists largely of games that will likely never see an official release overseas, but a few titles stand out. Mario & Luigi RPG 3 is coming February 11 to DS (no release date yet for other regions), while Castlevania Judgment and Play for Wii Mario Tennis are coming January 15. As previously revealed, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Echoes of Time will be coming to both DS and Wii on January 29.

Not listed are the recently unveiled Sin and Punishment 2 and Punch-Out!! for Wii. Looks like we'll be waiting a while before getting our hands on them.

JoystiqNintendo reveals early 2009 lineup, Mario & Luigi 3 in Feb. originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentcrystal-chroniclesDSechoes-of-timefinal-fantasyjapanmario-and-luigimario-and-luigi-rpg-3nintendoRPGSquare-EnixWiiThu, 13 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania Judgment lineup suffers from Dracula's Curse]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/04/castlevania-judgment-lineup-suffers-from-draculas-curse/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/04/castlevania-judgment-lineup-suffers-from-draculas-curse/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/04/castlevania-judgment-lineup-suffers-from-draculas-curse/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Konami's questionable tandem of arm flailing and vampire hunting will be afflicted by Dracula's Curse when Castlevania Judgment ships for the Wii later this month. The company revealed the final three characters set to duke it out in the upcoming fighter, including Castlevania III's diminutive thief, Grant Danasty, and Trevor Belmont's main squeeze, Sypha.

The pair will be joined by Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness' Cornell, who in addition to having to deal with the inevitable ups and downs of being a Nintendo 64-era werewolf, also shoulders the dubious distinction of being perhaps the only fighter to see his in-game appearance actually improve.

Gallery: Castlevania Judgment (11-04-2008)

JoystiqCastlevania Judgment lineup suffers from Dracula's Curse originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-iiicastlevania-judgmentkonamiWiiTue, 04 Nov 2008 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania Judgment's final characters revealed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/04/castlevania-judgments-final-characters-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/04/castlevania-judgments-final-characters-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/04/castlevania-judgments-final-characters-revealed/#commentsFiled under:


The last three playable characters in Castlevania Judgment's cast (hit the break for a full list) have been captured in screenshots and await your perusal in our gallery. Sypha Belnades is located ... somewhere in the messy explosion above, which is being caused by Legacy of Darkness protagonist Cornell, who appears in his werewolf form. The trio is rounded off by Grant Danasty, who, in true Castlevania Judgment tradition, looks nothing like his former self. Now, we wait for the game with ... not-so-bated breath, actually.

Continue reading Castlevania Judgment's final characters revealed

JoystiqCastlevania Judgment's final characters revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevania-judgmentfightingkoji-igarashikonamiTue, 04 Nov 2008 20:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Another new Castlevania character redesign to judge]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/29/another-new-castlevania-character-redesign-to-judge/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/29/another-new-castlevania-character-redesign-to-judge/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/29/another-new-castlevania-character-redesign-to-judge/#commentsFiled under:


Hey, it's ... Castlevania Judgment's version of Trevor Belmont? He's got an eyepatch now for some reason! Our guess: to teach kids a valuable lesson about the importance of whip safety. The official explanation is that his injuries are the result of a Dracula fight.

Actually, the brown-and-black leather armor Takeshi Obata put him in kind of fits with the coloring of his Castlevania III sprite. It's a lot closer to our idea of Trevor than Ayami Kojima's thigh-high boots, anyway. We've got more screens of Trevor, and of the other two recently-announced new characters, Carmilla and Golem, in our gallery. No sign yet of Sypha Belnades or Grant DaNasty, so we don't know to what degree they've been shoehorned into anime archetypes.

JoystiqAnother new Castlevania character redesign to judge originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Oct 2008 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentfightingkonamiWed, 29 Oct 2008 09:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania Judgment just wants to be loved]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/22/castlevania-judgment-just-wants-to-be-loved/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/22/castlevania-judgment-just-wants-to-be-loved/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/22/castlevania-judgment-just-wants-to-be-loved/#commentsFiled under:



Will Castlevania Judgment actually be any good? Heck if we know, though recent hands-on previews have labeled it as superior to Soul Calibur Legends. We think that was meant to reassure us.

