Cursed Castilla (Maldita Castilla EX) similar games & best alternatives
Cursed Castilla (Maldita Castilla EX)
2016
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Quick resume
Cursed Castilla (Maldita Castilla EX) is an arcade action platformer full of creatures from medieval myths from Spain and the rest of Europe, as well as from chivalric romances. The extended version of the classic Maldita Castilla, originally created by the indie Locomalito.
Global score
85/100
Genres
Action, Adventure, Indie
Similar games
Pros
- Authentic retro arcade feel
- Challenging but fair difficulty
- Tight and responsive controls
- Great pixel art and music
- Good variety of enemies and bosses
Cons
- High difficulty may frustrate some players
- Some unfair or cheap deaths reported
- Lack of modern conveniences like level select
- Limited weapon usefulness
- No cooperative or social features
Motivations
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Autonomy
Game with the same Autonomy vibe
3"Players can choose different weapons and strategies; some levels require specific approaches, but overall players have freedom in movement and tactics."
Pang Adventures
"Players have control over weapon choice and some strategic decisions, but movement and combat follow classic rigid patterns."
-
Competence
Game with the same Competence vibe
4"The game is challenging and requires skillful timing and coordination, with a steep learning curve and mastery needed."
Bread & Fred
"The game is challenging and requires skill mastery, pattern recognition, and precise timing."
-
Competition
Game with the same Competition vibe
-3"Focus is on individual progression and personal challenge rather than direct player-vs-player competition."
The Braves
"Focus is on individual progression and personal challenge rather than direct player-versus-player competition."
-
Continuation
Game with the same Continuation vibe
3"Players often engage in repeated attempts and long sessions to improve strategies and achieve success."
Fate of the World
"Players often engage in long sessions with repeated attempts due to difficulty and desire to achieve better endings."
-
Cooperation
Game with the same Cooperation vibe
-5"The game is a single-player experience with no cooperative elements."
Five Nights at Freddy's 2
"The game is a single-player experience with no cooperative elements."
-
Creativity
Game with the same Creativity vibe
1"Some creative elements in boss design and quirky dialogue, but gameplay follows classic platformer conventions."
Squidlit
"Some creative enemy and boss designs, but gameplay largely follows established retro platformer structures."
-
Domination
Game with the same Domination vibe
-5"No evidence of exerting control or superiority over others; gameplay is solitary and self-focused."
Teleglitch: Die More Edition
"No evidence of exerting control or superiority over others; gameplay is solitary and self-focused."
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Escapism
Game with the same Escapism vibe
4"Players use the game as a nostalgic escape and stress relief, immersing in medieval fantasy and strategic challenges."
Age of Empires II (Retired)
"Players use the game as a nostalgic escape into a challenging fantasy world inspired by medieval and arcade themes."
-
Expectation
Game with the same Expectation vibe
-4"Players engage voluntarily out of intrinsic interest and nostalgia rather than obligation or external pressure."
Mabinogi
"Players engage voluntarily out of intrinsic interest and nostalgia rather than obligation or pressure."
-
Experimenting
Game with the same Experimenting vibe
1"Some experimentation with enemy patterns and weapon use, but mostly established routines."
ORCS
"Some experimentation with weapon choice and strategies, but largely follows known patterns and routines."
-
Exploration
Game with the same Exploration vibe
2"Levels contain secrets and collectibles encouraging exploration within linear stages."
DuckTales: Remastered
"Includes hidden items and secrets encouraging some exploration within levels."
-
Expression
Game with the same Expression vibe
-3"Minimal customization or personalization; players use preset characters and aesthetics without significant self-expression."
A Night In Berlin
"Minimal customization or self-expression; players use preset characters and aesthetics."
-
Fantasy
Game with the same Fantasy vibe
4"Strong fantasy setting with tribal and mythical elements, supernatural masks, and imaginative lore."
Soulmask
"Strong fantasy setting with medieval Spanish mythology and supernatural elements."
-
Fellowship
Game with the same Fellowship vibe
-5"No social or community features; strictly single-player."
Mafia: Definitive Edition
"No social or community features; strictly single-player."
-
Growth
Game with the same Growth vibe
3"Players develop skills to master difficult challenges and improve performance."
FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S: HELP WANTED
"Players develop skills and knowledge through repeated play and mastery of difficult challenges."
-
Health
Game with the same Health vibe
-5"Typical sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health-related features."
Dishonored 2
"Typical sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health-related features."
-
Idle
Game with the same Idle vibe
-4"Requires focused attention and continuous engagement due to challenging controls and obstacles."
Simple Fish Adventure
"Requires focused attention and continuous engagement due to difficulty and precise controls."
-
Intimacy
Game with the same Intimacy vibe
-5"No social or emotional relationship building; solitary gameplay."
Portal
"No social or emotional relationship building; solitary gameplay."
-
Leadership
Game with the same Leadership vibe
-5"No leadership or group management roles; single-player experience."
Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach
"No leadership or group management roles; single-player experience."
-
Progression
Game with the same Progression vibe
3"Players collect items and unlock multiple endings, showing some sense of advancement."
The Procession to Calvary
"Players collect weapons, items, and unlock endings, showing a sense of advancement."
-
Relaxation
Game with the same Relaxation vibe
-3"High difficulty and tension create sustained challenge rather than relaxation."
Ikaruga
"High difficulty and tension create sustained challenge rather than relaxation."
-
Sensation
Game with the same Sensation vibe
3"Enjoyable pixel art visuals and synthwave soundtrack provide sensory stimulation and nostalgic pleasure."
198X
"Enjoyable retro pixel art and FM synth music provide sensory stimulation and nostalgic pleasure."
-
Status
Game with the same Status vibe
-4"No social recognition or leaderboards; focus is on personal achievement."
Whisker Squadron: Survivor
"No social recognition or leaderboards; focus is on personal achievement."
-
Story
Game with the same Story vibe
2"Has a narrative with lore and mythology, but story is minimal and mostly serves as context for gameplay."
Outland
"Includes a narrative inspired by medieval Spanish mythology, though minimal and conveyed mostly through gameplay."
-
Strategy
Game with the same Strategy vibe
3"Requires planning weapon loadouts, learning enemy weaknesses, and solving simple puzzles."
Spaceport Hope
"Requires planning weapon use, learning enemy patterns, and timing to succeed."
-
Thrill
Game with the same Thrill vibe
3"The game provides suspense and excitement through difficult platforming and intense boss battles."
Rusted Moss
"The game provides suspense and excitement through challenging encounters and boss fights."
-
Value
Game with the same Value vibe
2"Players find good value in the game's depth and replayability, especially when purchased on sale."
Godhood
"Players find good value in the game especially when purchased on sale, appreciating its content and challenge."
-
Violence
Game with the same Violence vibe
3"Combat involves defeating enemies and bosses with various weapons and attacks."
Pharaoh Rebirth+
"Combat involves defeating enemies and bosses with projectiles and weapons."
-
Survival
Game with the same Survival vibe
3"Players must avoid death and manage limited health and lives to progress."
ORCS
"Players must avoid death and manage limited health and lives to progress."
Analysis
Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Relaxation, Survival, Violence, Fellowship. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Expression, Experimenting, Creativity.
How to use the graph
Similar games map
Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.
- Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
- Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
- Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
- Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.
Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.
Last update: 30/04/2026