A Retro Review – Castlevania

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presents a


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	(NES)
	(Action/Adventure)
	(Single-player)
	(Coolness guaranteed)
	(Great game)
	Badass horror concept Awesome music Easy-to-learn mechanics
	Too many unfair deaths Not my favorite jumping controls MEDUSA HEADS
	Combining accessible gameplay mechanics with an already established horror motif guaranteed to draw attention, Castlevania succeeds as the catalyst to the grand ghoul-whipping franchise with responsive action draped in Konami’s typical aesthetic quality

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Story

For centuries, the Belmont clan have been the direct response to the overwhelming threat of Dracula and his mysterious castle full of ghouls which resurfaces somewhat regularly to wreak havoc on the world. Utilizing “Vampire killer”, a whip heirloom passed down through the generations for the purpose of living up to its namesake, the Belmont family has routinely battled back against the forces of darkness no matter where it has risen without fail. Now the old blood-sucker has shown back up for his latest attempt at gothic debauchery and it’s up to the current generation Belmont (Simon) to pick up his mantle and start whipping everything in sight!

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Overview

Castlevania is a side-scrolling action/adventure game where players assume the role of Simon Belmont and his whip – “Vampire Killer” with the sole purpose of destroying the recently resurrected Dracula and his pack of evil monsters across 6 different stages. Each level consists of obstacles in the form of platforming sections and enemies who attack Simon at will with the main goal being to reach the end where a boss awaits to challenge you before allowing further admittance. Along with the horizontally-focused whip (your main weapon), Simon can also use sub-weapons such as the axe and holy water which attack with different trajectories increasing your variety of offense. Beyond that, additional power-ups such as hearts (ammunition for your sub-weapon), pork chops (health boost) and more can be obtained throughout Simon’s adventure for further assistance.

Utilizing any advantages will be paramount to your success since Dracula’s combination of countless ghouls and pitfall traps make for a relentless labyrinth that Simon must push through requiring a more steadied approach in each stage. This same sentiment goes double for the boss battles as Simon is encountered with a unique adversary equipped with a life-bar just as long as his but who does excess damage necessitating even more strategy and nuance. Make your way through the depths of Castlevania and eventually you’ll come face-to-face with the Count himself who stands in your way to ultimate victory. Survive this encounter to banish him back to the coffin and win the game!   

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Cast

Simon Belmont (main protagonist) Whip-wielding warrior of the light ready to quell out all darkness in his path… can sniff out pot roasts through walls like a bloodhound

Phantom Bat (antagonist support) Attacking from above in an unruly pattern making projectile sub-weapons more effective, this giant bat was mistaken by many as Dracula during their initial playthrough (me included) showcasing the depth of Castlevania and its design across multiple complex stages compared to recent predecessors from just a generation ago

Queen Medusa (antagonist support) The main disembodied dome responsible for the outbreak of smaller disembodied domes throughout Castlevania, Queen Medusa requires swift punishment for her crimes though her erratic movements make your chances of success less likely without the stopwatch in your back pocket

Mummy Man (antagonist support) Twin ogres who attack Simon with the wraps covering their rotting corpse (…shouldn’t they be called Mummy Men???), these pacing dead-men have been rudely woken up before their alarm was set making them crankier than typical

Frankenstein & Igor (antagonist support) Combining brute strength with breakneck speed in a “Master Blaster”-type symbiotic relationship, Frankenstein (technically Frankenstein’s monster but who really cares anymore!?) and Igor (one of the many Hunchbacks encountered in Castlevania known for their frantic unpredictability) pair up to give Simon one of his biggest headaches

The Grim Reaper (antagonist support) Falling on hard times after his recent all-in investment on the indie film spinoff Edward Sicklehands, Death now rents an efficiency in Dracula’s house occasionally defending his master’s crib from would-be assailants with his barrage of scythes

Count Dracula (main antagonist) The lord of Castlevania and arguably the greatest calamity of evil the world has ever seen, Drac has a huge house and a LOT of friends in addition to his own extensive list of ghoulish proclivities

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Simon Says Whip It Good (XL section)

As dusk settles to night in the land of ‘Tudevania, The ‘Tude Dude gazes upon a vast collection of NES cartridges shining in the bright moonlight. “Which one should I review next?” he pondered as he foraged through the pile like a ravenous wild dog. Amidst rising thunder claps and howling wolves within earshot, The ‘Tude Dude’s search intensified. “If only I knew the right one to pick at this exact moment!” he quizzingly exclaimed. “One that would make the ‘Tude Meter wail even LOUDER than the surrounding wolf cackles and lightning crashes!” 

