Reviews (36)

My first game
This was the first game I EVER played. It really is cool, with 12
levels and plenty of secrets. Like in the third level, if you go all the way to the left and jump, it revels a block that will take you up to the cealing to get a bunch of coins, or that you can go inside some of the flower pots. I've been playing this game for 9 years, and I'm certain I don't know all the secrets. Anywho, people are complaining that you can't save: here's the question: why do you need to? The game can be beaten in thirty minutes...non-saving just adds to the replay value.

itssooooooooofun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i think that this game is really likean expert version of super mario brothers 1 because it has almost the same graphics.itseemslikeagoodgamebecausemariogets to fly andswim inasub!i giveit3 stars cause 1itishard tofirefireballs 2ndwhen you jumpon a koopatheshell [Explodes]!(...)

One of the finest GB games ever made
Alright, I know there are those with the gripes (can't save, only 12 levels, blah blah blah) but this game is pretty old guys. This game was released in 1989 and there weren't very many games back then that you actually could save on.Second, there are only 12 levels and they're extremely short. You can beat the game in simply 30 minutes. There should be no reason why anyone should have to save at all.It's very easy to rack up several lives thanks to the bonus game that Nintendo threw in as well.

For 1989 and for the early years of the Gameboy these graphics aren't bad.While they look like something seen on a graphing calculator they're not bad considering its age.

The game isn't too hard, but it isn't so easy either.The gameplay is similar to the original Mario Bros. on the NES.Except that you can't tell which power up you've got.That could be a problem.

Reviews (14)

this game stinks
this game has bad graphics. a cave man is probably more younger than this game. don't get it

They should remake this next
After playing Metroid, Super MEtroid, MEtroid PRime, Fusion, and Zero I realized that the only one I had not played/beaten yet was the Gameboy version of Metroid, MEtroid 2.SO I went on one of my legendary hunts for this and low and behold I found it. A few hours Later I had beaten it and left me with some interesting thoughts.

The Story here is that Samus Arron has defeated Mother Brain and her space pirates on Planet Zebes, her next assignment is the exterminate the Metroids.So it is from here that the game begins.You must eliminate 37 or so Metroids scattered throughout the caverns of the Planet, but the metroids are not like the ones from before, as these particular breed have mutated to a more evolved state.

This game is interesting in that it is still classic Metroid fun, but with a few complaints.The First one is that the game is real short.The nesxt is when it comes to gathering powerups those too happen fast.Within a fifteen minute time span (all in one to two areas) I went from the Ice Beam to the Wave to Spazer to Plasma beam.That was in a fifteen minute slot.The final is that outside of the Final Boss, there are no other major bosses.Unlike the first in which you had to Face Ridley and Kraid first in order to proceed, this one just throws at you one of the four evolved forms of the metroids to deal with.

I am not saying that this is a bad game but if you have become hooked to say Fusion or Zero than this game is a step down for you (and if you only played Prime well avoid all together).However if you are a die hard collector or are interested in the full story than this game is a must have in the legacy.Just be warned it's short and sweet but with a hard edge (difficulty).

Reviews (25)

Lovin it
I love this game. if you ask me its the best game for GBC. i love it

Its sooooooooo awsome!!!!!!!!!

The Son Of Super Mario Bros. 3 And Super Mario Land
WOW, I love this game.It is the best non-colorized portable Mario side-scroller I have ever played. This is one of the best game boy action games out there, along with donkey kong land 1-3, Metroid II, The Kirby games, and others.The rabbit ears kick but and I love the space zone.

Graphics-4/5, almost like black-and-white super mario world.

Play Control-5/5, Extremely Tight, and not too complex.

Game Design-4/5, It would be perfect, but it lacks an ice zone or a desert zone. It's a bit short compared to, oh say, Super Mario World, but it has high replay value.Hidden Levels too!

Satisfaction-6/5 Expert players may beat it in a week or two, but you want to play this forever!!!!!!!!!!

Sound-4/5- The Sound is almost as good as SMB3's, but the music isn't perfect, but for a game boy game, it's fairly solid.

the good- cool enemies, powers, levels. great replay value.

the bad- it's a tad short.

the ugly- The Three Little Pigs and Wario.