Anyway, this new trailer is trying its hardest to turn our stubborn, Metroidvania-obsessed heads. The music will always makes us tingly inside, and if you squint hard at this latest video -- squint really hard -- you might detect a spiritual 2008 update to Power Stone.


[Via press release]

JoystiqCastlevania Judgment just wants to be loved originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentfightingkonamiWed, 22 Oct 2008 18:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Top 5: Castlevania Games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/20/top-5-castlevania-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/20/top-5-castlevania-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/20/top-5-castlevania-games/#commentsFiled under:


This week marks the release of the highly anticipated Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia. Poised to be more than the usual Metroidvania-romp, Ecclesia's glyph system coupled with great diversity in environments and level layout (we're apparently not stuck inside the castle anymore) has all of us whip-enthusiasts drooling with anticipation. To be honest, Konami could slap the word "Castlevania" on a box of assorted animal feces and we'd still pre-order. Here's the part where I'm supposed take a cheap shot at Castlevania Judgment, but admit it: no matter how many times we all spit on the brawler, we never seem to stop checking out movies or screenshots. Castlevania has us whipped; pardon the hideous pun.

Assuming I haven't lost all credibility after the Mega Man list, here's another stab at ranking the best of a legendary franchise. Unlike most other Top 5's, this list is not necessarily Nintendo-specific. Take a gander, and try to pretend that you don't know what number one is.


The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up.

JoystiqTop 5: Castlevania Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alucardcastlevaniacastlevania-3castlevania-dracula-x-chroniclescastlevania-iiicastlevania-judgmentcastlevania-order-of-ecclesiaigaigarashijoystiqfeatureskoji-igarashiorder-of-ecclesiarondo-of-bloodsotnsuper-castlevania-ivsymphony-of-the-nighttop-5virtual-consolevirtualconsolewiiwareMon, 20 Oct 2008 14:36:00 EST<![CDATA[Bit players hit it big in Castlevania Judgment]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/16/bit-players-hit-it-big-in-castlevania-judgment/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/16/bit-players-hit-it-big-in-castlevania-judgment/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/16/bit-players-hit-it-big-in-castlevania-judgment/#commentsFiled under: ,


Camilla seems like a minor character in the Castlevania storyline, one of the "other" vampires who appeared as a boss in a few games. She's typically portrayed as a nude, winged woman atop a giant skull. And Golem makes Camilla seem vital -- Golem is nothing more than a vaguely memorable normal enemy! You know, the big guy from Aria of Sorrow who looks like he's made out of logs.

Well, they've both been honored with places in the Castlevania Judgment roster. Camilla's been redesigned so that she's in some clothes, though barely, and Golem is a giant, grotesque science experiment with ampoules sticking out of his back. We have screens of both in action in our gallery.

We haven't seen the latest issue of Nintendo Power, but according to NeoGAF, the remaining Castlevania III characters (Trevor Belmont, Sypha Belnades, and Grant DaNasty), as well as Cornell the werewolf from Legacy of Darkness, will also be playable.

That transcript also notes that the GameCube controller and Classic Controller will both be supported by Judgment. Considering how much it relies on motion controls, using one of those should basically turn it into a different game.

JoystiqBit players hit it big in Castlevania Judgment originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentclassic-controllerfightinggamecube-controllerkonamiThu, 16 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TGS08: Bouncing beatdowns in Castlevania Judgment]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/tgs08-bouncing-beatdowns-in-castlevania-judgment/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/tgs08-bouncing-beatdowns-in-castlevania-judgment/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/tgs08-bouncing-beatdowns-in-castlevania-judgment/#commentsFiled under: ,


Oh, if only we could always start the morning with hot Death on Death action ... well, we'd at least be more inclined to like Castlevania Judgment. Alas, it's only shiny and new this once, and hereafter, all Death v. Death deathmatches will be, as they say, played out.

But for a moment, for one bright, shining, purply-explosions moment, Castlevania Judgment was beautiful. Now we're back to bursting muscles, wacky shorts, and flawed gameplay. But buck up, little campers: there's a bit of news on the Order of Ecclesia/Judgment DS-Wii connectivity front. We knew the DS title's heroine, Shanoa, was unlockable in Castlevania Judgment, and as we speculated, so is Aeon -- both through the DS/Wii game connection. In the DS game, Wii connectivity adds a hard mode and raises your level cap in one mode to a whopping 255. Do we need to be so badass? Oh yes. Yes, we do.

