CastleVania the Arcade game is a surprise title developed by Konami that the Japanese can now enjoy at their local arcade parlor.
How exactly would an arcade CastleVania game work, you ask? (And yes, the “V” is deliberately capitalized) How about by letting YOU become the vampire slayer yourself, by handing you a whip to swing around! That’s right, the arcade machine features a huge screen and allows for two players to stand up next to each other and swing a “whip” around to whack enemies with. But . . . that’s about all that we know at this point.
Sadly, there isn’t much more to go on than a few eye-witness accounts from gamers who have seen it, but the whip is motion-sensitive, which begs the question . . . could this game possibly come to the Wii (who is getting an upcoming spin-off called Castlevania Judgment)? And is it build on the same Wii Arcade hardware as Capcom’s Tatsunoko VS Capcom fighting game?
What are the best-selling games in America, Japan, and Europe (UK) this week? Thanks to Amazon online sales data here are the games that are the most popular now.
Nintendo Wii North America: 1. Wii Music (Nintendo), 2. Wii Fit (Nintendo), 3. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 4. Jillian Michaels’ Fitness Ultimatum 2009 (Majesco), 5. Active Life Outdoor Challenge (Namco).
Japan: 1. Wii Music (Nintendo), 2. Wii Fit (Nintendo), 3. Tenchu 4 (From Software), 4. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 5. Wii Sports (Nintendo).
Europe: 1. Wii Fit (Nintendo), 2. Wii Play (Nintendo), 3. Carnival: Fun Fair Games (2K Games), 4. FIFA 09 All-Play (Electronic Arts), 5. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo).
Xbox 360 North America: 1. Fable II (Microsoft), 2. Fable II: Limited Collector’s Edition (Microsoft), 3. Dead Space (Electronic Arts), 4. Far Cry 2 (Ubisoft), 5. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (LucasArts).
Japan: 1. Tales of Vesperia (Namco), 2. The Idolm@ster - Platinum Collection (Namco), 3. Gears of War - Platinum Collection (Microsoft), 4. Dead Rising - Platinum Collection (Capcom), 5. Earth Defense Force 2017 (D3 Publisher).
Europe: 1. Fable II (Microsoft), 2. Far Cry 2 (Ubisoft), 3. Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar), 4. Saints Row 2 (THQ), 5. Dead Space (Electronic Arts).
PlayStation 3 North America: 1. Dead Space (Electronic Arts), 2. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (LucasArts), 3. BioShock (2K Games), 4. Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar), 5. Far Cry 2 (Ubisoft).
Japan: 1. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - Special Edition (Konami), 2. Tears to Tiara: Kakan no Daichi - Limited Edition (Aqua Plus), 3. Aquanaut’s Holiday (Sony), 4. NBA Live 09 (Electronic Arts), 5. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Game of the Year Edition (Bethesda).
Europe: 1. FIFA 09 (Electronic Arts), 2. Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (Konami), 3. Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar), 4. Far Cry 2 (Ubisoft), 5. Dead Space (Electronic Arts).
PlayStation 2 North America: 1. Lego Batman (Warner Bros.), 2. Madden NFL 09 (Electronic Arts), 3. Rock Band Special Edition (MTV Games), 4. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision), 5. Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s (Activision).
Japan: 1. Devil Summoner: Raido Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon - Plus Edition (Atlus), 2. Devil Summoner: Raido Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon (Atlus), 3. Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Gundam Masters (Bandai), 4. Sakura Taisen 3 - The Best of Sega (Sega), 5. Super Robot Taisen Z (Banpresto).
Europe: 1. Lego Batman (Warner Bros.), 2. FIFA 09 (Electronic Arts), 3. SingStar: Boy Bands vs. Girl Bands (Sony), 4. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (LucasArts), 5. Ben 10: Protector of Earth (D3 Publisher).
PC North America: 1. Far Cry 2 (Ubisoft), 2. Spore (Electronic Arts), 3. Nancy Drew: The Haunting of Castle Malloy (Her Interactive), 4. Dead Space (Electronic Arts), 5. The Sims 2: Apartment Life (Electronic Arts).