Better than the first one.
Super Mario Land 2 is way better than its first one.In this "retro review" we're going to look at what made this one of the best GB games of its time (but too bad just a year later we'd get "The Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening").

The graphics were a major step above the first one and were actually stunning visuals for the GB. They look ALMOST like a snazzy early SNES game.

Gameplay actually very closely resembles Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World.You've got your power ups that unlike the first Super Mario Land can actually TELL you grabbed them.The Flower Power up and the Bunny Ears (only seen in this one) are nice.The Bunny Ears is like the leaf in SMB3. Except that Mario can't fly but they allow him to glide down to safety.

The music is great for its time and even now it isn't bad.It's been about 11 years since its release and the tunes still play out in my head at times.

The Map is used in this one as well.Except you can't go and challenge old bosses which kind of stinks.

The story follows that Mario has lost his castle to Wario (no saving Princess Daisy in this one) and he can only get back into his castel using the six golden coins so he must set out to find them in one of the six different "Zones."What's nice about this is that you aren't forced to take the zones in any specific order at all!What's not to like about that.However, if you get a game over you have to find all six coins again.

For those whinning about no saving on Super Mario Land you can finally stop your bitchin' because this game incorporates an auto-save feature.It works well but there are moments where the game will erase the data on its own.

Reviews (7)

Best wario land game ever!
I have WL1,3 an 4 but i beat all of them. I played this a long time ago (first WL game i played) at friends house an i wanted a copy but gamestore didnt have copy of game at the time but they had wario land 3 so i got it (wario land 4 and the GBA didnt come out yet) then when gba an WL4 came out i got that but my friend didnt manage to get a GBA but got WL2 (luckily) an i played an beat it an thats how i beat all WL games. I played super mario land but not the 2nd one but i didnt really like it (its just me thats all). an a few days ago i got this game at gamestore! u should get it too cuz it leaves off after marioland 2 (i know the plot from end of SML2-WL4) ill explain thestory

END of SML2- Mario defeated wario an got his castle back and warios attempt to take over marioland failed...WL3:SML3- Wario realy wanted a castle but didnt know how to get one until he remembered a rumor about a gang of thieves (forgot name) stole a giant peach/toadstool statue that mario ( yes Mario) was foreverlookin for an Wario thot if he found it first, he could sell it for $$$ to the royal family so he headed off for his gold...and castle of coarse...this is where U come in to help wario on his journey....

You can get this game at some Gamestop stores, here from a seller, ebay,etc. its not that hard to find really an 15-20$ is a good deal for this game. WL4 is the easiest to get, then WL3, then WL1 (in my area) but WL2 is quite difficult to find...have fun with this game!

this rocks
i have been playing it all the time lately and now i find itt really easy but whats good about it is you can save it unlike most game boy games i love it.

Great game!
This game is simply a great game! It is very long too, I think there is something like 40 levels (although some of them are literally only 2-4 screens long, but really, theres only a couple of those).
First of all, there are many many things to discover; like for instance, if you have the hat that has the spikes on top and you jump and hit your head on the "ceiling" and press up on the + pad, youl'l hang there by you head!
There are also creative enimies, like there is one that is a dog that throws knives at you, and when the knife hits a wall, it will stick in it!
Anyway, this is just a really great game that will entertain you for probably weeks. So all in all, I really recomend this game.

Reviews (6)

Totally cool!!!!!
I recommend this game for people who like adventure's! Wario
can not die, he can only lose coins!! At the end of each level there is a game where you use up 50 coins and there is a number behind blocks and you guess what the number is!! This is a very fun game and I recommend it for those game freaks out there!!!

This is the best!
This is the BEST game I have ever played. The REAL final chapter is awsome! You have to beat one of the game`s many Giant Spearmen (Which are actually GIANT Gooms)without touching the floor! And there are SIX different final bosses, and after you beat the game you get to play a mini game Flagman D.D. (which is just like Simon). I would recomend this game to EVERYONE!

Editorial Review

The Wario Land series stands as one of the mostinnovative on the Game Boy Color, and with each new release we are leftwondering how Nintendo is going to top itself with subsequent releases.Somehow they've managed to improve on the game's magical formula onceagain with Wario Land 3, which is not only the best Wario gameever released, but also one of the best Game Boy Color games, period.