Gallery: Castlevania Judgment

Continue reading TGS08: Bouncing beatdowns in Castlevania Judgment

JoystiqTGS08: Bouncing beatdowns in Castlevania Judgment originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentconnectivityds-wiifightingkonamiorder-of-ecclesiatgs-2008tgs08unlockableMon, 13 Oct 2008 09:52:00 EST<![CDATA[DS Daily: Castlevania: Double Order of Games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/ds-daily-castlevania-double-order-of-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/ds-daily-castlevania-double-order-of-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/ds-daily-castlevania-double-order-of-games/#commentsFiled under:


Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia looks to be another in a long line of perfectly wonderful side-scrolling handheld Castlevanias -- possibly, even, a slightly fresh take on the series. Pretty much the best thing we can say about Castlevania: Judgment on the Wii is that it connects with Order of Ecclesia. In fact, even as ridiculous Castlevania fans, we're on the fence about Judgment, yet we're tempted to buy it just because it gives us bonuses in Ecclesia.

Does the promise of Ecclesia's awesomeness make Judgment any more of a purchase candidate for you? Or are you willing to do without the connection bonuses?

JoystiqDS Daily: Castlevania: Double Order of Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actioncastlevaniacastlevania-judgmentkonamiorder-of-ecclesiaMon, 13 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Potential motivation to buy Castlevania Judgment]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/26/potential-motivation-to-buy-castlevania-judgment/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/26/potential-motivation-to-buy-castlevania-judgment/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/26/potential-motivation-to-buy-castlevania-judgment/#commentsFiled under:

Konami appears to be really pleased with Simon Belmont's little shorts. They have -- well, he has, we suppose -- become an unofficial mascot for Castlevania Judgment, first as a rather expensive figurine sold through Konamistyle, and now as the focal point of this "laser cel" being given away as a preorder bonus by GameStop.

The background, featuring Aeon, certainly looks cool, as does the color scheme in general. You can see Alucard in his new finery standing back-to-back with Simon. But it's clear that the star of the show is Simon Belmont and his shorts. And his big apelike arms.

JoystiqPotential motivation to buy Castlevania Judgment originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Sep 2008 08:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentfightingkonamipreorderFri, 26 Sep 2008 08:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Stare Death in the face in Castlevania Judgment]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/22/stare-death-in-the-face-in-castlevania-judgment/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/22/stare-death-in-the-face-in-castlevania-judgment/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/22/stare-death-in-the-face-in-castlevania-judgment/#commentsFiled under:

The official site for Castlevania Judgment has profiled two new characters for the fighting game, adding an obscure hero and one of the most common baddies to the cast.

Eric Lecarde was playable in only one Castlevania game, Castlevania: Bloodlines for the Genesis (though he did pop up as a helpful ghost in Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin), and in Judgment he'll look every bit as effeminate as he did in the character art for Bloodlines. What is a man? Answer: not Eric Lecarde.

The second new combatant is familiar foe and all-round cheery chap Death, whose design in Judgment actually looks totally badass and is our favorite rendering of the character so far, even beating his design in Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow. We're guessing you can expect to have many a spinning scythe lobbed at your face.


[Via Go Nintendo]

JoystiqStare Death in the face in Castlevania Judgment originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Sep 2008 18:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentdeatheric-lecardefightingkonamiMon, 22 Sep 2008 18:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Simon Belmont's shorts immortalized in new figurine]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/19/simon-belmonts-shorts-immortalized-in-new-figurine/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/19/simon-belmonts-shorts-immortalized-in-new-figurine/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/19/simon-belmonts-shorts-immortalized-in-new-figurine/#commentsFiled under:


The little shorts. The multi-buckled, open vest that looks kind of like an empty life preserver. The Gene Simmons boots. After all the cool Castlevania characters, dressed in various finery, it is Simon Belmont (or "Belmondo" as he's known in Japan), dressed in Takeshi Obata's newly-designed Castlevania: Judgment style that Konami has decided to make into a figure. Although, of course, the other most recent Simon look wouldn't have been much better of a choice. And it's not Dracula in his dress.

