I saw that and thought, oh man, he did a bad jump and is on the way down, right into the pit. Same general idea, wrong direction (falling down instead of jumping up).
All you'll need to play is the first three on the NES, followed by Super Castlevania on the SNES, Castlevania Chronicles, Rondo of Blood, and Symphony of the Night.
Most of the other games are hit or miss, depending on what you like and dislike about the series (and gaming in general, really). Personally, I don't really care for any of the handheld ones (though I haven't given much time to Portrait) because they all seem to be rehashes of Symphony of the Night.
I also have one flaw with Symphony, and it's the seemingly useless item fetch quests. People often compare it to Super Metroid, which is unfair. Everything in Super Metroid had a significance, and the game wasn't padded with needless items. It's just a minor quirk, and Symphony is still a good game, I just don't care for that type of gameplay, and the DS releases follow the same route.
All you'll need to play is the first three on the NES, followed by Super Castlevania on the SNES, Castlevania Chronicles, Rondo of Blood, and Symphony of the Night.
Most of the other games are hit or miss, depending on what you like and dislike about the series (and gaming in general, really). Personally, I don't really care for any of the handheld ones (though I haven't given much time to Portrait) because they all seem to be rehashes of Symphony of the Night.
I also have one flaw with Symphony, and it's the seemingly useless item fetch quests. People often compare it to Super Metroid, which is unfair. Everything in Super Metroid had a significance, and the game wasn't padded with needless items. It's just a minor quirk, and Symphony is still a good game, I just don't care for that type of gameplay, and the DS releases follow the same route.
I actually liked the incredible array of useless items, if only for the sake of collecting.
And yeah, progression through the game depends on finding items, but just through the natural course of exploration. You're not constantly on a pointed fetch-quest, and backtracking isn't often absolutely essential.
I wish I could remember how I figured out the red crystal trick back in the day, but somewhere in that game is a clue that you need to do it. Its not totally impossible
Oh, no. It is frickin' impossible. There's no clue in the game that tells you you have to go right to that specific cliff, or have the crystal especially equipped, or - and this is the breaker - kneel for ten seconds, particularly in the 45-character-or-so limit they had on the NPC text boxes.
Admittedly, I knew vaguely what to do thanks to a Nintendo Power column.
But there is a clue, somewhere in one of the dungeons, about the red crystal. Just like there's a clue about the blue crystal and the ferryman taking you to different parts of the countryside.
... God, I wish they'd remake Castlevania 2. But I highly doubt IGA ever will.
They do tell you how to do it, but you'd never be able to decifier the information from the random old hag that told you what you needed to know.
"Young Woman: Hit Deborah Cliff with your head to make a hole." I guess she was a young woman, but w/e. So there you have it, no mention of the red crystal or having to do it for 10 seconds. God I love this game....
Am I a horrible person for thinking Lament of Innocence was cool?
I like it, but the new one with the summoning is horrendous. I'm so sad I sold Lament though, because I got it as a gift before I was a fan of the series. But, alas, I am now a proud owner of SotN for PSX.
Am I a horrible person for thinking Lament of Innocence was cool?
I like it, but the new one with the summoning is horrendous. I'm so sad I sold Lament though, because I got it as a gift before I was a fan of the series. But, alas, I am now a proud owner of SotN for PSX.
Lament of Innocence is worth it for the music in the Anti-Soul Mystery Lab alone. LoI was the first 3-D Castlevania I played, and it was nothing special, but it was a fun diversion. I definitely like the 2-D Metroidvania games better.
Am I a horrible person for thinking Lament of Innocence was cool?
I like it, but the new one with the summoning is horrendous. I'm so sad I sold Lament though, because I got it as a gift before I was a fan of the series. But, alas, I am now a proud owner of SotN for PSX.
Lament of Innocence is worth it for the music in the Anti-Soul Mystery Lab alone. LoI was the first 3-D Castlevania I played, and it was nothing special, but it was a fun diversion. I definitely like the 2-D Metroidvania games better.
I really liked the core gameplay, but the levels killed it.
I've been trying to collect all the GBA/DS Castlevanias.
Right now I only have Circle of the Moon and Dawn of Sorrow (which is on its way to me). I want the doublepack, and I see it for cheap on ebay, but I'm always terrified I'll get screwed into buying a bootleg.
I don't know what's wrong with me. It's some kind of learning disability.
No, don't feel bad. I spent ALL DAY on Death and Dracula a couple of weeks ago. I had to play those 2 levels over and over and over again before I managed to get it right.
The time I spent on Death was all about the learning curve. I spent the time learning that I had to get the Holy Water from the very first screen of that level, and keep it for the rest of the level. I had to discover where the II and the III were, and get them, too. And finally, I had to practice until I could make it through the Hardest-Fucking-Corridor-In-Game-History without getting hit, so that I'd have health when I arrived.