Japan: 1. Chaos;Head (Nitro Plus), 2. Final Fantasy XI: The Vana’diel Collection (Square Enix), 3. Legend of the Galactic Heroes (Bandai Namco), 4. Monster Hunter Frontier Online Season 3.0 Premium (E Frontier), 5. Crysis: Warhead (Electronic Arts).
Europe: 1. Far Cry 2 (Ubisoft), 2. Spore (Electronic Arts), 3. Dead Space (Electronic Arts), 4. Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Complete (Take 2), 5. The Sims 2: Apartment Life (Electronic Arts).
Nintendo DS North America: 1. Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (Konami), 2. Mario Kart DS (Nintendo), 3. Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir (Nintendo), 4. New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo), 5. Kirby Super Star Ultra (Nintendo).
Japan: 1. Pokemon Platinum (Nintendo), 2. Wagamama Fashion: Girls Mode (Nintendo), 3. Rhythm Tengoku Gold (Nintendo), 4. Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (Konami), 5. Culdcept DS (Sega).
Europe: 1. Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training (Nintendo), 2. Mario Kart DS (Nintendo), 3. Lego Batman (Warner Bros.), 4. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Sega), 5. Imagine: Teacher (Ubisoft).
PlayStation Portable North America: 1. Star Ocean: First Departure (Square Enix), 2. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (Square Enix), 3. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (LucasArts), 4. God of War: Chains of Olympus (Sony), 5. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (Rockstar).
Japan: 1. Don’t Be So Bold Just Because You Are Heroes Part 2 (Sony), 2. Macross Ace Frontier (Bandai), 3. Bleach: Soul Carnival (Sony), 4. Ikki Tousen: Eloquent Fist - Limited Edition (Marvelous), 5. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (Capcom).
Europe: 1. FIFA 09 (Electronic Arts), 2. Lego Batman (Warner Bros.), 3. Sega Mega Drive Collection (Sega), 4. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (Square Enix), 5. Sonic Rivals (Sega).
Wii Music debuts on the first place of the Wii chart. Fable II debuts on the #1 spot on the Xbox 360 chart. Dead Space stays on top of the PS3 chart. Lego Batman once again remains high on the PS2 chart. Far Cry 2 debuts as number 1 in the PC top 5. Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia debuts on the DS chart. And lastly Star Ocean: First Departure is on the first spot for the first time in its first week on the PSP chart.
“Extra! Extra! Read all about it!” A listing of the top 5 sellers per region, for all systems combined.
North America: 1. Wii Music (Wii), 2. Wii Fit (Wii), 3. Mario Kart Wii (Wii), 4. Fable II (Xbox 360), 5. Fable II: Limited Collector’s Edition (Xbox 360).
Japan: 1. Pokemon Platinum (DS), 2. Wagamama Fashion: Girls Mode (DS), 3. Rhythm Tengoku Gold (DS), 4. Wii Music (Wii), 5. Don’t Be So Bold Just Because You Are Heroes Part 2 (PSP).
Europe: 1. Fable II (Xbox 360), 2. Wii Fit (Wii), 3. Wii Play (Wii), 4. Far Cry 2 (PC), 5. Carnival: Fun Fair Games (Wii).
For the full lists go to Amazon’s US, JPN (PC) & UK sites.
This week’s new release list is a little overwhelming and underwhelming at the same time. Out of nearly fifty games coming out this week, there might be three worth anyone’s interest. Possible winners on the DS list are Away: Shuffle Dungeon and Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia. The only choice pick for Wii is Wii Music, which says a lot about the releases this week. I will note that there is a game coming out for Wii this week called Circus Games, which I recently mused about on Infendo Radio 122.
Head on past the break for the full list.
DS
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader: Make the Grade
Back at the Barnyard: Slop Bucket Games
Lovely Lisa
Pass the Pigs
Rock University Presents: The Naked Brothers Band The Game
SpongeBob SquarePants featuring Nicktoons: Globs of Doom
Away: Shuffle Dungeon
Backyard Football 2009
Barbie Horse Adventures: Riding Camp
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
Dancing With the Stars: We Dance!