Most games require cheat codes before players get unlimited lives, butthe gameplay of Wario Land 3 revolves around the concept ofinvincibility. Wario can't die, but the various creatures in the gamecan transform him temporarily into an alternate form. Get hit by azombie, and you turn into a zombie until you are healed by light from astreet lamp. Let the mad professor hit you with his potion and youbecome invisible, meaning security cameras can't see you, but you alsocan't see yourself to make precision jumps. Each alternate form has aspecific strength and weakness, and figuring out how to use thetransformations to solve puzzles is half of the game's fun. It may seemcounterintuitive, but to succeed at this game you'll need todeliberately try to get hit by certain enemies at various points in thegame. Is this the anti-Mario, or what?

The graphics are clear and colorful, and the animations for both Warioand the other denizens of the land he's trapped in are very fluid. Thesound effects are so-so, but the strange soundtracks that play on eachlevel are catchy. Considering the limitations of the Game Boy Color,it's nice to have a game that combines some of the best graphics thesystem can output with some of the most phenomenal gameplay everdeveloped for any title. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• Twists like invincibility and transformations make for someexciting gameplay considerations
• Terrific background graphics, smoothly animated characters, and acatchy soundtrack
• One of the best Game Boy Color games ever released

• May be too difficult and frustrating for younger players

Editorial Review

Features

• Side-scrolling action game
• Adventure through more than 40 exciting levels
• Play as Donkey Kong or Diddy Kong on their mission to stop K. Rool
• A wild assortment of friendly animals help you on your mission
• For 1 player

Reviews (16)

One hecka fun game!
I think this is the best DKL game ever made. It can be hard to see at times (Or just plain HARD!), but it's still a good, fun game to play. I totally support that other guy's suggestion that there should be a GBA/DS remake.

Good Game But Its on the SP
This game is the same as Donkey Kong Country. Same Music. Same Baddies. Same EVERYTHING! If you want to buy this, go buy Donkey Kong Country which has BETTER graphics. 4/5 Dudes.

Features

• Play as Diddy Kong or Dixie Kong on a mission to rescue the kidnapped Donkey Kong
• A wild assortment of friendly animals help you on your mission
• For 1 player
• Side-scrolling action game
• Adventure through 40 exciting levels

Reviews (8)

The BEST Game Boy game!!
I LOVE THIS GAME!!!!! This is the best game! I havn't beat it yet, but I will soon! Let's hope I can!!!

great game but almost a copy
this is a very good game.if you like donkey kong country 2.the diffrencesstart on the first boss.this boss is diffrent the krow will come from the right.you wait for the egg to stop bouncing jump over him and hit him with the egg. same at ghost krow.klaver is a sword in lava.this boss is pretty much the same.but you jump over crocidale heads instead of hooks.and you shoot him with a cannon.klubba is not in this game atsept at the toll. you do not get to fight him as a boss.kackel is not in this game eithter they replace him with a themepark level called crazy roller coaster. for king zing bee is much more calleging when you try to hit himmore bees appaer.ok the of the game captin k rool.ok this guy is pretty weak for hte boss of the game.you could beat him on your first try this game is very fun so if you buy this,
goodluck.

Features

• Get help from familiar friends like Ellie the Elephant and Squiter the Spider
• Find items and coins--get them all for bonuses
• For 1 player
• Dixie Kong and Kiddy Kong set out to find the Lost World
• 6 levels with 36 stages, and dozens of bonus areas

Reviews (6)

For a very old game, it's great!
This is a great game! Even though the only colors in the game are white, black, yellow and green, it's still a fun & exciting game. I like the music, which is surprisingly good for a game its age. It's a good game for all ages. Buy it!

DK Land lll
this is an awesome game. it has fun gameplay, moderate graphics,and excellent music. you can choose to be Dixie kong or Kiddie Kong. each one has advantages. you have to collect DK
coins and Bonus coins. I don't own this game; a friend lent it
to me. Overall, this is a very entertaining game. it is compatible with the Game Boy or Game Boy Color.

Editorial Review

One of the best things about the Game Boy Color is that it'sbasically an original Nintendo Entertainment System that can fit inyour pocket. What this means for gamers is that many of the great gamesfor the classic system are being ported to the Game Boy Color, givingus a chance to re-play (or in some cases discover) the best game titlesfrom the '80s.