In unison with the final word said in the previous sentence, a bolt of lightning struck the pile of games with unbiased abruptness coursing additional power into one specific title. After a brief appropriation period between the cartridge and the massive surge of electricity, the game began to move on its own with a focused agenda on plugging itself into the nearest available NES. The ‘Tude Dude watched in frozen amazement as the little plastic square not only discovered an already hooked-up Nintendo but inserted itself into the console with relentless purpose! Right after, the controller (already plugged into slot 1) lashed itself perfectly into The ‘Tude Dude’s hands with the ferocity of a real whip. “IT’S ALIVE” roared The ‘Tude Dude as the title screen for Castlevania panned into the television’s center coinciding with a conveniently-timed thunder strike. “And I’m gonna review it… to DEATH!!!“

…Well that was pretty dramatic but what else can you really expect when discussing the spooky and memorable Castlevania series? I mean, its got everything a horror/action ‘tude fanatic could want while still maintaining a main-stream appeal worthy enough to see it placed front-and-center with the other all-time greats in video game lore. Over the years, few series have epitomized “cool” more than this one and we’re gonna take it all the way back to the beginning of this vampire-killing, candle-whipping, stair-climbing extravaganza with the very first entry on the NES! So grab a pork chop with a side of holy water and join me as we journey back to the front gates of Castlevania one more time!

To start with, Castlevania is a side-scrolling action game where players take the reins of the vampire-repelling extraordinaire, Simon Belmont , and guide him through various action/platforming stages while either killing or avoiding every monster in your path until eventually coming face-to-face with the ultimate king of the bloodsuckers, Dracula himself in an epic final battle to determine the fate of the world (or at least I think that’s what’s going on)! Aiding Simon on this perilous journey is his trustee whip, Vampire Killer , which he can use to attack foes horizontally and can also be upgraded twice first into a sweet morning star which deals more damage and then again into an even sweeter extra long morning star for increased attack power plus a longer reach to keep you further from harm while snapping your lash directly into the face of your enemies. While Vampire Killer serves as your main form of offense against the forces of evil, several sub-weapons also become available throughout the game such as a throwing dagger (horizontal projectile), stop watch (freezes time around Simon for a couple of seconds while still allowing him to move) and holy water (thrown on the ground for increased trajectory towards adversaries that escape your whip) which can be further utilized in your quest against Dracula and his minions. It should be noted however that unlike your whip, these side items are governed in the sense that they have a limit to how many you can use at your disposal which is represented by the hearts that Simon gathers throughout gameplay (one of the very few times these aren’t used for health reasons in a video game) so grab as many of them as you can early and often to maintain your offensive versatility. Additionally, screen-clearing crosses , health-boosting pork chops , bags of money (still on the lookout for one of these in real life somewhere!) and more can be obtained to help further Simon’s chances at driving a stake into the heart of Dracula and sending Castlevania back to whatever dark and twisted realm that it originated from.  

Stages in Castlevania are broken down into linear platforming sections populated by hordes of nightmarish goons which Simon must navigate through to progress until eventually facing the boss who must be defeated before reaching the next level. Simon can die either by falling into a chasm in one of these levels or by having his health (represented by the horizontal life-bar in the heads-up display designated “player”) depleted completely from Castlevania’s unfriendly occupants. Therefore, learning the rhythms of enemy attack patterns as well as analyzing your surroundings for pitfalls are the keys to coordinating an effective counter-assault and progressing through this hellacious haunted house of horrors. Not to mention, candelabra containing hearts and all kinds of other useful drops litter every stage begging to be whipped and collected as well as hidden blocks containing life-saving pork chops and other goodies so keep cracking early and often in as many places as possible to find the best loot.

As far as the enemies themselves, Dracula’s henchmen waste no time bum-rushing Simon and pelting him repeatedly with ghoulish tactics so be sure to return the favor to all in your path with Vampire Killer before they take you down first. Adversaries range from stupidly easy zombies and bats (simple to kill enemies who follow more predictable patterns) to more difficult raven’s and fleamen (still simple to kill but much more unpredictable) to even more difficult bone towers and axe-men  (takes multiple hits to kill while using ranged offense) with every one of their goals being to either hit Simon with some sort of projectile attack or touch him directly and cause damage with both also effectively (and inconveniently) knocking you backwards a bit. If this happens in the wrong spot (like near a pitfall for instance), then Simon can be killed rather easily so a heightened awareness of your surroundings is required before engaging around empty voids or water. At the end of each stage, a different boss blocks your path forward (equipped with a life-bar just like Simon’s) and must be defeated while avoiding their relentless offensive barrage such as Phantom Bat (pretty dopey but surprisingly stout), Mummy Man (throws wraps at you with his twin brother… err… Mummy Dan?) and the Grim Reaper (who knew Death punches Dracula’s time clock but seriously, he’s STUPIDLY hard) just to name a few. These encounters scale in difficulty beautifully leading up to the final 2-part battle with the Count (defeat his first form to reveal… the Stay-Puft Dracula Man !) and are equally the most punishing and satisfying parts of the game evidenced by the resounding sigh experienced after finally defeating one of these beyond-tough obstacles (ESPECIALLY the Grim Reaper and Dracula).