Dracula took many hours, as well, but at least the Continue Point is right before him instead of the beginning of the level. And the candles before him give you everything you need. You will have to keep going up and down the stairs to reset the candles, though, because you're going to need all the hearts you can get.
I don't see the triumph in dying over and over again in an 8-bit game. Like I posted before, get that PC pack with the first 3 Castlevanias because it has the all-important quicksave feature. This means not only can you quit the game and come back to it later, but you can get down that hard-as-fuck corridor and QUICKSAVE. All ports of NES games, be it on the GBA or the PC, should have this feature. It's more a fun-maker than a fun-killer.
Still would've been safer to do an up-angle shot from the lower block. ;-)
But the blocks are crumbling! He has no time!!!
I think I had a minor heart attack when I hit that mode-7 section in CV4. It's all 3D, like!
You're all wrong. He will absolutely kill the skeleton at that height. You're all assuming he's jumping forward. He'll land on the platform he's on top of in the shot (which is NOT going to fall at this point) with even the slightest tapping on the digital pad after he hits the skeleton.
A standing up angle attack would work but lacks panache. I always jump from the edge of the platform and whip at a downard angle into the skeleton for maximum progress efficiency.
Passwords, what the hell. The worst password system EVER is for the NES game GI Joe: The Atlantis Factor. You have ten nine by nine grids. Each one can have a character in any position. Here "character" includes numbers, punctuation, the works.
Neo Rasa on
"You know how Batman hangs people over the edge of buildings and gets them to spill information. That's Neo Rasa's way of it, but instead of information, he just likes to see people suffer." ~Senor Fish
Ok, so I decided to give the NES version another go...
Sorry, it looks like this game isn't for me.
Collected hearts... Ok, ammo for weapons, gotcha. At the end, the dagger. Cool. Time to fire off a few...
A - Jump.... B - whip.... select - nothing(?).... start - pause.....
Now wait! This isn't right! I want to give the second weapon a go and I don't have any buttons left on the controller! Now, as opposed to bothering you guys, I do the smart thing. I go to GameFAQs and do me some reading....
Ooooooohhhhh! *UP* and B. There we go.
Now, where is all that tasty meat for my beloved health. First game faq doesn't mention them. I pick up the second, and cool! On level one I'll find them....
There's only one?
There's only one goddamned chunk of meat on the whole level? It's non-renewable? It's up on a column? The blocks don't even look breakable, they look like every other stone in the place. No wonder I coudn't find it when I was 13. AHA! I was right... The health system *is* the game-breaker for me. There is no way to heal yourself before a boss fight, or when you get bumped with bones. I'm sure you guys love it, it's not for me...
Start with SotN and then go on to the handheld versions. You sound very much like myself in so much as I'm not a fan of really challenging platforming. The old NES games are essentailly murderous platforming games with boss fights. If you love challenging platforming you're in heaven. If you don't they can seem like some form of sadistic torture.
SotN and the handheld versions are very different in this reguard. The challenge comes from the adundance and variety of enemies instead of the level design itself. There are save points spread throughout the castle that fully heal you and you pick up an array of items that will help you greatly along the way including healing items.
The first time I played through SotN I managed to have a Heaven Sword drop of off the first Cloaked Knight I ever killed. I pretty much fell head over heels in love with the item drop system at that moment.
I played SOTN and the first GBA Castlevania, and got the double pack a few months ago. Loved them all from start to finish. I skipped DOS for the DS, and recently picked up Portrait of Ruin. I never really had a problem with difficulty in all those previous Castlevanias, but I'm getting raped in POR by the bosses. I think I might be doing the paintings in the wrong order, it shouldn't take 20+ tries to defeat Legion in a Castlevania game. I want to love this game, but I'm such a clutz when it comes to the bosses.
I don't see the triumph in dying over and over again in an 8-bit game. Like I posted before, get that PC pack with the first 3 Castlevanias because it has the all-important quicksave feature. This means not only can you quit the game and come back to it later, but you can get down that hard-as-fuck corridor and QUICKSAVE. All ports of NES games, be it on the GBA or the PC, should have this feature. It's more a fun-maker than a fun-killer.
Games of that era are all about earning it.
Thats not earning it. Its like the European Tourist version of the game. Leisurely, same sights, but you don't get the local culture.
I don't see the triumph in dying over and over again in an 8-bit game. Like I posted before, get that PC pack with the first 3 Castlevanias because it has the all-important quicksave feature. This means not only can you quit the game and come back to it later, but you can get down that hard-as-fuck corridor and QUICKSAVE. All ports of NES games, be it on the GBA or the PC, should have this feature. It's more a fun-maker than a fun-killer.
Games of that era are all about earning it.
