Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (GBA, 2003)

• Level design is much more linear overall unless you're doing sequence breaks (more corridors and less detours for optional upgrades, can reach a sub area and quest item near underground reservoir earlier by pushing a boat there down a slope and using it as a temporary platform, can stand on one enemy type to reach certain items - CotM, one optional area called Underground Cemetery with an extra boss - beating it unlocks a small area in Inner Quarters with a hint for how to get the true ending)

• Soul system (steal enemy abilities by defeating them then use these as sub weapons/shields/specials – three different types can be equipped (one of each at the same time, but not combined for new effects) - similar to Mega Man and the previous card system)

• Improved teleport system (choose where to go in the map view, no teleporter in the floating garden area though)

• Improved shop (stays in one place close to a portal, sell or buy anything)

• Three endings (which one you get depends on your equipment during the finale rather than choices made throughout the game - need three specific souls equipped which are hinted at)

• Quick save/sleep feature lets you quickly backtrack to the beginning of the current area/room (might've been better to let you start at the most recently visited save point instead)

• Save points (one slot per game, three in total)

• Some sequence breaking opportunities (castle corridor>floating gardens by perfectly timing a double jump, castle corridor>inner quarters by floating and double jumping in the wide room near the middle of the area, flying armor/glide jump skip by backdashing then jumping and turning around at area before chapel, more)

• Breakable walls are back (though much fewer than in CotM and you need an ability to spot them meaning it takes up a slot you could've used for something else)

• Slowly regenerating MP, Hearts now refill the magic meter (good since they were getting redundant, magic meter now fuel for sub weapons)

• Unlockables (hard mode, boss rush, Julius Belmont mode)

• Item placement is somewhat better than in HoD (potions are still sort of placed at random)

• In-game bestiary

• Battle arena is back (sort of - it's a required area containing three optional challenge rooms that aren't particularly hard here)

• Can't hold more than 9 of each item at once

• No MP or HP upgrades (perhaps more frequent level ups instead?)

• New enemies do not appear in already explored areas (see CotM or Metroid Prime)

• Dropped items disappear after a few seconds

• New game plus (start with the map revealed, all souls and all equipment but not your permanent abilities so the game world doesn't open up much more)

• You can no longer stand on petrified enemies (could've been used to reach some areas earlier)

• Dash/slide/dive kick moves have to be found here (normal running doesn’t exist; dash move no longer makes you move faster (regular movement is a bit faster than in HoD but still), no forward dash until right before the final area and it's a blue soul ability so not permanent/toggle-able)

Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review

Influenced by: Probably Metroid and Zelda series, possibly Mega Man Zero series

Influenced: Shaman King 1-2 (GBA)