Nintendo's own Super Mario Bros. Deluxe is among the first ofthese conversions, and it certainly remains one of the best. Actually,calling this game a conversion really doesn't do it justice. Thisversion actually contains more levels than the original game, includingthe entire Japanese version and a slew of extras (such as a two-playermode).

The controls in this game are easy to grasp--even for novice gamers.All Mario can do is jump (and shoot fireballs with the right power- ups), but it is amazing to see how much gameplay can be squeezed fromthese simple actions when the controls work in direct harmony with aplayer's thoughts. The only element of this game that could have beenbetter is that the Game Boy Color's screen isn't quite large enough toshow the entire layout of the original game screen, so players mayoccasionally need to press up and down on the control pad to see someoffscreen action. While this can be distracting, it ultimately hasminimal impact on gameplay. If you are looking for the quintessentialside-scrolling platform game, you can't do much better than SuperMario Bros. Deluxe. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• Classic side-scrolling action gameplay
• Lots of extras

• Screen isn't quite big enough to show the entire layout of thegame

Editorial Review

The world's favorite plumber makes his first appearance (alongwith playable characters Luigi, Peach, and Toad) on the Game BoyAdvance, and, for the most part, Mario's arrival is welcome indeed.

Super Mario Advance is primarily a slightly tweaked port ofSuper Mario Bros. 2, the (still) very popular side scroller fromthe days of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). So expect plenty of running,jumping, and hurling of items at many a foe.

The game's graphics and sound have been a given a nice overhaul fromthe original game, and are clear and bright enough to please old-schooland new fans alike. While Nintendo did a good job shrinking the visualsdown to handheld size, the tiny GBA screen can get very busy at times,making accidental death due to sometimes less-than-precise controlsfrustratingly frequent--at least in the beginning. Most gamers shouldovercome such mishaps with a little patience.

Also included is the still fun, if forgettable, original MarioBros. game from many eons ago. Up to four players can engage in acoin-collecting battle mode or the classic mode. Super MarioAdvance isn't the game to show off the power of the GBA, but it isa long, fun title that will satisfy today's gamers with a taste fromthe best of Mario's past. --Mark Brooks

Pros:

• One of the best NES games is faithfully ported
• Upgraded sound and graphics
• Gameplay is easy to get into

• Somewhat loose controls
• Neither fresh nor original for those who've played the NES version

Editorial Review

Super Mario World for the Super Nintendo sits at or near the topof most "best video games" lists for a reason. At the time of its release, itwas a dramatic evolution of the side-scrolling Mario series of action-adventuregames, incorporating every gameplay element that worked in the older titleswhile adding a seemingly endless supply of new tricks. This new feature-completeversion of Super Mario World for the Game Boy Advance proves just howtimeless designer Shigeru Miyamoto's 1991 classic really is.

In true Miyamoto fashion, the game starts with simple running and jumping andgradually gets more complex. Soon, you're swimming, flying, tossing fireballs,and riding one of several Yoshis--cute little dinosaurs--that appear throughoutthe game. The overall level design has yet to be exceeded in a 2-D platformer,with each colorful level packed with enough secrets to keep players busy forweeks. A lot of precision jumping is required, but the controls are so tightthat directing Mario (or even Luigi, who wasn't playable in the original)becomes as natural as breathing within a few minutes of playing.

As if packing the entire original game onto the tiny cartridge wasn't enough,Nintendo also put two multiplayer versions of the original Mario Brothersin there, which are playable solo or with up to three other people usingGame Link cables to connect all your Game Boy Advance systems. Both variants are a blast, but thesingle-player adventure is what kept us coming back for more. If you missed it10 years ago when Super Mario World appeared on the Super Nintendo, don'tmake the same mistake twice. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• The game is very replayable thanks to multiple level exits
• Surgically precise controls
• Outstanding level designs that never get old

• Speech effects that were added for Mario and Luigi get old fast

Editorial Review

Oh no! It looks like your granddad was right--things really were better in the old days. At least they were if you liked 2-D platform games, and Yoshi’s Island is indisputably one of the best ever made.

Yoshi’s Island goes back in time to recount the touching story of the various Yoshis' attempts to unite Baby Mario with his parents. You don’t actually control the Italian plumber-to-be but instead his dinosaur pal, who has the curious ability to eat his enemies and then immediately turn them into eggs, which he can then fling at more enemies.

