Castlevania Miscellanies

[Blinge]

x68k Shewolf just backed dat ass up and twerked me to death.
It was brutal

I was behind her whipping dat azz and she just did a couple of bunny hops around to reposition herself. directly onto simon, dealing contact damage D=

[SuperDeadite]

Shewolf is easy if you play defense. Just focus on the shit she throws and stay back. When she runs out of shit to throw she will switch to the clock arm. Then shes easy peasy.

[BIL]

Does anyone else always notice a flanger ("jet engine") distortion effect in Symphony of the Night (PS1 original)'s sound effects? Not its BGM. I primarily associate it with "Press Start" boom, and the stage exit doors' opening SFX. (emulator footage, but it's exactly the same on PS1) I also notice it in the gameplay voice samples, and certain large explosion SFX. Lightning-based attacks display it prominently, too.

Not a criticism, I consider it a charming quirk. Haven't heard anything like it in any other game. I put on Chu Ishikawa's "MG," and the opening hisses gave me crazy SOTN on the brain - they sound exactly like the stage door SFX. Googled around and can't see any mention, driving me nuts if it's always been Just Me™ over the decades.

[Austin]

Yeah, I know what you mean. It's definitely there.

[BIL]

Haha, thanks. 99% sure but you never know (Yanni/Laurel, blue/gold dress, etc etc)

[CyberAngel]

Gave CV3 another shot with "HELP ME" 10-lives cheat. Actually got to final stage fairly. Savestated at the Drac fight though. Final rating - still too much bullshit. Even CV1 is better by virtue of having shorter stages. And starting you at Drac's fight when you reach it. Seriously, how did they screw THAT up as well?!

[BIL]

One of many tiny mean changes to CVIII, Akumajou Densetsu just kicks you down the stairs ala CV1. ;3

[FinalBaton]

Nice CV4 and Bloodlines development roundup vid by my boi strafefox

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB1-AKS3S0g

[CyberAngel]

Went through CV4. First 7 stages are a boring slog. Then 8 and 9 combine trial-and-error design with long segments between checkpoints. Caved in and used savestates there just to not redo minute-long stretches 15 more times or so. Then A and B channel the worst of CV3 design. Drac's fight is the most boring in the series besides CV2 (and maybe GB ones but I didn't play those). The game is kinda "okay"-ish in visual and sound departments but doesn't stand out at all. No idea how THIS can be the favourite of so many people. Besides baby duck syndrome due to only having SNES and never seeing Bloodlines.

...No, I'm not gonna play all classic games or anything. Might revisit Bloodlines since I loved it even back when I first seen it but that's about it.

[Blinge]

and that AVGN vid I guess.
years before I touched a classicvania I absorbed his opinion that 4 is the best.

[SuperDeadite]

I always found it interesting how the SFC Mini is the only mini that doesn't have a castlevania included. Lol.

[NYN]

and that AVGN vid I guess.
years before I touched a classicvania I absorbed his opinion that 4 is the best.

Yeah, because that rock skull at the beginning? BATS are, like, flying from the sockets, man! Whoa goes the nerd and rationalizes the rest of the game.

[Blinge]

Haha i doubt it's just about that skull.. it's more about all of the technical advancements and "special effects" the SNES could show off to a wide eyed little nintendo fanboy.

Or as someone said in this thread once about stage 4.. " they just had to show off the SNES' wonderful ability to spin things!"

It is a long atmospheric journey and I really enjoyed my first time through... and a little less so every time I revisit it.

[Ed Oscuro]

I revisited Dracula X SNES recently and was brutalized D:

Had to scumsave my way all through. I like some of the level layouts and especially the secret design, but the game still feels kinda barren. We all know about the movement difficulties, but what I most noticed was how the cool backflip doesn't really seem to be useful, even with a dedicated turbo key to fire it off. It didn't help at all in the final boss fight's first form, for example. Special shout out to the super obnoxious gears in the clocktower, too.

Super CV IV seems okay, though there are some flies in the ointment here too. Slowdown and some weird choices, etc. Truth be told there are any number of better games on the SNES than the system's Castlevanias, probably including Rocky Rodent (not to threadhack, but it seems nifty from the videos I've seen).

