I agree with everything in that article. Haunted Castle is a game that can really only be liked by hardcore Castlevania fans, and maybe retro arcade masochists. I liked it more when I was younger, but I tried playing Haunted Castle again recently. (They have one at the Galloping Ghost arcade in Chicago, right next to Vs. Castlevania!) I hated the experience. It was so brutally difficult, I just couldn't get any enjoyment out of it. When 75% of your lifebar is drained by one hit by a bat, one of the most minor enemies in the game, you know the game has serious problems with difficulty balance.