Castlevania Miscellanies

[BIL]

On clocktower now, the fun has dried up. I'm getting battered around like a tennis ball. Fuck those spear guys and their huge hitboxes, insta-respawning bats, fighting erratic birds on stairs while axe armour rains the pain.
fuck this game. fuck everything.

Hard Methodical Action Peep ma replay son

I use the axe exclusively in XX, for a lot of reasons... it's got reach, power, and it hurts armoured enemies who'll shrug off the cross. In the clock tower it's an excellent pick versus those pikemen - hack 'em down from below (see the general technique here, stage 2).

Animated GIF: Clock Tower PIKEMANS wa SHINDEIRU

Spoiler

For the opening staircase it's obviously handy versus bone pillars and birdies, but if you've got the ammo to spare, I recommend just nuking the latter (as in that replay). You'll earn the hearts back surer than any life lost to one that's getting all up in your face.

Facing left/right will cause the bats to spawn on that side of the screen, which is quite often important in XX.

True, true. This odd feature also figures heavily in the first game, particularly its second loop medusa onslaughts. In XX's pikemen+bat tower, the rising and falling elevators are best leapt to while moonwalking (as in replay). This way, bats that'd normally spawn directly into your shins will be far across the screen instead.

[Squire Grooktook]

Just want to say again (probably mentioned before), but say what you will about XX: the Bloodlines arrange used as the ending theme is powerful.

[Blinge]

Hard Methodical Action Peep ma replay son

Nice. Shame I don't have an axe though, and it only appears at the end of the stage.
So I met Shaft there, no death. Haven't found a single maiden so uh.. >_<

Man this shaft sucks ass. The thunder orbs chased me across almost the whole length of the stage before knocking me off. They're active for far longer than they are in Rondo..
Got back after a million attempts to climb those first Bird/Pillar stairs without dying.
In the end I was in deadlock vs THAT pikemun for a while until I tried to sneak up and he instantly twatted me to the far elevating platform, I accepted that and moved on with 1 hit left in me.

Managed to beat shafty with low health by using 2 hory closs, like some cheap whore!!

I get tilted by this game so very quickly.
With that in mind. Stage 7 wow just wow.

Edit: nvm about s7, easier to avoid pikemans than i thought

[Perikles]

The thunder orbs chased me across almost the whole length of the stage before knocking me off.

Unless you're in mid-air you can always avoid getting tossed to a pit by ducking. It's the only game in the series where this works as far as I know, but it's really useful, especially against Dracula. If you can't avoid a hit and know you'd die from the knockback, just kneel down and stay in place.

[Blinge]

I'll be interested how long you tussle with him before consulting a guide/video in a fit of rage.

One attempt.
I don't like this game enough to give it any respect.

jeez BIL how did you throw the axes so fast against drac's 2nd form?

edit: finished.
I couldn't do BIL's pro axe strats so i just got bodied in the right corner by his fireballs for a while before escaping to the left with 1 health left. Managed to jump in and out of range like a crazy man throwing axes and running away from fire; clutching it out

I probably won't be attempting the 1cc

[BIL]

jeez BIL how did you throw the axes so fast against drac's 2nd form?

Triple shot. ;3

Unlike most other traditional CVs with shot multipliers, Rondo+XX's isn't an item dropped after X amount of subweapon kills. Instead, it's a function of your remaining ammo. AFAIK, 20-29 hearts = double shot, 30 and up = triple.

[Skykid]

I'll be interested how long you tussle with him before consulting a guide/video in a fit of rage.

One attempt.

Ha ha!

[Blinge]

Haha, this makes for a good chuckle!

The vania on amiga.
https://youtu.be/utFlAX9RJQM

I love how the background for Frankenstein's corridor literally says "Castle" incase you forgot.
And what is that donkey doing there??

[Shoryukev]

Haha, this makes for a good chuckle!

The vania on amiga.
https://youtu.be/utFlAX9RJQM

I love how the background for Frankenstein's corridor literally says "Castle" incase you forgot.
And what is that donkey doing there??

Wow get a look at Dracula's second form

[BIL]

Ah, Amiga ports of beloved Japanese sidescrollers! The ultimate horror show on the planet Earth.

