Topic: Castlevania Marathon by Sumac

[Sumac]

In this topic I'll present my video walkthroughs of Castlevania games and memories, that I have about them.

And the first one is, obviously, the original Castlevania on the NES.
CV1 Video Playthrough

As you can see, I screwed up several times, during the playthrough - I was quite nervous and tired, when I was recording it. This video was made on 7th (or so) attempt to complete the game without losing lives. Finally I managed to accomplish it, but it was a hard task to do - mostly because of the final level and Drago.

Castlevania...one of the most legendary games in the video gaming history. The game that litterally created a cult following and spawn the series that lasts even nowadays 25+ years after its debut. Back then when it was created, it was a nice simple time, when games weren't about graphics and proccesing power of consoles, but when they were just games. And each opened new different adventure for the players...
But where was I? Ok, now about more about the game and my first playthrough.

For the first time I played this games somewhere in 1993 or 1994. I exchanged one of my carts with friend for the "8 in 1" cart. On it, amongst other games like "Flying Hero" and "Side Pocket" was this gem. I liked this game not only for how outwardly easy its were, but also for brilliant soundtrack. I remembered Wicked Child for quite a time after friend took cart away. And this tune became one of my favorite music pieces on NES.

In several days, I manage to get to the level 3 howeve this stupid mummies was like a insurmountable obstacle to me. Every time I died at them, and I didn't have a patience to try defeat them again and again. Especially given that there were a big chance of me dying somewhere in the level. And then friend came to exchange carts back. I was dissapointed, since I really hoped that I'll be able to defeat those acursed mummies, but it take approximately six years before I had another try at the game.

Somewhere in 1999 or 1998 I once exchange carts with another friend of mine. What he brought was "3 in 1" cart without cover with "Battletoads and Double Dragon" (game frezzes on the third level), Blades of Steel (that became one of my favorite entertainment for a few weeks) and surprisngly... Castlevania. I was enourmously glad that I finally will be able to play this game once more and maybe even defeat those mummies.

However since I didn't know when my friend want to take it back, I decided that I need to complete this game in one single day. I didn't know when I'll have another try at it. So, this fateful day came. I began playing somewhere at the 6 pm. I thought it wouldn't be that difficult. In the past few days I managed to get to the third level and the future was bright.

It was easy to pass through first three levels. Almost suspiciously so. I laughed at the faces of those two mummies that kept me at bay in my past attempts to complete this game, almost six years ago. But then...Level 4 began. I honestly never expected that game will became that difficult after level 3. Of course nowadays it doesn't seem very difficult, but back then...it was a whole different story. I barely managed to get to the second part of the level, but then I was bombarded by igors...It took me several tries to get to the third part of level 4 only to be stopped by Bone Dragons. At that moment my hope that I will be able to complete this game in one day severely diminished. But I din't gave up. I continuosly stormed Level 4 and finally managed to get to the boss(es). That's when I felt that it was maybe to presumptuous for me to think that I'll finish this game tonight. I don't remember how much time and continueses I spent trying to defeat those two. Maybe 15 or 20 (given that on some tries I even was unable to get to them in the first place). It was exhausting, but in the end my stubborness helped me to get past them, using agility and daggers - tactic that I am not able to use nowadays, since I quite forgot how to do it.

Level 5 gave me another reason to think that it will be a futile playthrough. This knights with unholy amount of life...this bloody skeletons, that couldn't be killed and always got in the way like some roaches...All that was more or less easy to conquer, but the last corridor gave me a very nasty surprise - medusa heads! They combined efforts with Axe Knights gave me a headache and stopped my progress for another 30 minutes I think. Maybe more. Grim Reaper himself was also troublesome. However I more or less quickly figured out how to defeat him using cross-boumerangs. So, after that point our battles were more about patience and luck - who will be faster in killing other one with projectiles. Sometime after our N-th battle I figured out what to do with his scythes and how somewhat distract them from my tired person. I began jumping around the stage trying to avoid them. Not surprisingly more than a few times I succesfully landed right on the head of the Reaper who was nonchalantly flying around the place. I think I spend another 20 or so continues to beat him. After all this torture I really wasn't sure, if I could defeat Dracula and what his battle would be? However mentally I was ready for anything, but outwardly I hated this game and generally felt like I wasn't in the mood to continue. However having in mind, that it will be my only try to do this, I kept going.

Level 6 came as another not so pleasant surprise. Big Bats in the begining were easily avoidable. And even skeletons were a piece of cake. The real nightmare began in the middle of the clock tower where I was assaulted, by unlikly little troops - annoying igors. Many annoying igors. Very many annoying igors and giant birds to boot. Every time, when I tried to get to ladder leading to the exit from the level, those bastards, managed to throw me down from the platform or drain my lifebar before I reached safe place. This was horrible. But finally I managed to get from their clutches somehow. I decided to go as fast as possible through the level (I din't thought about using time stop at the time, though I actually could do it, since I used several continues). And finally I climbed at Castle Keep.

I was really exhausted and have an inner pact - if I die at the Dracula too much I'll try to complete the game at another day. I didn't want to leave NES running for the night - there was a possibility that game will be reset. So, I took another breathe and went straight into the fry. In the begining all my attempts to take out Dracula by brute force obviously failed. He is not the one who could be destroyed like that. Later (after 15 continues or so) I figured out that the patience is the only option in battle with bastard. So, trench warfare begun. I was unsuccesful in few first attempts, but with each new battle I understood how Dracula fights better and better. Finally this glorious moment came, when glorious Simon Belmont, with a single strike from his trustworthy whip, beheaded villain. Literally. I felt triumphant...all this hours, nerves, hatred and hopes weren't for nothing...when suddenly I saw a horrible sight...Dracula cape blew up and in stead of bloodsucker there was some ugly beast, that reminded me of a blue sick ugly hybrid between chicken and dog with plucked wings. Then I remebered that several months ago, I read about Castlevania walkthrough in a guidebook. And it's said that "you should strike dragon at the head". This text was in a same paragraph that told about Dracula battle, but I seemingly didn't gave it enough meaning. And now I was about to pay for it...

At the moment I thought that I really need to stop, but I couldn't. I was so close to the victory, that even idea of spending few more hours to defeat final adversariy only, didn't look that horrible. All inner "pacts" were forgotten - now it was victory...or victory, but after some indescribable amount of time.

It wasn't easy to defeat Dracula in his "normal" form again, but defeating Drago was only pretty much about luck, since I don't think its possible to predict, when he will do his high jump. Given that most of the time I come to the Drago battle, with severely depleted lifebar, it was obvious that I didn't had many chances against him. Especially, because most of the time I ended up trapped in the corner. Only saving as much life as possible I could defeat the monster. After another number of continues (that I think already went beyond 50+) I managed to defeat the beast. I didn't felt anything about it. I was tired, sleepy and mostly hated this game for given me so much trouble. There were really no sense of triumph or anything. I was just glad that its over and that's that.

