Maldita Castilla EX

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Maldita Castilla EX is an arcade-style platformer with pixel art graphics, drawing inspiration from classic games. The player controls Don Ramiro in a quest to defeat evil creatures and restore order to the kingdom of Castile. With diverse levels, intense boss battles, and multiple endings, Maldita Castilla EX offers a challenging and engaging experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 258 reviews

music35 positive mentions

Solid, simple, and challenging 2D action that captures the essence of classic arcade games.
Authentic retro visuals and audio that evoke nostalgia for the 80s and 90s gaming era.
Awesome boss fights and a variety of interesting stage segments that keep gameplay engaging.

Many tough parts go on for way too long, leading to frustration.
Music isn't particularly good or memorable, lacking the impact of other retro titles.
Frequent unfair moments force you to memorize every detail in order to proceed, which can detract from the enjoyment.

music
57 mentions
61 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, with many praising its catchy and well-composed tracks that evoke a retro feel reminiscent of classic sound chips like the Yamaha YM2203. Composed by gryzor87, the soundtrack enhances the game's dark themes and level design, although some players noted the need for volume control due to its loudness. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that complements the game's aesthetic and gameplay experience.
- “Awesome lore, immersion and amazing soundtrack.”
- “The music and sound effects perfectly capture the aesthetic of the Sega Genesis sound chip, the sprites are all lovingly detailed and well animated, without any of the pixel size discrepancy that you might see in more modern games that attempt to be retro.”
- “The difficulty is hard but fair, the FM music by gryzor87 is nothing short of fantastic.”
- “Come on, please provide a volume control for your ridiculously loud sounds and music.”
- “The music is decent, not memorable though like other recent platformers I played, but most of the tracks are kind of catchy and they fit the stages they are played to.”
- “Since the creators are Spanish, the game overall in its music and its design has a Spanish vibe.”
graphics
43 mentions
53 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are widely praised for their charming retro style, effectively capturing the essence of 16-bit arcade aesthetics with meticulously hand-drawn pixel art and vibrant colors. Reviewers highlight the attention to detail in the environments, character designs, and animations, which evoke nostalgia while maintaining a modernized feel. Overall, the visuals complement the gameplay, enhancing the experience with a beautiful and authentic representation of classic platformers.
- “The graphics, the environments, the enemy and boss design, the music, it's all so damned beautiful!”
- “The game completely nails the 16-bit era of arcades with its graphics and sound, every sprite to every detail of the backgrounds is meticulously hand-drawn pixel by pixel in order to ensure the highest level of detail possible while respecting the limitations of the era.”
- “So much attention was lovingly given to the details in this game - the graphics, sound, and controls all authentically capture the feel of a platforming game from the early 90s.”
- “The game initially appears as a simple platformer, albeit with classic graphics.”
- “This game very much embodies the arcade aesthetic and I guess the added item/task collection element feels out of place to me (although I do appreciate the effort to increase the replayability of the title).”
- “Both graphics and controls stick to the feeling of the old days, but are slightly modernized for a better experience.”
gameplay
36 mentions
33 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its classic arcade platforming style, featuring tight controls and a high level of difficulty reminiscent of the ghouls 'n' ghosts series. While many players appreciate the robust mechanics and engaging level design, some express frustration with the punishing death penalties, such as losing all weapons and items, and the lack of skip options for game over and map screens. Overall, the game combines nostalgic graphics and sound with challenging gameplay that keeps players returning for more, despite its pacing issues.
- “It brings a 16-bit graphics style, a quick action-packed gameplay with tight controls and a high level of difficulty.”
- “Hellish difficulty, lovely graphics and sound, robust gameplay, beautiful level design.”
- “Great controls and frustrating but not impossible gameplay make it a game you keep coming back to just to get past that next boss.”
- “I like the graphics and the gameplay is mostly fine, but it just gets boring losing all your weapons and items every time you die.”
- “If they can make the game look good, why do they intentionally make the gameplay so bad?”
- “The game is short but the gameplay can be tough to manage at times.”
story
24 mentions
25 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The game's story is a dark and creative homage to the "Ghosts and Goblins" series, set in a medieval Spanish kingdom where players assume the role of Don Ramiro, a knight on a quest to cleanse the land of an evil curse alongside fellow knights. While some players feel the gameplay takes precedence over the narrative, many express a surprising emotional investment in the characters and story, which is effectively conveyed through gameplay mechanics. Overall, the story blends Spanish mythos with elements from other European mythologies, enhancing the game's retro charm.
- “I was really surprised at how much I ended up caring about the characters and the story, with so much of the story being conveyed through gameplay.”
- “The story is set in the middle ages in the Spanish kingdom.”
- “In this game, you assume the role of Don Ramiro, the heroic knight, traveling through various medieval locales, in his quest to find a way to cleanse the land of Tolomera from an evil curse.”
- “Not the story.”
- “There are few power-ups in the game you can get, and the whole point of this plot is that evil emerges over the castle and you must stop it with your team.”
- “The story basically is a Spanish mythos, and there are several parts of the game where creatures from other European mythologies appear.”
atmosphere
14 mentions
71 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive horror elements, distinct graphical style, and exceptional soundtrack, which together create a captivating and creepy experience. Reviewers highlight the combination of atmospheric design, enemy variety, and tight controls as key factors that enhance the overall feel of the game, making it both challenging and nostalgic. The music is consistently noted as a strong complement to the game's ambiance, further enriching the player's experience.
- “I love the horror atmosphere this game manages to create.”
- “Amazing music, creepy atmosphere, tight controls, tons of enemy variety and two different endings.”
- “Loco's graphics have a distinct style that is recognizable through his games - the atmosphere created from his backgrounds, the multitude of monsters, and the awesome soundtrack provided by gryzor87 is something in itself to experience.”
replayability
8 mentions
38 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability, particularly for players aiming to achieve the true ending, which requires skill and exploration of open-ended levels that hide treasures. While the inclusion of item and task collection adds depth, some players feel it disrupts the arcade aesthetic, and the limited weapon variety in later stages may detract from the experience. Overall, the challenge of uncovering hidden gems and mastering gameplay mechanics encourages multiple playthroughs.
- “Lots of replay value since you have to be pretty skilled to get to the true ending.”
- “Not all levels are straightforward; some are more open-ended in design and hide plenty of treasures, including the 5 gems that unlock the true ending, which increases replayability.”
- “This game very much embodies the arcade aesthetic, and I appreciate the effort to increase the replayability of the title with the added item/task collection element.”
- “This game very much embodies the arcade aesthetic, and I guess the added item/task collection element feels out of place to me (although I do appreciate the effort to increase the replayability of the title).”
- “There is also a variety of weapons you can use, but I found out that only 2-3 weapons are playable in the later stages, so there is not much into it.”
- “Not all levels are straightforward though, as some will be more open-ended in design and hide plenty of treasures, including the 5 gems that unlock the true ending, which increases replayability.”
humor
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Users find the humor in the game's difficulty curve, describing it as unexpectedly amusing. This suggests that the challenges presented in the game are not only engaging but also provide a comedic element that enhances the overall experience.
- “The difficulty curve is actually hilarious.”