Since Yoshi isn’t particularly fast and can float in midair for a few seconds after making a jump, the whole dynamics of the normal Mario gameplay have changed, but the same incredible attention to detail and endless imagination that mark all of Nintendo’s best efforts are still here in full effect. In fact they’re joined this time, after the rather plain-looking prequel, by some wonderful pastel-shaded graphics that were jaw-dropping when the game was originally released in 1995 and still manage to impress now.

Editorial Review

Metroid Fusion is a side-scrolling action game that's more in line with the series' NES origin than its GameCube contemporary, the first-person action game Metroid Prime. In this one, players take the bounty hunter Samus on an extermination mission through a research facility to kill X parasites--nasty creatures that absorb and assimilate the powers of their host. After she survived an X attack through the use of a vaccine made with X parasite DNA, she can now absorb the parasites to regain health and obtain special powers, like the morph ball, space jump, and wave beam. The problem is that the parasites are quickly making their way through the research lab's many dangerous projects and subsuming their abilities.

Editorial Review

If you're still suffering the lingering effects of Pac-Man fever, you'llbe excited to hear that Namco's Pac-Man Collection repackages theinfectious original with three other Pac-Man-themed games in a new anthology forthe Game Boy Advance.

Pac-Man Collection contains the original Pac-Man, plusPac-Attack, PacMania 3D, and the never-before-seen-out-of-the-arcadePac-Man Arrangement game. Pac-Man plays like you remember, andlike Namco Museums's picture perfect re-creation of Ms. Pac-Man,it features spot-on control, graphics, cartoon cutscenes, sound effects, and,best of all, music from the coin-op (who can forget that opening theme?). Assuch, it's easily the best of this collection.

PacMania 3D is basically a 3-D version of the original, and is just aboutas uninspired now as when it came out. Pac-Attack is a cool variation onsuch puzzlers as Tetris and Columns, and as such it's perfect forhandheld gaming. Pac-Man Arrangement is an odd little game that playsmuch like the original but adds weird power-ups that, for example, make yougigantic.

Because Pac-Man Collection is a perfectly emulated package, there isn'tmuch to gripe about, save that Ms. Pac-Man is a far, far better game thanthe original, and you'll have to shell out more money if you want that one. Butfor retro gamers on the go who also want to track down ghosts and eat powerpills, this package is sure to sate your hunger. --Andrew S. Bub

Pros:

• Perfect graphics and sound
• Perfect controls
• Pac-Attack is a fun Tetris variant

• It's missing the best Pac game, Ms. Pac-Man
• Pac-Man Arrangement and PacMania 3D aren't really great games

Editorial Review

One of the best side-scrolling game franchises makes a successful debuton the Game Boy Advance in Castlevania: Circle of the Moon. This timearound you follow the adventures of Nathan Graves as he attempts to stop therecently resurrected Dracula. In the fine tradition of Castlevania vampirehunters, Graves carries a whip as his primary weapon, and will soon discover thetraditional secondary weapons of holy water, dagger, boomerang, time freeze, andmore. New to the series is the dual set-up system (DSS), which allows you to use20 cards (randomly found) for up to 80 power-ups.

The game plays like a side-scrolling classic without seeming too dated. Playerstraipse around a nonlinear dungeon, defeat monsters, and unlock new parts of thedungeon, often through the use of new abilities. It's similar to the excellentCastlevania: Symphony of the Night for the PlayStation, with the obviousaural limitations of a cartridge-based handheld system.

Unfortunately, the game's dark graphics are difficult to see on the Game BoyAdvance's fickle screen. Long sessions require consistent overhead lighting, sothis isn't the ideal game for travel. The animations are also lacking, makingcharacter movement appear jerky. Despite these graphics shortcomings, thisside-scrolling wonder makes a fine addition to your GBA library. --Raymond M.Padilla

Pros:

• Classic gameplay
• High replay value
• Great sound for a handheld game

• Dark graphics are butchered by the GBA screen
• Mediocre animation

Reviews (39)

Fun but falls flat on its face.
Sure the graphics are much more colorful than the last GBA Castlevania but the graphics and enemies look downright like cartoons in most parts.