Year later I bought a cart with it. Ironically it was "8 in 1" cart which had 4 games from Konami (Contra, Castlevania, Metal Gear and Double Dribble) and 4 games from random developers (Gun.Smoke, Hot Blood Boy, Thunder Cade and something else). Because of that cart I become a fan of a Metal Gear series. After that "Castlevania day" I completed Castlevania many times. When I was at my best I could complete this game with a single life lost in 20 minutes. My adventures of the past now look unneccesary and funny. Since then I lost many of my skills, when it come to the NES gaming. Nowadays I more concentrated on not so recent past (PS1, PS2 era, modern fighting games and some doujin platformers), but this day will always remind me about how I managed to complete the game only because of my stuborness and nothing else. The funniest thing that my frined took his cart only after a week or so. So my "heroic" playthtough was for nothing. I safely could conquer this game "level by day", but well...back then it looked like a good idea. I decided that I will not do anything like that anymore, however in 2005 I made it again - this time I spent nearly 14 hours in order to complete Metal Gear 2 with emulator which didn't had ability to save my progress, but that's a whole another story...

Back to the Castlevania, this game still impress me in how masterfully it was done. There is nothing more or nothing less. Its just has right amount of everything - be it platforming or somewhat dynamic fights with monsters. Graphically game looks very interesting, as if it was an old painting, with severely decayed paint. It conveys something gritty, dark, destroyed style. Musically this game is still impressive to me. Wicked Child, undeservebly forgotten by modern CV composers, is still my favorite and most catchy tune from this game. However Vampre Killer stands out too, but I am a bit weary of this melody for understandable reasons. And while the game physics make everything possible to give player a hard time, it's not really a difficult game. Each segment just needs its special approach. I dare to say that Castlevania is more about observation than action. It's not like Contra, where you can rush on the enemies, shooting left and right. In Castlevania you need to strike only, when neccesary and sometimes its better to avoid the fight alltogether, rather then going into the battle. Since that game, Cross-boumerang became my favorite subweapon in the series - its really useful in the battle with Reaper and Dracula / Drago. Timestop is also useful instrument, however in every occasion. Dagger is practically useless for me, since I completely forgot, how to fight Frankenstein and Igor with it (and even then it was the only place where I used it). Generally I can say that Castlevania is still one of my most favorite games on the NES, alongside with its sequel, that I think is a masterpiece, but because of different reasons.

[Ahasverus]

I loved, loved your writing, I can almost taste your frustration
Great read man, looking forward for the next ones!

[whitedragon_nall]

Good read and fun watch. Well done!

I exchanged one of my carts with friend for the "8 in 1" cart.

I read "cart" as "cat" and thought you gave away your cat for an NES game. LOL 

[Sumac]

Castlevania Video Marathon: Vampire Killer (MSX) (One life run)

So, what about Vampire Killer? The first time I've heard about this game was when I visited Castlevania Dungeon, I think. At the time some people believed that VK was actually the first game in the series. This confusion was created because it actually was the first game in the Akumajou Dracula series that was released on the west. This mistake was rectified by Konami themselves, who made a site where they post all release dates for the games and, happily, FDS game was released month before Vampire Killer.

When I first learned about VK, I am instantly become curious: "What kind of games is that? The game that supposedly started a legend?" In seacrh of answer I came to the YouTube and was surprised by what I saw. VK didn't make any impression on me, unlike CV1. Too bright, too boring. Seemingly there were no dynamic and the the whole game was more of a quest, with action being as a side dish.

When I played this game several years later, my first impressions were sadly confirmed. At the time I already knew that VK wasn't the first game in the saga, but rather a curious port that completely changed gameplay in favor of exploration, courtesy of technical limitations of the MSX. In the begining, I though I will never be able to complete it - I never was strong in exploration games, especially where the thing that you are looking for, can be pretty much anywhere on the map. So, I shamelessly used YouTube walkthrough of the game and several FAQs to ger a grip on what I should do. On note, I dislike to run around the game without any idea what should I do or where should I search for hidden stuff. It annoys and angers me and usually games, that make me feel like this, ends up unfinished. In case of VK I decided to put my time to complete this game no matter what it takes.

Since the game is very formulaic and obviously with walkthroughs, I didn't had any trouble to complete this game without losing a single life, after only a week of traning.

Now, what about the game iself? It is boring and, as I said before, its very formualic. There is no random factor that made Castlevania very replayable and enjoyable game. If you have, say axe, in one candle, it always will be there. Enemies doesn't give random items, but only hearts. In general all this takes away from replayability of the VK. Once you know where to find this damned keys and what upgrades you should have for specific sections of the castle and bosses, the game becomes very simple and formulaic. You can (and actually should) complete this game with only single life. In case if you lose a life, you lose also all your previously collected upgrades and that pretty much a death sentence to the player, since having subwepaons and sometimes alternate weapons, is very crucial to the completion of the game.

What could be really hard to adapt in the game is very strange hitboxes and occasinoal slowdowns. Simon strikes much faster with his whip and its hitbox is much smaller than in CV1. Combined together, those two factors, doesn't allow player to have much time, when striking down foes. Only accurately adjusted strikes will allow player to take down enemies. It is especially annoying during face to face encounters with certain enemies like Bats and Medusa Heads. Another factor that makes this game a bit harder, than it actually could be, is that after every level, Simon stripped of all his upgrades, except for the hearts, that used in game as currency and ammo for subweapons. It seems developers thought it would be unfair for the player to keep all his armory with him. CV1 did something similar, but in another fashion - after each level player lose all his "hearts", so he couldn't spam subwepaons all the time. But at least players could take desired weapon with him to another level, while in VK it is impossible.

Though in general, game is easier overall. It is not only because Simon have more upgrades and ability to carry two subwepaons at once, but actually because most of the enemies deal a little amount of damage and some of them are slower. For example Axe Armors can throw high axe only. Medusa Heads are slower. Though some of the enemies became more annoying - Bats flying much faster and more often. Igors as annoying as ever, but thanks to prolonged period of invicibility, that appears after Simon was hit, there are not as dangerous as in CV1.

