"Classic-Vania"

Only a true CV afficionado would have the balls to try complete this insanely difficult game. Everything classic Castlevania is here; The Vampire Killer Whip, odd stair physics and yet another freaking Belmot who failed swimming lessons... Hearts and powerups galore! Sound like Castlvania all over again? Well... Hmm. Maybe not. >.o

GAMEPLAY: 7/10

Ok. This game is hard. Get used to it. Even if you manage to tweak the default settings and find version K which is easier, you are in for one helluva ride. 7 Stages of sheer HELL. If any Castlevania required careful planning of jumps and attacks, it would be this one. This particular Belmont freezes when he swings, much like the others. Unlike the others, the time it takes to recover from such a horrendous effort is quite a bit longer. Or so it may seem when there are bats flocking around your unsuspecting head to bite you relentlessly. The only chance in hell that you have is grabbing some subweapons and killing some enemies for hearts. Thankfully, the SAME enemies will drop big hearts no matter how many times you've played through. Once you get the stopwatch, you will own. The game will be at your mercy until you run out of hearts.

Now, this version of said vampire killing game will make you a bit angry. Well, that might be a euphamism... Hmm. This game will make you MAJESTICALLY pissed. Cheap shots abound, bosses that don't seem to get hit even though you smacked them in their soft spot, and cliff falls. Yes. In a game where 25 cents = 1 life, you can die instantly from cliff falls. And water, too. But, for as cheap as it is, it will give you a sheer sense of satisfaction when (and if) you beat it. You might ask if playing it on MAME would be easier, since you have infinite continues. *Insert favorite buzzing sound here* You can continue from the level you died in. Up to 3 times total. For the WHOLE DAMNED GAME. But, hey, that didn't stop you from beating Contra, did it?

SOUND/MUSIC: 9/10
This music is rockin. From Stage 1 your adrenaline will be flowing to the beat of your whip across a ghoulie's back. The sound effects are sparse, if a bit tinny and simple. But, this is easily overlooked when hearing the arranged version of ''Blood Tears'' in Stage 3.

CONTROLS: 8/10
Standard vamp killin layout. Up+attack=subweapon-X amount of hearts, X being the subweapon's cost. Jumps are painfully low, and in some areas, you could swear that the game is set up to make you eat a hit seeing as how there is no way around it. Same goofy stair physics. Other than that, nice n smooth.

STORY: N/A
Drac stole your woman. You want to beat 15 tons of crap out of him, then drink champagne from his dessicated skull. Pretty simple stuff. ^_^

OVERALL: 7/10
This game would have gotten a little higher rating if not for all the cheap shots. I don't mind having only 3 continues; that makes it quite unlike X-Men, where a sack of quarters replaces anything resembling skill and relfex. It's the unavoidable Cheap hits that drag this game down. For a nice nostailgic walk through the graveyards of Castlevania, Haunted Castle is an excellent way to do so.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 04/03/03, Updated 04/03/03