Plus whats the deal with your main characters blue shadow?
I think that was a bit of a overkill.
And the magic system has been severely, and badly, toned down from the Castlevania: Circle of the Moon.

And the two identical castle system really lacks imagination and makes the game very very tedius near its end.
Exploring every area of the game TWICE does make the game longer but it definitely doesnt make it funner...

Depressingly Dissapointing
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance is Koji Igarashi's second take on the CV franchise (his first being the critically acclaimed Castlevania: Symphony of the Night for the Playstation). While many have dubbed this as "heir apparent to Symphony of the Night," I beg to differ.Even as SotN is one of my favorite games ever, and even as I am a Castlevania fan, Harmony of Dissonance (HoD) has come across as an incredibly disappointing gaming experience in many respects.

Please read: I love Symphony of the Night to death.I hate Harmony of Dissonance.

Displaying different play mechanics, level layout, atmosphere, and many other traits, it is quite radically different from SotN, and pretty much any other Castlevania.Is this good, or bad?We'll take a look and see.

Let's start out with the story and the beginning of the game.Juste Belmont, grandson of Simon, decides to follow his friend, Maxim, to the area where Maxim saw a castle appear out of nowhere, and where he believes their friend, Lydie, is being held captive.Could it truly be the legendary Castle Dracula?
The characters certainly have some personality, such as Juste's "newcomer" characteristics as a Vampire Hunter, but, overall, it's nothing special or deep.The dialogue in HoD is quite mundane and forgettable. Castlevania has never really been about story, but after SotN's excellent plot and nearly "biblically-quotable" dialogue that was pure gold, I'd hoped to see better from Igarashi than what is here.Sadly, the girl, Lydie, is just another pretty face with basically no personality, and who is basically seen in less than 1% of your game playing time.

I've heard a lot of people praise this game's graphics, and say they are incredible step up from CotM's.I will indeed say that the graphics are more varied than CotM's, in that CotM's look was basically was comprised of brick-walls/pillars background, one after another.Oddly enough, though, CotM evoked so much more atmosphere than HoD does.With its huge rooms, and majestic and shadowy architecture, it truly gave off a sense of your smallness and its magnificence, and was quite unlike anything I'd ever experienced before in a game.In short, CotM pretty much got it right in making me feel like I was in a castle of darkness, mystery, and evil.HoD, unfortunately, leaves behind all notion of atmosphere in its more varied locales (except in the Entrance and the Chapel), something that is crucial in a video game, especially in a series such as Castlevania. The Castle Treasury is the first biggest piece of evidence for this subject.Offering us a mainly drab, gray background with various bits of unexceptional detail, it is randomly interspersed with unique, yet still unsatisfying, backgrounds, like the crystal filled hallways, which pale in comparison to CV4's lovely treasury, and are pretty much boring in their own right.There is no real level of progression.Rooms feel so randomly connected and unrelated that one sometimes gets an unnecessary feeling of confusion or longing for some type of continuity or relation.The lack of transition rooms between areas makes this more potent.

Numerous examples of HoD's boring level design can be seen in the "Aqueduct of Dragons," HoD's "sewer area."Besides the areas' rooms being basically 2 rooms repeated over and over, the lack of pretty much any details that catch our eye is depressing.The exceptions to HoD's dominant drab areas are the Corridor in the Air/Sky Walkway (HoD's chapel), and the Cave of Skeletons.The Chapel is such a breath of fresh air.Lovely, curvy architecture fleshes out this area, and there are all sorts of neat details all over, such as the statues.The scrolling clouds effect from SotN is back, though in a less impressive version, yet it's still nice, if a little disappointing that they so blatantly ripped something off from SotN and didn't come up with something new.In the "Alternate Castle" Chapel (more on this later), as you get farther and farther up in the towers, lightning will flash, and shadowy faces will randomly appear in the windows.Inversely, it also breaks my heart that more of this care to detail and beauty couldn't be dispersed throughout more of the Castle.The Cave of Skeletons isn't really pleasing as it is interesting in some parts, in that there are nods to other Castlevanias in the various backgrounds, such as the skeletons of Slogra and Gaibon displayed on a wall in the lower parts of the level.Other than that, it's another one of the forgettable places in HoD.In HoD, to put it simply, the "real castle" is too colorful, and the "alternate castle" is just way too gray and uninteresting.Areas like the Luminous Cavern and the Room of Illusion in the Marble Corridor are meretricious and colorful to the point of neon-vulgarity.Some may like this; I found it to be rather repulsive.HoD gives up the feeling of being in a true castle to the idea that certain aspects have to grab your attention, no matter how unattractive it is in its display, and in so, loses that subtle, wonderful progression of your realization of the surrounding environment, which SotN and CotM so excellently displayed.

