What came first Metroid or Castlevania?

What Came First: Metroid or Castlevania?

The Metroid franchise and Castlevania franchise, which have become synonymous with Japanese gaming, have a rich and complex history that spans over decades. While both series have captivated gamers worldwide, one obvious question that comes to mind is – which game came first? In this article, we will delve into the history of both franchises to provide a comprehensive answer to this question. In short, the answer is easy – Metroid came before Castlevania.

The first game in the Metroid franchise was released in 1986, titled Metroid, while the first Castlevania was launched in 1986 as well. If you were thinking that this raised more questions than answers, you wouldn’t be wrong. After all, did Metroid really come after Castlevania, or can we chalk it up to copyright and publication issues? The exact order is debatable, but further examination reveals that Metroid should take the cake.

Early Japanese Games:

The games’ creation can be explained by understanding the development of the gaming environment in Japan. Akumajou Dracula (1) (The Castle of Darkness) was introduced by Koji Igarashi and Konami Team in 1986. Meanwhile, two months earlier, Gunpei Yoshiho (of F-Zero fame) created Metroid, later known as the "father" of Metroidvania.

Here’s a quick chart highlighting the first releases of both popular Japanese gaming franchises:

As evidenced above, both series emerged contemporaneously in 1986 (Akumajō Dracula) and 1987 respectively, though it was known to many gamers worldwide the name was kept as Metroid since then). Although Metroid seemed like it might be closer, both were created that same year or next. Given these data points, it becomes more logical given this historical context, and to maintain order and chronology while writing an article about what happens when one comes first and takes an alternative path to a much better solution.