This week for Retro Game Friday I’m covering the first Castlevania game to be released on the GameBoy Advance. It’s Castlevania Circle of the Moon!

Plot Synopsis: At an old castle, Camilla, a minion of Dracula, revives him, only to be interrupted by the arrival of three vampire hunters Morris, Nathan, and Hugh. Before they are able to banish him again, Dracula destroys the floor under Nathan and Hugh, causing them to plummet down a long tunnel. Surviving the fall and wishing to find his father, Hugh leaves Nathan behind. Nathan proceeds to search the castle for his mentor Morris…

Plot: The plot is okay, nothing spectacular however. Not quite as good as Symphony of the Night or even the Sorrow games.

Gameplay: It was the first GBA Castlevania so it paved the way for later entries in the series. It wasn’t as good as those games, but it was still fun nonetheless. The Dual Set-Up System was fun, but it could be a bit clunky as well. Still if you’ve never played this it’s worth playing!

Art: It has aged pretty well, although the backgrounds are a bit worse off than the character sprites. Still this is a great example of why 2D is more timeless, even more than almost a decade and half later.

Music: Don’t remember a whit, sorry.

Overall: Give this a shot if you’ve never played it before and have the chance, but it’s not a must play game.

For those who like: Castlevania Games, Platformers, Action, Adventure, Good Plots, Decent Cast of Characters, Excellent Art.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above.