There’s no question that Castlevania’s gameplay is simple however, its perfectly-paced challenge combined with an easily-translatable arcade style make it a game that anyone can pick up and play in an instant. That challenge will separate who stays for the long haul though as the game expertly lures you into a false sense of security with its simplicity only to be reminded over and over again that Dracula’s castle is extremely unforgiving with tons of enemies and very little health power-ups requiring all of your video game senses to be operating at peak efficiency to succeed. It’s these types of early experiences that molded us from the ‘tude era into a heightened-sense territory as Castlevania’s approach to side-scrolling pattern and rhythm-based design was/is as top-notch as can be found pushing an entire generation to “get good” as fast as possible so they could be the first to brag to their friends about how they bested the master of the neck-biters. Still, it does have some flaws mainly the lack of variety in execution, the frustrating enemy patterns (flying Medusa heads anyone ?) and the brutal absence of a password system which will all be reflected in my final score for this section, however none of these are large enough issues to hinder anyone’s experience enough (…except for maybe those Medusa heads THEY SUCK) to not recommend to any prospectors in this department. To put it succinctly, if quick-start action games are your thing then your sure to be more than happy with this.

Controls in Castlevania feel pretty good overall as well with a few critiques preventing it from reaching its true potential. For starters, Simon responds to your commands in perfect unison on-screen with little to no lag which is critical when your multi-tasking between attacking and dodging especially during an intensely precise boss battle. He also walks with an appropriate tightness and stops exactly where and when you want him to which is all you can ask for in a game of this variety as far as moving your character around is concerned (though the stair-climbing is a little awkward to say the least). However, the lack of being able to dictate your movement mid-air makes jumping a much bigger commitment then it does in other platforming games and the knock-back effect when you take a hit is downright brutal leading to countless and unsolicited deaths when around pitfalls. Still, despite some harps in this category, overall I like the controls as they’re not really a huge hindrance to your success which is the most important thing but certainly could have used a coat of polish to make even better.

Sound-wise, Castlevania completely rules setting a precedent on the NES few can match up to. To call the music “good” would be an ultimate understatement as each stage brings some kick-ass new jingle causing uncontrollable humming and feet tapping while the sound effects are distinctive, memorable and effective. On the other hand, Castlevania’s graphics aren’t exactly the most beautiful thing you’ll ever see on the NES but they still get the job done even today. The sprites and colors all look great for the most part with impressive detail found in the backgrounds for a game from the 8-bit generation. Thanks Dracula for the eye and ear candy while your attempting to drain the life-plasma from my body I guess?

GEEZ… I just now realized I can’t hear any of those ridiculously loud and ominous sounds from the beginning of this review. The ‘Tude Meter has cranked up to full capacity since the game’s onset blasting electric guitar riffs of awesomeness (which actually scared away both the wolves and the lightning) and has sustained that level throughout the entirety of Simon’s trek into Drac’s house thanks mainly to the badass horror setting that permeates the surrounding environment. While many other games in this generation felt kiddie and harmless in nature, Castlevania freakin’ goes there with adult themes based on vampire and other monster-movie mythology peppered with semi-religious undertones which definitely makes this stand out among its more innocent 8-bit contemporaries. If ratings existed back then, there’s no doubt that this would have been “M” for mature which is pretty awesome to say for any NES game. A true bar-setter for how to make a video game “cool” quite frankly. 

So in conclusion, Castlevania checks off across the board admirably with simple gameplay, good controls, quality aesthetics and a badass premise putting it square into the upper-echelon of NES titles. While the difficulty can be taxing to some, the rewards gained through progression are as satisfying as you’ll find in the world of video games. It definitely has some hitches though most notably the unfair deaths caused by Simon getting knocked back by an enemy (and those stupid Medusa heads) but these pale in comparison to all of the other high-points experienced. In a series as iconic as Castlevania, you owe it to yourself to take this first plunge into Dracula’s castle on consoles no matter the proclivities.

