Ghosts n Goblins is one of the most well loved games of the classic era. It influenced countless generations of developers over the years, both for good and for bad and this can be seen in the form of the games that take influence from it. One such game is Cursed Castilla EX. The game is more than just a standard Ghosts n Goblins claim, but has its own unique identity to it as well.
Cursed Castilla EX has a much more polished feel than the Capcom classic, which makes sense given that it had years of gaming to learn from. It is still noteworthy though as the developers clearly put in effort to make the game stand out. Rather than rely on reusing monsters from older games, Cursed Castilla EX actually uses monsters from Spanish folklore and myth. The game even has its protagonist be a merger of Sir Arthur from Ghosts n Goblins, and Spanish folklore hero El Cid. It definitely gives the game a unique flavor and I like that.
Obviously the game is punishing, but the truth it that when it comes to this type of game, that is something you want. The game is more forgiving though and gives you a life meter and better ways to have weapons and defense, As I said above, the developers clearly researched the past games and knew what needed to be changed and what should be left alone. The result is a game that is tough but fair and extremely polished. The addition of multiple endings in the game also encourages replay in a much better way than Ghosts n Goblins and the other main inspiration, Rygar. Rather than artificially padding out the length, the game encourages you to look for every last secret. These include secrets that are difficult to find but satisfying when you do.
In conclusion I loved my time with Cursed Castilla EX. It is a game made with love and devotion and is the perfect tribute to the past. I highly recommend it.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided.