Super is a suitable description
Written: Jul 05 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Its an awesome game
Cons: far too addictive
The Bottom Line: Everyone with a SNES should own Castlevania 4, it is just too good not to. One of the greatest platform games ever.
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| flash-hammer's Full Review: Super Castlevania IV for Super Nintendo |
For some reason, I never owned a Castlevania title until I came into possession of this one about two years ago. I don’t know why, but it was about the only major gaming series I never at least tried when I was a kid. All I knew about it was that Dracula was the villain.
The game is a platform title of the kind that was incredibly popular in the 16-Bit era, in which you play the role of Simon Belmont, the latest in a long line of Vampire Hunters who is out to kill the evil Count Dracula, armed with simply a whip, any weapons he can find and his wits. To reach the Prince of Darkness, he is going to have to fight his way through caves and forests and all the way up his Castle fortress.
The game works in a fairly simple manner, you direct your character through each stage and jump across platforms while taking down any enemies you come across and collecting power-ups before a final showdown with Dracula.
Power-Ups include items to make his whip stronger and longer, extra weapons (Holy Water, knife, axe Cross boomerang – only one of which can be carried at a time) hearts which allow you to use such weapons and health.
The games controls look like this, Y is to attack with your whip, pressing it in conjunction with a direction causes you to whip in that direction. Holding it down and pressing a direction makes Simon flail the whip around in front of him. B is used to jump and R is to throw your extra weapon.
Simple controls that work a treat. Excellent responsiveness and the pad even has 3 spare buttons in case you want to alter the controls.
Graphically, the game is pretty great considering it was released in 1991. Even today the graphics are acceptable, even if the sprites are a little small. The backgrounds look excellent though and this is definitely one of the best looking platformers on the Super Nes.
Sonically the game doesn’t let up either. The sound effects are decent enough, but the main point is the music, which is just plain brilliant. Not being someone who is into game music much, even I have to admit it’s cool and catchy. Especially Simon’s theme that is played on the first level.
So, anyone think the game sounds simple? You are wrong. While the idea is simple enough and like 100s of games released in the 16-Bit years, this game just seems so much better executed than your average platformer. Its also pretty damn tough. When I play old games, its often very easy to get very far in them. Not Super Castlevania 4. Oh no, this game has its incredibly tough moments. But the fact is, its just such a generally well made and fun game that you feel compelled to keep trying. And trying, until you realise that you have spent far too long playing it.
The game also has some cool enemies like zombies, skeletons and dragon-things, and of course the Castlevania staples of Dracula himself and his sidekick the Grim Reaper.
If you were going to be a spoilsport and look for faults, you would be in for an even harder time than trying to play the game. You could say the sprites for Simon and the enemies aren’t amazingly detailed, but as I said. 1991.
Super Castlevania 4 is an excellent game. It really is the only word for it. I definitely rate it as being one of the best platform games I have ever played, and probably one of the best platform titles ever.
The game doesn’t have any great diverse gimmicks to set it apart from the millions of platform games you can buy for your Super Nes, but what it does do is provide one of , if not, the most complete platform games ever. Great graphics, great music and great gameplay, what else is there?
Recommended:
Yes
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flash-hammer
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