
I kinda liked the one I played on PS2. Definitely had its own chram imo. The N64 one's opening scared me in a good way as a kid. I always liked how it made me feel. Too bad the rest of the game was, as you said, rough.
As far as 2D games go, I now own Super Castlevania 4 on SNES Mini and haven't played much of it, but I still use items. Maybe I won't once I get more used to the whip; I'm not far in.
Dawn of Sorrow is one of those games I got way after its sequels, and by that time the drawing to kill bosses felt a little ... unnecessary. As you said, that did not age well. I still want to finish the rest of the game though.
Order of Ecclessia seemed harder to me than Portrait of Ruin and I got stuck on a certain boss cause I didn't have a certain item I think. I wasn't a fan of learning it was a dropped item I just didn't seem to have luck in finding. The overall look and feel of the game is my favorite of the DS series though, so I want to finish it.
Portrait of Ruin is the only DS game I actually beat, yet somehow felt the most average.
I've always liked what I've played of the original Castlevania, clunky and stiff controls and all, and I'm looking forward to finally playing SotN.