Great early Metroid-Vania. Reportedly made by the team who made the first Castlevania, it neatly fills the gameplay evolution gap between Castlevania 1 & 2. While Castlevania borrows from western mythology, this borrows from Japanese mythology for a Japanese audience. While not a stand out classic, it every bit deserves to be considered an entry in the growth of this genre. Recommended as the missing gameplay link between Castlevania 1 & 2. English translation patch was excellent.