Level design...something very, very crucial in games.It can make or break a game.Sure, a game can have spectacular gameplay mechanics and other special features, but can be brought down significantly by shoddy level layout (Lament of Innocence, I'm looking at you).HoD has some parts that are just great and fun to traverse, like the Chapel area, but ends up failing miserably on almost all accounts with its extremely repetitious nature.80% of the time, the room you'll be in will be some straight corridor with nothing to do but pretty much run down it and kill the small number of enemies populating it.Without a doubt, the low point of HoD's level layout is its vertical rooms, which, unfortunately, make a lot of appearances, including the infamously bad "elevator rooms."A description of these rooms are as follows: a room, which basically consists of a vertical route with multiple levels which you reach by walking to the left to, jumping up, walking to the right, jumping, walking to the left, and so on to get to the top.These are just horrifically, mind-numbingly boring rooms, and really detract so much from the experience.You'd have to experience them to see what I am describing.The Clock Tower is chock full of these rooms, some of the biggest ones in the game, in fact, and, as such, is one of the most dull areas in HoD.Other things that come to mind are the "Skull Doors," doors that require a certain key in order to get past them, and which are placed in your way to, more or less, make backtracking to areas even more difficult and less convenient.They're not blocking anything interesting, like some helpful equipment or armor.They're merely there just to extend the game's playing time by making the player needlessly backtrack through areas the player does not want to go through again, since they block off entrances which would make transitioning from area to area much easier.I'm all for backtracking, as the previous "Castleroids" are full of it.But, HoD just has such a boring and strangely laid out Castle when compared to SotN and CotM that it's more of a chore than a pleasure.As a whole, Harmony of Dissonance feels very unfinished and unplanned in the execution of the castle's layout.It's impractical in its design.

HoD's alternate castle is not turned upside down like the one in SotN.It pretty much is the exact same thing, with slightly different enemies and color schemes.HoD's alternate castle has different items to collect in different places, and different bosses, and that's about it.This time, it's crucial to traverse through it in order to beat the game, whereas in SotN it's more of a joyful revelation.As HoD's castle was not interesting to me, finding out that I had another nearly identical castle to explore was more of an unpleasant surprise than a godsend.

Exploring the castle is closely tied in with gameplay, and how the game feels, so I'll move onto that, next.You'll instantly notice that Juste feels "airy" when compared to CotM's protagonist, Nathan.His jump is more "floaty," and right from the get-go, he already slightly runs.Each shoulder button on the Game Boy Advance is used for the new dash feature, which allows Juste to slide across the ground in a burst of speed, either to traverse through areas more quickly, or to dash back from an enemy's attack.However, I felt that the dash attribute really dumbed the game down to feel like you're ice-skating through the castle.That's not something you want to be reminded of when you want atmosphere.You will pretty much use the dash feature to go everywhere.Why walk when you can dash?It was just an unpleasant experience for me that felt overused.It was almost as if the developers wanted you to rush through all the areas in hopes that you wouldn't notice the startlingly unimpressive level design.Juste loses in terms of his whip-handling skills when compared to Nathan, as when you whip and jump, you cannot change your direction until you land.This, obviously, leads you to accidentally jump into the enemy more than you care for.A lot of the time I just felt like the character was controlling me, not him.Not a good thing.This game controls nothing like SotN, or CotM.Don't believe otherwise.

On to the designs of the main character and enemies.Again, Juste loses in terms of believability and fluidity when compared to Alucard and Nathan.His gait is quit humorous and graceless, comparable to someone doing a strange type of running workout.His falling animation is quite pathetic as well.Hair half turned up, as well as his coat, and his legs completely vertical, it's actually quite comedic to see in action.While he has more frames of animation than Nathan, his actions are much less believable, and look more outlandish.There is also the sense that parts of Juste are too large or goofy looking, such as his hands.Iga chose to put some type of blue glow around Juste, and give him an after-image, as well.I suppose this was to let the player see him easier, but this made me cringe; first of all, it's ripping off Alucard's trademark of essence trailing out behind him (though it is still a lot less graceful than Alucard's), and second of all, it just looks too bright and silly.It really just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.I would've been able to see him just fine without it.