Disney Fairies: Tinker Bell
Ener-G Dance Squad
Ener-G Gym Rockets
Ener-G Horse Riders
High School Musical 3: Senior Year DANCE!
Master of the Monster Lair
Mechanic Master
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
Tornado
TouchMaster 2
Transformers: Animated
What’s Cooking with Jamie Oliver
Smart Girl’s: Party Games
Wii
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader: Make the Grade
Carnival Games: Mini-Golf
Celebrity Sports Showdown
Monopoly
Penny Racers Party: Turbo Q Speedway
Rock University Presents: The Naked Brothers Band The Game
SpongeBob SquarePants featuring Nicktoons: Globs of Doom
Wii Music
Backyard Football 2009
Barbie Horse Adventures: Riding Camp
Build-A-Bear Workshop
Circus Games
Dancing With the Stars: We Dance!
Disney Sing It
Disney Sing It (Bundle)
Disney TH!NK Fast
High School Musical 3: Senior Year DANCE!
Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2009
Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution 2
Pet Pals Animal Doctor
Petz Rescue Wildlife Vet
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
Nancy Drew: The White Wolf of Icicle Creek
Unfortunately there is absolutely no information yet released for the game, all we know is that it is coming. The real question is whether it will be a 2D title, or a 3D one like the last-gen 3D Castlevania games: Castlevania: Lament of Innocence and Castlevania: Curse of Darkness. Although it’s unlikely that we’ll see a 2D console Castlevania, but we can always hope . . .
Time for another Top 10 list from GT Countdown who apparently played every difficult game ever and narrowed it down. How many bloody tears did you shed playing these games?
Take a look at the Top 10 Most Difficult Games.
The full top 10 list is as follows:
10. Contra (NES)
9. Zelda II: Adventure of Link (NES)
8. Castlevania (NES)
7. Devil May Cry 3 (PS2)
6. Shinobi (PS2)
5. Ikaruga (NGC, XBLA)
4. F-Zero GX (NGC)
3. The Ninja Gaiden series
2. The Ghouls & Ghosts series
1. Battletoads (NES)
Castlevania 1 is where one of Konami’s longest-running franchises (if not THE longest running) originally started. In Japanese the game is called “Akumaj Dracula” which translates to English as “Demon Castle Dracula”. The game debuted in Japan on September 26th, 1986 for the Famicon Disk System. A year later in 1987 it was ported to the cartridge format and released in the U.S. as “Castlevania” (making it two years after Super Mario Bros. but two years before Ninja Gaiden).
Castlevania is an action platformer that set the groundwork for the entire series to come, although it lacks many features that the series would gain in it’s later sequels; including meeting other characters, story text (in any form) and RPG elements.
In Castlevania 1 you play as Simon Belmont (or Simon Belmonto, according to the end-game credits) who shows up at Dracula’s Castle and must fight his way through the game’s many stages destroying all manner of horror-themed enemies, from Bats and the Undead to Zombie Dogs, Medusa Heads and Fishmen. Although the first game in the series, it is 7th in the Castlevania series’ chronology.
The game itself has no story to speak of in-game. It simply opens with Simon at the front gates to Dracula’s Castle after you press Start on the title screen (which doesn’t even contain music). So sadly, it’s not the greatest intro and it doesn’t build your excitement, but once the game actually starts, then you better prepare yourself.
System: NES Also On: Commodore 64, Commodore Amiga, PC (DOS & Windows), Game Boy Advance (as part of the “NES Classics” series and on Wii via the Virtual Console. NES/Famicon Debut: US - May 1987, EU - 1988, Jap - September 1986 Genre: Side-Scrolling Action Platformer Players: Single Player (NES original had a “two-player alternating” mode. Wii version doesn’t have the two-player mode, but it’s just as well since “alternative” simply means handing the controller to the next person) Save: No save or password system available. Wii version has Suspend Play to create a 1 Save Point Developer: Konami Publisher: Konami Origin: Japan
The instruction booklet for the game isn’t much help either as far as story is concerned, but in case you are wondering, it does say this:
“Good Eeeevening!