[Blinge]

Backflip saved my ass in the final boss once when i inputted it by accident, backfliped to my doom but a fireball knocked me onto the ledge
totally deliberate

Nah it actually lets you jump up to platforms that aren't reachable by a regular jump. I'm not sure how much real use this can have in the game but in muh video at 1:08 you can see it.

https://youtu.be/8XBaAIHhfms?t=68

[Ed Oscuro]

Oh yeah, it's definitely movement tech, but as far as tactics it leaves a lot to be desired.

I actually prefer the Mighty Key for movement tech and the game even has a few spots where you're supposed to use it.

[NYN]

it's more about all of the technical advancements and "special effects" the SNES could show off to a wide eyed little nintendo fanboy.

That's the thing with AVGN, at least I feel: he can always hide behind this persona, even when peeps come up commenting "Yo, nerd. You're a nostalgic sad dad and don't know spit!". The answer would be "It's just a role I'm playing for entertainment. Thanks for watching and subbin' , my man." I laughed aloud when I followed his gushing on Super IV with the very short vid about Mega Drivo Vania. Stating that he never played it as a young'un, but conceded along the lines of that he feels it's very competently made, but of course couldn't and wouldn't love-hug it like his favorite piece o' whippin'. His loss. Idols, man. Wear 'em down.

[Blinge]

I mean.. I don't really have a problem with any of that. SCV4 means a lot to the guy
Certain games mean a lot to me despite their flaws. If you tell me about them I'll plug my ears and say "lalala"

[NYN]

Similar to the comments here, I will accept different strokes. It's just baffling how someone makes a case for Vamps Kiss/Dorakyu X. Swings words around, calling it "great". I can't feel it at all. Literally What are you talking about?! And I forfeit.

[Axelay]

Nice CV4 and Bloodlines development roundup vid by my boi strafefox

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB1-AKS3S0g

Really intresting video.

The competitions sounded incredible I wonder how much the gold and silver carts are worth today ?

The Sprite for the boat in bloodlines was cool so much information i will have to re watch the video . Got me all excited to play both bloodlines and cv4

[FinalBaton]

Really intresting video.

The competitions sounded incredible I wonder how much the gold and silver carts are worth today ?

The Sprite for the boat in bloodlines was cool so much information i will have to re watch the video . Got me all excited to play both bloodlines and cv4

Yeah it's a great vid, isn't it? Production value is amazing. I'm sure people here will not agree with 100% of the opinions shared and also I haven't read enough interviews with the OG devs to know if everyhing is 100% accurate, but it's gotta be pretty much all there, obviously a metric ton of research went into this. Very nice roundup, so fun to have all this info aggregated in one enjoyable vid. We get a glimpse at many discarded elements and alpha builds too. Well worth the watch.

Yeah it's first time I heard of the competition and the gold/silver Bloodlines carts as well. never seen em on Ebay or anything. They got great monster designs from the public. Reminds me of the Mega Man contests, but on steroids

That youtube chanel is criminally underated and I'm baffled that they have less than 100k subs. they have a lot of other good in-depth docus. been following them for 2 years now and I keep expecting them to blow up

[To Far Away Times]

Went through CV4. First 7 stages are a boring slog. Then 8 and 9 combine trial-and-error design with long segments between checkpoints. Caved in and used savestates there just to not redo minute-long stretches 15 more times or so. Then A and B channel the worst of CV3 design. Drac's fight is the most boring in the series besides CV2 (and maybe GB ones but I didn't play those). The game is kinda "okay"-ish in visual and sound departments but doesn't stand out at all. No idea how THIS can be the favourite of so many people. Besides baby duck syndrome due to only having SNES and never seeing Bloodlines.

...No, I'm not gonna play all classic games or anything. Might revisit Bloodlines since I loved it even back when I first seen it but that's about it.

