Castlevania Miscellanies

[Steven]

Aside from the intro of Bloody Tears sounding like R2-D2 having a seizure, I do prefer the FDS audio on Dracula II over Castlevania II's audio.

I'd be curious to compare loading times on FDS games between a real FDS, which I have never used (never used a real FC or even seen a real NES either, though), and stuff like the MiSTer or the newest FC Everdrive, but I've never minded the short loading times on the Nt mini Noir with the Everdrive or on the MiSTer. It wouldn't surprise me if each FDS had different loading times based on its condition, especially now that the oldest ones are almost 40 years old. I wanted to get a real FDS at one point, but after so many horror stories about maintenance and stuff, I decided to stick to emulators instead.

It's still disappointing that the audio capabilities of the FDS were never really used to their maximum potential, though.

[Sumez]

Load times can rely heavily on the condition and calibration of the drive.

After fixing my FDS Drive, Metroid started loading much much faster. That said, FDS loading is still generally very slow.

[BrianC]

Since I started with FDS Dracula as my first game in the series, I was very surprised when I played the cart version for the first time. I figured they'd use the FDS for enhanced audio, but nope. It's exactly the same audio on the cart version. That was disappointing.

IIRC, the FDS exclusive save menu theme uses it, but that's it. A similar thing happened with SMB2J. Only one tune uses the expansion audio, the ending theme.

Edit: The save menu song doesn't use the FDS expansion audio and still exists on the NES cartridge version (though unused).

[Steven]

Load times can rely heavily on the condition and calibration of the drive.

After fixing my FDS Drive, Metroid started loading much much faster. That said, FDS loading is still generally very slow.

That sucks. A win for emulation, in that case, especially given that the FDS can break down easily from what I understand. The apparently significantly faster loading is nice, but having a working game system really helps.

Since I started with FDS Dracula as my first game in the series, I was very surprised when I played the cart version for the first time. I figured they'd use the FDS for enhanced audio, but nope. It's exactly the same audio on the cart version. That was disappointing.

IIRC, the FDS exclusive save menu theme uses it, but that's it. A similar thing happened with SMB2J. Only one tune uses the expansion audio, the ending theme.

Edit: The save menu song doesn't use the FDS expansion audio and still exists on the NES cartridge version (though unused).

Yeah, I was going to say that I thought it was on the cart version but unused, but I didn't remember until you mentioned it.

I generally don't play the FDS version because I like the FC cart version just because it counts hearts at the end of the stage faster than all of the other versions... except I don't know about VS. Castlevania. Maybe that one counts fast too, but somehow I doubt it.

[SuperDeadite]

I switched to the FDSTICK years ago. It's super cheap and uses the real Fami RAM adapter so you are getting the real deal hardware without the old disks and drive. Highly recommended. There is also the FDSKEY as well which is fancier, but costs a lot more.

[copy-paster]

New page posts so might as well put these achievements I did in the span of a month:










I've put all the descriptions and what I think of the games in the vid so I'm not going to post here. Really grateful to get these nomisses in the bag, especially for the Big 3 titles in the series (also my top 3 as well). Bloodlines took far longer than I expected, part of it because of the absence of HP restore in the final stage thus makes the inverted fuzzies a complete nightmare, and I died too much over dumb things like the inconsistent gliding with John. This is enough classicvania for now and the next time when my interest of the series regain, I'd like to play CV2 with the retranslation patch and Belmont's Revenge.

[BIL]

Expertly done.

For those stage 3 swings in Bloodlines, and the similar one in stage 5, I just go balls to the wall. Aim to snatch the candles, then hold [down/forward] to the very end, no remorse. Perfect every time. Might've jinxed myself saying that though.

(balls to The Discolored Wall ♫ even!)

[it290]

I have a Sharp Twin Fami and the load times for Akumajou Dracula are not long at all. Maybe 15-20 seconds to load the game and 5 seconds if that between levels. None of the other 7 or so FDS games I own have significant loading either. IDK, maybe that's long-ish compared to a cart, but I feel like it's snappier than most CD-based games and certainly blazing fast compared to something like a C64 or Neo Geo CD.

[Sumez]

The loading in FDS games is threatened more by the frequency of it moreso than the length of each loading screen.
I'm impatient with these things so 5-10 seconds is pretty bad to me, but when it only happens between stages it's not that bad. Even though I think the load times themselves are bad, it hasn't straight up bothered me in any of the FDS games I own, which is actually quite a bunch. But it's enough to make me favor a a cartridge version if one exists.

[Blinge]

I'm a ways into Bloodstained Classic II

Man, who'd have thought I'd be playing and loving an homage/sequel to Simon's Quest.

[NYN]

There is a new Gal Guardians incoming, approaching fast, with the highly metal tag: Servants of the Dark. All trappings included. Well. I don't think I will start a separate topic on this. Demon Purge was OK-ish, the player echo here not enthused. And now we would have to "rebuild a castle", which sucks the life from my stern face. And the boss design... gasp/choke. I'm just not that kind of guy!

[SuperDeadite]

Castlevania 2 is probaly the worst FDS game for loading, as it makes you eject and flip the disk over and over again. Around 20 times on a normal playthrough... These days, I just use FDSSTICK with og RAM Adapter. Real hardware and sound, none of the disk fuckery.

Anyway, MSX2's new CV style game is looking totally rad: https://youtu.be/7kq25II0oYs?si=4aTQU5Uand9XdYO0

[1KMS]

I just watched a playthrough of the Grim Guardians demo and wasn't impressed by anything. It's strange when Inticreates seems to still design based off GBA limitations, e.g. sparsely placed immobile enemies. That screen real estate is begging for some semi-random zako spawns or attacks coming from higher/lower areas, maybe even making you manage 2-3 enemies at once.

[Steven]

Castlevania 2 is probaly the worst FDS game for loading, as it makes you eject and flip the disk over and over again. Around 20 times on a normal playthrough... These days, I just use FDSSTICK with og RAM Adapter. Real hardware and sound, none of the disk fuckery.

Yeah, FDS is pretty much the only system where I'm outright going to say fuck real hardware and use an emulator (software, FPGA, or otherwise) or FDSSTICK... the latter of which requires real hardware because you still need the RAM Adaptor, but you know what I mean lol.