Step into the shadows of the deadliest dwelling on earth. You’ve arrived at Castlevania, and you’re here on business! To destroy forever the Curse of the Evil Count.
Unfortunately, everybody’s home this evening. Bats, ghosts, every kind of creature you can imagine. You’ll find ‘em all over the place. If they don’t find you first. Because you’ve got to get through six monstrous floors before you can meet up with the Master of the House. Your Magic Whip will help, and you’ll probably find a weapon or two along the way.
But once you make it to the tower, you can count on a Duel to the Death. The Count has waited 100 years for a rematch. He’s ready. Are you?”
But as you expect, NES games like this really don’t need a story, as it’s the gameplay you come for. And Castlevania holds up surprisingly well, even if it’s about as simple as things come.
Like all 2D action games of the time, Castlevania is a side-scroller, meaning you must walk to the right through the environments. You can also walk left, but there really is no need to go back (except in a few spots where you may want to keep destroying a certain enemy for more Hearts or get an item you may have missed) and as the story above says, Simon is equipped with a Short Whip that is used to destroy the game’s various enemies.
This whip is known to Castlevania fans as the “Vampire Killer” and Simon is only one of many descendant’s of the “Belmont Clan” bloodline of Vampire Hunters. The Vampire Killer whip itself is also a special bloodline of whip, being a holy relic blessed with the ability to vanquish the undead creatures of the night passed down from one Belmont to the next.
The goal in Castlevania is to navigate your way through all the game’s levels, defeating enemies until you reach the end of the stage, where you will fight one of six bosses. The bosses are bigger, harder enemies than all the Castle’s other ones. After you defeat them you’ll receive a “Magic Crystal” orb that refills your health and takes you to the next part of the map. The map of Dracula’s Castle is shown in between stages after boss battles, and it’ll show you where Simon is as he makes his way to Dracula (or “The Count” i.e. “Count Dracula”).
There are six stages (or ‘floors”) with 18 levels making them up. Each level is broken into a number of sections. When you reach the end of a section, you’ll see a door which will take you to the next part (with an interesting effect where the screen slides over to the right as you pass through. Something that must have looked cool for the time). At the end of the sixth stage, or level 18, you will fight Dracula himself.
The display at the top of screen shows your Score on the upper left, with the words “Player” and “Enemy” below that with bars next to them. The Player Bar is Simon’s health, and the Enemy Bar is the health of the boss character for that stage. As you or they are damaged, the bars will empty. If it empties completely you die. To the right of Score is “Time”, this is the timer for the stage. Yes, Castlevania 1 actually has a timer. If the Timer reaches zero, then you also die. So don’t be too slow when trying to “explore” the levels. On the far right-hand corner is “Stage” which shows what level you currently inhabit from 1 all the way to 18 (it will go up one everytime you go through a door). Below that you will see a Heart Icon. This represents how many Hearts you have for use with Sub Weapons, below that is a “P” which is how many lives you have. In the middle is a box, where your Secondary Weapon will appear. You will also see icons appear to the right of the Heart icon for the Double & Triple Shot Items, which tells you that they are activated.
The controls are pretty simple, as you’d expect. The A Button is used to jump, B attacks with your whip (which can only be thrown outward, not in any other direction or swung around you), Up+B throws a special item you have picked up, and up or down is also used to go up or down stairs. To use them you must hold up or down as you walk by and keep holding it until you reach the top or bottom. If you try to jump up stairs you’ll pass through them. Likewise, if you fall from a high height or fail to press the corresponding button as you go towards stairs you’ll fall quickly and hard to the floor (though thankfully you don’t take damage).
There are also no other moves in the game, what you start with is how it’ll remain throughout. You will not, for example, gain a sliding attack. Or any other special abilities.
Unlike some other platformer games, like Ninja Gaiden 2, in Castlevania the animation and controls have a “stiff” feel to them and you must hold forward when jumping to jump in a direction other than straight up. Like Ninja Gaiden, you’ll be knocked backwards if you are hit by an enemy, so you need to be very careful while platforming near pits as one hit and you’ll fall backwards into them and die.