I love Castlevania IV. I know some people prefer the tight, methodical design of the other classic Castlevania's but IV is meant to be taken in as an experience. Gameplay feels good with the more forgiving air and whip control. The environments are atmospheric AF, and the soundtrack has some absolute bangers on it. But on top of that, the music fits the levels perfectly. The audio and video come together in a way that elevates top tier design to even further heights. The game also has a wonderful sense of progression as you work towards Dracula's lair. You're really on a journey. There are other 16 bit games that animate better, have better sprites, and have better use of effects and such, but few that are as cohesive and come together to be more than the some of their parts than this.

Castlevania IV is not set up to be a challenge that you have to overcome like some of the other games. I never had a goal to 1CC it (although I did eventually just through sheer replay value), since I don't see it as that kind of game. I see it more like a classic Sonic game were you're on a tour of some of the best artistry found in that era. I've probably played through the game a dozen times or so, and I make sure to play through it at least once a year.

The only thing I would change in the game is the vertical section with the saw blades under neath. Other than that, it's pretty much perfect.

It's the Metallica's Black Album of classic Castlevania. Not the first, not the most technical, not the purest, but you know what, sometimes simplifying and going mass market and going hard on production values can be a good call.

And before everyone calls me a heretic, I've played through and enjoyed Castlevania 1, Rondo of Blood (both the PC Engine and PSP versions), Dracula X, and Bloodlines.

[NYN]

It's the Metallica's Black Album of classic Castlevania.

What a eerily accurate anology to have a curse.

[CyberAngel]

To be fair, I have been humming more tunes from that game than I expected these few days. Plus I do recognize it has quite a few gameplay elements and enemies which show up frequently in later games. I just don't believe I'll ever be interested enough to revisit it.

[BrianC]

At least Super CV IV has a password to start on the second loop. I enjoy the game quite a bit, though CV1 and Bloodlines are definitely more action packed.

[NYN]

Playing the og on the Collection, I had a crash of the game. After the first bone dragon at the entrance to the hallway leading up to The Creature.
Item drop was a jug full of unknown invulnerability. Knocked it back, took the door and never made it to the other side. First time ever.

[BIL]

Weird, never seen that in all my time with the NES/FC carts and ACA Versus. Not that I'm all that knowledgeable on CV1 bugs... didn't even know the "attic" of Rondo/SOTN's keep was a reference to the FDS's phantom staircase in the same spot, until a couple years ago.

I wonder if it's an OG bug, or an emulation issue. I do know there's at least one crash bug exclusive to the FC cart, which was itself a revision of the bugfixed NES PRG1. Seems you need to have a bat knock you onto the stairs that exit 4-1. I don't think I've ever tried to trigger it, let alone had it happen accidentally. NES PRG0 has its well-known sprite overload crash, which snuck in during the port from FDS to cartridge.

And I saw this weird thing while messing around with ACA Versus, also involving a Jar and a door (look to the bottom-right corner - gimme my whip back!). I'd guess the door (or stairs) transition is ripe for oddities, with it loading in the next "stage."

[Blinge]

The discussion of CV3 a few posts back brought to mind that time I 1cc'd the game using Grant only.

https://youtu.be/eEv0OIZS49s Here!



This run put hairs on my chest. I went from 5 spare lives to 0 at one point.
I also got caught in a Gold Experience Requiem endless time loop of death. Picking up a 1-up, only to die again..

I've made some little edits, and written some notes. Pureez enjoy.
Highlights for the busy belmont:

17:10 - Salad days of Grant Dynasty. slashing up the game, this is ez!
32:40 - 5 lives down to 2, and the stupidest CV death ever..
33:53 - Sunken City Suffering
43:00 - Grant wrecks this scroller, tense slog of a bossfight
1:02:19 - P = 00
1:03:48 - No hit Dracula


I think i may have posted the video unedited and unlisted before, while waiting for a friend to comment on the footage with me..
but that never happened because none of my RL friends give a damn

[BrianC]

I heard that the CV collection used the earlier revision of the NES Castlevania. The FC version in the collection is the FC cart version.

[NYN]

I know now firsthand what Dracula's Curse is... That final stage's atrocious bgm loop.
I have to mute it, it grinds my intestines. Not even kidding.
The horroaah.