Some of the enemies are reused from SotN, though they're all a little less impressive looking, as the graphics are being displayed on a system with Super Nintendo capabilities, not Playstation.Generally, though, the legion of enemies this time is much less impressive than SotN's and CotM's.Perhaps this is due to most of them being comprised of variations of a single enemy, such as the Skeleton enemy, or the Living Armor.I was left feeling unimpressed.The enemies' A.I. is stupid and non-aggressive for the most part, and they usually won't attack until you wait a few seconds, and when they do attack you, they hurt very little.There are no "super enemies" in this game, like the Guardians from SotN, and the Dark Armor from CotM.The bosses are equally lame, usually not moving around much, always extremely easy, and having uninspired designs, such as the "Biggie" enemies, like the Giant Merman, or Peeping Big.Only three bosses caught my eye.It's evident that all the bosses in HoD were made merely to show off the G.B.A.'s capabilities, rather than to present a fun or challenging fight.

HoD is quite possibly the easiest game I've ever played.SotN was easy, too, but made up for it by being pretty much perfect in all other aspects.CotM was going the right direction with its difficulty, exploration and combat-wise.For HoD, the only slight difficulty one may encounter during the travel through the castle is finding all of Dracula's Relics, and probably the final Spell Book.As far as status effects go, "Poison" basically has no effect in HoD, whereas CotM's poison status was a beast."Curse" status makes Juste walk slower and unable to use his dash move.As I mentioned before, the enemies are all very easy to defeat and don't require much thinking, if any.Bosses are complete pushovers.A majority of them are big, and, sadly, that's all they have going for them.Most boil down to you whipping them in one spot, dashing back from one of their slow attacks, and then coming back to whip them mindlessly.The worst boss of all is probably Max Slimer, who never has gotten an attack in on me.All one has to do is crouch right next to it and whip it until it dies.It's all very dull, and there is never any sense of accomplishment when you defeat a boss.It's all made more annoying by the fact that some have a lot of HP, but don't present any challenge.Don't think that it's easy just based on the enemies; you can find so many potions and healing items in rooms and from dead enemies that you'll never really worry about your condition.As this game is like an RPG in the leveling up aspect, it's disappointing that it's pretty much impossible to get past the level 50s, considering basically every monster gives only 1 EXP once you reach the levels near the 50s. This gives the player very little incentive to fight monsters later on.First of all, any item that en enemy may drop can be merely bought from the merchant or found in the castle in easy to find spots.Also, enemies won't drop weapons like they did in SotN, as your only weapon in HoD is a whip, so that is another reason to not kill them.Suddenly, the enemies become mere speed bumps.

Remember how you had to work really hard or get really lucky to get the best equipment in SotN and in CotM?Remember killing the 100th Guardian and finally getting the God's Garb, or beating the Battle Arena and getting the Shining Armor, and feeling that great sense of accomplishment or excitement?Well, not here.Merely get to a certain area by doing a special jump, and voila, there is one of the most powerful armors in the game.I can't tell how much this gave the game an anti-climactic feeling, especially when I got the best armor basically handed to me.There are many whip types; some are characterized by Elemental attributes, but this still doesn't make a difference.I switched up my Fire attachment for a Lightning attachment during the Giant Merman fight, and noticed only about a 5 or 10 damage difference.It's all very negligible and useless.The only helpful whip is the one that breaks apart the occasional cracked barrier that is in your way.Why does HoD have so many pointless things?Another thing that detracts from HoD's experience is that you won't be getting any cool items to use, like SotN's Power of Sire, or the Monster Vials.You'll find none of those great trinkets here in HoD.This game just gives you healing items as things to use.

There is a merchant this time around; unfortunately, he has absolutely no value in this game.The only things he'll ever sell to you that are remotely interesting are the Spring Boots, which let you jump forever, but even this is useless.You're handed so many potions and good armor during the course of th