>Ninja Gaiden II

ch-ch-chop it up

Spoiler

>Super Contra

Let's get drunk and port Super C

[Shoryukev]

All these ports look pretty awful LOL. Reminds me of trying to play the DOS Megaman game with a serial port controller I bought as a kid. I thought the controller was broken because he wouldn't stop running left, but I looked it up recently and apparently it's something broken in the code of the game when you use a controller LOL.

[BIL]

Oh god, I had (may even still have) the first DOS Mega Man. Couldn't afford many games growing up, so instead of MM3 I got that. I've never experienced anything near poverty in my life, but that is definitely some poverty gaming.

[Sumez]

Don't get why people have all these issues with XX. Sure it's not as fluid as Rondo (not much is), but I feel both the controls and stage designs are way better and more fair than Castlevania 4. People seem to consider CV4 the easy game in the series, because they don't care how many continues they use, and repeated tries will eventually get you through stupidly designed obstacles while XX requires you to git gud - but at the end of the day, I feel that a 1cc of CV4 is somewhat harder, but also much less fun than one of XX. The randomly disappearing bridge right before the dungeon boss is much more bullshit than anything XX ever considered throwing at you.


RE: Amiga CV - Does the game really run at like 5 fps, or is that just the video?

[BIL]

Don't get why people have all these issues with XX. Sure it's not as fluid as Rondo (not much is), but I feel both the controls and stage designs are way better and more fair than Castlevania 4.

DO NOT DISPARAGE XX SO

Its competition is Rondo/X68k/Bloodlines, not IV.

XX's handling is my only issue with it. Had they just 1:1 copied Rondo's engine I'd be almost totally down with it as a Metal Slug 4-esque licensed hack. My relationship with MS4 and XX is quite similar actually.

"Almost" because it's missing some of Rondo's best enemies and bosses, and one of the good latters it did include (Dullahan) is ruined by the new arena. Bizarrely, Serpent is harder due to the visual framing - you don't get as much warning of his charges. Then again, he is a lowly st1' boss promoted to a brutal st5' world, so good on him... but then, his new bridge also allows an easy safespot. Which I didn't use in my replay's no-damage kill.

Well I did kinda bitch-slap him at the very start, but the fuck you want from my life? Nobody rides for free motherfucker!

[Sumez]

Its competition is CV4 because many people consider that the poster boy for Castlevania on the SNES, if not of the 16 bit generation in general. In fact, many people seem to consider CV4 the ONLY Castlevania on SNES, either dismissing XX as a bad port, or overlooking it entirely.
I do believe the biggest problem with the game's reputation is exactly people's tendency to compare it to Rondo, which I don't believe is justified at all, though I can obviously understand why you would do it. If you imagine that Rondo did not exist, I believe XX would be one of the best examples of the "classicvania", superseding both CV4 and The Bloodlines (while X68k would continue to be ignored)

[FinalBaton]

Its competition is CV4 because many people consider that the poster boy for Castlevania on the SNES, if not of the 16 bit generation in general. In fact, many people seem to consider CV4 the ONLY Castlevania on SNES, either dismissing XX as a bad port, or overlooking it entirely.
I do believe the biggest problem with the game's reputation is exactly people's tendency to compare it to Rondo, which I don't believe is justified at all, though I can obviously understand why you would do it. If you imagine that Rondo did not exist, I believe XX would be one of the best examples of the "classicvania", superseding both CV4 and The Bloodlines (while X68k would continue to be ignored)

You saying that XX is better than Bloodlines?
Dammmmmmmn that's some high praise. I'm gonna go try XX right now then

[16bitpilot]

I played XX well before Rondo and I really loved it, I never thought it was too hard or unfair. Richter does handle a bit sluggish but it was never an issue. However after I played Rondo it blew XX out of the water in every way! Both excellent games! I have yet to play IV or Bloodlines though.

[Shoryukev]

Oh god, I had (may even still have) the first DOS Mega Man. Couldn't afford many games growing up, so instead of MM3 I got that. I've never experienced anything near poverty in my life, but that is definitely some poverty gaming.

