The RetroBeat — Castlevania: Circle of the Moon somehow became underrated

Castlevania: Circle of the Moon has had some ups and downs when it comes to public opinion. When it debuted as a launch title for the Game Boy Advance, it was one of the best-reviewed games ever. People were so happy to have another Castlevania game in that Symphony of the Night style.

But then its reputation declined. As we got five more Metroidvania-style Castlevania games on Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS, Circle of the Moon began to feel a bit quaint and outdated to many. And then Castlevania producer Koji Igarashi famously stated that Circle of the Moon is no longer canon, which many took as a stamp of disapproval from the guy most heavily associated with the franchise. It gave people an excuse to discredit Circle of the Moon.