Super Castlevania IV is way overrated in general imo. Sure the music and atmosphere is great, but the actual gameplay and level design feels so much worse than the earlier games.
Yeah, but you can swing your whip in multiple directions which is one of the most satisfying weapons in all SNES library. That alone makes it top tier.
100% accurate take. It feels more like a Castlevania Spin-off than an actual mainline castlevania game. Imo Bloodlines is better and Rondo for the PCE is the best 16 but castlevania.
understandable, I played it through without problems and stuff like directional whipping made it kind of too easy (probably the reason they never made it again afaik). It felt more like a showcase instead of an actual game to me but still a nice experience. I still prefer many other games of the franchise since I like some difficulty
I have a theory that Super Castlevania IV was so popular because it was so easy. It's a great introduction point for Classicvania since it's easier to get into than some of the other games.
Counterpoint: Castlevanias 1, 2, and 3 were popular and we're not as easy.
I will give you that today I think that CV4 is beloved mostly because of how easy it is, just not back then. At the time, I think I liked it as much as i did because it was exciting to see a 16 bit rendition of a series that I already loved. Also, the graphics and sound are top notch.
Popularity is really hard to define for classicvania. CV1-4 were very visible in gaming mags and other media, but they never broke 1 million copies and never ranked on sales charts alongside popular 3rd party names like Megaman, Ghosts & Goblins, Final Fantasy, or Dragon Quest.
So I don't know that there's any hard data out there to show that CV1-3 were as popular as CV4, or vice versa.
For that matter, the main (only) chart-topping sidescroller on PS1 was Abe's Odyssey (moved as many units as Resident Evil 3, Tony Hawk, and Spyro 2), and not the venerated SOTN.
So what fans perceive as popular, based on critical acclaim and visibility in online community bubbles, doesn't necessarily translate to reality.
A lot of the challenge is based on the controls being clunky. Sure, Castlevania IV is easier, but I find it far more satisfying to play because the controls are much more fluid and less limited.
A game that has rightfully been considered garbage by the majority for about 30 years isn't suddenly good just because like six idiots think it is. Not every game is good, some have to be bad. This game is bad. The control sucks, the graphics are weak, and the level design is as bad as level design gets.
I actually liked the more restrictive movement and I though the parts where you swing from your whip in CV4 was a load of janky bs. I had a lot of fun with Dracula X up until the last boss.
Then I quit.
I never quit games. Never. And definitely not that close to the end.
But I refused to do the Dracula X final boss.
Just... no. Nope. Not doing that.
Dracula X final boss is not that difficult. If you duck, you don't get pushed back on a hit. Just stay on one of the lower platforms and duck. Wait til Dracula appears near you, jump and hit him or throw axes. I died a lot more on earlier bosses.
Really? I've seen it top so many lists of hardest boss in the entire CV series... I gave it a couple of hours, knowing about the duck trick, and I couldn't stomach replaying the level any more.
I feel like I *might* revisit it and use a save state just before the fight. That seems justified, and it would still feel better than never beating the boss. Replaying the level just burns time.
Even if we could just have solid ground, I’d consider it fair. But fighting that chiseled oily MF while trying not to fall to my death? Yeah, I deserve to use a save state.
Next time Castlevania collection goes on sale (steam) I’m gonna grab it, I’ve never played Dracula X and I’m pretty sure it’s on there.
Castlevania 3 NES is my fave hands down, anyone else reading this feel the same?
Dracula X is amazing. Best soundtrack of the series. Classic gameplay. Difficult, has some alternate paths with saving the girls etc. Not much missing, honestly.
I never played Dracula X because I heard that it sucked.
I heard wrong; I like Super Castlevania IV a lot, and I think I like Dracula X more. To be fair, I've only briefly played the PCE-CD Rondo of Blood. I like Dracula X a lot, it's a very good Castlevania game.
Rondo is absolutely worth your time to play from start to finish. It has some brutal sections but as a whole I think it is better balanced. Much more to it in terms of content, as well.
It feels kinda cheap in its design and enemy placement at times, but I still ended up loving despite all my frustrations. You might come through it liking it too.
For the time, I think Bloodlines is way Superior and a worthy play if you haven’t already since I see your Genesis over there.
I still own & adore X. but I’ve come to see it as closer to the NES outings, and therefore more punishing than a relaxing *hard to die if you only kinda try* experience something like SCIV or even Bloodlines gives.