That is indeed the game! Oh man it was bad.....LOL

I played DOS games like crazy at my grandparents house when I was very young, I remember picking it up on one of his trips to get some parts to upgrade his "IBM compatible". I think I got Street Rod 2 (which was a much better game lol) that same day in the bargain bin. One day he upgraded to a 486 and I couldn't play my games anymore since they ran so fast LOL.

[Austin]

Its competition is CV4 because many people consider that the poster boy for Castlevania on the SNES, if not of the 16 bit generation in general. In fact, many people seem to consider CV4 the ONLY Castlevania on SNES, either dismissing XX as a bad port, or overlooking it entirely.
I do believe the biggest problem with the game's reputation is exactly people's tendency to compare it to Rondo, which I don't believe is justified at all, though I can obviously understand why you would do it. If you imagine that Rondo did not exist, I believe XX would be one of the best examples of the "classicvania", superseding both CV4 and The Bloodlines (while X68k would continue to be ignored)

You saying that XX is better than Bloodlines?
Dammmmmmmn that's some high praise. I'm gonna go try XX right now then

Eh.. I'd take the opinion with a grain of salt. Hard to trust anyone who thinks Castlevania IV is anything other than "easy".

[BIL]

Its competition is CV4 because many people consider that the poster boy for Castlevania on the SNES, if not of the 16 bit generation in general. In fact, many people seem to consider CV4 the ONLY Castlevania on SNES, either dismissing XX as a bad port, or overlooking it entirely.

Oh right, hadn't considered that angle. Then again,

A LION DOES NOT CONCERN HIMSELF WITH THE OPINIONS OF SHEEP (・｀W´・)

Not least because the bleating horde are so numerous, and loud, and dumb, his fur would start falling out in patches from the withering tedium of fielding their bad opinions. ;3

I can get thinking of IV as the "native" SFC Dracula, simply because it is (for better and worse). And not liking XX much for being a bit of a rush job, because it was. Totally dismissing XX out of hand is just dumb though.

I do believe the biggest problem with the game's reputation is exactly people's tendency to compare it to Rondo, which I don't believe is justified at all, though I can obviously understand why you would do it. If you imagine that Rondo did not exist, I believe XX would be one of the best examples of the "classicvania", superseding both CV4 and The Bloodlines (while X68k would continue to be ignored)

Thinking of XX as a Rondo port is objectively incorrect, of course - but honestly, if Rondo handled like XX, my opinion of that game would take on a similar love/hate tinge. That's my issue with XX, anyway... I'm not fond of the poor attempt at replicating Rondo's nonlinear aspect, but apart from the lead boots, it's a pretty sound 16-bit Dracula. At its absolute best (Clock Tower+Death and the bookending stages... less walking, more on-edge battling) I enjoy it just as much as Rondo.

[BrianC]

Haha, this makes for a good chuckle!

The vania on amiga.
https://youtu.be/utFlAX9RJQM

I love how the background for Frankenstein's corridor literally says "Castle" incase you forgot.
And what is that donkey doing there??

I noticed the music tracks play in the wrong places in the port too. Odd how the FDS menu tune is used for the first stage intro.

[Blinge]

Don't get why people have all these issues with XX. Sure it's not as fluid as Rondo (not much is), but I feel both the controls and stage designs are way better and more fair than Castlevania 4. People seem to consider CV4 the easy game in the series, because they don't care how many continues they use, and repeated tries will eventually get you through stupidly designed obstacles while XX requires you to git gud - but at the end of the day, I feel that a 1cc of CV4 is somewhat harder, but also much less fun than one of XX. The randomly disappearing bridge right before the dungeon boss is much more bullshit than anything XX ever considered throwing at you.

What's unfair about 4 other than the bullshit bridge?
What you call great classicvania game design in XX is just a checklist of all classicvanias most annoying aspects. Stair fuckery, RNG birds flying around you on the stairs meaning you're most likely gonna get hit unless you have the axe from prior stage. ie, get fucked if you use a continue.

There's a section in the clocktower that's just ridiculous.

Dafuq are you supposed to do here.

