Boy, I forgot how long this game is...

Aria of Sorrow took the "Metroidvania" formula to its natural conclusion. Taking place towards the end of the series timeline, this game's selling point was the ability to acquire new abilities, such as subweapons, transformations, and passive bonuses, from all but a couple of enemies. It includes some of the better bosses and more interesting gameplay options in series history, and was probably the best presented iteration in the series.

What ultimately makes Aria of Sorrow surpass its predecessors though is the late-game. Though a bit cryptic to unlock, the final segment of this game contains some of the most rewarding parts of the series. It also creates a sense of completion like few other games in the series have.

For a portable Castlevania, this game is huge. The entire map is so large that it will take at least 12 hours to finish. The story is just as interesting, with a really unexpected twist near the very end. Although Aria is significantly more repetitive, the monster spirit collecting system allowed Soma to wield some interesting weaons and skills.

An improvement over HoD, but too easy, overly linear and lacking genuinely rewarding collecting. I honestly have a hard time remembering anything past the first hour or so, the games just got too similar.

Best Castlevania for the GBA, one of the best games in the series in fact.

The best 2D Castlevania after Symphony of the Night and maybe the third best ever. I just enjoyed "Dawn of Sorrow" even more than this one.