You also can only attack while standing still. If you attack while walking Simon will stop in his tracks to whip. And if you attempt to jump over something, then you better be sure where you will land because there is no altering course while in the air. This makes it impossible to dodge while jumping, something that IMO puts this game below games like the Ninja Gaiden series, or even Super Mario Bros. 3 (if I remember correctly), because it makes dodging a lot harder and less skillfull in some regard since you can only jump or duck, you cannot slightly move yourself to dodge oncoming enemies that are sweeping in on you. Thus it makes the game feel very dated and, as mentioned above, “stiff”, in comparison to other NES titles (or even later games in Castlevania series).
That’s not to say that you won’t be doing any dodging though, far from it. As dodging is very much a part of Castlevania 1 and you will fight aerial as well as ground enemies that you will sometimes want to jump over or duck to avoid being hit. You’ll also jump over many a fireball throughout the game. In addition, you need to know exactly how to attack enemies to best kill them and that is one part of the game that will be very hard the first time you play it. But the more you play the more you will understand the enemies and how best to rid them.
As you go through the stages, you’ll see various objects you can break aligned along the walls, such as torches. Breaking these with your whip will reveal Hearts or other items, which are taken up when you use your Secondary Weapons.
All of the Secondary Weapons in Castlevania have become series standards and take one heart to use with the exception of the Stopwatch. As in Ninja Gaiden, some items are much more useful than others, and some items you will want to keep for certain situations. When you start playing though, you will be inclined to automatically bust open each and every torch and grab the item inside. The smart way to play is to only grab the Secondary Weapon you need the most. If you’re going to fight an aerial boss, for example, then you’ll probably be best served by holding onto the Axe.
The Secondary Weapons in Castlevania are:
Dagger: A knife that’s thrown in a straight line.
Axe: A small axe that is thrown in an arc. Great for hitting flying enemies.
Stopwatch: Stops all the enemies on the screen for two seconds. Can be very useful if you are low on health and need to get away from an enemy, but also takes the most hearts to use (three) and doesn’t last very long at all.
Holy Water: Burns the ground with a blue flame where it lands. Most useful for hitting ground enemies.
Boomerang: An X-shaped weapon that is thrown in a straight line and comes back to you. If you don’t catch it it will continue on it’s course until it disappears after going past the edge of the screen. One of the most useful items in the game although strangely you cannot throw it while in the air (which would double it’s usefulness).
Fire Bomb?: This weapon is listed in the instruction book but I never found it in the actual game. I believe it may be a weapon that they took out and didn’t appear in the final version of the game. According to the description this Secondary Weapon “Splits the Earth under the target creature”.
In addition to Secondary Weapons, you will find a number of Items you can collect throughout your adventure. They will disappear after a few seconds, so grab them as quick as you can.
The Items you can get in Castlevania are:
Heart: Adds one heart for using Secondary Weapons.
Big Heart: Worth 5 Hearts.
Invisibility Potion: Allows Simon to pass right through enemies without being hurt for a few seconds.
Money Bags: Increase your score at the top of the screen. Red is worth 100, Purple is worth 400 and White is worth 700.
Pork Chop: Fills your health by a few bars.
Double Shot: An Item that looks like the Roman Numeral for two (II). This allows you to throw two Secondary Weapons in a row, i.e. lets you throw quicker. This will come in extreme handy so make use of it while you have it. If you die you’ll lose it.
Triple Shot: Looks like the Roman Numeral for three (III), this item allows you to throw three items in a row, i.e. let’s you throw extremely fast. One of the most useful items in the game. Try not to die, cause if you do you’ll lose it!
Whip Extension: Extends the length of your whip, allowing you to hit enemies that are further off.
Morning Star: After getting the Whip Extension, this item will appear. Grab it to turn your Whip into a Morning Star (i.e. chain whip with spiked ball at the end) and do more damage (it will not shorten the whip).