We must admit that the sculptors have made Simon look damn cool, even if he is dressed like a Tetsuya Nomura Final Fantasy hero. Japan's Konamistyle store is taking preorders on (the final painted version of) this figure, to be released on February 6 for 7,140 yen ($66.50).


[Via Famitsu]

JoystiqSimon Belmont's shorts immortalized in new figurine originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentfigurinekonamisimon-belmontFri, 19 Sep 2008 12:39:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania Poor Fashion Judgment returns]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/castlevania-poor-fashion-judgment-returns/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/castlevania-poor-fashion-judgment-returns/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/castlevania-poor-fashion-judgment-returns/#commentsFiled under:


It's been a while since we wrote anything about Castlevania Judgment. You might think this has something to do with the lack of news on the subject, but oh no, that isn't the case. Really, we're just embarrassed for everyone on the fashion front. Oh, and kinda by the game in general. It'll be just like Konami to actually make it good and force us to buy it.* Jerks.

There are all-new fashion disasters (okay, really, new shots of old disasters) and a lot of explosions of bright, streaky lighting in the gallery below.

*Probably not, but we're afeared of this possibility.

JoystiqCastlevania Poor Fashion Judgment returns originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentfightingkonamiwhy-god-whyThu, 18 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania Judgment: It's like Soulcalibur Legends (but better?)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/16/castlevania-judgment-its-like-soulcalibur-legends-but-better/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/16/castlevania-judgment-its-like-soulcalibur-legends-but-better/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/16/castlevania-judgment-its-like-soulcalibur-legends-but-better/#commentsFiled under: ,


Castlevania Judgment. When we first heard of this title, we immediately conjured up memories of Soulcalibur Legends (read the preview that got us blacklisted by Namco Bandai here). Somehow, Konami is daring to tread the same path by re-imagining the Castlevania franchise as a waggle-filled fighting game with subpar (even for Wii) graphics and shallow gameplay. We'd feel sorry for poor ol' Castlevania for being treated this way -- but we've been through this before.

At the very least, Judgment is much more competent and fun than Soulcalibur Legends. Graphically speaking, Judgment is rather unattractive, featuring awkward character models that certainly don't belong in the Castlevania universe. Textures are low-res, environments are uninspired and character models are poorly constructed with flat textures and low poly counts. Sadly, it doesn't match the visual fidelity of the 3D Castlevania titles on the PS2.

Thankfully, the gameplay in Judgment isn't as shallow as you may expect. Yes, you can swing your Wiimote every which way, but you won't be able to win with blind waggling. Perhaps it's because Judgment is being touted as a fighting game and not an adventure game, but the fighting engine does feature a bit more depth than the one found in Soulcalibur Legends. A huge change, for example, is that you'll actually have to block attacks (!). Players will also be able to equip various Castlevania-themed secondary weapons to unleash upon opponents. For example, I equipped the trusty cross with Simon. A press of the A-button throws it like a boomerang. It's perfect to use after knocking an opponent to the ground. As they get up, it smacks them in the back. Yeah, it's a dirty trick.

Gallery: Castlevania Judgment

Continue reading Castlevania Judgment: It's like Soulcalibur Legends (but better?)

JoystiqCastlevania Judgment: It's like Soulcalibur Legends (but better?) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Sep 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The latest Castlevania Judgment screens, fresh from the Leipzig showfloor, feature a new character not previously seen in the title. "Aeon" is probably one of the fighters produced by manga artist Takeshi Obata, who was drafted in by Konami to provide character designs. Alternatively, he could be from the DS's Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia. "Aeon" is not a name we're familiar with from previous instalments of the franchise, and neither Google or the Castlevania Wiki could shed any light on our confusion. Shanoa, the heroine of Order of Ecclesia, is already accessible in Judgment, so we wouldn't rule it out.

Whoever Aeon is, you can see more of him here, here and here. In other news, Koji Igarashi confirmed to IGN that the title will now ship to the U.S. in 2009. Grab your stake, hit up our gallery for new shots, and then trek past the break for a new trailer.

