As a huge fan of the old school Castlevania games i have come to collect the reproduced hacks. I have played many and own a physical copy of five reproduced original Castlevania hacks myself. Having played these a great many times now, i figured it was time for a review of the best that are available. And what better site to do this on than at a dedicated Castlevania forum!
So here we go.. There are two truly great hacks out there and three total that are worth mentioning. I will start with the best two. I will not credit the makers of these hacks.
Castlevania RemixAtmosphere:
This game just feels great! It's in black and white. This makes it feel a lot like Castlevania adventure and gives it a classic horror movie feel. The start screen simply says.. Castlevania. This is set inside the standard banner. I love that! Many of the sprites have been changed giving it even more of a "new game" feel. The music was remixed for many of the stages and sometimes does not sound as good as it should. But it's not so bad that it takes anything away from the game. This game is simply amazing in my opinion.
Difficulty:
It's a very hard game. It starts easy, just like the original game. But as you move along it gets very difficult. The final stage is a nightmare! If your not an ace at playing Castlevania games it will take you a VERY long time to complete this one. It was designed to make serious use of the knock back death feature. Way too often the timing between enemy sprites will be perfect with your approach to a ledge or "hole" in the screen. This is not an accident and it's overuse makes it clear that your in for a long and frustrating experience. Put on your big boy pants and get ready to die.
Castlevania overflow darknessAtmosphere:
This is a beautiful game. The sprites are all remade and the levels as well. Graphics was a key focus and it's easy to note as your playing. It feels like a new game as any good hack should. You forget your playing a hack and that's a great thing! The music is the same tracks as the original game, but they are in a different order. Vampire killer is one of the final tracks to play in this one guys
It was very well done. The guy that did this hack took his time and did it right. In my opinion, this is the best Castlevania hack you can get.
Difficulty:
The name says it all. From start to finish this game will test your skill. The only thing easy about this one is the final boss fight. After playing this insanely difficult game, you may not take a single hit killing Dracula. I didn't..
The third and final game worth mentioning is Castlevania blood moon. You can tell your playing a hack while you play this one. It has enemy sprites from Zelda 2 in it, lol. It's a little weak in all areas. Still fairly difficult. Has a few glitches in it that really hold it back. Simon can slide forward while whipping. This can help you or hinder you. But all things said and considered, it's worth giving it a go. Especially when you consider that it's one of only three hacks that i consider worthy of being listed here. Is it worth paying money for a physical copy? That's not my call. But i have a copy.