Thats not earning it. Its like the European Tourist version of the game. Leisurely, same sights, but you don't get the local culture.
Agreed. I happen to feel GOOD that I finally beat Castlevania.
It was the GBA "NES Classics" version, so I got a save point at the beginning of each level, and even that makes me feel sliiiightly cheap about it. But I read an article that mentioned that back in the day, people would leave their NES on so that they could keep spamming the Continues... essentially doing the same thing I did, just a different way. So I can live with that.
It was the GBA "NES Classics" version, so I got a save point at the beginning of each level, and even that makes me feel sliiiightly cheap about it.
You could save at the beginning of each level in original Famicom Disk System version. Saving was, naturally, cut off from the western version.
Ah, well, there you go. My street cred remains.
As far as "cheating" (by looking up tips online) goes in really old games, you have to take that train of thought with a grain of salt. Miyamoto admitted in his recent GDC keynote that he made certain things in The Legend of Zelda obscure because he wanted Zelda gamers to talk to other Zelda gamers. He wanted to promote social interaction. Knowing that the developers may not have intended for you to get through a game without help makes me feel better.
I disagree heartily. You have a quicksave but that doesn't mean you have to spam it after killing every medusa head floating by. You have the choice of playing it with saves or you can 'be a man' and play through it straight. It's nice knowing you have the quicksave when you die fifteen times at the same place. Me personally? I saved right before fighting Death but not during, giving me some challenge and not putting up with that hallway before the boss. I say that's the best way to do it - give players the choice.
I love Castlevania games, but my favorite moment came when I fired up my Japanese copy of Symphony of the Night. The intro text is in English, so I was reading it to see if it was different. When it gotto mention the Belmont that Alucard teamed up with in Castlevania III it didn't say Trevor Belmont, it was Ralph. Ralph Belmont, I laughed so hard. On a related note, I have an extra copy of Castlevania III. PM if interested.
Checking Gamefaqs, I have almost all of the games. I don't have Bloodlines (just got a Genesis) or Super Castlevania VI and the N64 Castlevanias (had them, but were stolen). No PC Engine either, but I will get a PSP for the chance to play that one. Otherwise, I have all of them. Crazy, I thought there were more.
I love and hate the N64 Castlevanias. Shitty camera + precision jumping = screaming profanities, however I thought they had the atmosphere down. The scuttling vampires really creeped me out, and the hedge maze was awesome.
I disagree heartily. You have a quicksave but that doesn't mean you have to spam it after killing every medusa head floating by. You have the choice of playing it with saves or you can 'be a man' and play through it straight. It's nice knowing you have the quicksave when you die fifteen times at the same place. Me personally? I saved right before fighting Death but not during, giving me some challenge and not putting up with that hallway before the boss. I say that's the best way to do it - give players the choice.
I disagree heartily. You have a quicksave but that doesn't mean you have to spam it after killing every medusa head floating by. You have the choice of playing it with saves or you can 'be a man' and play through it straight. It's nice knowing you have the quicksave when you die fifteen times at the same place. Me personally? I saved right before fighting Death but not during, giving me some challenge and not putting up with that hallway before the boss. I say that's the best way to do it - give players the choice.
Well, I don't have any of the arcade ones, nor do I have the PS2 Japanese copy of Haunted Castle (yet), but I have all of the ones that went to an American console (minus the 4 mentioned above). In Japan I bought the Saturn and Japanese copies of Symphony of the Night, the special edition Lament of Innocence (in a giant box), and the GBA remake of the original Castlevania. 20 games total.
It's ok Jensen. I'm currently playing through it again from scratch even though I have a 100% souls and items game.
We can drive ourselves insane trying to get three star rarity souls together! Of course eventually I will become frustrated and load my 100% game only to become bored and play my from scratch game some more.
Posts
But the blocks are crumbling! He has no time!!!
I think I had a minor heart attack when I hit that mode-7 section in CV4. It's all 3D, like!
Most of the other games are hit or miss, depending on what you like and dislike about the series (and gaming in general, really). Personally, I don't really care for any of the handheld ones (though I haven't given much time to Portrait) because they all seem to be rehashes of Symphony of the Night.
I also have one flaw with Symphony, and it's the seemingly useless item fetch quests. People often compare it to Super Metroid, which is unfair. Everything in Super Metroid had a significance, and the game wasn't padded with needless items. It's just a minor quirk, and Symphony is still a good game, I just don't care for that type of gameplay, and the DS releases follow the same route.
I actually liked the incredible array of useless items, if only for the sake of collecting.
And yeah, progression through the game depends on finding items, but just through the natural course of exploration. You're not constantly on a pointed fetch-quest, and backtracking isn't often absolutely essential.
They do tell you how to do it, but you'd never be able to decifier the information from the random old hag that told you what you needed to know.
