CASTLEVANIA: SYMPHONY OF THE NIGHT

A version of Konamis classic was set to terrorise the most unlikely of platforms, but received a stake in the heart before it could draw blood

- Nick Thorpe

The Game.com is one of the more intriguing failures in gaming history.  Although the system is now renowned for its poor-quality games and practically unusable display, Tiger’s assessment that there was space for a new handheld in 1997 was actually quite astute. The Game Boy was old and other competitors had left the sector, while the Game.com could boast advanced features including internet connectivity. What’s more, because of its existing business relationships with major publishers, Tiger could boast big names like Duke Nukem, Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil and Sonic.

Tiger was bought by Hasbro Interactive in 1998, and Hasbro had a working relationship with Konami as the two companies had released the PlayStation version of Frogger. While a Game.com version of the classic arcade game did eventually see release, that wasn’t the only Konami game in the works for the ill-fated handheld. Tiger showed off Game.com versions of Metal Gear Solid and Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night at E3 in May 1999, and an October 1999 press release stated that both were due for release in November as part of a holiday season line-up including Holyfield Championship Boxing, Madden Football, WCW Whiplash and Furbyland.