Castlevania (1986 video game)

Castlevania
North American NES box art
Developer(s)	Konami
Publisher(s)	Konami
Director(s)	Hitoshi Akamatsu
Producer(s)	Akihiko Nagata
Programmer(s)	Nobuhiro Matsuoka
Artist(s)	Noriyasu Togakushi
Composer(s)	Kinuyo Yamashita[1][2] Satoe Terashima[1]
Series	Castlevania
Platform(s)	Famicom Disk System Family Computer Disk System, NES/Famicom, PlayChoice-10, Commodore 64, Amiga, DOS, Microsoft Windows, Game Boy Advance, AT&T Wireless mMode Network, Virtual Console
Release date(s)	September 26, 1986 Famicom Disk System JP September 26, 1986 NES/Famicom[3][4] NA May 1, 1987 PAL December 19, 1988 JP February 5, 1993[5] Game Boy Advance JP August 10, 2004 NA October 25, 2004 PAL January 7, 2005 AUS November 24, 2005 Virtual Console Wii PAL March 23, 2007 NA April 30, 2007 JP July 17, 2007 Nintendo 3DS JP October 17, 2012 PAL February 14, 2013 NA April 4, 2013 Wii U JP December 4, 2013 NA December 19, 2013 PAL March 20, 2014
Genre(s)	Action, Platformer
Mode(s)	Single-player
Distribution	Floppy disk, cartridge, optical disc, download

Castlevania, known in Japan as Akumajou Dracula (悪魔城ドラキュラ, Akumajō Dorakyura, officially translated Devil's Castle Dracula),^[6] is an action-platformer video game developed and published by Konami for the Family Computer Disk System video game console in Japan in September 1986. It was ported to cartridge format and released in North America for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in May 1987 followed by a European release in 1988.

The game takes place in the year 1691 where players control Simon Belmont who is tasked with defeating the vampire Dracula. It was re-released for the Family Computer (FC) in cartridge format in 1993. It is the first game in Konami's Castlevania video game series; it was followed by two more NES games titled Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (released for the NES in 1988) and Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (1989). A fourth game was released for the Super NES and titled Super Castlevania IV.

Castlevania is often considered to be one of the best games on the NES. It has received critical acclaim ever since its original release. It sold impressively and is considered an NES classic by PC World, while Nintendo Power and Game Informer ranked it in their best video games list (at 22 and 48 respectively). IGN ranked it 19 among their favourite NES games.

Plot

Castlevania puts players in control of Simon Belmont as he travels through Count Dracula's castle, which emerges every 100 years. Simon battles numerous bosses along his way, including Frankenstein, Igor, the Mummy Man, the Phantom Bat, Queen Medusa, the Grim Reaper, and Count Dracula himself. Simon encounters Dracula in his lair and defeats him. He escapes the castle as it crumbles apart and credits roll. The credits feature fake names to mock classic horror film actors such as Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Max Schreck and Christopher Lee.

Gameplay

Screenshot of Castlevania on the NES.

Castlevania uses platform gameplay and gives Simon a Magic Whip to use as his standard method of combat as well as move and jump. Simon's whip has a delay between the player's button input and Simon's use of it.^[7] Simon has a life meter and begins with three lives. When his life meter is depleted or he falls into a pit, he will lose a life. Once he loses all lives, he begins at the beginning of the block of stages players are in (of which there are six). Each screen transition leads to a new stage; players will eventually reach an area where they have to deplete a boss' life meter which allows them to progress. Players can replenish health by finding hidden meat in the walls and can gain a new life by gaining a certain number of points (which are gained by defeating enemies, picking up money bags, and completing a block). Simon can find items called sub-weapons that have different uses. The Knife can reach across the screen; the Holy Water can attack lower enemies and freeze them; the Axe can attack enemies in the air; the Cross goes for a time and returns to Simon; and the Stop Watch stops certain enemies for a short period of time. Players can only carry one item at a time and lose the item when they die. Whenever an item is used, it costs hearts. All items use only one heart except for the Stop Watch which uses five. Players may find items by defeating enemies or breaking candles. These items can include hearts, money bags, whip strength/length upgrades, and sub-weapons.

Development

Castlevania was developed and published by Konami for the Family Computer Disk System under its original title Akumajō Dracula. Due to its success, it was released in cartridge format and was later released for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1987 and 1988 in North America and Europe respectively.^[8] The cartridge version was later released in Japan. It was one of the first major platform games on the NES and a part of an unofficial second wave of video games for the NES.^[9] Its release coincided with the 90th anniversary of Bram Stoker's Dracula.^[10]

A game also titled Akumajō Dracula was developed for the MSX2 simultaneously. It was released a month after the Disk System game. It was released in Europe under the title Vampire Killer where it was the first game in the series to be released. The MSX2 version featured different areas and a different structure.