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Critical Analysis

4/5 There’s no question, Castlevania scores big with the arcade crowd utilizing easy-to-understand mechanics to get players directly into the action right away while offering one of the greatest challenges experienced during the ‘tude era. This combination provided an excellent mainstream type of gaming experience on the NES that was both accessible and harrowing, “separating the men from the boys” as it were in terms of who actually reached the end to abolish the 8-bit scourge of Transylvania. The main criticism I have in this department is the unfair difficulty as way too many deaths are caused by Simon jutting backwards after receiving damage from an enemy causing your inner-fuse to light at times otherwise this would for sure have a higher score up there since I love everything else.

4/5 Similar to the gameplay department, the controls in Castlevania are very close to being in the “I love it” realm however the absence of being able to dictate Simon’s momentum after you’ve jumped places Castlevania’s handles a little behind some other NES action counterparts such as Contra and Mega Man. Also, it kind of sucks having to press (and hold) up to climb stairs since it’s too similar to the sub-weapon input (up + attack) causing a frustrating step on the background staircase at times instead of you using the projectile attack you were intending making you even more vulnerable to Dracula’s goons. Still, the bigger portion of the game is spent whipping your foes with “Vampire Killer” while walking anyways and that part is as spot-on as can be so at least its main focus was executed nicely.

5/5 Man, who knew Dracula could rock this hard? Every single stage in Castlevania blares at you with amazing rhythmic quality pairing with the intense gameplay like a fine wine while the sound effects are easy to discern and pretty cool in their own right especially when hearing the *ting* from clashing your whip against an armored opponent for example. There’s no denying that this is quite simply one of the very best overall soundtracks that can be found on the NES bar none!

4/5 Visually, Castlevania impresses overall with nicely-drawn sprites and above-average backgrounds though it’s held back a little by its lack of color variety per stage. I swear, some of the hue choices in the levels are just downright awful such as the purple/orange combination found in stage 2 or the sewage dump looking backdrop when your taking on Mummy Man at the end of stage 3. Despite this though, pretty much everything else is eye-pleasing with solid animations, a smooth frame rate and distinctive characters so there’s not too much to complain about in this category on the bottom line.

No drop-offs in sustainability here, the ‘Tude Meter wails with the ferocity of a banshee as soon as Castlevania is popped into the NES thanks in large part to the super badass horror setting rarely experienced during the 8-bit era. Combine that with some killer whip-action and you’ve got arguably the coolest game on the entire console. Plus (as if you needed more awesomeness), you get to home run Dracula’s head to the moon after defeating his first form which is delightfully ridiculous!

Great game One of my earliest gaming experiences, Castlevania certainly whips the nostalgia factor for me square in the face though it’s high points stand the test of time like a stubborn vampire who just keeps getting resurrected again and again specifically the simple premise, excellent soundtrack and satisfying challenge. Just slam it in and you’ll be lashing 8-bit zombies and bats to super-cool rhythmic-style beats in no time which really is as great as it sounds though its longevity in the minds of gamers is stooped in the overwhelming test it represents to reach its conclusion with your sanity intact – a staple of the “NES-hard” days. Besides that though, its built-in cast of classic horror film all-stars (including mummies, Frankenstein’s monster and Death himself) supply a “ready-to-eat” narrative that’s as easy for minds to comprehend as there has ever been in gaming, ensuring a ‘tudey output in the maximum range that virtually guarantees visual real estate to any interested prospectors. I mean, your not dealing with some dopey cartoon boss here after all… this is Count Dracula – vile scourge of all iniquities giving you a more tangible sense of good vs. evil then you would typically experience, juicing up the story a bit during this time of “safety-first” dialogue in the surrounding status-quo. Rated H for HELL YEAH!  Of course, not everything in Castlevania is crimson and clovers namely the unfair knock-back that puts you in the Grim Reaper’s waiting room far too often (working overtime I see…), the fixation with the color brown (good lord how many different shades of it are there?) and the despairingly-redundant enemy patterns (It’s bad enough the Medusa heads zigzag at you but do they really have to re-spawn over and over again too???) just to name a few. In the end though, none of these sums come close to derailing the overall equation of Simon’s first-ever quest to keep from recommending in any way. It’s simplistic nature centered around arcade-action gameplay rendered it playable to nearly anyone who claimed ownership to virtual tastes, but its hardcore difficulty layered underneath applied beautifully to the nerd crowd who clamored for more trials of this magnitude regardless of the exterior, effectively reaching a critical mass of unilateral appeal proportions (at least as far as I’m concerned)! Not only does Castlevania catalyze the epic action-platforming franchise with dignity, but it provides a worthy experience in its own right leaving a lasting feeling to anyone daring enough to accept the barrage of obstacles that it presents. “CAUSE YOU KNOW I’M THE KING OF THE COOL WHIP!!!”

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“It’s only Dracula, King of the vampires… why bring garlic or a wooden stake with me!?”

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