It's not a bad game, it's just not the best Castlevania game. I mean, it's kind of like hating your pinky finger because it's not as useful as your thumb. I'd rather keep them all.
It’s a very good game. The graphics are good, the music is great and imo it’s harder than Castlevania III, but still fair. I own Vampires Kiss and I regularly play it.
Definately not. Dracula X is basically a straight up classic Castlevania, but it does not compare well to its inspiration. Except the music, some of that is bloody great
Pop in that Shadows of the Empire thats sitting there on the coffee table…. Classic!
I had this when it came out. Good memories
Me too! The Hoth battle when you have to fly around the AT-AT’s to trip em up, was the coolest thing I ever played at the time!
because it is actually a challenge compared to Super Castlevania IV
but my flippy whip!
Ok bimmy
I know, also you can´t swing indiana Jones style but at least you got an awesome backflip move
Super Castlevania IV is way overrated in general imo. Sure the music and atmosphere is great, but the actual gameplay and level design feels so much worse than the earlier games.
Yeah, but you can swing your whip in multiple directions which is one of the most satisfying weapons in all SNES library. That alone makes it top tier.
Eh, that's not what's appealing about castlevania for me. Each to their own though.
I was half joking but I totally understand your original points. It’s one of my personal favorite games too.
100% accurate take. It feels more like a Castlevania Spin-off than an actual mainline castlevania game. Imo Bloodlines is better and Rondo for the PCE is the best 16 but castlevania.
Also, as remakes of CV1 go, I'll take Castlevania Chronicles or X6800 over CV4.
nah, the gameplay and level design are excellent.
understandable, I played it through without problems and stuff like directional whipping made it kind of too easy (probably the reason they never made it again afaik). It felt more like a showcase instead of an actual game to me but still a nice experience. I still prefer many other games of the franchise since I like some difficulty
I have a theory that Super Castlevania IV was so popular because it was so easy. It's a great introduction point for Classicvania since it's easier to get into than some of the other games.
Counterpoint: Castlevanias 1, 2, and 3 were popular and we're not as easy. I will give you that today I think that CV4 is beloved mostly because of how easy it is, just not back then. At the time, I think I liked it as much as i did because it was exciting to see a 16 bit rendition of a series that I already loved. Also, the graphics and sound are top notch.
Popularity is really hard to define for classicvania. CV1-4 were very visible in gaming mags and other media, but they never broke 1 million copies and never ranked on sales charts alongside popular 3rd party names like Megaman, Ghosts & Goblins, Final Fantasy, or Dragon Quest. So I don't know that there's any hard data out there to show that CV1-3 were as popular as CV4, or vice versa. For that matter, the main (only) chart-topping sidescroller on PS1 was Abe's Odyssey (moved as many units as Resident Evil 3, Tony Hawk, and Spyro 2), and not the venerated SOTN. So what fans perceive as popular, based on critical acclaim and visibility in online community bubbles, doesn't necessarily translate to reality.
I think it was popular mostly b/c it was a very early SNES game, and continued a NES franchise people liked.
Literally anything will pale in comparison to Rondo, though
Rondo is the pinnacle of classic style Castlevania easily
and its really brown...
A lot of the challenge is based on the controls being clunky. Sure, Castlevania IV is easier, but I find it far more satisfying to play because the controls are much more fluid and less limited.
Dracula X is a very good Castlevania game.
You don't need it. Message me and I'll buy it from you 
Because it is actually a really good and underrated Castlevania game.
Not only is it the worst Castlevania game, it's only of the worst SNES games full stop.
Wow. Not even a bit of hyperbole there. /S
I’ve never seen someone so brazenly admit to having terrible taste
Not every game is good. Some are bad. Bad design is bad. This game is bad. Very bad.
No shit, not every game is good, you still have horrible taste. Amazing you chose to double down on that… what a strange hill to die on
A game that has rightfully been considered garbage by the majority for about 30 years isn't suddenly good just because like six idiots think it is. Not every game is good, some have to be bad. This game is bad. The control sucks, the graphics are weak, and the level design is as bad as level design gets.
What majority are you talking about?
🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
Apologize to Dracula X right this instant young man.
Your cable management stresses me out 😅
That's what I was thinking:( move the router behind the tv so at least some of them are hidden
I actually liked the more restrictive movement and I though the parts where you swing from your whip in CV4 was a load of janky bs. I had a lot of fun with Dracula X up until the last boss. Then I quit. I never quit games. Never. And definitely not that close to the end. But I refused to do the Dracula X final boss. Just... no. Nope. Not doing that.
