Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 83 | 19 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 92% | 86 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 96% | 90 | 11 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 30 reviews sampled · 25 total reviews in window · weighted 23.3 up / 1.1 down · computed 7h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (23)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 90
“To be clear, it's mostly Aria of Sorrow that's doing the heavy lifting with this collection, as it really is one of the best in the entire Castlevania series. Circle and Harmony are alright but on the lower tier of the other Metroidvanias, while Dracula X is middling even on its own standards. These are still very much worth playing, though, and this collection makes for an essential purchase for both longtime Castlevania fans and newbies.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“So while the bells and whistles aren't necessarily anything to write home about, the GBA games at the core of this Castlevania Advance Collection are easily worth the price of admission. I remain flummoxed and annoyed that Konami is holding Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night hostage for the time being, but hopefully that will be resolved someday.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Castlevania: Circle of the Moon is an exceptional entry in this iconic vampire-slaying franchise and certainly a must play for fans. Considering the entire Castlevania Advance Collection is only $24.99 US, just this game is worth a good chunk of that value alone. I really enjoyed how fresh this game is given the unique RPG elements and the DSS card system. After playing Metroid Dread and F.I.S.T. this year, I have to say that Circle of the Moon holds up nicely compared to both of them. An easy recommend from me!”
read full review ↗ - 90
“While it is a bummer than both Castlevania Legends and Symphony of the Night are missing (especially since both of those relate to the three advance games more than Dracula X does), what’s here is excellent, and the quality of life and scaling options make this $20 value an absolute must-own, whether you’re new to some or all of the games or someone who played these to death, there’s lots of fun action to be had here, and it’s a great starting point for this explorative style of Vania.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Collecting three superb Castlevania entries from the Game Boy Advance era and one more obscure SNES offering, this is a must-have for any fan of the genre that Castlevania carved out.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“A very narrow selection of games, from a format that does not work well on modern TVs, but Aria Of Sorrow in particular stands out as one of the best Castlevania games ever made.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Some games age badly. Others can come back as often as they want, they will have no trouble charming their audience. The three Castlevania released on the Game Boy Advance are still, 20 years later, simply worn, of a very good overall level. (Re)trying them on larger screens, with some welcome arrangements, is not refused, whether you have a little nostalgia, the desire to perfect your culture or a good appetite for Metroidvanias.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“With its quality of life enhancements, incredible game selection, and bonus content. Castlevania Advance Collection is an amazing deal for fans of the series and metroidvanias alike”
read full review ↗ - 85
“A Collection that includes some of the most representative and entertaining 2D episodes of the entire saga. Let's hope that Konami will soon put in the hands of M2 the chapters for Nintendo DS.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“I love this collection. I absolutely love that it exists and that I can finally re-play these portable classics in a cheaper and more convenient way in 2021. Regardless of if they have aged poorly in some aspects due to the GBA’s underwhelming hardware, Castlevania Advance Collection is an absolute must for fans of the metroidvania genre. You’re getting three of the best games in the franchise, as well as Dracula X.”
read full review ↗ - 87
“The Castlevania Advance Collection offers fantastic value with three excellent Metroidvania games (and one heck of a challenging side scroller).”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Castlevania Advance Collection really showcases a side of Konami we don’t see very often anymore. On one hand, they trot out old franchises with low-effort projects and try to essentially trick people into buying them. On the other, they are capable of putting out old games in a format that’s not just well crafted, but also seeks to preserve classics that you can’t easily find. The company is an enigma.”
read full review ↗
Nintendo Life
NintendoWorldReport
NextGen Player
Seafoam Gaming
GameSkinny
Metro GameCentral
Gameblog
TechRaptor
IGN
WayTooManyGames
RPG Fan
Destructoid…and 11 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
No patch announcements found on Steam yet.