Magic Crystal: This appears after defeating a boss (or “Head Creature” according to the book) and will completely heal you.
Items and weapons can typically be found in the candles, as well as sometimes dropped from enemies. You can also break certain walls by attacking them with your whip, which usually will reveal a pork chop. Especially look for these breakable walls close to encounters with a boss as there is usually health nearby to make things easier for you.
There are also “hidden” items that are worth more points than regular Money Bags. These will glow and come in the shape of glowing money bags, crowns, treasure chests, etc. and you will only find them by breaking a wall that “apparently” reveals nothing. But when you walk in into it, the secret item will activate somewhere on the screen and you’ll have to go pick it up. These however, like the Money Bags, only add points to your score. Which doesn’t do anything other than give you an extra life if you reach enough. Although the more lives you have the better, cause if you lose all your lives and see the Game Over screen then when you Continue you will start at the very beginning of the stage, before you went into any other sections. Doors by the way serve as checkpoints, when you die (unless you die Game Over) you’ll always start at one of the doors or the beginning of the stage.
The most common background in Castlevania is a castle environment and will mostly remain in that type of setting, although you’ll make your way through marshes, outer portions of the castle, caves, a Clock Tower with spinning gears and a few others.
From the beginning of Castlevania you’ll be fighting lots of enemies and the enemies will only get harder and more plentiful as you make your way to Dracula. They will also become stronger, taking more whip lashes to kill and causing more damage if they touch you. And like most NES games, if you aren’t careful and you move a little backward, enemies can re-appear. This makes the game even more difficult but also ensures that you are on your toes at all times: Jumping, ducking and attacking. Timing also plays a crucial role, as you will want to know when to jump, when to duck, and when to slash in order to take out the enemies in the most effective way without getting hit. In order to save up that health for a boss. You’ll also be required to jump and attack to try to hit enemies in the air, or even jump off of objects in the environment to hit enemies which will especially come into play during said boss encounters.
The bosses are all straight out of early horror and include the likes of Medusa and Mummies in addition to a few other cool (and not so cool) ones. Fans of Castlevania who have played any of the games in the series will likely recognize not only all of the bosses, but also all of the enemies as well. Although unlike in later titles, it doesn’t say the name of the enemies you are fighting or give numbers above their head to indicate how much damage you are doing. It also doesn’t say the name of the level you are in.
The graphics in Castlevania are extremely dated. My brother even commented that it looked like a Game Boy game, which isn’t high praise. But for such an old title, it doesn’t look bad and you’ll forget all about the graphics as soon as you start playing. But it’s no Ninja Gaiden 3, that’s for sure.
The music also surprised me as it wasn’t as good as I was expecting. Although fans of the series will recognize some of the tunes (albeit in early form). But it definitely sounds like a very early NES game and to me most of the music didn’t stand out. Although it is always great when the music changes for a new stage.
A word of caution for anyone who’s going to attempt playing Castlevania. This game is HARD. I would say it’s as hard as the Ninja Gaiden titles and that’s definitely saying something. The game requires extreme twitch reflexes and every enemy must be tackled in just the right way if you are to survive. As such, you’ll die many, many, many times and expect to do multiple, multiple, multiple encounters with bosses before you finally beat them. Dracula in particular took me FOREVER before he finally fell. He was hard as heck, and even harder than his second-in-charge in my opinion. But when you do finally conquer, it’ll be oh, oh, oh such sweet victory (yes, three times).
But I would advise anyone who wants to attempt conquering this classic that they are embarking on a possibly extremely frustrating adventure. The best way to handle a game like this is to just remain happy and keep yourself from feeling frustrated when you die. Instead of looking at like “ugh I gotta do that all over again?” look at it like, “Ok, now I know what to expect” and try to keep in mind how to tackle each enemy and boss as you go. It’s always easier the second time. And once you’ve beaten the game before, you will find that it is much easier than your first play-through.
Another important note. If you plan to complete Castlevania, DO NOT PLAY the game on NES. The reason is because it lacks a save feature or a password system, meaning you must complete it in one go(unless of course you are planning to leave your system on, like the good ol’ days), cause I can guarantee that you aren’t going to beat it in your first sit-down if you’ve never played it before.
