Castlevania Appreciation Thread

[noiseredux]

Alright so I've made it past the first two bosses, and now I'm at the Grim Reaper... and I just don't know if I can do it. He's killed me like ten times now and I don't know if I have it in me to push any further. On one hand, I'm this close. On the other, I'm starting to just get pissed off. I mean, I've made it this far... but maybe all those levels are enough to say that I've experienced this game and can say with confidence where I'd rank it among the Castlevanias I've put serious time into. (Not all that high on my list if I'm being honest).

[marurun]

Huh. I have always considered this one of the easier Castlevanias. Maybe I’ve just been playing it too long.

[noiseredux]

Huh. I have always considered this one of the easier Castlevanias. Maybe I’ve just been playing it too long.

Yeah it's weird. That seems to be the consensus.

Personally, I feel like Chronicles is the easiest of the 2D non-Metroidvania CV's I've played. I beat that one fairly easily. And outside of the clock tower level in that one, I never felt as frustrated with that game as this. Though again, this is my first time playing this one so maybe that's a factor. I don't know. But it's not like I'm new to this series by any means, so I don't know why it's causing me so much grief.

[Xeogred]

Yeah Super IV is well... super easy for me haha. The multi fight "boss rush" near the end always makes me laugh when it's like merely a third of how insane the boss rush battle is in Rondo of Blood.

The Clock Tower in Chronicles was definitely brutal and the standout to me. Other than that I didn't think Chronicles was too hard either. Definitely dig that one a lot and wish it got more love.

For the Metroidvania's, I replayed Order of Ecclesia recently after finishing up Rondo/SoTN again on the PS4 Requiem collection. OoE is still one of the toughest for sure, there's several bosses that can be a brick wall if you're not prepared or have some good glyph setups. Still one of my top favorites in the series for sure though so it's highly recommended! I just need to replay Dawn of Sorrow and Portrait of Ruin someday, so I'll have played all the handheld ones twice over outside of Harmony.

[Ziggy]

Alright so I've made it past the first two bosses, and now I'm at the Grim Reaper... and I just don't know if I can do it. He's killed me like ten times now and I don't know if I have it in me to push any further. On one hand, I'm this close. On the other, I'm starting to just get pissed off. I mean, I've made it this far... but maybe all those levels are enough to say that I've experienced this game and can say with confidence where I'd rank it among the Castlevanias I've put serious time into. (Not all that high on my list if I'm being honest).

NO! DON'T GIVE UP NOW!

Try this strat: At the very start, get all the way to the left side of the screen and stand on the left side of that block. Just keep whipping up. As death flies to the right, whip diagonally up/right. Since you're standing to the left of that block, you can whip up/right without walking forward. Once he starts landing on the right side of the screen, hop over the block and run toward him. Whip him in the face. This is when you can do the most damage to him. As you get sucked in toward him, walk to the left side of the screen to resist. Turn and whip him whenever you get enough distance. But when his scythe is getting close, give yourself enough time to be able to jump over it. Then rinse and repeat.

Similar strat to mine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGdJZ1doZtA

The Dracula fight in IV is fairly unique for the classic series, and worth experiencing I think. If you don't mind spoilers...

It's one of the rare times Dracula only has only one form. Meaning, you don't drain his health then he turns into some creature and you have to drain his health again. He has multiple phases, but he remains the iconic caped Dracula for the entire fight. What's unique about the fight though is that after the second phase the music changes and Simon's Theme kicks in. And Dracula's face gets all wicked looking. It's all pretty bad ass.

And as for IV being easy... It's the only Dracula fight that I can think of that gives you meat several times.

The Clock Tower in Chronicles was definitely brutal and the standout to me. Other than that I didn't think Chronicles was too hard either. Definitely dig that one a lot and wish it got more love.

Did you guys play classic mode or arranged mode? Arranged mode is much easier.

[noiseredux]

Yeah Super IV is well... super easy for me haha.

In fairness, you've probably played it enough to kind of have a lot of it memorized though.

Also in fairness, you seem to be kind of a beast at these games, too haha.

NO! DON'T GIVE UP NOW!

Well, maybe I'll give it another shot, but I could use a pallet cleanser I think. I don't want to get overly frustrated. And I don't want to sound super negative. Though I'd rank this in the lower tier of all the CV's I've played, I don't think it's *bad.* CV is like pizza... it's all good.

Did you guys play classic mode or arranged mode? Arranged mode is much easier.

I honestly don't remember. It was years ago now. Maybe it was the arranged if I remember it being fairly easy to get through.

[Ziggy]

In fairness, you've probably played it enough to kind of have a lot of it memorized though.

Also in fairness, you seem to be kind of a beast at these games, too haha.

Well I mean, after playing CV1 and 3, CV4 just seems kinda easy by comparison. You don't think so?

Though I'd rank this in the lower tier of all the CV's I've played, I don't think it's *bad.* CV is like pizza... it's all good.

Yeah, that's what I was saying before. How it stacks up compared to the other games in the series is one thing. But standing by itself, it's still an amazing game.

I honestly don't remember. It was years ago now. Maybe it was the arranged if I remember it being fairly easy to get through.

Yeah, I bet it was. Arranged mode is a lot easier. Do you remember Simon having red hair? He has red hair in arranged mode, for whatever reason.

[Xeogred]

Hmm, yeah I'm not sure if I played arranged or not in Chronicles. I recall there being a lot of options and variations on the OST which was cool. And it's fun the main characters sprite changes.

Yeah Super IV is well... super easy for me haha.

In fairness, you've probably played it enough to kind of have a lot of it memorized though.

Also in fairness, you seem to be kind of a beast at these games, too haha.

I'm actually more experienced with Super Ghouls' n Ghosts, now that one I've been a fan of for like 25 years heh.

I think Super CV4 was maybe my first Classicvania, finally hit them all up in 2012-2014 somewhere in there. Think I've beaten it 3-4 times now.

I suck at the NES ones. Definitely save stated my way through CV3 on the Wii U eshop. I've heard how the Japanese version is easier and has more checkpoints though, so I'd like to check that version out someday.

[prfsnl_gmr]

First...the GBA “NES Classics” version of Castlevania is the definitive version of the game. It is based off the FDS version, and it rules. Highly recommended.

Second, I am really itching to play the GB Castlevania games for some reason, and I think I’ll pick those up soon. (I can’t force myself to get back into Detective Pikachu for some reason...too boring, I guess.) I’ll probably play them in the order they were released before emulating Kid Dracula (GB). I am also considering a run through Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest. (I’ve never REALLY beaten it.) When I play it, should I play the original NA release or one of the translation patches? I don’t want to consult a guide if at all possible, and I am curious as to whether the translation patches help out that much with the game’s more cryptic moments.

[marurun]

Though again, this is my first time playing this one so maybe that's a factor. I don't know. But it's not like I'm new to this series by any means, so I don't know why it's causing me so much grief.

Super CV IV is very different from the other "Classicvanias" in control and feel. While it does feel like a Castlevania game, it doesn't feel like the other Castlevania games. It created a new play style and new set of mechanics that just happens to work fine alongside the old. But that also means that the other Castlevania games don't prepare you as much for this game as they do for other titles in the series. I think Bloodlines on Genesis is the same way. It's definitely a Castlevania game, but it's just different enough that I feel like I have to relearn most of the ropes to play it. And the way you feel about Super CV IV is the way I feel about Bloodlines. I know it's not as hard as I think it is, but it just is difficult for me. If you can find the will to play the game more, even just to enjoy the fantastic soundtrack and bizarre sound effects, you'll find yourself growing into the mechanics decently well.