Continue reading GC 2008: Castlevania Judgment reserved for 2009, mysterious character appears

JoystiqGC 2008: Castlevania Judgment reserved for 2009, mysterious character appears originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentfightinggc-2008gc08igarashikoji-igarashikonamileipzig-08leipzig-games-conventionWed, 20 Aug 2008 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Igarashi: WiiWare Castlevania 'might be the right approach']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/18/igarashi-wiiware-castlevania-might-be-the-right-approach/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/18/igarashi-wiiware-castlevania-might-be-the-right-approach/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/18/igarashi-wiiware-castlevania-might-be-the-right-approach/#commentsFiled under: ,

Another E3 interview with Castlevania series producer Koji Igarashi has surfaced, this time from Nintendo World Report. After justifying Castlevania Judgment yet again, Igarashi gave a tenuous, noncommittal, but still interesting statement regarding future Castlevania games: "With regards to WiiWare, I'm evaluating that right now, and to be honest, I think a 2D Castlevania game on WiiWare might be the right approach."

He has previously said that he was interested in how things turned out for Mega Man 9, and he has said that WiiWare was an interesting service, but this is the most direct Igarashi has been yet about a WiiWare entry in the franchise. He also confirmed the nature of the Order of Ecclesia connection bonus: as we expected, Shanoa is unlocked in Judgment by connecting with a DS running Order of Ecclesia.



Talking about Castlevania is a bit of a cottage industry for Wii Fanboy. Not only do we want the 2D games on Wii, we've made it happen -- though not the amazing Dracula X, which Japan has on VC. We've expressed our bemusement about Judgment and tried to gauge yours. In fact, we pretty much bring up Castlevania whenever possible.

JoystiqIgarashi: WiiWare Castlevania 'might be the right approach' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actioncastlevaniacastlevania-judgmentfightingigarashiMon, 18 Aug 2008 14:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Igarashi talks Castlevania Judgment, doesn't explain why the game exists]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/igarashi-talks-castlevania-judgment-doesnt/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/igarashi-talks-castlevania-judgment-doesnt/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/igarashi-talks-castlevania-judgment-doesnt/#commentsFiled under:


Click for larger image

Back at E3, Spencer over at Siliconera got the chance to chat with Koji Igarashi, the man behind Castlevania (from Symphony of the Night on, he's been like, the main dude). Instead of asking questions like "Are you on drugs to have come up with Judgment?" or "Am I being Punk'd, is this game seriously real?" Spencer took the time to be a professional and ask some serious questions about the game.

For one, Igarashi is not happy with the media labeling Castlevania Judgment a "fighting game." Instead, he thinks of it more as a 3D action game. Labeling aside, there are some cool things you can do in the game. Apparently, different characters can interact with environmental objects in their own unique way. For example, Simon can use his whip to fling candelabras.

While we played the same game at E3, we sadly didn't have Igarashi to chat with. Head on over and read the rest of the write-up for some other fun facts about the upcoming fighter.

JoystiqIgarashi talks Castlevania Judgment, doesn't explain why the game exists originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Aug 2008 21:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentfighting-gameigarashikoji-igarashikonamiseriously-its-a-figherThu, 07 Aug 2008 21:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Revolutionary: Whip it good]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/revolutionary-whip-it-good/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/revolutionary-whip-it-good/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/revolutionary-whip-it-good/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

What is it about Castlevania that gamers have found so appealing for more than twenty years? Is it the story? The atmosphere? The visceral sense of fulfillment from whipping all manner of damned creatures back to the infernal depths? Is it the one-on-one arena battles in Boy George makeup, steam-punk corsets and leather-daddy fetishware? Yeah, it's probably not that last thing. We had in mind a traditional sidescroller for Castlevania on the Wii, with waggle-enhanced whip cracking, so that's why this week, I've set out to capture that fun that we've so desperately desired.