Versions and re-releases

Castlevania has been ported to a variety of different video game consoles, handheld game consoles, home computer systems, and mobile phones. The NES release of the game was adapted for video arcades both as a part of Nintendo's Play Choice 10 series and (with the addition of a two-player competitive play mode) the Nintendo Vs. System. In 1990, versions of the game were released for the IBM, the Commodore 64 (both developed by Unlimited Software), and the Commodore Amiga (developed by Novotrade). A ROM version of the game was released for the Japanese Family Computer in 1993. The port omitted the name registration screen from the original Famicom version (as well as saving) and included an "Easy" mode.^[11] In 2002, Konami released the first three NES Castlevania games for Windows as the Castlevania and Contra: Konami Collector's Series. This was later added to GameTap in 2006. Upstart Games ported a mobile phone version of the game from the original Japanese mobile game in 2002. That version was upgraded in 2004 with improved graphics, and was subsequently released in North America and Europe for multiple handsets. A third mobile phone version was produced in late 2004, with even better graphics, but has only been released in Japan as of early 2005. In 2004, Castlevania was released for the Game Boy Advance as part of the Classic NES Series published by Nintendo. The mock ending credits of the game, which are mostly puns on the names of veteran horror movie stars, were removed in this version. However, it does have the stage select feature. It has been released for both the Wii, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U Virtual Console services in 2007, 2012 and 2013 respectively. These versions are emulations of the original NES game. The 3DS version launched in North America on April 4, 2013 to coincide with the release of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate.

Audio

Track listing

Reception

Reception
Review scores Publication Score Allgame [12] Gamespot 7.1/10[13]

Since its original release, Castlevania has received generally positive reception. It sold impressively and was considered a classic by Retro Gamer and IGN.^[8][14] It was rated the 22nd best game made on a Nintendo System in Nintendo Power‍ '​s Top 200 Games list in 2006.^[15] In August 2008, Nintendo Power listed it as the 14th best Nintendo Entertainment System video game.^[16] Game Informer ranked it the 48th best game ever made in 2001; the staff noted that its gameplay set a standard for the industry.^[17] IGN ranked it 19th on their list of the best NES games; the second and third Castlevania games were ranked 25th and 5th respectively. It was praised for its difficulty, gameplay, soundtrack, and visuals.^[18][19][20] GameZone ranked it as the eighth best Castlevania game. Robert Workman (an editor for GameZone) felt that the game had aged well and was a great value on the Wii Virtual Console.^[21] IGN's Lucas M. Thomas noted the relative realism of Castlevania‍ '​s weapons versus "glowing flowers that let you throw bouncing fireballs." He also praised it for feeling scary while also not taking itself too seriously. The combination of these elements and others caused him to credit it as a "unique and wonderful" game and a game that made an impact on later Castlevania games.^[22] Retro Gamer called it one of the most enduring video games ever made. It attributed its quality less so to unique gameplay and more so to its more adult atmosphere and challenge.^[8] In his review of the Virtual Console version, IGN's Mark Birnbaum personally enjoyed its difficulty and design but noted that people who were quick to become frustrated would enjoy the Super NES sequel Super Castlevania IV better.^[23] 1UP.com's Kurt Kalata praised its level of difficulty and its realistic visual design (relative to games like Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Metroid.^[7] In Japan, video gaming magazine Famitsu scored Famicom version game a 34 / 40.^[24] Game Informer‍ '​s Tim Turi claimed that the original Castlevania made the series a "legend" and called it the "essential Castlevania experience."^[25]

IGN's Colin Moriarty wrote a piece that discussed the idea that this game as well as other Castlevania titles were overshadowed by the 1997 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night which he considered the best title in the series. He cited this game's absence from IGN's top 100 games of all-time as well as the absence of the second and third Castlevanias from Game Informer‍ '​s top 100 games of all-time list. He suggested that the reason this is the case is because of the NES games' high learning curve and difficulty level. He also felt that Symphony of the Night‍ '​s influence on the series after its release caused people to forget about the NES games. He praised the Virtual Console for allowing players unfamiliar with these games to experience them more easily.^[26] IGN's Lucas M. Thomas included its 25th anniversary in a list of forgotten anniversaries which took place in 2011. He felt it odd that Castlevania had so many titles before its 25th anniversary and only one title during 2011.^[27]

The Classic NES Series re-release of the game was met with mixed to positive reception. It holds an average score of 74 and 70.92% at Metacritic and Game Rankings respectively.^[28][29] IGN's Craig Harris ranked Castlevania as the best game in the second volume of Classic NES Series releases (which include Dr. Mario, Metroid, Castlevania, and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link^[30]). He also felt that it was worth playing despite the other three Castlevania games available for the Game Boy Advance.^[31] 1UP.com's Jeremy Parish felt that the game had become dated due to the relative limitations between Simon Belmont and later Castlevania characters such as Alucard and Soma Cruz. He also felt that it was too short. In spite of this he praised it for its hard-but-fair challenge and its audio and visuals.^[32] Benjamin Turner and Phil Theobald of GameSpy both felt the game had aged poorly; Phil however felt that it was easier for him to adapt to the controls than Ben.^[33]

References

External links

• Castlevania at MobyGames
• Castlevania at The Castlevania Dungeon
• Castlevania at MrP's CastleVania Realm