The Best Game on Xbox Arcade is a Beat-Em-Up You Totally Forgot About

By Matthew Morante

Published Aug 2, 2024

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Summary

Castle Crashers offers zany character designs and humor that stand the test of time.
The game's rich beat-em-up gameplay and upgrade system provide depth and variety.
Amazing sound design and an iconic soundtrack round out the completeCastle Crashers experience.

TheXbox 360 was the king of the 7th console generation, and for good reason. Its sleek design, cheaper price point than the PlayStation 3, and phenomenal exclusives made it the choice for most mainstream gamers. While the Wii appealed more to the casual audience, the Xbox 360 strove to put forth better experiences for mainstream gaming, and with this came the Xbox Arcade library. The Xbox Live Arcade was filled with budget experiences for all Xbox 360 owners, and the best of the bunch was, without a doubt,Castle Crashers.

Developed by The Behemoth and released on August 27, 2008,Castle Crashersis a side-scrolling beat-em-up similar to games likeStreets of RageandScott Pilgrimvs. The World.Castle Crashershas been a beloved title since its initial release, later being ported to modern consoles and even having an upcoming DLC expansion on Steam. Its zany art style, juvenile but endearing humor, wonderful character designs, fun combat, and phenomenal sound design have madeCastle Crashersthe best Xbox Live Arcade title of all time.

Off-the-Wall Art and Humor Endears Castle Crashersto Its Fans

The Zany Designs and Jokes Hold Up to This Day

Castle Crashers is a zany, cartoony experience

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The Behemoth has always focused on zany art design in its games, andCastle Crashersis no exception. While the four main knights may have rather simple designs, each of the enemies throughout the game makes up for this simplicity with a weird and wacky design that makes use of the game's vivid color palette and fantasy aesthetic. From a catfish with a creepy smile to an eccentric stalk of corn, some of the designs forenemies withinCastle Crashersare so creative and out-of-this-world that it is impossible not to love them. While those two bosses are creative in their own right, some of the most creative character designs are present throughout the final boss fight.

The main story ofCastle Crashersis rather simple and is set up at the beginning with a very short cutscene. The four main knights are partying in the castle when suddenly a wizard shows up and captures all the princesses before taking them back to his lair. The king sends the knights to save them and this journey is the entirety of the story. WhatCastle Crasherslacks in narrative nuance, it makes up for with creative design aspects and enjoyable, if a little juvenile, humor.

The most humorous and out-there designs are all present during the Painter boss fight. Throughout this fight, the Painter will attack players with a variety of summoned attacks, all of which look like they have been drawn in Microsoft Paint and imported into the game. From a unicorn and a snail to a clown and a carrot, each of the attacks seemed random but is animated with such care that they look amazing and fit in perfectly with the game's simple art style. While the bosses are some of the most creative designs inCastle Crashers, the sheer number of alternate characters to play shows off the game's zany art design.

Castle Crashersis filled with several alternate characters to play outside of the main four knights, and each of them is amazingly designed. From the Blacksmith to theBattleblock Theater-inspired Hatty Hattington,each of these characters has unique abilities and a charming design that makes them stand out from the main cast. While the art style ofCastle Crashersis not common in the modern era, where games strive for constant realism, the amazing character designs and humor make it hold up against its modern-day counterparts.

Rich Beat-Em-Up Gameplay and an Expansive Upgrade System

Castle CrashersAllows Players to Easily Personalize Their Build

At first glance, the upgrade system forCastle Crashersis rather simple compared to other games. However,its surprising amount of depth is contained within the amount of abilities that are unlocked by each of the four main stats. Throughout the game, players can upgrade strength, magic, defense, and agility, each of which gives players access to new abilities and attacks. The strength upgrades correspond to improved basic attacks, making it easier to juggle enemies in the air for longer, while magic upgrades unlock new spells for players to use. The defense and agility upgrades are utility stats, but they are important for taking down bosses and dodging enemy attacks.

One of the other systems for upgrading that is present inCastle Crashersis the weapon system. Throughout the game, the blacksmith will craft more weapons for players to purchase with the gold they receive from taking down enemies. These weapons are varied and unique. From simple lightsabers, which increase the agility stat by 2, to the broccoli sword, which increases the defense stats by 3, each of the game's many weapon options is useful for a different scenario.

Apart from the upgrade and weapon systems,Castle Crashers'combat is well crafted and is a perfect couch co-op experience to play with friends. The game can be played with anywhere between 1 and 4 players but is best played at either the minimum or the maximum. Some segments, like the random volleyball match, are best enjoyed by a group of 4, while players who want the game to be its most challenging should play alone.Castle Crashers' combo system encourages co-op and strategizing, as it uses a revive mechanic when teammates are taken down in battle. Furthermore, playing with four players allows for the most amount of loot.

Fortunately,Castle Crashersis an incredibly rewarding experience for those who do not wish to partake in its co-op. While the game is significantly more difficult, mastering each boss fight becomes more enjoyable, as it is crucial to select the right upgrades and weapons for each situation. While the game can be frustrating to play alone, (the Necromancer boss fight is a nightmare without assistance) the feeling of defeating the wizard and saving the kingdom solo is one of the most enjoyable feelings in any side-scrolling beat-em-up.

Castle Crashers'gameplay is among the best in the beat-em-up genre. From extensive upgrades and lengthy combos with each knight's unique elemental magic to thrilling boss encounters, the game is an amazing experience and an entry into one of gaming's oldest genres.

Amazing Sound Design and Music Round Out a Complete Experience

Castle CrashersFeatures an Iconic Soundtrack

Some bosses in Castle Crashers are abstract.

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A beat-em-up game with flawed sound design that makes attacks sound weak is not a good beat-em-up as it makes the player feel underpowered in comparison to the enemies that they are taking on. Luckily,Castle Crashersdoes the opposite of this, asits phenomenal sound design rounds out an already amazing experience. Each attack and spell sounds impactful and the strength of the attacks is perfectly reflected by the sounds of the enemies in battle.

Furthermore, each boss encounter utilizes this amazing sound design as well. Over the course of any boss fight, players are bound to be hit a few times, and each mistake is accentuated by a punchy sound effect that makes the player fully aware of their errors. While the sound design isn't as realistic as modern games likeThe Last of UsandGod of War, the cartoon sound effects add to a lively and humorous experience.

Alongside amazing sound design,Castle Crashersuses an iconic soundtrack that remains memorable to this day. From somber and tense boss fight songs for the Necromancer and the Wizard, to more lively tunes for general encounters and the main map,the game's soundtrack is a varied blend of tech-pop music that is entertaining from start to finish. Some of the songs that are present inCastle Crashershave iconic stories of their own. The song "Jumper", which is one of the early-level themes in the game, is also utilized to great effect in the mobile gameGeometry Dash. This song is only part of what makesCastle Crashersmemorable to this day, as it is one of the best Xbox titles ever released.

Castle Crashersis over 15 years old at this point, but every bit of the game's speedy 7-hour run time is memorable. Its art style is iconic and has been riffed on in other cartoon-based games in recent years, in particularSuper Meat Boy. The combat ofCastle Crashersis in a league of its own among beat-em-up games, as the upgrades make every playthrough of the game feel unique from the last. This gameplay is paired with one of the most iconic soundtracks in gaming, makingCastle Crashersthe most enjoyable Xbox Arcade title of all time.