Most of the bosses are cakewalk. Timestop works even on both Dracula froms and Reaper. Medusa, Frankenstein's Monster and Mummies could be finished in one ot two Holy Water throws. The final boss is very different from CV1. While I like this idea of battle with giant portrait, I don't think its fitting for the final battle in the game. It's deosn't have this epic feel. Besides, this form is much more easier than Drago. You can find a save spot in the corners of arena and single powered up whip strike take almost 1/6 of Dracula's Portarit lifebar. You can even make this battle simplier, by acquring Cross-Boumerang, that will replace you normal weapon. It allows player to just simply sit on the platform in the corner of the room and throw over and over again. Dracula's bats will not be able to throw Simon of the platform and this weapon will make quite a quick work of the villain, if you will able to defeat first form without loosing boumerang. Interestingly, this battle reminds me about another final boss fight in another Konami game - Monster in my Pocket. In this game you fight villain in the similar fashion, but his face appears not on the portrait, but TV screen. Oh, and you fight him as Dracula or Frankenstein's Monster rip-offs. How ironic.

So, what the final verdict? Well, this port introduced some interesting ideas to the series. Most of them would end up in the CV2 and one can even say that VK was some sort of predecessor to the "Metroidvania" formula. However, those new ideas were done quite wrong in this game. Instead of making adventuring feel like a true adventure, VK feels more like a chore and as soon as player memorise everything, there is simple no reason to replay the game anymore, because everything would be the same. To put it simply: there is no challenge and no random factor, that could make this game interesting. As for the style - graphics in this game is generally much more cleaner and brighter. While technically it looks nicer than CV1, I thing VK doesn't have that special "rugged / decayed" aesthetic that made CV1 special. It looks like a generic 8-bit game. As for the music its sounds mostly the same as NES version. However I think it sounds a bit shallow, when compared to the NES game. In general I glad that this game wasn't the first game in the series. I really like the fact that CV1, that brilliant of the game, was actual start of the series. I treat VK as interesting curiosity, but nothing else. Its simply not so good game, I think. Though without it CV2 never came to be, so for that I ready to give VK some good points.

[Sumac]

Castlevania Video Marathon: Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (NES) Part 1

(click to show/hide)

Castlevania Video Marathon: Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (NES) Part 2

(click to show/hide)

Castlevania Video Marathon: Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (NES) Part 3

(click to show/hide)

Castlevania Video Marathon: Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (NES) Part 4

CV2 is a not an ordinary sequel. How many sequels out there, that almost completely change the genre of the game, but leave basic gameplay of its predeccesor intact? I'd say not much. For the first time I played this game on NES-clone in 1998. However I knew about this game for quite a time from a small guidebook "Secrets for 120 games", that I bought in 1996. From there I also learned about existence of CV3, but that's another story. At the time I was surprised about how much coverage this game received in the book - the whole two pages described what I should and in what order to complete it. Most of the games were described with a small blurb that included only passwords, so I knew this game should be something more than CV1.

In 1998 I traded "4 in 1" cart from a friend. Cover of the cart said that it had 4 games: TMNT, Chip & Dale 2, Red Pig (Tale Spin hack) and Tiny Toon. However, in reality, there were TMNT, Chip & Dale 2, Fire Bird (Choujou Sentai Jetman) and Castlevania 2. Surprisingly CV2 was hard to find on this cart because of the glitch. You could switch between the games via Reset button. But for whatever reason most of the time Castlevania 2 didn't showed up after reset game (it should appear after Jetman). In order to make it appear I should either hope for the luck, or use next method. I started the first level of the Jetman, then pushed Reset button. After those simple manipulations, CV2 was almost guranteed to appear. Having guidebook I didn't have much trouble to understand how I should play this game, in which direction I should go and what should I find and where. The biggest problem was how to find Mansion with Dracula's eyeball and where in the world Dracula's Castle was. On the first matter guidebook said that I should show Dracula's Heart to the Ferryman, but shouldn't give it to him. And there was absolutely nothing about location of the Dracula's Castle.

In order to complete the game for the first few times, I used a password that gave me all the items. I have figured out where Dracula's Castle was, when I remembered about the bridge, on which I can't jump earlier in the game. I went there, having all Dracula details with me, and finally destroyed blocks that didn't allow me to jump on the bridge. However I died in my first battle with Dracula. I didn't know that I could damage him, whilst he is appearing. So, I've waited until he fully materialised in the room and furiously attacked me with his fire rings. I didn't expected it and died. Next time, I tried to throw Golden Knives at him, while he still was blinking. I did that just for fun and was very surprised, when I saw that they actually hit Dracula. I was surprised even more, when they killed him after like 6 seconds and he couldn't even make a single shot. In retrospective I think, I shouldn't have been surprised by this battle. Not after other "boss" battles in this game. The final riddle was how to access Dracula's Mansion with his Eyeball. For a time being I thought that misterious instructions in a guidebook refered to some hidden ability within the game, that should allow me to give items to Ferryman. However, in one of my playthroughs I equiped Dracula's Heart and went to talk with the Ferryman. I noticed that dialogue has chnaged and hoped that it will change the outcome of our travel. And it did!! It was one year after I beat this game with password, that I figured out how to access Dracula's Mansion with his Eyeball. There was actually one final mistery - how to get a Silver Knife, but that wasn't really important for me or for the game completion, so I didn't spend much efforts to find this thing. I learned how to get it only in 2010, after I read about it in some FAQ, on the internet.

This game also, some sort of true predeccesor of the "metroidvania" style games and have many innovations. Many things in this game were certainly inspired by Vampire Killer (version of the Castlevania for the MSX computer). Merchants, hidden merchants, hearts as currency, overall accent on the adventure style, all of this was seemingly taken from the Castlevania 1 junior brother. However practically all of this aspects were realized in  much better ways, than in VK. You gain much more hearts for killing enemies and there is no books that affect cost of the items. Also, you can have much more subweapons at the same time, however you can't use two of them  simultaneously. The game aslo have very primitive experience system. The only thing it affects is a lifebar. On each uneven level up, lifebar is restored. On each even - it becomes longer. However, it takes quite a lot of time to level up, and in general enemies in this game are not so hard to desperately upgrade yourself over and over. It is completely enough to just upgarde your primary weapon. You start the game with Leather Whip and then can buy 3 upgrades / new versions of this weapon in different cities throughout the game. The final upgrade you receive for free in the end of the game, just before the fifth mansion with Dracula's Ring. Subweapons could be obtained via trading in the cities. Some of them could be found in remote locations on the map with the help of garlic and the most powerfull subweapon could be obtained after victory over Reaper in the Mansion with Dracula's Eye. Said subweapons include: three versions of dagger (simple, silver and gold), only one of them is really useful. Diamond that bounces of the walls, predeccesor of my favorite weapon "Rebound Stone" in Symphony of the Night, albeit it is more heavy, does little to no damage and generally have nasty tendency to just fly out of the screen. In general it is almost useless. There is also Holy Flame, that creates a pillar of fire. Very useful in battle with Reaper and annoying slimes. Holy Water makes a comeback, but is doesn't burn when you shatter it on the floor. And it make very little damage to enemies. It is mostly used to break shatter some stones on your way to secret passages. There is also Oak Stakes. They could be used as a weapon, but they main purpose is to destroy orbs with Dracula's remains. There are also two passive subweapons - Garlic and Laurel. Garlic allow you to summon hidden merchants in two different places in the game (Carmilla's Cemetery and dead end near Deborah's Cliff) and Laurel gives you temporal complete invicibility to everything. Its main purpose is to cross large poison swamps. Initially you can have only two laurels in the begining. But after you'll acquire Silk Bag, from hidden merchant near Deborah's Cliff, you'll be able to carry up to eight of them at the same time. CV2 also has timer, that count how many time you spent in the gameworld. It is crucial to the receiving the best possible ending in the game. And there is also annoying Day / Night cycle. During the night Monsters have more lives and Simon couldn't use merchants or churches in the cities. The game also has a fully functional inventory / menu. Very simple and comfortable at that. Surprisingly it is much better then one in SOTN and it's probably the only new thing in the game that will not confuse player.

