Crypt Stalker

Genre: Compilation / Action-Platformer

Players: 1

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Review:

Crypt Stalker is an Action-Platformer… well, no, actually it’s a Compilation of two Action-Platformers (three if you count “The Lost Sequel”), released in 2024 on PC and Nintendo Switch. In this game, players take the role of a whip-wielding hero who sets off to fight a horde of evil monsters awakened by an eclipse and… yeah, this game is so very clearly cribbing all its notes from the classic Castlevania games. To call this a love letter to the pre-Metroidvania era of the Castlevania franchise is underselling it – this game is absolutely gushing with fondness for classic ‘vania.

Crypt Stalker includes two primary game types, “Console Version” and “Handheld Version”. More than mere palette swaps, these are actually two completely different games with similar mechanics, one modeled after Nintendo Entertainment System games, and one modeled classic monochrome Game Boy games.

As such, you won’t be surprised to hear that this game features 2D pixel art visuals in styles appropriate for each, even with a Game Boy-esque border for the handheld version. This is extremely faithful to the visuals of the platforms in question, too – there are no palette swaps for the “Handheld Version”, and the “Console Version” uses sprite-based visuals with only four colors per sprite, unlike other games like Shovel Knight that mimic the classic look without strictly observing those limitations.

The result are extremely nostalgic visuals that are somewhat outdated by today’s standards (especially the Handheld Version), though I’m sure that’s the point. And these visual limitations are offset by some truly gorgeous stage designs and boss designs. This is joined by an excellent chiptune soundtrack, though I sadly don’t have any examples to share at this time. Suffice it to say the early stage music in particular is really catchy.

It’s not just the presentation that this game nails, either. Crypt Stalker manages to deliver some surprisingly good Castlevania-esque Action-Platformer gameplay, with the Console Version game giving us some good jumping and whipping action, along with orbs to whip to get upgrades (a la Castlevania’s candles), and a gun with different types of ammunition in limited quantities to use as projectiles (a la Castlevania’s “sub-weapons”). There’s even a swinging mechanic much like there was in Super Castlevania IV. Plus, you have some interesting bosses, and some really clever stage mechanics.

As for the Handheld Version… would you believe that this game is actually better than any Castlevania game released on the original Game Boy? Well, it is, and manages to be a solid take on a slightly-simplified reworking of the Console Version. Oh, and the “Unreleased Sequel” can just be considered “more of the Console Version”, which is a cute little extra.

When it comes to complaints, I do have a few. The Console Version games have some loose-feeling movement, which makes for some imprecision in getting around. Also, the difficulty is a bit nasty (much like the games that inspired Crypt Stalker), though there are options to tone it down a smidge. Also, I don’t like the way this game requires players to manually swap between the whip and gun weapons instead of just making the swap button what you use to fire the gun – it’s adding an extra step for no reason, making this unnecessarily cumbersome. And finally, a skilled player can probably get through all of this game’s content within just a few hours, though this is mitigated by a very reasonable $7 price tag.

In the end, Crypt Stalker is an absolutely lovely surprise of a game that honors the spirit of some beloved classics, giving us not only some solid gameplay, but some delightful variety within its different “Versions”. If you’re an Action-Platformer fan or a fan of old-school games, this is definitely a game you’ll want to check out, and if you’re a Castlevania fan, you should consider this a must-buy.

tl;dr – Crypt Stalker is a Compilation of two (and a half) versions of Action-Platformer games inspired by the classic NES and Game Boy Castlevania games, and they succeed at this task beautifully. There are certainly some issues I could nitpick, but overall this is a delightful package that is well worth the $7 price tag.

Grade: B+

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This game has been nominated for one or more of eShopperReviews 2024 Game Awards:

Winner:

Best Action Game – Not one, but two loving tributes to a classic game series, that in some ways are even better than the classic games they’re inspired by. If you’re an old-school Castlevania fan, this game was not to be missed, and if you’re looking for great Action on Nintendo Switch in 2024, I feel like this is definitely a game you’ll want to pick up.

Most Overlooked – This is a loving tribute to old-school Castlevania that got overlooked by critics, probably because publisher RedDeer.Games floods the eShop with their games, making critics far less eager to want to look at them. However, at least in this one case, they really should – Crypt Stalker is a loving tribute to a beloved classic series and its installments on not just one, but two platforms.

Runner-Up: Best Compilation/Collection, Best Value

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