I had one miraculous run at this section where the pikemun actually moved back to the right wall. I then died to the bloody erratic eyeball you have to fight on moving gears on the next stage -_-. Pikemun never moved again in all my subsequent attempts.

I didn't git gud at XX, I just used repeated tries, mashed my face against that wall until I scraped through the stage..

Saying a 1cc of 4 is harder is a bit ridiculous, man. Considering you're way less likely to die in CV4 by around stage 7 or wherever that bridge is, whereas XX can tear you a new one by stage 3.
Also you have tons of extends in CV4 as birru mentioned pages ago.
Whether XX is more fun is obviously down to you, i personally don't enjoy games i have to play perfect memo & execution to squeeze the fun out.

Otherwise, I'm approaching the final 16bit doracula for me. I just fell all the way down x68k's Clocktower final stretch about 5 times, before werewolf ended me in seconds. Repeat process 3 times
I'll fight the urge to savestate practice, for now.

[Perikles]

Dafuq are you supposed to do here.

If you don't have an axe you could stand at around the part you are on the picture, jump and hit the pikemen when you know he's not going to be able to strike/hit you, press up on the way down so that you land on the stair again, rinse and repeat. Kill bats as they come.

Also you have tons of extends in CV4 as birru mentioned pages ago.

You get even more in XX, though. Every time you finish a boss with full health you'll be awarded an extra life, there are at least three extends hidden in walls (maybe even more) and you get a lot of those via score, especially if you pick up meat while having full health. It's no problem finishing XX with well over 10 lives despite the fact that it's considerably shorter than one loop of Super Castlevania IV.

Whether XX is more fun is obviously down to you, i personally don't enjoy games i have to play perfect memo & execution to squeeze the fun out.

Outside of Akumajou Densetsu's bad habit to smuggle in a few too many pixel-perfect jumps (perhaps the only fly in the ointment for me) and later loops of Castlevania III & the outstanding X68000 game, there's never perfect memorization or execution required. Holy Diver, sure. But in those games you can make several mistakes and still make it past difficult spots on the same life, at all events on the same credit. I will say, however, that I love it when Castlevanias reach iremesque levels, the X68000 game could almost be "Castlevania: Irem Edition".

[Furry Fox Jet Pilot]

Is it just a coincidence that Raiden III's Stage 2 theme "Electric Resistance" is basically a cover of "Vampire Killer" and Stage 3's theme is called "Dawn of Sorrow"?

[Sumez]

Dafuq are you supposed to do here.

Jump and whip and/or throw your crosses? I don't find this section particularly difficult at all.

Castlevania 4 will have enemies that spawn out of nowhere, killing you if you don't know they are there beforehand (an early example is those hands that pop out from the background on the first few stages), a ridicolous amount of obstacles with massive hitboxes that will one hit kill you, or randomly spawning enemies that risk knocking you into a hole as you swing your whip, not to mention the swinging mechanic being wonky enough as it is. A lot of sections are unique, changing the rules of the game as you go along, such as the mode7-showoff, and sudden appearance of fast diagonally scrolling platforms on one o fthe final stages.
I would go into more details about exact spots, but I can't do it off hand without going through the game.

I guess objectively games like XX or Castlevania 3 are "harder", at least from a blind playthrough, but I found that training for a 1CC in these games was a LOT faster mainly due to the level design feeling more intuitive and consistent.
I also think that picking up those games again, I would quickly get back into the rhythm, figuring out how to beat them, while CV4 would require me to re-learn a lot of passages, but I could be wrong I guess.

[Blinge]

Dafuq are you supposed to do here.

If you don't have an axe you could stand at around the part you are on the picture, jump and hit the pikemen when you know he's not going to be able to strike/hit you, press up on the way down so that you land on the stair again, rinse and repeat. Kill bats as they come.

Tried it. that spear hitbox is ridiculous. You take a hit if he's just standing there doing nothing and the pike spin he does somehow extends the hitbox beyond the sprite I swear. Richter isn't in a safe jumping spot in that picture either. I kept managing to get hit some way or another (often double hits because lol XX), or cause a bat to spawn instantly to my left cause I had to move left for a second to reposition myself on the stairs or something. It's incredibly awkward and further to my point, requiring this sort of execution to simply pass a single obstacle in an otherwise difficult stage brings me to "fuck this game" very quickly. Makes it seem more like a romhack than a true entry to the series.