Continue reading Revolutionary: Whip it good

JoystiqRevolutionary: Whip it good originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Aug 2008 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania sotncastlevania symphony of the nightcastlevania-judgmentCastlevaniaSotnCastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNightemulationglovepiejoystiqfeaturesRevolutionarysuper castlevania ivSuperCastlevaniaIvThu, 07 Aug 2008 09:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Next 2D Castlevania could crack whip on WiiWare]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/24/next-2d-castlevania-could-crack-whip-on-wiiware/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/24/next-2d-castlevania-could-crack-whip-on-wiiware/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/24/next-2d-castlevania-could-crack-whip-on-wiiware/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


While Konami is already exercising options with Gradius Rebirth, Castlevania stalwart Koji Igarashi has now expressed interest in dipping his own whip into the Wii's digital waters. Given that 3D fighter Castlevania Judgment promises to take face-to-palm when it's released, Iga's interest in WiiWare looks to rekindle fans' triple-shot prayers for a traditional 2D Castlevania for consoles.

"I'm definitely interested in WiiWare and I think it's one of the areas that 2D can still be very strong at," Igarashi told MTV Multiplayer. In a separate interview with Wired's Game|Life blog, he also noted that he's watching Capcom's decidedly retro Mega Man 9 "very closely" to see how it's received once it debuts later this year, noting that "if it is successful that definitely opens up doors for what I can do." Now all there's left to do is wait, though if you get hungry we hear that there's some delicious turkey hidden inside the wall.

JoystiqNext 2D Castlevania could crack whip on WiiWare originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2dcastlevaniacastlevania-judgmentigaigarashikonamiWiiwiiwareThu, 24 Jul 2008 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Igarashi on Castlevania Judgment and budget concerns]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/23/igarashi-on-castlevania-judgment-and-budget-concerns/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/23/igarashi-on-castlevania-judgment-and-budget-concerns/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/23/igarashi-on-castlevania-judgment-and-budget-concerns/#commentsFiled under:


Poor Koji Igarashi seems to be getting the same question a lot: Why is Castlevania Judgment a 3D fighting game? He had his stock answer about short-session Wiimote whipping at the ready when Wired's Chris Kohler asked him.

He also had other, shockingly new things to say in relation to Judgment, which sadly reveal the kinds of budgets Konami offers Castlevania games these days. In response to a question about the environment for third-party games on the Wii, Igarashi said the following, which lays bare the approach taken by Konami:

"I think there are two roads you can take: Create a game for the core fans with as low a development cost as possible; the other is to just find a different market for these consoles outside the core gamer."

There is hope for more real Castlevania games on a smaller budget, and that hope is called Mega Man 9. "I'm watching that very closely to see how it does," IGA told Wired. "Myself, I'm a big retro gaming fan, so if it is successful that definitely opens up doors for what I can do." It's no wonder that Igarashi would be interested in a console game that reuses 8-bit sprites.

JoystiqIgarashi on Castlevania Judgment and budget concerns originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentfightingigarashikonamiWed, 23 Jul 2008 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[E308: A respectable little pile of Castlevania Judgment videos]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/e308-a-respectable-little-pile-of-castlevania-judgment-videos/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/e308-a-respectable-little-pile-of-castlevania-judgment-videos/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/e308-a-respectable-little-pile-of-castlevania-judgment-videos/#commentsFiled under:



We've already documented our feelings about Castlevania's transformation into a 3D fighting game, but it wasn't until this morning that we got a proper look at the game in motion. It's not actually all that bad! Okay, so the lip-synching is a bit off, most of the lines positively reek of cheese ("I'm a Belmont -- that's my job"), and some of the voice acting makes the guy behind Leon Kennedy seem almost De Niro-esque.

Such quibbles aside, we suppose this is the best that could be done with a Castlevania fighting game. Environments and characters are solidly built, there are some pleasant enough effects, the music is great, and we're pleased they opted for a free-roaming style, if only because it reminds us of Power Stone. Make the jump for a trailer and some direct-feed footage.

Continue reading E308: A respectable little pile of Castlevania Judgment videos

JoystiqE308: A respectable little pile of Castlevania Judgment videos originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevania-judgmentdraculae3-2008e308fighterfightingkonamiThu, 17 Jul 2008 19:15:00 EST<![CDATA[E308: Wii Fanboy takes the whip to Castlevania Judgment]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/e308-wii-fanboy-takes-the-whip-to-castlevania-judgment/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/e308-wii-fanboy-takes-the-whip-to-castlevania-judgment/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/e308-wii-fanboy-takes-the-whip-to-castlevania-judgment/#commentsFiled under:


Click to take a photo tour of Konami's E3 booth

I don't have to tell you how odd it is to see the Castlevania franchise make a leap into the 3D fighter space. It's not so much odd as it's completely unbelievable. Now, I'm willing to give anything the benefit of the doubt, and I did just that going into my play session. The first few minutes with the game weren't bad, but the longer I spent time with it, the more its flaws started to rise to the surface.

