38. Super Castlevania IV (SNES)

Everyone loves Symphony of the Night. Everyone. In fact, it’s very tiring to hear how much they love it. I’ve got nothing against the game, but to me, the “metroidvania” thing is not conducive to a true Castlevania. Super Castlevania IV launched shortly after the SNES, and to me it’s one of the last great traditional Castlevania games. The art is still gothic as it should be in a game like this, as opposed to the anime-like style of the newer games, and the level design is linear. In my mind, what makes the game better than Symphony is just how pure it is. The monsters are classic, the levels classic, and Simon Belmont is of course, classic. It’s also the only Castlevania where you can whip in 8 directions, which is a godsend. Play it, and send Dracula back to Hell.