Played this primarily because it was on the Castlevania Switch collection, but it's really only a Castlevania game by Konami's decision alone. Kid Dracula carries almost none of the features of the franchise typically has, beyond a few aesthetic similarities and the use of Dracula, a character not created by Konami, as a plot-relevant character. It plays more like a Mega Man game than anything else, which should be fine, but it isn't as tight. Like, nowhere close. Platforming is floaty, combat is slow, your character sprite is far too big, hit detection is wonky, stage design is creatively minimal, etc. The combination of Mega Man and Castlevania should at least provide some solid jams, but there aren't even any notable song selections. What a shame. 2/6