Continue reading E308: Wii Fanboy takes the whip to Castlevania Judgment

JoystiqE308: Wii Fanboy takes the whip to Castlevania Judgment originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dcastlevaniacastlevania-judgmente3-2008e308joystiqfeatureskonamiThu, 17 Jul 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[E308: Konami booth tour in photos]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/e308-konami-booth-tour-in-photos/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/e308-konami-booth-tour-in-photos/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/e308-konami-booth-tour-in-photos/#commentsFiled under: ,


Click to take the photo tour

We stopped by the Konami booth today, to check out all of their titles (and stand around, looking all cool like we do). Surprisingly, the folks at Konami did not object to us taking some photos of their space. We'd like to say our tour includes several shots of Igarashi, but he was on a break while we were there. Our horrible streak of being unlucky continues.

Hit up the photos below to check out the space and get an idea of what to expect in the way of impressions later.

JoystiqE308: Konami booth tour in photos originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmente3-2008e308konamilost-in-blueWed, 16 Jul 2008 15:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Pass your Castlevaniastic Judgment on these new screens]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/pass-your-castlevaniastic-judgment-on-these-new-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/pass-your-castlevaniastic-judgment-on-these-new-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/pass-your-castlevaniastic-judgment-on-these-new-screens/#commentsFiled under: ,


The judgment of a Fanboy is brutal, terrifying and often accompanied by various LOLs and ZOMGs. In fact, the revelation that Castlevania: Judgment for the Wii was to be a fighting game resulted in the biggest ZOMG of them all. Hey, Konami may be tampering with a classic formula, and pitting classic characters against each other for no excuse but to witness a violent showdown -- but what the heck is wrong with that?

Bring down your gavel of screenshot-hating justice after viewing the latest images in the gallery. An empty excuse for a cash cow Wii title or not -- it looks very pretty.


[Via press release]

JoystiqPass your Castlevaniastic Judgment on these new screens originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentdraculafighterfightingkonamiWed, 16 Jul 2008 13:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Interview with the (director of games about a) Vampire]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/12/interview-with-the-director-of-games-about-a-vampire/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/12/interview-with-the-director-of-games-about-a-vampire/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/12/interview-with-the-director-of-games-about-a-vampire/#commentsFiled under:


As part of a ton of Castlevania Judgment coverage, IGN interviewed the man in charge of the franchise, Koji "IGA" Igarashi. You can probably guess the content of the first question.

IGA explained what possessed him to make a 3D fighter with some fairly smart reasoning: people want to swing the Wiimote to whip, and he decided it would be best to implement those kinds of mechanics in a shorter-session game. "... I realized, with the 3D action style, I would be able to incorporate intervals so that players can rest and this would allow players to enjoy the swinging action of the Wii Remote." IGA also mentioned that part of the Elebits/Dewy team is working on Judgment, which should at least ensure lovely visuals.

IGN's hands-on with the game gave us a bit of morning light to vanquish the horrible night of our skepticism, describing Judgment as more of a Power Stone free-roaming vs. action game than a traditional Tekken or Virtua Fighter-like game.

JoystiqInterview with the (director of games about a) Vampire originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentfightingigaigarashikonamiSat, 12 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wii Fanboy Weekly: July 3 - July 9]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/wii-fanboy-weekly-july-3-july-9/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/wii-fanboy-weekly-july-3-july-9/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/wii-fanboy-weekly-july-3-july-9/#commentsFiled under:


It's been a busy week in the Wii world, but when isn't it? We've got lots of great homegrown content for you, as well as some of the most popular pages on the site over the last week. Don't dip your toes, dive in! And check out the new images from Castlevania Judgment.

Oh, and don't forget: we're giving away another free Virtual Console game. Check it out!

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JoystiqWii Fanboy Weekly: July 3 - July 9 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentweekly-recapWiiWed, 09 Jul 2008 21:00:00 EST