Therefore the PERFECT option is to download the game on the Wii Virtual Console. This ensures that you can save when you are done playing via the Wii’s “Suspend Play” feature. This creates a save point for when you want to go back to the game (one Suspend Play point can be kept for each title in your Wii Virtual Console collection). To do a Suspend Play, bring up the Wii Menu by pressing the Menu button during your Castlevania game. Then select “Wii Menu” and yes to confirm to exit out of the game. When you start the game back up again this same menu will appear at the exact point you last were at. Then just press the menu button again (or click on “close” in the upper right hand corner) and off you go.
Overall, Castlevania is a dated, extremely tough and frustrating game that can be entertaining. It features classic gameplay yes, but the stiffness of the jumping and the primitive graphics and animation mean that this is a hard swallow unless you are completely dead-set on conquering the first game in the Castlevania series (Like I was) or are a big fan who wants to see how it all begin. If you can actually accomplish beating it, then you’ll be rewarded with quite possibly the worst ending known to man and a basic “Thanks for playing” kind of message. You’ll then start the game over on Hard Mode. And it gets even harder the more you beat it (yes you can keep on playing). But good luck with that.
But for those who do weather the storm, it’ll be a very nice accomplishment they can put in their “Video Games I Have Conquered” hat. And it is my own estimation that there are not a lot of modern gamers, or even classic ones who’ve been gaming since the NES days, that have actually beaten this game, especially without using a FAQ of some sort. So if you can do it, then pat yourself on the back. And revel in the thought that you have conquered, THE ORIGINAL DRACULA!
FUN FACTOR: 7.0
About as old-school as you get. That means not only are the graphics and animation primitive, but the gameplay is simple as well. The “stiffness” with which your character controls will be apparent from the beginning. But if you can make it past a difficult section, then you’ll feel like you have definitely accomplished something. Castlevania though is only for the most hardcore players who can take a beating and keep on coming. Worth the $5 of the Wii Virtual Console version if you want to experience a classic, just remember that it is called a classic for a reason, and this one hasn’t aged particularly well.
Graphics: 5.5
An NES game from 1987. My brother commented that it looks like a Game Boy game. Primitive is the best word to describe it, in both graphics (Simon doesn’t even have a face) and animation. Drab and dark colors also abound and primary colors (such as blue) that are more prevalent in the opening portions of the game completely disappear at some points. These sections are almost entirely a drab and ugly brown and red hue. It’s almost a bit sickly looking, but hey, you ARE in Dracula’s Castle after all. And if you can get into the game, then you really won’t mind the outdated graphics . . . that is, until you reach Dracula. One word, don’t expect something “cool”.
Music & Sound: 5.0
Blah, blah, blah . . . nothing special here IMO. The end boss music is, in my humble opinion, some of the worst boss music around. Although Castlevania fans will recognize a few of the tunes, and at least one or two in particular are a bit catchy.
Presentation: 7.5
You see a map in between stages that shows you progressing through Dracula’s Castle, and the game has a cool effect when you go through doors. So that counts for something
Replay Value: 6.0
You don’t get anything for beating the game outside a harder mode, and there are no unlockables. But there usually weren’t back in 1987, so it’s to be expected. However, if you are up for a major challenge and love the gameplay, then having a harder mode to conquer will be music to your ears. If you are the hardcore type, then there is definitely enough reason to play through the game at least twice. And possibly more, as it gets harder each time you beat it.
Is a “Castlevania 5″ 8-bit NES-style game possible? Yes it is, at least according to series creator Koji Igarashi.
In an interview with Wired discussing the recently revealed Castlevania Judgment, he is asked what he thinks of Capcom’s Mega Man 9.
He responds with this: “I’m watching that very closely to see how it does. Myself, I’m a big retro gaming fan, so if it is successful that definitely opens up doors for what I can do.”
