Topic: Castlevania Bloodlines vs. Super Castlevania IV (or: Sega vs. Nintendo)

[KnockedUP]

First of all: hello, fellow Castlevania fans.

Let me just say that this poll is more than just some random poll. It actually has quite a bit of backstory, spawned in the bowels of sega-16.com. It was (and to some extent, still is) a topic that sparked a lot of heated debate over which game is the better one.

As you might have noticed, the poll has been posted on a pro-Sega website, where Bloodlines seems to have taken in the majority of votes (56 to 31 at the point of writing this post).
Most users there however, have expressed their opinions on the fact that being on a Sega website did not at all influence the outcome of the poll. To them, Bloodlines is simply the better game.

So to end this debate, the task has fallen upon me to take this poll to a community where the bias is close to zero to either one of these titles. I think I might have arrived at the right place.

Let the best game win!

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

Welcome to the Forums!

Interesting poll.  As Castlevania fans, we have fans of both games in here.  However, I do believe that Super Castlevania IV is going to gather more votes, as it is quite possibly the highest ranking of the ClassicVania series of titles.
I love both of those titles, but Super Castlevania IV wins my vote.

[crisis]

As Jorge said, SCIV will most likely win this poll. Bloodlines is great but SCIV is excellence.

[KnockedUP]

Thanks, Jorge!
Yes, your guess is exactly what I (and a minority of posters over at sega-16) think is going to happen. However, it is extremely hard to convince the vast majority of forumgoers over there, and many of them have called upon a topic like this to be made in a more or less "neutral" community to witness the outcome.

[Munchy]

I always find it really hard to pick favorites in any game series. Bloodlines and Super 4 have their own merits, but I'd have to go with 4 because of the atmosphere and nostalgia factors. Though Bloodlines is more of a challenge and has some unique locales.

[DragonSlayr81]

I'm freely voicing my opinion, and I DID like Bloodlines more than SCV4. I know there's a lot of SCV4 fans, and it will probably win, but I didn't care for it THAT much. I mean, it was alright, but most definitely not even close to being one of my favorites. And I'll get attacked by saying this, I never saw it as being the "Second Coming" that many hail it to be. Frankly, I didn't even care for the music, which is hailed as being one of the best in the series. To me, it was too synthy sounding(people are totally going to hate me for saying this) and SCV4's Blood Tears(again, which is hailed as being the best version) didn't do anything for me(sorry, RoB and X68000's versions rip it's ass out with gusto).

I didn't care for the sound FX, sprite animation and wonky controls either. Of course, the controls is said to be classic, but keeping it "that classic" isn't really something to brag about, IMO. Of course, if there's one thing I have to admit, I didn't play it when it was released, hence don't have the nostalgia attached to it as someone would've when it came out. That being said, I didn't play Final Fantasy II(SNES's FFIV) until 1998, and loved it and it's music.

To me, Bloodlines was a more enjoyable playing experience. Better music, easier controls, and cooler story concept(not the same old retelling of Simon Belmont). Intersting bit, I also didn't play this game when it came out. I think I tracked it down in the late 90s, after playing SC4, and still liked it more. Again, no nostalgia for either game.

[corneliab]

Super Castlevania IV. The level design, gameplay mechanics, and music style/atmosphere make it the winner here. The difficulty is also more balanced.

Bloodlines is definitely one of my favorites, though.

[uzo]

Super Castlevania IV had the mood, the music, the graphics, the gameplay, and way better whip swinging.

NO CONTEST

[Abnormal Freak]

I love Bloodlines, and defend it whenever ninnies on this board crap all over it, buuuuuuut...

Castlevania IV is better in every possible way. Better level design, controls, music, graphics, and a helluvan atmosphere that can't be beat. There's no way I can understand someone preferring Bloodlines except for maybe that it offers a little bit more of a challenge.

Two of the best games in the series, though.

[Pemburu Vampir]

I'm freely voicing my opinion, and I DID like Bloodlines more than SCV4. I know there's a lot of SCV4 fans, and it will probably win, but I didn't care for it THAT much. I mean, it was alright, but most definitely not even close to being one of my favorites. And I'll get attacked by saying this, I never saw it as being the "Second Coming" that many hail it to be. Frankly, I didn't even care for the music, which is hailed as being one of the best in the series. To me, it was too synthy sounding(people are totally going to hate me for saying this) and SCV4's Blood Tears(again, which is hailed as being the best version) didn't do anything for me(sorry, RoB and X68000's versions rip it's ass out with gusto).

I didn't care for the sound FX, sprite animation and wonky controls either. Of course, the controls is said to be classic, but keeping it "that classic" isn't really something to brag about, IMO. Of course, if there's one thing I have to admit, I didn't play it when it was released, hence don't have the nostalgia attached to it as someone would've when it came out.

To me, Bloodlines was a more enjoyable playing experience. Better music, easier controls, and cooler story concept(not the same old retelling of Simon Belmont). Intersting bit, I also didn't play this game when it came out. I think I tracked it down in the late 90s, after playing SC4, and still liked it more. Again, no nostalgia for either game.

I agree with everything you just wrote. I also like Bloodlines more than Castlevania IV.

[corneliab]

That's actually a pretty shitty rationale. That post basically reads as "YA KNOW THOSE THINGS THAT PEOPLE LIKE? I HATE THEM. JUST CUZ"

And I don't know wtf he was going on about the controls. Those are pretty much universally regarded as fixing the flaws of the previous "classic" games.

Also, the factor of nosalgia isn't even worth bringing up. I only started playing the classic titles after Dawn of Sorrow was released, and yet my views are contrary regardless.

[DragonSlayr81]

Really? They seemed like SNES version controls of the NES versions. I couldn't see anything that different, other than the change of sprite size. The control still feels blocky, through.

As for nostalgia, it only proves that both of us weren't affected by nostalgia during a playthroughs, even though our opinion on the game differs considerably.

Though, again, it's funny to see someone get so worked up about SCV4, after I just stated my opinoin. I mean, after reading other's opinions, many here basically listed the opposite of what I listed, and are free to like it to their hearts content. But, saying something negative, for shame.

[corneliab]

It's funny how people think that just putting a "in my opinion" disclaimer makes them immune to criticism.

You're on the internet, deal with it.

[superDioplus]

I love SCV4 but to me, Bloodlines is better. I know, the music set the mood, control mechanics are great and some other elements make the game feel unique. But it just doesn't feel like a total Castlevania game to me. I personally prefer Bloodline for its score, its monster design, its level design(floating stepcases, mirror reflections, refractions), overall atmosphere(music really set the mood well here in this one, I just felt like I am travelling around Europe and beating up monsters). The controls maybe a little letdown but it's not that much of trouble to get around.

[DragonSlayr81]

It's funny how people think that just putting a "in my opinion" disclaimer makes them immune to criticism.

You're on the internet, deal with it.

I never said I'm immune to critism. If anything, I'm quite aware I was going to get critized(as I listed it in my first post).

It actually doesn't bother me as much as you.