The guide was released in October 1987.
You'll be suprised at some the things that haven't been discovered yet. Case in point, did you know there's an unused graphic of Dracula's sixth body part in the game's code? I don't think even the game's Cutting Room Floor page mentions that.
Something that is possibly related: "The Japanese version contains an easter egg: If the game was beat exactly on day 69 (not before, not later), an extra line is displayed after the text: SEE YOU AGAIN. " (https://bisqwit.iki.fi/cv2fin/diff)
I wonder if that piece of text was misplaced and was actually supposed to be displayed after Dracula's hands appears. Perhaps the hand was supposed to be a "wave at the player" moment but done in a horror movie fashion.
The unused graphic of the fang may be the 4th ending of that's the case.
The synopsis of SQ is currently that Dracula uses the fang to attack Simon, the body part which in inside Dracula's throne room. However, what if it wasn't and it was an item you could find? Then there'd be a 4th ending where Simon and Dracula didn't fight, rather Simon would burn the body parts and walk away due to the curse being broken. However, they probably figured they couldn't have scenario/ ending with no boss fight.
The fang is drawn (and grouped) along with the other relics. Implying it was really a collectable item along with the others.
Also, it's it's a pair of vampire fangs. I posted the graphic here years ago, but the host took it down. Maybe its time I posted again via a better host:
(https://i.imgur.com/rl0uj0L.png)
At the time I used this to demonstrate that the fang was always intended to exist and not just a made up information from the guide. But this along what Nagumo found out and yout hypothesis about the 4th ending makes me wonder if this rabbit hole goes deeper.
Giving what we now know, I think the order of the endings is logical.
Bad ending: Simon breaks the curse but takes too long and succumbs to his wounds.
Normal ending: Simon breaks the curse and survives. However, there is no guarantee Dracula will stay dead forever. (This is most likely the current canon ending considering Rondo has Dracula reviving like it's business as usual).
Best ending: Simon breaks the curse and destroys Dracula forever. (Most likely the former canon ending).
All of these endings are dependant on how much time passed within the game's story. So I personally don't think there's any reason (at this time) to assume one of the endings might originally have been triggered by getting a specific item.
The problem with the "normal" ending being canon means that the hand coming out if the grave should've been in this ending, but instead it was in the best ending..
It's possible, but it's pretty much impossible to proof unless one of the developers confirms it in an interview or something. Who knows, though.
Actually, the fact that the hand doesn't come out makes it plausible it's the canon ending. Otherwise the opening scene of RoB/DXC wouldn't match up. As for what the deal with the hand is, I still have nothing concrete on that, unfortunately.
By the way, is there any way to see what happens if you beat the Japanese version of Simon's Quest within three days or less? There's no speedrunning video of that version as far as I know. I could try and do it myself but it would be convenient if there's an easier way to check.
I have to agree to disagree. The hand is canon, it's not to be taken literally, it's simply indicative that Dracula will return.
Best text = best ending which the fastest ending contains both. If anything was mixed up in the text in the middle ending with the black and white (worst) ending - I say this because it mentions Simon couldn't survive his wounds and another hero will have to step in to fight evil.
https://youtu.be/JyFDP6Ee0dk
3 days or less = hand
It's possible but this is a very specific interpretation. You would need confirmation from one of the developers to know that for sure. As far as I'm concerned, this mystery hasn't been solved yet.
Yes, the guide confirms the text for the worst and middle ending were mixed up. I suspect it's because nobody on the development team could read English and thus nobody could tell the difference. Or did you mean someting else was mixed up?
The ending says: "Toast to your 7 day's battle".
A specific interpretation, are you really having a go? In how many movies and games etc is the villain not really dead, leaving an opening for a sequel. A classic example being Metroid Prime, finish the game on the hardest difficulty with 100% items and the same thing occurs. The canon ending isn't necessarily the one with the best outcome, it's the one where the player is shown the most information. This often involves leaving an opening for a sequel.
I have to agree to disagree. The hand is canon, it's not to be taken literally, it's simply indicative that Dracula will return.