So what my thoughts about this game are: it's confusing. And I mean not in a good way. I seriously doubt that I would be able to figure out how to  complete this game on my own, without the help of the guidebook. While advices from the guidebook weren't that extensive, they provided enough information for me to figure out what to do. Without it I would be completely lost in that game, as practically any other gamer back then, when the game was released. While the puzzles are not really hard, the game itself does a very bad job at providing any meaningfull directions for the players. To begin with, street signs doesn't give you information in which city curently you are. It's just says where can you go from this place. And without global map, it's pretty much means that you must create your own map of the gameworld or just have to memorize where you can go from any given location. Townsfolk advices are a whole another can of worms. Even the most useful advices are formulated in so cryptic way that it is very hard to understand, what exactly you need to do. But most of them, are either complete lie or doesn't have nothing to do with the Dracula's Riddle. It looks like Konami wanted to emulate what real life villagers could know about Dracula's Riddle: only some basic stuff and useless rumors. But I think they went to far with it, turning essentially you main source of in-game information, into walking sack of rumors and lies. There are actual clues in the game, in form of hidden books. But the problem is, no one tell you in the game, that those books do exist in the first place. I don't count "clues to Dracula riddle in...mansion" as meaninfull clue. It could refer to his parts. I only discovered those books by accident, when I was throwing Holy Water in one of the hidden merchant's houses. And then I found out that Dracula's Eyeball allow to see their locations. However, even those books have only some very basic advices on how to complete the game. And the second book that you can find in Berkeley Mansion (the one with Dracula's Rib), says that Simon become a ruler of Brahm's mansion, if he defeat Dracula. Of course it is very related to the game. NOT. There is also the problem with merchants in Dracula's Mansions. No one in the game tells you that you must find them and buy Oak Stake to destory the orb in which Dracula's details being contained. Once again I needed to figure out it by myself. In general it looks like CV2 become a victim of a poor planning. I mean, if Konami developers added even a primitive global map in the game and made clues a bit less cryptic, it would become actually quite easy to make your way through it. But they decided that the more Riddles = more fun and made the game the way it is. It gives CV2 a certain charm, but render it boring and almost unplayable for the new players.

Graphics in the game are nice. It uses a similar style to the CV1, but with completely different colour palette, making it very bright and sometimes quite gloomy game. For example Dracula's Mansions look very dark, despite bright colouring. Hanging bodies doesn't help much in that regard. Music is top notch. It was supposedly the very first game where Bloody Tears appeared and because of this game I become a fan of this composition (however I have a certain disliking towards it today, since it was remixed too often). My favorite track in this game is Dwelling of Doom. I think it's one of the best tracks in the series, and it is a shame that it was completely forgotten. Even more so than Wicked Child, that at least reappears from time to time. Gameplay is pretty dynamic. Hitboxes are more or less like in CV1, but Simon feels a bit lighter and faster. Sadly there is almost no period of invicibility after receiving a hit, and that means that in some situations, enemies could simply juggle Simon aroung until he runs out of lives. Unlike VK, the game has infinite continues and after using them, you even began the game right at the place where you previously died. However you receive penalty for using continues - you timer increase, meaning you lose chances to see the best ending, and you stripped of all experience points and hearts. Since timer stops when you are in any indoor location, you'd better to accumulate hearts in the Dracula's Mansions. Especially in the begining, because many enemies in there give you more hearts, than monsters outside, even during the day.

So, final thoghts. CV2 is a nice game. It is beautiful, while maybe not so visually unique as the first part. Soundtrack is good, however a little bit repetetive and there is too little music overall. Gameplay is interesting, if you have clear instructions on what to do. Without them, you most likely will be lost in the gameworld and frustration. It's an odd game. Interesting and dynamic, but not without hidden spikes in the bag. It could be dificult, but if you be careful enough and upgrade often there will be no troubles with monsters. In general, I like this game and think it's one of the unique and interesting games in the series.

Now let me ask forumgoers a small question:
What is your favorite Mansion in CV2?
Mine is Bodley Mansion - probably the easiest mansion to conquer in the game and the most straightforward in my opinion.

[Sumac]

Castlevania Video Marathon: Haunted Castle (Arcade) (One life run)

Version M - Highest Difficulty

Haunted Castle. It's one of the most infamous and obscure games in the series. There are really many reasons for this. One of them is that the game have such a generic name in the West. "Haunted Castle" - sounds like just another one of this titles about some knight going into the castle to defeat evil demons or something. It's not memorable and certainly doesn't sound as good as Castlevania. The second reason is much more, how to put it, serious, and much more memorable. Difficulty.

But let's begin from the start. I learned about this game, when I was browsing list of the arcade titles on one of the sites about emulation. There I noticed one game that was called Haunted Castle. I looked at the screenshot and was surprised to see, that action looked pretty much like you can find in any classic Castlevania title - the guy with the whip fighting some monsters. Description only furthered my suspicions that this "Haunted Castle" game was part of the Castlevania series, that I never was aware of before. I downloaded it, played for five minutes and then shut it down. The game didn't strike me as something special. Graphics were OK, but nothing really interesting, music was a bit jarring for me back then, and gameplay was clunky. Not to mention absolutely crazy hitboxes. Two years later I completed this game during my initial Castlevania marathon, when I decided to play all games in the series that I have never ever completed before (it was approximately half of the series). Unfortunately I wanted to feel myself as cool gamer and opt to complete first version of this game - the hardest one: Version K. I completed it after several days, by horribly abusing save states function. I can complete hard games, but Haunted Castle wasn't just hard, it was...insanely cheatingly unforgivingly hard. That was the first time, when I felt difference between "just hard game on NES" and "Arcade insane difficult title". Obviously I felt myself not like cool gamer, but like a scolded child. After some initial doubts I decided to give this game another chance.

