Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night

 iOS
  • Publisher: Konami
  • Release Date: Jul 21, 2010
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
Buy Now
Stream On
  1. GamePro
    Jan 29, 2011
    100
    It's incredible how much this feels like an actual Castlevania game. Everything from the weapon/armor customization and spells to the 32-bit art style makes this essentially a complete Castlevania game that just happens to have have a surprisingly fun puzzle-based battle system.
  2. No DPad
    Jan 29, 2011
    100
    While the game is clearly made with longtime Castlevania fans in mind, there is more than enough content for a newcomer to the series to get their feet wet and enjoy.
  3. 1UP
    Jan 29, 2011
    91
    If there's a problem with EOTN it's that you can't play against your friends. No hotseat play, no remote play, no nuthin'. Apart from that, though, the controls are easy to master, the game is huge, the setting is fun, and it costs five freakin' bucks. Don't hate.
  5. TouchArcade
    Jan 29, 2011
    90
    But it's hard to dismiss what a fantastic game Castlevania Puzzle actually is, and most importantly how much fun it is. My only real complaint about the game is that the controls during battle can be overly sensitive.
  6. Game Chronicles
    Jan 29, 2011
    85
    What Konami decided to do instead is take a genre that excels on the iPhone, and couple it with a game gamers know and love. It's a brilliant move, and one that I applaud.
  7. AppSpy
    Jan 29, 2011
    80
    Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night is strangely moreish, but you'll need to put in some serious time to truly enjoy the game's later gameplay.
  8. Joystiq
    Jan 29, 2011
    80
    Even with its rough spots, Encore of the Night is a great game and a genuine surprise. You don't have to be a Castlevania junkie to enjoy it, but you'll definitely appreciate it even more if you come from the vamp-stamping camp.
  9. Pocket Gamer UK
    Jan 29, 2011
    80
    Castlevania: Encore of the Night skillfully combines addictive gameplay with impressive depth and lashing of fan-service.
  10. Slide to Play
    Jan 29, 2011
    75
    It's not the Castlevania game we hoped to see on the iPhone, but Encore of the Night is an interesting puzzle-adventure hybrid with more good than bad.
  11. IGN
    Jan 29, 2011
    74
    But though I consider myself a Castlevania fan, I cannot overlook how frustrating it is to play Castlevania Puzzle at times.
  12. 148Apps
    Jan 29, 2011
    70
    Very little skill is required to get through Castlevania Puzzle, just a burning desire to level your character up and get more weapons. Honestly, if you took the Match 3 aspect out of the game and just turned the battles into a standard turn based RPG affair, or even just simulated it all with no graphics, I would be much happier.
  13. Destructoid
    Jan 29, 2011
    70
    Without the issues surrounding the use of screen space and controls, Castlevania Puzzle would have been a phenomenal title.
  14. TouchGen
    Jan 29, 2011
    50
    Castlevania: Encore of the night tries to a lot of interesting things, but succeeds at none of them. Even hard-core Castlevania fans will have a hard time making it through this one.

Awards & Rankings

84
#84 Most Discussed iOS Game of 2010
55
#55 Most Shared iOS Game of 2010

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 6 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 6
  3. Negative: 1 out of 6
  1. Rubius25
    Feb 23, 2016
    9
    Encore of the Night, with its gorgeous hand drawn visuals, brooding orchestral soundtrack, and Puzzle Quest gameplay style is THE mostEncore of the Night, with its gorgeous hand drawn visuals, brooding orchestral soundtrack, and Puzzle Quest gameplay style is THE most underated gem on the app store. Those with eyes to see its exquisite design, extraordinary scope, and aesthetic elegance will be fast to praise this near perfect gem. And that, in short, is why Apple was so keen to accommodate this, the Castlevania series' only iphone game, tripling the app download size restriction (at the time) of all its app store games specifically to allow it into its line-up of app store games. Encore of the Night is to puzzle-adventure fans what Mario World is to platform lovers, Day of the Tentacle is to point and click enthusiasts, or Panzer Dragoon Saga is to collectors. It's important, beloved, and it expands the app store's remit to include fan-favorite console titles as well as those arcade classics such as Metal Slug, Galaga, and, Final Fight. Encore of the Night directly draws the best elements from each of the best Castlevania games that have come before it, building a deep but understandable puzzle adventure and setting it in a dank, 16th century Romanian castle.

    The core gameplay is distinctly akin to Puzzle Fighter; blocks will fall into your play area, and matching 3 of the same color will clear them from your board. Certain blocks will be unclearable until you form a match-3 adjacent to them, which will allow you to plan ahead and set up cascades of match-3 chains as you get the hang of things. There’s nothing spectacular about the base puzzle mechanics, but when you add the RPG elements on top, the result is phenomenal. As you level up, you can allocate points to stats such as attack, defense, or different magic spells. All of these options for your character build can radically alter your play experience, as different spells can change the complexion of a battle a great deal. Leveling up your character feels fun and fresh just like it does in other Castlevania games like Symphony of the Night and Portrait of Ruin. Konami has successfully merged the SOTN experience with the puzzle genre, and it worked out beautifully.    … Full Review »
See all user reviews »