"Good Ending: Complete the game in 7 days or less" - It's counting days in-game, not actual days.
https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Castlevania_II:_Simon%27s_Quest/Endings
Hold on, I didn't intend to sound condescending. I'm just trying to explain why I think you're being a bit hasty with your conclusion.
Yes, but you said in your previous post:No it isn't. It's been done in plenty of movies and games that never even had sequels and some that did, but the next iteration had little to nothing to do with the prequel.
You were talking about a cliff hanger that is not to be taken literally. That's already getting very specific.
Speaking from personal experience, all the cliff hangers I've seen were meant to be taken literally. Furthermore, even if such a thing was common in fiction, that fact would only serve as secondary evidence for your theory, not as primary evidence. There would be no guarantee the developers intented that specific interpretation of their ending. It could still be possible, I'm just saying there's no conclusive evidence for it.
I don't understand what you mean. In the Japanse, the game counts the number of in-game days it took to beat the game. At the end of the video it says the player beat the game in 7 days. Therefore, it doesn't show what happens if you beat the game in 3 days or less.
Okay. Your conclusion re: my conclusion sounds hasty to me.
No it isn't. It's been done in plenty of movies and games that never even had sequels and some that did, but the next iteration had little to nothing to do with the prequel.
Then interpret the endings in a better way and use other evidence. All you're currently telling us is that you believe this guide is evidence the endings were mixed up. However, if we're going by what is in-game this doesn't hold water unless you chop it up to a programming error.
However, when I propose a theory, you cry foul and state I require developer's commentary. No sorry, there's one set of rules in this dungeon.
I'll always count SCV4 as THE sequel to Simon's Quest just because of that intro.
So I still had a save file for the JP version of Simon's Quest lying around and I did a speedrun on new game + (beat the game within 1 in-game day) Unfortunately, it was the exact same ending as before. I was hoping perhaps it would show the third ending (Dracula's grave at dusk but without his hand rising from the grave). I have no idea why the guide says this ending is in the game. Unless it was either taken out or the programmers messed up.
@Shinobi As if nobody else could've died and been buried in that location. Why on earth would Simon build/ rebuild Dracula's tombstone.
You guys missing the point that Dracula's gravestone in Simon's Quest and Super Castlevania 4 are in two different locations, the former was in near in the lake or mountains while the latter is in the middle of the cemetery so it doesn't totally confirm that Super Castlevania 4 is the followup of Simon's Quest but rather a prequel or a retelling of Castlevania 1. The only thing I can explain is somehow Simon rebuilt Dracula's gravestone after it was destroyed(I mean it look so good as new without a single crack compare from Super Castlevania 4's intro)and relocate his remains after beating him for the second time, he still have some respect for Dracula as a former tyrant yet a hero of Transylvania before he became a vampire(until the retcon thing by IGA).
One evidence that Simon's has some respect to Dracula was he kneeled in front of his grave as seen in the endings. Quite reminds me of Solid/Old Snake which he salutes to the grave of his father Big Boss even after he was betrayed and wants him dead a couple of times.
EDIT: Furthermore re: Dracula's grave, we know from the dates on the grave that it has been in an established location from 1476, which is not the year that Simon's Quest takes place in. It's therefore unreasonable to assume it hasn't been in the same location all along.
In a hypothetical scenario where SCIV was meant as a sequel to Simon's Quest, it would have to take place 100 years afterwards (as per the game's intro). It's always possible the grave was moved or the surrounding landscape changed during that time. All of this is just senseless speculation, though. You can't use that kind of reasoning to proof or disproof whether SCIV was intented to be a sequel or not.
So let me get this straight: The rest of us aren't allowed to speculate about in-game elements (knowing full well the context and that they were retconned) but you can speculate about a guide which doesn't contain the correct endings.... Yeah, nuff said... (all of a sudden that solid black Gerudo Stallion in full stride has bitten the dust) :rollseyes:
Yo guys, this thread is super lame, I come make alive!