I hope this flopped and they didn't make any other entries, that'd be worth a laugh! I havent had any playing this. This mf Simon with his perfectly chiseled chin and wealthiest caveman in the cave rizz can't whip worth a damn. Is he asexual? Why does he think he's him? Call it y = b^x the way shit went off the rails so fast, what a difficulty curve folks. You have to be there to see it. There's not really an enemy to make fun of so I'll focus on that aspect. Except Dracula on steroids but those were different times, the basement dweller community has foregiven Dracula.

Let's breakdown how the game plays. There are no input cancels obviously this ain't no Tekken, once you jump you are vulnerable for around 1 second and approximately 33 threats, you can only walk and slightly crouch, not to mention (I'll mention) the whip having more screentime where it doesnt hit once you press the destroy foes button. So basically you're dead on arrival. Also, sometimes you get hit by a projectile thats been destroyed or a mf who alreafy vaporized. Shit that should only happen in Mexico and I don't wager Simon is having his pilgrimage there.

I've warmed up, but huh no physical activity to follow because I need to say good things about this decent game. The night is dark and the path is.. not always clear, especially stage 17 with those gears but it all looks great. Dracula looks like his breath smells of garlic which makes me worry about his health being a vampire and all, but I won't judge him if he stepped out the hospital just to whoop my ass he's just that guy. Not gonna lie I had to use save states between every hit because I didn't trust myself enough and I was playing the game on break I wanted to finish it today at least (as in friday 22nd march, I'm actually reviewing it on the day I finish a game which I usually never do and condone! But we do this ig)

Konami really did make great games back in the day. One of their flagship titles, Castlevania was a landmark in atmosphere, difficulty, and theming for the early NES. I'll never forget the patterns for getting through this game, the strategies I found on my own through trial and error, or the simple yet iconic soundtrack.

I think later titles perfected what this laid the groundwork for (Castlevania 3 and Super Castlevania 4 for instance) but this initial title is still worth going back to to this day, which is impressive compared to the first Mega Man title, which it felt like was the series which competed most with Castlevania back in this time, along with Ninja Gaiden.

I am happy we have games like Bloodstained Curse of the Moon 1 and 2 to hold the torch for this iconic style of vampiric retro delight, and while I dig the Metroidvania adventure titles a tad more, I respect this style immensely and it should not go unnoticed.

Of the NES classics, and like many of them Castlevania is a bit of a struggle for the modern gamer. Not just because it's unrelentingly tough - although it is - but because it's a showcase of some the NES era's most frustrating ways of making a game hard. That said, it remains a game with amazing atmosphere; the visuals are outstanding and help construct the Hammer horror vibes brilliantly, and the music is stunning. I enjoyed Simon Belmont's quest (no not that one) a lot, but it's one I'd hesitate to recommend unless you've got the time and patience to deal with it.

Castlevania is a game I can appreciate but it's one I don't love.

Like many NES games, Castlevania is a short experience and can be beaten in less than half an hour. Seemingly to counteract this, the game is incredibly challenging and demands to be played dozens of times to master. Every level has been carefully curated so that EVERYTHING, from the smallest enemies to the most modest of jumps, poses a massive threat. The combination of Simon Belmont's sluggish, stiff movement (an intentional design choice, forcing the player to attack and jump with absolute precision) and the devilish enemy attack patterns make this game feel overly difficult at times but I appreciate just how well crafted every level feels. Absolutely everything feels intentional, not a pixel feels out of place.

As much as I appreciate how tight the gameplay feels, I had to rely on save states to get past some of the trickier sections. Some of the bosses, for example, are nigh impossible if you didn't happen to pick up and keep the right weapon from the preceding level. Without the modern convenience of save states, I'd probably have given up playing halfway through.

Ultimately the best thing about Castlevania is the atmosphere. It's genuinely impressive how much gothic ambience the game has, considering the technical limitations of the NES. The game uses the limited available palette wonderfully to bring the enemies and levels to life, it's surprisingly gorgeous at times. The soundtrack also helps tremendously. It's one of the NES' best. Each track imbues it's corresponding level with a slightly different vibe from adventurous to spooky.

On a final note, I was first exposed to the Castlevania series by YouTuber James Rolfe and I have to parrot one of his takes. This first game was so evocative of old, gothic horror that it very much reminds me of old Hammer horror movies. I can't help but feel it's a shame (though true to the original Japanese intention I suppose) that Castlevania projects are now always tied to an anime aesthetic.

Ce jeu est davantage qu'un simple  classique, il est culte. Cela dit il n'est pas parfait. Mais sa force résidait justement dans sa capacité à nous faire passer outre ses côtés déplaisants. Grâce à une histoire simple mais prenante. Un visuel percutant et de qualité. Une mise en scène succinte et soignée. Des musiques inoubliables. Un bon mélange action/plateforme. Du challenge. Et une ambiance générale orientée vers le romantisme noire. Tout cela, dans la limite des systèmes de l'époque, allait faire d'un seul jeu la définition de tout un univers, le socle solide d'une saga aux multiples réussites (sans compter les innombrables émules d'hier et d'aujourd'hui). Le plaisir d'y jouer est encore au rendez-vous plus de 35 ans après ma première partie. Ite missa est.

Um bom jogo, e um dos mais difíceis da biblioteca do nes. Na luta do ceifador, que é uma das mais difíceis do jogo e até injusta, pois ela não para de espawnar foices no meio da tela, o que te dá segundos pra desviar, ou até mesmo espawna no momento de um pulo. As vezes te incurralando e não tendo escolha alem de tomar um hit. Além de ser bem fdp, pois se vc mata a morte, as foices que estão na tela não somem junto, ou seja, nas 3 vezes que consegui matar a morte fui morto pelas foices antes de conseguir tocar no orbe. E como se não bastace vc precisa passar um corredor com várias medusas heads e cavaleiro do Machado que vão te drenar a vida antes do encontro com a morte. E claro, se vc morrer pra morte vc precisa fazer esse corredor novamente. Por isso nessa seção tive q apelar para o save state (no inicio da luta do ceifador), senão o que levei 2 horas pra derrota-lo se multiplicará pra 6. A luta do dracula é mais justa, mesmo sendo bem difícil porem ao perder todas as vidas vc pode continuar no pé das escadas