Did my opinion about this game changed after two years? Well, not much. Graphics looks much better than in 8 bit titles, but that's a given. I think the game looks like something between Genesis and SNES title. It have palette that simoulatenously reminds me about both of this consoles. Bright colours, but slightly subdued. Backgrounds look really rich with details, but characters more often than not have awful animation. Sadly enough, it is the main hero of the game who have the worst animation possible. Simon was often drawn in the past as muscular guy, but in this game he looks too bulky. Besides he have a hunched posture, that maked him look even more awkward. Probably the worst thing about his sprite is his walking animation. It looks like Simon walking around clutching his stomach, as if he has a serious urge to go to the bathroom...or one of his hands is broken. I mean, in the first Castlevania / Vampire Killer Simon had an awkward walking animation. He was not walking there, he was basically limping around. But it was understandable for an 8-bit console and the game that was realesed in 1986. What kind of horrible nights didn't allow animators to make Simon look like a badass vampire hunter he is, instead of victim of the cramps, is one of the many secrets of the series. Other characters also have some strange animations (skeletons in particular), but it is more tolerable. Design choices are pretty good. Though hunchbacks, who once again annoy player to no end, look to big in my opinion. The game also have some special effects. In the first level Simon attacked by the BRICK WALL!! under the rain. Later in the same level there is segment, where player must jump on top of the small platforms, to avoid being burned by the fire. In the third level, in the very begining, Simon sucked into another dimension, where he must defeat three (topless) harpies. Kind of cool idea (another dimension, not topless harpies) and its sad that nothing like that didn't reappeared in the next games. The bosses include: Medusa, for the first time with the body, Giant SkeleDragon, who possibly can be precursor of the boss from Dracula X. There are also Stained Glass Knight, who will later reappear in the series as regular enemy, Stone Monster, who's lacking death animation for whatever reason, Frankenstein's Monster and Dracula in two forms - classic vampire and giant stone head (?) thing. All boss battles quite easy, save for Stone Monster battle, since he can retreat into left side of the screen, where player, simply couldn't get him, if he hasn't some kind of throwing weapon. The worst yet, this Stone Monster, actually can throw projectiles on such height, that it is impossible to duck under them nor to jump over them. Besides, those projectiles are quite long, so even, if Monster throws them on avoidable height, player still need to calculate precise time to jump, either he will land right on the tail of the projectile and receive damage.

Music-wise the game is good. Not very good, but not awful either. In general music sounds almost like standard Genesis fare, but a bit softer and not so jarring. Almost all of the compositions are memorable and there is even two songs borrowed from Castlevania 2 - Bloody Tears, that is used on the third level, that is recreation of the Entrance Hall from the Castlevania 1, and Game Over theme, that's used...when you die, no surprise here. Almost all tracks from this game were forgotten for quite a time, and some of them resurfaced only in most recent games, starting from Aria of Sorrow. Well, techincally Cross Your Heart was included in the Rondo of Blood soundtrack, but it wasn't used in the game. My favorite composition in this game is Don't Wait Until the Night. I like its pacing and calm-but-battle-ready mood this track creates. Fitting for the last level.

While the game is certainly not bad when it comes to the visual side and audio, gameplay is another deal. It is awful. Simon's whip have a miniscule hitbox, so you have only very small window of opportunity to strike small foes, like bats or flying skulls. Also, it seems, that there is no rear hitbox, that allowed Simon to destroy enemies, when they were right behind his back in the CV1 and CV2. It creates a big problem, when you miss a small enemy. Its flying right in the blinking Simon sprite and when you try to hit it with the whip, you can't do this. Instead you will receive more damage from the same enemy, because Simon has little invicibility time after being hit. Even Vampire Killer had more forgiving hitboxes. To add insult to injury, Simon's hitbox is enormously big. Sometimes you can clearly see, that enemy didn't touch you, but you'll receive damage anyway. But the worst part about this game, is that you have only three lives, no matter how much money you put into this hell machine. Worse yet, after you die, you lose your upgrades sometimes. And the funny thing, that without them you are simply unable to complete the game, since enemies in the last levels could take much more damage, then ones in the first part of the game. On the higher difficulties, game spawns random flying enemies, like Bats, Skulls and Hunchbacks. They could appear at any given moment from any part of the screen. It is very annoying. You can restore some part of the lifebar, by collecting hearts. They will be used to refill your lifebar after the end of the level. But it also means, that you should receive as little damage as possibly or you will begin the next level without ammo for your subweapons. Alternatively you can trade all your lives into giant lifebar with 64 hitpoint. But it's have drowbacks. First, if you fall into bottomless pit, you'll need to start the game from the very begining, no matter how much lives in your lifebar you had. Second, your lifebar will not be restored by the end of the level, no matter how many hearts you has. So, either way, the best way to complete this game is to beat it on one life. I'm not sure who was that idiot who though of that idea, but I hope he was at least reprimanded for that kind of cruelty and idiocy. Arcade machines are created to drawn as much money as possible - that's a given. But games itself shouldn't be uncompletible. Your average Joe will play this game, see the difficulty of the next level and say: "Fuck it!!" And I wouldn't blame him for this. While Castlevania 1 was a hard game, at least it was "honestly" hard. There were no limitations that made this game over the top hard. Everyone have chance to beat it, if they give it some time. Maybe, if Haunted Castle was released on the consoles, there would be less problems with its difficulty, since you don't pay for every time you want to play this. But making such game for Arcade machine and with such mechanics and limitations, was kind of stupid idea.

Anyway it doesn't mean that this game is completely bad. In many ways it was Castlevania game that made some things for the first time: it was the first Castlevania to reuse tracks from the previous game, it was the first game that remade Entrance Hall in all its glory (Simon's Quest was technically the first game which did this, but Hall in that game looked completely ruined). Also, this game kind of strengthened idea of Dracula having two forms in the final battle. It was the first game with the drawbridge sequence and falling bridge sequence in the end of the game. Interestingly, it is also the last title in the series, before SOTN, where player can chagne his main weapon. So, it would be too much to say that this title was complete waste of time and brought nothing in the series. However, all its innovations were left in the shade of its crazy difficulty and obscurity. I wouldn't go so far to call this "the worst game in the series". It's kind of a mixed bag, of good ideas and bad implementations. But in general it is very close to be called on of the worst games in the series. This is ceratinly a title that I wouldnt have any pleasant memories after beating it. And by the way, its ending sequecnce sucks.

[Sumac]

Castlevania Video Marathon: Castlevania: The Adventure (Game Boy) (One life run)

I thought I hated Haunted Castle for being absolutely, unforgivingly difficult. You, know, after playing Castlevania: (The) Adventure my opinion changed. Haunted Castle (at least Version M) is just a playground, comparing to the horrors and torture that CVA brings. Yes, Sir, it is that BAD. But once again, let's start from reminiscing about how did I learned about this game in the first place.

