Topic: Areas NOT in the castle in old-style games.

[CVfan13]

I think what the series really needs in order to jump into good 3-D gaming (although I did enjoy the 3-D games) is expansive environments, not just crappy linear paths

Right, avoid linear paths and switch to open places(like The Legend of Zelda).

[kevinski]

Honestly, one of the things that bores me about the Castleroid games is that they all take place in the castle, and every castle seems to have to have a chapel, a cave, a center, etc. It's dull.

PoR has plenty of outdoor areas.

Anyway, I have a question regarding the outdoor areas in the various games: Since Castlevania can change shape from game to game, does that mean that the outdoor areas (namely the catacombs, garden (Saturn version) and mines are still part of the castle, or are they actually already in place underground? Also, does Castlevania always appear in the same place?

By the way, I felt that Bloodlines had an interesting take on things, with the first (and only the first) level taking place inside of Castlevania.

[Long John Silver]

That doesn't matter, since the outdoor areas make only up to 5% or so of the game. Egypt for example takes place inside a pyramid almost all the time. The cities take place in giant bakery, underground tunnel and chapel, the forest is really just a big magic school and the clown area no idea what the hell is that supposed to be, some ruined circus tent being sucked into a black hole?

[Steve]

Also, does Castlevania always appear in the same place?

The opening text of Harmony of Dissonance describes the castle as being "undocumented on any map."  There's no way no one would have thought to put a location as infamous as Dracula's castle on a map in the years between 1476 and 1748, so it can be inferred that it does change location from iteration to iteration.

Naturally, this would also explain why the castle is sometimes depicted as being amidst the ocean, near a river, surrounded by forest, and so on from game to game.

[Baigan]

In Reply To #17

Those are certainly part of the castle. Consider that they have incarnations in the Inverted Castle. Also, we can see game to game that there is significant variation in outdoor areas of Castlevania.

[CVfan13]

That doesn't matter, since the outdoor areas make only up to 5% or so of the game. Egypt for example takes place inside a pyramid almost all the time. The cities take place in giant bakery, underground tunnel and chapel, the forest is really just a big magic school and the clown area no idea what the hell is that supposed to be, some ruined circus tent being sucked into a black hole?

Wow, you just put an interesting new perspective on things. But, yeah. Now that you mention it, Nation of Fools does seem like its being sucked into a black hole. lol

[le052383]

Unforunately, with SOTN and the use of the inverted castle, there are not so many outdoor levels anymore unless you count the 3d games.  Hopefully, they do something more creative than a mirror castle or an inverted one and start inserting more outdoors levels.  True, POR had outdoor levels, but not alot even though there is no more brick/castle wall borders at the top of the screen.

[The Last Belmont]

In Reply To #1

Outdoor stages > Indoor ones. I love the indoor ones too, but the outdoor ones to me add more to the game then having you just start at the castle, I don't know games that make you just jump straight to the castle, (certain titles where dracula hasn't been revived/where the outdoors has no bearing to what's going on aside) for the most part seem like they are unfinished to me or that a part is missing, I like taking part in the whole journey from the outset when the hero/villian leaves his home or is summoned, the struggle they must undertake in beating back the hordes of demons summoned by dracula until he/she finally fights their way to the castle where they must put a stop to the evil.

[gull lord]

aqulium with sea monster
animal keeps ,
demonic bathroom 
ice hole where the castle keep its demonic food
upside down dining , anemy in it is either float or move upside down