Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is one of the greatest games of all time, with its blend of Super Metroid-inspired exploration and action-RPG elements arguably serving as the inflection point of the whole Metroidvania genre. As the game is one of the most beloved ancestors of a genre built to appeal to very hardcore enthusiasts, you might think those fans would've long since wrung out every secret in it – but, as it turns out, there was at least one more hidden facet to be discovered.
Symphony of the Night originally launched on the PS1 in 1997, and by most accounts, that original release is the definitive version. But a year later in 1998, a Japan-exclusive Sega Saturn version would release with additional content, including new areas to explore and a whole new playable character. You'd think that would be enough to make it the premiere way to play Symphony of the Night, but a range of technical compromises put the Sega Saturn edition behind the PS1 original, though fans have put in some effort to combine the best of both.
