Castlevania SOTN is an ill-conceived fossil of mediocrity

[Weltall]

Symphony is a classic, but some parts of the gameplay didn't age well. Playing Aria of Sorrow on GBA is basically playing SOTN if they had 7 years and a few attempts to really refine the formula. There are some obvious misses, like how you can only sell specific items designed specifically to be sold, while your inventory bursts with a hundred obsolete weapons and armor. Don't worry, by the endgame, you'll have like six different available means to cheese your way through anything the game can throw at you. The Shield Rod+Alucard Shield combo might be one of the most game-breaking things ever.