That statement is followed by this one, when he is asked if 3D Castlevania games just don’t work: “Not at all. It’s not the franchise itself that won’t go to 3-D. I’m actually very frustrated about that and I want to keep trying because I think the franchise can do well in 3-D.”
So in short, we not only can expect a new 3D Castlevania, particularly if Judgment sells well, but we also may see a “retro” Castlevania in the same vein as Mega Man 9, considering that game sells . . . So let’s make sure it does! I know I’ll be buying it on day one.
Following on the success of Dawn of Sorrow and Portrait of Ruin the legendary Castlevania series is back in its 3rd installment on the Nintendo DS titled Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia. The action platform game takes place after Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, sometime in the mid 1800s. Richter Belmont has vanished, leaving no one to oppose Dracula and his army as they spread across the land. Several groups of people form to battle the evil forces of Dracula, the most successful organization of which is the Order of Ecclesia and its greatest champion, Shanoa, the woman you play as.
Use the brand new Glyph attack system which has more than 100 different combinations to battle Dracula and his minions throughout 20 explorable areas. Take part in side quests and collect items to power up your character in the next great Castlevania game produced by Koji Igarashi.
Watch the first Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia gameplay video.
Jump, slash, and dodge to get through this enormous boss battle.
Remember the $50 million Castlevania movie announcement a while back? Director Paul W. S. Anderson has been at work on the script and it’s taking some liberties with the universe the game series takes place in.
According to CC2K Mr. Anderson almost completely ignores the existing storyline in favor of plot so reminiscent of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
To quote: “Gone is the epic struggle that spans generations between Dracula and the Belmont clan. Gone are the monstrous inhabitants of Castlevania such as mummies, Medusa, and Frankenstein’s monster that stand in the way of Simon’s quest. Gone even is the signature weapon of the Belmonts, the Vampire Killer – a sacred chain whip that is used so successfully to battle the forces of darkness.
Instead for some reason we are introduced to Castlevania through the eyes of German soldiers during World War II, who seek to use it as a temporary stronghold but are quickly dispatched by its sinister inhabitants.
Though I said Vampire Killer is gone from this script, Simon does wield what is described as a chain whip in two instances. However, it is nondescript and in one of the occasions is wielded as an off-hand weapon. So what is Simon armed with throughout the film? A f*cking sword.”
Although things might change, since the script is being re-tooled before production begins. — Via Kotaku
Konami announced Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia exclusively for Nintendo DS due Fall 2008. Introducing the all-new Glyph attack system, players will be able to use special attack combinations as they attempt to defeat Dracula and his horde. Also introduced to the series are new outdoor locales ranging from forests to the ocean, giving players the chance to explore outside of Dracula’s Castle. Developed by legendary Castlevania producer Koji “Iga” Igarashi, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia is poised to set a new standard for side scrolling action on DS.
In Order of Ecclesia players take the role of a member of the Ecclesia, an organization that has sworn to defeat the evil forces of Dracula. By using the new Glyph attack system, players can unleash more than 100 different combinations to battle Dracula’s minions throughout 20 explorable areas. Utilizing the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, players can choose to compete head-to-head, or trade items and equipment they have found while exploring the environments. Multiple endings that can be unlocked depending on how they player completes the game adds even more replay value to the game with plenty of addictive exploration, combat and items to discover.
“We have always felt that the Castlevania franchise has been an excellent fit on Nintendo DS, and based on the popularity of the DS classics, Dawn of Sorrow and Portrait of Ruin, our fans agree,” said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. “We fully expect Order of Ecclesia to ignite the fan base once again as it combines the classic Castlevania gameplay with an all-new combat system and outdoor environments.”
CastleVania the Arcade game is a surprise title developed by Konami that the Japanese can now enjoy at their local arcade parlor. 
Sadly, there isn’t much more to go on than a few eye-witness accounts from gamers who have seen it, but the whip is motion-sensitive, which begs the question . . . could this game possibly come to the Wii (who is getting an upcoming spin-off called Castlevania Judgment)? And is it build on the same Wii Arcade hardware as Capcom’s Tatsunoko VS Capcom fighting game?