It was back at the 2003, when I learned that there is much more Castlevania titles than only 3 on the NES. The first games I discovered were CVs on the Sega Genesis and SNES and also on the Game Boy. I was browsing through the list of the Game Boy titles on one of the emulation sites (now defunct) and I found out that there were two Castlevania games for it. Being fan of the series and curious person as I am, I decided immediately donwload them and play. My first impressions were nothing special. I played both titles in the Internet Club, without the music and abused save states, knowing that I don't have much time to complete those games. So, at the time, I couldn't have any proper opinion about CVA and its sequel. Later I played them on my first computer in 2005 (computer was build in 1996 and I still have it) with music and once again save states. I didn't hate those games, but also didn't like them all that much. They become just another Castlevania titles, that I'd like to forget and move on for more interesting games in the series.

So, what changed in my opinion about this game after another playthrough without save states, 7 years later? Well, the game is suffering. Graphic wise it's nice. Well, as nice as Game Boy title could be in general. It mean it is detailed, but nothing special. Music is nice, however could become annoying after a while. All compositions are memorable. My favorite music in the game "Battle of the Holy" (mostly due to the awesome remix) with closing theme taking the second place. Melody from the third stage reminded me about MegaMan titles. And now, when I talked about all those superficial details let's move onto something really important and something that make this game stand out not in positive light amidst its peers.

Gameplay. It is sucks. I rarely try to be such accusing since it is understandable in some cases, that developers were limited and e.t.c., but in case of this game it is honest truth. Poor Christopher Belmont, should be renamed into "Slug" Belmont, so awful his speed is. He walks slowly. He climbs on the ropes slowly (and looks like slug, when doing it). He strikes slowly, has awfully big hitbox and jumps with grace of the iron. As if all of this wasn't enough game has a tendency to slowdown, when there are some animated things on the screen. Due to the fact that there is practically always something animated on the screen, slowdown practically is a normal state of that game. Whicn makes life of the player even more tedious. Worse yet, if this game was structured like, say Haunted Castle, in which most of the time you fight monsters and platforming happens only from time to time, it wouldn't be that bad. But platforming in CVA is prcatically its second nature. There is always some obstacles, platforms, ledges, to jump to. As you can figured out, platforming in this game is not so much fun, but a torture. You need to plan your jumps as carefully as possible, other wise most of the time you miss the ledge or the next platform. I am not really sure what made developers think that making platforming in a main feature of this title was a good idea. The game just awful when it comes to jumping and moving in general. So, all of this platforming stuff comes of as a bad idea, that quickly tires and frustrates player. First level in the game already features a jumping section, where you need to jump on very small platforms. The third level is completely about platforming, and level 4 feature several rooms with moving platforms and elongated spikes. In wouldn't that bad, if at least jumping was abit easier, but, alas.

But is there anything positive to say about this game? Well, as surprisingly as its sounds - there is. If you make a conscious effort and look past awful game physics, you can see that the game is very creative and inventive, when it comes to the level design. Almost every level in the game features something interesting, that was never used in subsequent titles. Maybe other Konami developers hated it too? In the second level there is a several bridges that you must cross, while avoiding giant rolling eyeballs. The trick is that if you strike the eyeballs, it'll blow up and make a very big hole in the bridge. The level 3 is a big spike challenge. At fist player need to carefully walk under descending ceiling with spikes, then climb up from spiked floor and finally run from the wall with spikes. This section could have been fun, if the game physics were better. But...OK enough about that. In level 4 the player must make a series of jumps on elongated spikes and moving platforms.

Assortment of enemies is fairly unique. There is no skeletons, zombies, medusa heads. However some of the enemies from the past titles are there: bats, that became bigger and more annoying, mudmen, ravens and eyeballs. Bosses are also unique for the series. The first boss is Gobanz - giant knight in the bulky armor. He is quite slow and can attack only in small range. The second boss is not a one boss, but rather big group of boss-creatures, known as undermoles. They pop out of the holes on the wall and player must kill them to deplete boss lifebar. The best way is to kill them one by one is not allowing them to overwhelm player. Third boss is Death Bat - humanoid batlike creature (The Bat Man in other words). He is also fairly simple boss. Dracula, per fresh tradition, has two forms. First is human-like in which he attacks player with deadly orbs. During attacks he looks as if he doing aerobics. Second form is a Giant Bat. I found its quite ironic that Drcaula in this game have form of the very first boss in the series. Both forms are very easy to kill, if you position yourself right at the screen and have upgarded weapon.

Talking about upgrades, the game have an interesting take on traditional Castlevania battle mechanics. You can upgrade your whip twice and after the second upgrade Christopher "Slug" Belmont will receive ability to throw fireballs from his whip!! It could have been awesome idea, but sadly you lose your upgrades, if being hit by the enemy. So most of the game you will probably slug around with basic whip, since upgrades is scarce and game mechanics, makes its very hard to avoid enemies or death traps. Also, the game doesn't have subweapons, so hearts used for healing a player (who could have thought?). To make life of the player a bit easier there are secret rooms with upgrades, 1 ups and hearts scattered throughout the game. But there are usually located in the end of the level.

In the end, while CVA is an interesting and creative game, its suffers from atrocious realization, when it comes to gameplay itself. I am not sure whose fault it was game developers or hardware limitations, but the fact remains: it is very unfriednly game. that most likely make some modern players throw their Game Boys / joysticks into the walls, cursing all over the place.

[Gaawa-chan]

I'm enjoying these videos very much...

Now let me ask forumgoers a small question:
What is your favorite Mansion in CV2?
Mine is Bodley Mansion - probably the easiest mansion to conquer in the game and the most straightforward in my opinion.

Laruba because the laurel guy amuses m... unless the castle ruins count (love dat music).

[Sumac]

I'm enjoying these videos very much...

Thanks.

[Sumac]

Castlevania Video Marathon: Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse (NES) (Trevor only - One life run) Part 1

(click to show/hide)

Castlevania Video Marathon: Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse (NES) (Trevor only - One life run) Part 2

About the video:
I HATE THIS GAME. In the video I used very cheap tactic to kill Doppelganger, but that was the only way I could gurantee myself victory over the bastard. After two weeks of playing in THIS GAME, I quite lost any patience to continue playing it until he will behave as expected. And by the way, this video showcases my first succesfull attempt to complete CV3 on one life. All attempts before this one were failed.

