It's a little too long for that, and it's kind of a kick to the groin that when you die fighting Dracula, you don't start at his stairs.
That's what always fucks me up the most. I always come to Dracula with half my health at best, and I could never really figure out how to beat him because I rarely get further than phase 1. I've only got to his final phase like 5 times.
I don't know if Castlevania 3 is actualy the hardest when it comes to actual challenge, I feel like it's more of an endurance test in a way. But then again I never came too far in Alucard route so I might be wrong. That being said Castlevania 3 has the most difficult crows in the franchise, I hate those fucking birds with every fiber of my being I just can't ever read their fucking movement oh god oh fuck fuck fuck