Topic: What are your opinions of the (American/Euro) CastleVania III soundtrack?

[Eric Roman]

Hey, folks.

I'm currently preparing a new blurb for the top of DCTP's SOUND MODE page and I'd like to get an idea of how you guys feel about the soundtrack 22 years after it first came out.  While I'm asking of the VRC6-less international version of the music and sounds, thoughts on the original, bumpy-synth Japanese version are also welcome.

P.S. Does anyone know if the soundtrack gained any recognition in gaming mags of the time?

[Flame]

well, the chip-less ost sounds more like CV1 and 2, while the japanese has more depth and sounds generally better. I prefer the japanese, but hey, its the same music, and its still great.

[Munchy]

Actually prefer the American due to nostalgia and not having to use ridiculous mods to get it to play on an actual system.

[Sumac]

Prefer US version - Japanese version sounds a bit to jarring for me.

[JR]

Loved the soundtrack of this game, it's easily one of my favorites. I really liked how it took the catchy aspects of the first game's music and evolved it. Although the first game has more iconic tracks, Dracula's Curse has more sophisticated, and for me, more memorable ones. It still sounds incredible after all these years.

As for the regional differences, I'll have to go with the Japanese version. I was blown away with how clean it sounded, and how it really made songs that I thought were okay sound amazing (like Big Battle). I just recently purchased the Famicom version to add to my collection, but I'm also planning on buying a Famicom Twin down the road to play this (and other games, of course). And it's largely because of the music quality.

[Thunderbrand]

Both are great, but I'm gonna say the JAP version is better if for no other reason than the JAP version of "Overture" is fantastic and blows the US version away. For that 1 track alone, I prefer the JAP version.

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

I actually prefer some of the tunes in the USA version.
The tunes are:


Mad Forest - The VRC6 version has an off-tune pulse tone at one point and it makes the tune a little ear-cringing.  Most people won't notice, though.
Rising - In the US version there is an arpeggio (harp-like run of notes) in the 2nd movement that is not at all present in the VRC6 version, which just does a chord.
Riddle - This tune's US version benefits from the stronger bass drum sample the US version uses.  It's subdued in the VRC6 version.  Also, the strong birdtweet sound at the end is completely different in the VRC6 version.

Where the VRC6 version outshines the US version (in terms of composition):
Clockwork - The extra samples encourage one to think of a metallic sound like a Harpsichord.
Nightmare - The extra samples in alternate pitches makes one think of violas.  There is also more dynamics (crescendo, decrescendo) on the extra voice samples.
Overture - The echo tracks make this one shine more than US version.
Pressure - Pressure is a fast and empty track in the US version.  The VRC6 version is slower and because of the extra pulses, more robust.

The rest of the tracks are good either way.  Sometimes I like to hear the US version, and other times the JPN version.  It's a toss-up.  Generally I prefer the VRC6 versions though.

[Belmont Stakes]

This reply will be similar to Jorge's but seeing as how he already put his expertise into the post I will give the post a little lemon twist. I did remixed versions of the songs a while back using just the triangle wave from the Am version and all of the imported version channels but no VRC6. Like so. Here is Aquarius.

Castlevania III - Aquarius Remix


Aside from those extra channels, the remaining ones all can be reproduced with regular NES hardware. So basically that is what I thought the game should sound like. When I first played Aku Den I was far more impressed with the music than it's American counterpart. The funny thing was I wasn't getting any bass samples and of of course no VRC6. It wasn't until 10 years later when I first heard the song with all hardware working in concert so to speak. I see now why the music was so different from our game and better. Still I thought that even without the extra channels the music still sounded good it just needed to have triangle bass put in it. Why this was not done I don't know. Listen to the music on Akuden without the extra channels and you will hear how the Japanese version is still superior in many ways despite lacking bass and should have been put in the American version with triangle bass added in the place of sawtooth.

Beginning - Japan's version benefits from a stronger sounding drum track as the Amtrack sounds wimpy. I liken the JP samples to those used on Ninja Gaiden.
Clockwork - The two of these are pretty much identical and as such both are epic tracks.
Mad Forest - Definitely like the JP version better it sounds darker, grittier and edgier, it's edgier.
Anxiety - This one I think the Am version benefits due to having the bass making it sound fuller. I might need to remix this one.
Rising - I love this track on AD bare bones no bass. It you add bass it's just as good and I love the echo in this track.
Stream - Both versions are about equal
Dead Beat - I don't like the Am version's beginning part. Too much wa wa wa in it. They were going for a Jaws feeling here similar to Walking on the Edge in CV 1. The goal here was to creep up on you. Yep that's Castlevania.
Nightmare - Japan version. Listen to it bare bones no bass and it has a creepy skeevish feel to it.
Aquarius - Drums Jp version. All other samples Am version. This song should have been used on the last level before the Keep.
Demon Seed - I will give it to the American version on this one.
Deja fuck it it's Vampire Killer - With or without the channels the JP version is better but it is not better than CV1's version IMO.
Riddle - The American version is shorter. Winner JP version again.
Pressure - This is a simple track and because its faster I will say viva America.
Overture - I like Japan's version better it has an echo. I am not a big fan of this for encountering Dracula though.

Also I listened to the Palcom version music and I think that it suffers the most due to being slower than the other two versions.