Now onto actual (weighted) review:
For the first time I've heard about CV3 from my NES guidebook "120 secrets in 1" in 1996. I was pleasantly surprised that there was another Catlevania on the NES. However I didn't have a chance to play in that game until 2003, when I played it on the emulator in the internet club. Back then I managed to get to the Ghost Ship level and couldn't continue, since I didn't have much time to play in the club. For the second time I played this game and completed it, in the 2005, on my old computer. This playthrough left only bad memories - I played CV3 on the crappy emulator, that didn't had save states function for the NES games and worst yet, didn't allow to reassign buttons on the keyboard. So, I struggled through the game playing in the very uncomfortable buttons layout. I must admit, that I can't play console games on the keyboard for dear life, so my attempt to complete CV3 on the keyboard and without save states was a very bold and ill-thought effort. I completed the game after a week or so, but in the process I broke said keyboard, cursed this game countless time and in general was very dissappointed with it. Of course, most of my hatred towards CV3 was unjustified back then, since it wasn't fault of the game, that I couldn't play it on joypad or at least save progress. But for a long time I ignorantly hated this game and recent Marathon was the first time, when I decided to complete it after disaster of a walkthrough 7 years ago.

So what is my new opinion of this game? It doesn't become better, but for a different reasons. But let's begin form the begining. For a quite a time, after playing CV2 on my NES-clone, I assumed that CV3 should have been like CV2, but better. Meaning more territory to explore, more mansions, towns, better defined clues for Dracula's Riddle, normal bosses e.t.c. I was genuinly surprised, when I started playing CV3 for the first time. It was like I played some sort of original Castlevania variation. I was very puzzled by that turn of events to say the least. I am not sure what exactly possesed Konami to get rid of everything that made CV2 stand out from its predeccesor. Maybe CV2 wasn't commercially succseful? Or maybe Konami decided that it was to experimental for its own good? So in the end they threw practically every single element of the CV2 out of this game. No open world, no towns, no mansions, no clues, no merchants. The second thing that surprised me is that the game tryed to look like CV1. And that after CV2 was slightly different in its appearance. But did they threw everything away and didn't try to make something new in place of thrown out elements? Well, first and foremost this game feature several playable characters. You start the game with Trevor C. Belmont. On your road to the Dracula's Castle you can team up with several other characters - mage Sypha Belnades (who disguise herself as the man - it was surprising revelation for me, when I completed CV3 for the first time), Grant DaNasty - wall climbing pirate and Alucard - son of Dracula, who reblled against his own father and try to stop him from destroying the world. Each additional character have its special powers - Sypha could use lighting, ice and fire magic, Grant - crawl on the walls and ceilings and Alucard can use fire attack, similar to attack Dracula used in the first game, and he can transform into a bat. You can have only one teammate at a time, and if you come across one of those characters, when you already have someone with you, you can only exchange you current partner to a new one. Having different teammates allow you to explore levels (since some parts of them are only available for certain characters) and also see different endings. Also, as some sort of remain of CV2 style you can choose your path after some levels. It adds tonnes of replayability to the game.

Now about graphics. CV3 tries to do two things at the same time -to look like CV1 and be prettier. That said, its quite a hard task, since CV1 unique looks was a product of NES graphical limitations and time when the game was released. Said limitations created an unique look for the game, that was very natural and very distinct. CV3 tries to emulate it and add some new colours and schemes. However, it doesn't look that good. Graphics has advanced in 4 years since release of the CV1 and game looks like designers always struggling to stay in the style dictated by CV1 appearance. Sometimes it really shows. For example in the Mad Forest there is beautiful and dark area inhabitated by owls that shows how the graphic advanced, but most other levels look pretty uninspired and consist from platforms formed by blocks, very often bright orangeish blocks for whatever reason. Graphics in CV3 are more crispier and brighter, but that works against the game. CV1 had quite a dark colour scheme, while CV3 adds some bright colours into the mix. The result is strange and sometimes less then pretty. Sometimes levels look like a mish mash of different colours and strange palettes, as if graphical artist loose his senses. In general, most of the levels in this game look like something you can find in any other game. It wouldn't be that bad since there is only so much locations you can put into the game about midieval monster hunters, but they actually looks like it. Especially Ghost Ship, probably on the the ugliest locations, I've ever seen in the series. I think the reason for this is quantity of the levels in this game. CV1 had only six, relatively short levels, and it was one of the reasons why they were so good. There was no neccessary for designers to go out of the way and force themselves to create locations and designs. Each level was carefully planned and designed in a way that you can't add anything to it, but it was not even neccessary since everything was already there. In CV3 some locations look like they were designed just to fill the place. Another my gripe about level design in this game, is that it looks unnatural. In CV1 levels made some sort sense and felt like they could be some actual locations more or less. In CV3 most of the levels are just levels in the game. They doesn't give impression that they could be even remotely real. Some of them, like Ghost Ship, consist from several rooms filled with platforms. In the end they just feel unnatural. There are around 16 levels in the game, some contain subbosses. You have ability to choose which level you'd like to visit sometimes, but in general there are two paths to complete the game. I dubbed them "the easy route" and "the hard route". In the easy route you can take a Ghost Ship and arrive Dracula's castle via bridge, while in the hard route you will go through some underground catacombs and gain access into the Dracula's Castle through the basement. The hard route is the only one in which you can team up with Alucard, and the easy route is the only one where you can gain Sypha as your teammate. Before choosing "easy" or "hard" route, you can visit Clocktower to safe Grant and gain him as partner. Interestingly, if you complete his level, you'll need to get back to the very entrance of the tower from the boss room. Quite an unique experince, through a bit puzzling. The hard route leads to one of the most annoying and idiotic sequences in the NES game I ever encountered. In second basement level of the Dracula's Castle there is a big room, in which you must wait until it would filled with bricks. In theory you probably can escape turmoil of this part, by using Alucards's Bat-transformation, however if you don't have him...well, you screwed up. The next part of the level is also hard and concludes with boss rush against three foes. I must admit, I never mustered enough patience to get through this level, mostly because of this annoying "Tetris" sequence. I could go through every other trap and obstacle in the game, but waiting until the room will fill with those bricks...is beyond just annoying. It is tiresome, especially, if you replay this levels several times.

Music not so unique as in previous entries. It seems that american CV3 uses the same sound engine that was used later for the majority of the Konami games realesed on the NES in the begining of the 90s. So, I constantly hear familiar notes from Zen Intergalactic Ninja, TMNT TF and Batman Returns here and there. CV1 and CV2 didn't had this effect on me and soundtracks from this games formed a whole picture. Each melody in those games sounds unique, while CV3 constantly reminds me about something else, but not quite Castlevaniash enough or even interesting enough. It doesn't mean that music is bad, its just not that good as in previous two games. I believe that abundance of levels played a negative role here. CV1 and CV2 didn't had that many levels, so to speak, and there weren't many tracks. In CV3 there a lot of levels and naturally not every track will stand out. Most of the tracks in this game didn't leave any lasting impression on me. However, I found few melodies that I actually liked in this game - Mad Forest and Evergreen. I've listened to the japanese versions of the tracks, and to be honest didn't found them all that better than american version. There are richer, but for me the problem with the music in this game is not in arrangements.