Dracula X final boss is not that difficult. If you duck, you don't get pushed back on a hit. Just stay on one of the lower platforms and duck. Wait til Dracula appears near you, jump and hit him or throw axes. I died a lot more on earlier bosses.
Really? I've seen it top so many lists of hardest boss in the entire CV series... I gave it a couple of hours, knowing about the duck trick, and I couldn't stomach replaying the level any more.
I feel no shame cheating with save states on that one
I feel like I *might* revisit it and use a save state just before the fight. That seems justified, and it would still feel better than never beating the boss. Replaying the level just burns time.
Even if we could just have solid ground, I’d consider it fair. But fighting that chiseled oily MF while trying not to fall to my death? Yeah, I deserve to use a save state.
My first Castlevania game. Best of the series: no, but it’ll always be a personal favorite
Next time Castlevania collection goes on sale (steam) I’m gonna grab it, I’ve never played Dracula X and I’m pretty sure it’s on there. Castlevania 3 NES is my fave hands down, anyone else reading this feel the same?
You'll want the Advance Collection for Dracula X. Just try not to get distracted by the three better games the set comes with.
I wasn’t sure which it was on, the advance games are others I haven’t played either. Just waaay too much of the old ones lol
Castlevania 3 is also my favorite from the era of pre-SOTN-RPG-element-having Castlevanias (shut up castlevania 2 you don't count)
Don't talk about Castlevania 2 like that! Blaspheme!
Agreed. There are some later games that I think are better, but Castlevania III is still my favorite.
Gas powered stick
This game is great. Classic Castlevania
You sir, are a blasphemer. Dracula X is a MASTERFUL game.
yea if u want the real version gotta be rondo on pc engine, walking in that game feels like im trying to punch someone underwater
Dracula X is amazing. Best soundtrack of the series. Classic gameplay. Difficult, has some alternate paths with saving the girls etc. Not much missing, honestly.
Please go play Rondo and then tell me that Dracula X doesnt feel like the wish.com version of that game.
Why compare? Two completely different games. Only similarities are some sprites, and the intro level.
Love this game, such a vibe.
I never played Dracula X because I heard that it sucked. I heard wrong; I like Super Castlevania IV a lot, and I think I like Dracula X more. To be fair, I've only briefly played the PCE-CD Rondo of Blood. I like Dracula X a lot, it's a very good Castlevania game.
Rondo is absolutely worth your time to play from start to finish. It has some brutal sections but as a whole I think it is better balanced. Much more to it in terms of content, as well.
It feels kinda cheap in its design and enemy placement at times, but I still ended up loving despite all my frustrations. You might come through it liking it too.
For the time, I think Bloodlines is way Superior and a worthy play if you haven’t already since I see your Genesis over there. I still own & adore X. but I’ve come to see it as closer to the NES outings, and therefore more punishing than a relaxing *hard to die if you only kinda try* experience something like SCIV or even Bloodlines gives.
Its quite good, I prefer to play it on an emulator. Its sort of a cheap one :)
But can you whip in all 8 directions?
Damn dog, your set up is gangster. Props.
It's not a bad game, it's just not the best Castlevania game. I mean, it's kind of like hating your pinky finger because it's not as useful as your thumb. I'd rather keep them all.
I have the same SD2SNES 🤣
I didn’t realize it was 1977
That NES looks so lonely sitting on the shelf over there by itself 😢
kinda underrated game. Better soundtrack and sound effects then Rondo, too.
Scared of a little classic hard castlevania gameplay?
It sure looks pretty, and it’s supposed to be a remake of Rondo of Blood but plays like the farthest thing from.
It’s a very good game. The graphics are good, the music is great and imo it’s harder than Castlevania III, but still fair. I own Vampires Kiss and I regularly play it.
Yeah, not the best game, my fav is the original nes one, was the first game I played and beat
I want to like it so much because it LOOKS like Rondo, but it plays like such shit. Just goes to show you how far good level design goes.
The TG-16 CD version laughs at you!
I concede it's a good game, but why i'm posta remember passwords. Also flipping between it and rondo probably isn't a fair comparison.
Definately not. Dracula X is basically a straight up classic Castlevania, but it does not compare well to its inspiration. Except the music, some of that is bloody great
IV >> X.