"Young Woman: Hit Deborah Cliff with your head to make a hole." I guess she was a young woman, but w/e. So there you have it, no mention of the red crystal or having to do it for 10 seconds. God I love this game....
I like it, but the new one with the summoning is horrendous. I'm so sad I sold Lament though, because I got it as a gift before I was a fan of the series. But, alas, I am now a proud owner of SotN for PSX.
Lament of Innocence is worth it for the music in the Anti-Soul Mystery Lab alone. LoI was the first 3-D Castlevania I played, and it was nothing special, but it was a fun diversion. I definitely like the 2-D Metroidvania games better.
I really liked the core gameplay, but the levels killed it.
The obnoxious slowdown didn't help.
Right now I only have Circle of the Moon and Dawn of Sorrow (which is on its way to me). I want the doublepack, and I see it for cheap on ebay, but I'm always terrified I'll get screwed into buying a bootleg.
How do I avoid bootlegs?
I still love that level.
and as I understand it, the Japanese version of CV4 didn't have slowdown. Go figure.
The time I spent on Death was all about the learning curve. I spent the time learning that I had to get the Holy Water from the very first screen of that level, and keep it for the rest of the level. I had to discover where the II and the III were, and get them, too. And finally, I had to practice until I could make it through the Hardest-Fucking-Corridor-In-Game-History without getting hit, so that I'd have health when I arrived.
Dracula took many hours, as well, but at least the Continue Point is right before him instead of the beginning of the level. And the candles before him give you everything you need. You will have to keep going up and down the stairs to reset the candles, though, because you're going to need all the hearts you can get.
You're all wrong.
A standing up angle attack would work but lacks panache. I always jump from the edge of the platform and whip at a downard angle into the skeleton for maximum progress efficiency.
Passwords, what the hell. The worst password system EVER is for the NES game GI Joe: The Atlantis Factor. You have ten nine by nine grids. Each one can have a character in any position. Here "character" includes numbers, punctuation, the works.
Start with SotN and then go on to the handheld versions. You sound very much like myself in so much as I'm not a fan of really challenging platforming. The old NES games are essentailly murderous platforming games with boss fights. If you love challenging platforming you're in heaven. If you don't they can seem like some form of sadistic torture.
SotN and the handheld versions are very different in this reguard. The challenge comes from the adundance and variety of enemies instead of the level design itself. There are save points spread throughout the castle that fully heal you and you pick up an array of items that will help you greatly along the way including healing items.
The first time I played through SotN I managed to have a Heaven Sword drop of off the first Cloaked Knight I ever killed. I pretty much fell head over heels in love with the item drop system at that moment.
I'm finally gonna go pick it up today.
Switch: 6200-8149-0919 / Wii U: maximumzero / 3DS: 0860-3352-3335 / eBay Shop
Games of that era are all about earning it.
Thats not earning it. Its like the European Tourist version of the game. Leisurely, same sights, but you don't get the local culture.
猿も木から落ちる
Agreed. I happen to feel GOOD that I finally beat Castlevania.
It was the GBA "NES Classics" version, so I got a save point at the beginning of each level, and even that makes me feel sliiiightly cheap about it. But I read an article that mentioned that back in the day, people would leave their NES on so that they could keep spamming the Continues... essentially doing the same thing I did, just a different way. So I can live with that.
You could save at the beginning of each level in original Famicom Disk System version. Saving was, naturally, cut off from the western version.
Ah, well, there you go. My street cred remains.
As far as "cheating" (by looking up tips online) goes in really old games, you have to take that train of thought with a grain of salt. Miyamoto admitted in his recent GDC keynote that he made certain things in The Legend of Zelda obscure because he wanted Zelda gamers to talk to other Zelda gamers. He wanted to promote social interaction. Knowing that the developers may not have intended for you to get through a game without help makes me feel better.
Checking Gamefaqs, I have almost all of the games. I don't have Bloodlines (just got a Genesis) or Super Castlevania VI and the N64 Castlevanias (had them, but were stolen). No PC Engine either, but I will get a PSP for the chance to play that one. Otherwise, I have all of them. Crazy, I thought there were more.
I love and hate the N64 Castlevanias. Shitty camera + precision jumping = screaming profanities, however I thought they had the atmosphere down. The scuttling vampires really creeped me out, and the hedge maze was awesome.
You ain't fat! Ding dong, man, ding dong!
Yo!
Hmh, are you sure that Gamefaqs has all Castlevania games listed? I mean, there is 27 of them. 29 if we count two remakes.
http://castlevania.classicgaming.gamespy.com/games.html
EDIT: Yes I'm late to the party
I take that back, it is a lot.
We can drive ourselves insane trying to get three star rarity souls together! Of course eventually I will become frustrated and load my 100% game only to become bored and play my from scratch game some more.
It's a vicious cycle.