Controls or rather physics undergone slight changes. Trevor is fast, almost like certain Ninja Gaiden. And in physics in this game are quite floaty. It is good when it comes to platforming, but not so good, when it comes to the rest of the elements. Controls had a sense of weight in them. It did make characters somewhat clanky, but it didn't stop them from being relatively dexterous. In CV3, on contrary, controls are so light, that they almost feel weightless sometimes. It could be quite uncomfortable during jumping and fighting. Another big problem is ducking and striking at the same time. In the past, when player made a strike while ducking and at the same released "Down" button, character made a low strike and only then stood up. In this game, as soon as you release "Down" button, Belmont immediately stands up and continue his strike animation. It is very inconvinient during battles with certan enemies that should be attacked while ducking. Especially with Axe Armors, when they throw ground axes. It takes some time to use, and it still feels quite uncomfortable in the later playthroughs. Three Trevor's teammates have different controls. Sypha is not dexterous at all and have very low jump. Her basic wepaon is very weak, though very fast. Her main strength lies with use of magical attacks. However you need to obtain one of the three magical books first. And all your magical attacks are powered by hearts, so it is very important to constantly collect them. Grant have some awkward jumps, as if he is sliding throgh the air. It is very hard to land exactly where you want with him. Also, when Grant climbing on the wall or a ceiling, you need to constantly push corresponding direction on the joypad. One wrong move and Grant will fall. Often to his doom. Alucard is the tallest character in the game, so naturally he is the biggest target for the enemy attacks. In terms of controls he is somewhere between Sypha and Grant. In general he feels awkward. His basic (and only) attack is simple fireball, which you can upgrade, however it is still will reamin quite weak. And his main power - is ability to transform into bat. In theory it allows you to escape certain parts of the levels, but bat-form drains hearts very fast, so you need them even more so, than Sypha.

Gameplay is traditional for the Castlevania. Difficulty was upped a notch. As is general speed of the game. There are much more platforming than in two previous titles on the NES and it looks like developers took few notes from CVA, adding some timed segments, where Belmont must escape some danger. Most of the enemies and bosses from CV1 returned in this game and some of them were simply reused. The Bat, Reaper, Frankestein's Monster, Medusa, Mummies (as bosses and common enemies) returned in this game. The Bat now have ability to multiply itself after damage, but it is very easy boss.
Reaper have second form - giant skull that is very easy to defeat. And in his first form, he is quite more predictable and more easy than he was in CV1. Medusa has body in this game and bow. But she is very easy to defeat and besides, acts as a mere subboss on the Ghost Ship. Frankentein's Monster looks like an average alcoholic and fights pretty much like one (if average alcoholic had super strength and ability to toss bricks from nowhere). He is very easy boss and acts like subboss in the "hard route". Mummies are once again a cakewalk, if you know where to position yourself on the screen. Or if you have ever helpful cross-boumerangs. Two of the bosses are actually emulate fighting style of the Dracula forms from CV1. Alucard mimics his firss form (albeight toned down) and Gargoyle - mimics his second dragon form (also made easier). Some of the bosses appear several times thorugh the game. Most notably Cyclops. In the easy route you can fight three of them in different places. Interestingly enough, aside form Reaper first form, game doesn't have difficult or interesting bosses. For that reason, I believe, designers decided to compensate quantity with the quality, so several levels in both rotes, end with some sort of boss rush, where you need to defeat several bosses, one after the other. Happily Trevor's whip much stronger than one of his descendant, so one strike take several lives from enemy lifebar. The hardest boss in this game is a Doppelganger. It takes form of whatever character you currently using and worst yet, acts completely indepedently on your actions. This means that is very hard to predict what he will do next. Dracula has three unique, never before seen forms, and even in his human-like appearance have an unique attack patern. However all his forms are laughaubly easy. Especially the second one. I'd say you need to put some effort or be very nervous during that fight to receive any damage. His third form could be a problem, however if you have Axe subweapon and 16 hearts it will be a cakewalk. There are several moments that were reproduced from previous games - collapsing bridge (two times), climbing sequence, when the tower gradually collapse under your feet (two times) and sequence when you must go to the lowest floor of the clocktower and avoid being crushed by the ceiling. Also, this game marks the second time, when melody from the previous entry was reused. This time it was Vampire Killer (under the name "Deja Vu") playing appropriately in the remake of Entrance Hall level from CV1 (this level was remade for the third time in the series).

By the end of the game, I sometimes caught myself on the thought that I don't feel like playing a Castlevania game. I felt more like I am playing some sort of CV1 hack or something like Ninja Gaiden. It has something to do with the level design and general mood I believe. The game is all around the place with the atmosphere, constantly balancing on the verge of loosing it and turning into "just action game". Some of the levels are pretty uninspired. Not something special, like you will expect from Castlevania series. Coupled with strange looking levels, that sometimes look like they could belong to any generic action game, there is sometimes feeling that I play some other game, and not the Castlevania game. It is not a bad game, by any margin. There were a lot of effort and creativity put into it. But I think some of those elements weren't exactly refined as they should be and shouldn't have been limited to the CV1 style. I bet CV3 could have looked much more pretty, if it tried to establish its own unique look, rather than borrowing it from the 4-years old game and add a new spins on it. Besides it has tonnes of replayability, several playable characters and several endings to boot. But in the end, it's just not Castlevania that I like.

[Ahasverus]

Wow I'm sisprised by your opinions, while I respect them, I can't make up my mind on how anyone could say CVIII was not the best of the old trilogy and arguably the 3rd best Old-school Vania after ROB and IV. But our reasons are completely valid I guess

Which one will be your next one?

In second basement level of the Dracula's Castle there is a big room, in which you must wait until it would filled with bricks. In theory you probably can escape turmoil of this part, by using Alucards's Bat-transformation, however if you don't have him...well, you screwed up.

HAhahah this one is infamous. I think no CV fan hasn't been infuriated by this part before. It's as near as we were to a set piece, it's a (cruel) classic.

[Sumac]

Which one will be your next one?

I am following CVD list, so the next one will be Super Castlevania 4. However it will be after a week or two. Right now I need to take some rest and restore my morality and resolve after close encounter with THAT game.
However, I am planning to give some closing thoughts about all games, I played so far and make a special video.

[Chernabogue]

Very nice job, keep it up.

[Sumac]

Very nice job, keep it up.

I am intent to, thanks.

I wonder what not very smart being minused my post with CV3 review? I could understand if it was just a post on the forum and part of the discussion, but it was intended as a personal review and never as an attempt to convince anyone in anything. Well, fanboys always will be fanboys, I guess.  Nothing new here.

[Wallz!]

Something about your writing is far more interesting compared to other walkthrough texts.