You get even more in XX, though. Every time you finish a boss with full health you'll be awarded an extra life, there are at least three extends hidden in walls (maybe even more) and you get a lot of those via score, especially if you pick up meat while having full health. It's no problem finishing XX with well over 10 lives despite the fact that it's considerably shorter than one loop of Super Castlevania IV.

All of this is predicated on playing well enough to finish stages with max health. No problem, indeed.
We aren't all you or BIL. The average to decent player will get those extends in 4, not XX.
I still have the hubris to consider myself not shit at 'vania too, despite writing this long post of pure butthurt.

Whether XX is more fun is obviously down to you, i personally don't enjoy games i have to play perfect memo & execution to squeeze the fun out.

there's never perfect memorization or execution required. Holy Diver, sure. But in those games you can make several mistakes and still make it past difficult spots on the same life, at all events on the same credit. I will say, however, that I love it when Castlevanias reach iremesque levels, the X68000 game could almost be "Castlevania: Irem Edition".

Okay sure, perfect execution isn't required because not every hit kills you, but that's not what I'm getting at.
With XX it seems to be 'play amazing or fuck off'. I suppose it's beyond my limit.
I thought the sentence you quoted was a decent way to convey my gripes with the game.

I'm struggling to understand why x68k hasn't evoked the same rage from me either.

[Blinge]

Jump and whip and/or throw your crosses? I don't find this section particularly difficult at all.

I either don't get it, or straight up don't believe you.
As irritating as that statement is, I understand you like the game and want to defend it from my bitching.

Castlevania 4 will have enemies that spawn out of nowhere, killing you if you don't know they are there beforehand (an early example is those hands that pop out from the background on the first few stages),

The hands are nothing. Mere annoyances.

Actually fuck it, I'm not gonna sit and argue this.
You heard it here first, folks. DracX is an easier 1cc than CV4!

[Sumez]

The only thing keeping DracXX from being an "easy 1cc" is the Dracula fight. I'll defend this statement to my death. Its difficulty is severely overrated, and mostly derived from the fact that it uses traditional Castlevania jump physics, which a lot of people tend to have problems with.
I dare assume that your frustration over the game is based solely on your first playthrough. Give it a few more and you'll probably find that it's not as frustrating as it initially appears, as with most other great games in the series.

[Blinge]

Give it a few more and you'll probably find that it's not as frustrating as it initially appears.

https://youtu.be/xoMgnJDXd3k

[Perikles]

All of this is predicated on playing well enough to finish stages with max health.

I should've elaborated on this, but I was thinking of getting that bonus in the first stage and maybe one more time or so. Due to the generous extend rate you'll still rack up over 10 lives by the end of the game provided you didn't die that often, you don't have to constantly finish every stage unscathed. There's at least one spot where you could grind extra lives, even: in one of the stages you can go to a hallway that has a hidden meat in a wall. If you leave the room and come back the meat will respawn which allows the player to grind for quick bonus points and thus lives.

For what it's worth, I also think that XX is harder than Super. You generally lose a lot more health, the ill-conceived recovery time after a hit can lead to chain combos from enemies or an unceremonious fall into a pit, the Dracula fight can get rather tedious which might lead to impatience and then a grisly death etc. The real danger in Super is that you might start to crumble towards the end because the game is quite long and one starts to lose focus after a while (I had it happen before where I lost my first life on the teleporting passage before Frankenstein's Monster and then several after that because I couldn't get into it anymore), but it doesn't have any major difficulty spikes or hazards.

Overall, I probably still prefer XX over Super, though. I'm just not overly fond of the amalgamation of liberal whipping (deconstructing the methodical element of the classic games), slow pace and excessive length. XX - despite its fair share of immanent problems - is certainly moreso a traditional game than Super, although I can understand why someone would prefer the latter.

I'm struggling to understand why x68k hasn't evoked the same rage from me either.

That's because X68000 Castlevania is the bestest game ever!