Super Castlevania IV

Story-

Simon Belmont (or Super Simon if you prefer) returns in a glorious re-imagining of the very first game's story as he is tasked with taking down the vile Count Dracula and his band of goons after his annual resurrection within the small country of Transylvania. Armed with little else but his trustee whip "Vampire Killer" and a courageous heart, Simon strikes out to confront the newly risen "Super Castlevania" and bring peace back to his homeland. Will he survive Super Dracula's new 16-bit approach and banish the old garlic hater back to the crypt or perish in beautiful mode-7 flames?

Overview-

Super Castlevania IV is a side-scrolling action/adventure game where players control Simon Belmont in his quest to destroy Dracula and his henchmen spanning 11 unique levels. Each of these levels consists of platforming obstacles and enemies who must be navigated/destroyed until eventually squaring off with a stage boss who must be defeated before progressing. Aiding Simon on this adventure is his whip "Vampire Killer" which has been boosted from previous versions and now lashes in any direction the player desires! Additionally, sub-weapons (like series mainstays the throwing dagger, axe and holy water), health boosts and more can be obtained for increased assistance against the forces of evil.

Though the game is technically a re-make/update of the first title released on the NES, many new ideas were implemented into the recipe such as the aforementioned independent-aim whip, full-rotating stages, one-button sub-weapon commands, etc. ensuring a fresh experience no matter the player. Furthermore, the whip is utilized much more in this game for platforming purposes than ever before as Simon can latch to grapples at various times, allowing him to swing to reach new areas. As always, strategy remains a stalwart approach as studying attack patterns and stage layouts are still a crucial part of succeeding especially on higher difficulties. Make your way through all of Dracula's new 16-bit toys and eventually you'll match up with the Count in the main event. Survive this final encounter to send him back where he came from to complete the game!

Critical Analysis-

• Gameplay: 5/5 (I love it)
  Despite the fact that Super Castlevania IV is essentially a "remake" of the first entry in the monster-whippin' series (which should technically hinder any kind of new innovations), everything... and I mean every single thing has been refined to a glorious 16-bit polish to the point of unrecognizable detachment. The stages steal the show more than anything else utilizing the Super Nintendo's new graphical design to previously unimaginable levels of 2-d immersion such as the rotating cylinder/tube-like room you travel through in the 4th stage or the giant swinging chandeliers you have to navigate in the 6th though the new and improved fully-directional whip deserves just as much acknowledgement in terms of gameplay improvement. No doubt, this Castlevania earns the "super" moniker at the beginning of its title enhancing the original in every possible way while catapulting the franchise to startling new levels of design quality.
• Controls: 5/5 (I love it)
  Perhaps the most essential ingredient to Super Castlevania IV's overall tally, the controls are exactly what you want in an action/platforming game of this variety - tight, responsive and balanced. Thanks in large part to the excellent layout of the SNES controller in addition to the new ideas implemented, Simon responds to player commands with unrelenting success whether whipping in any direction "Contra-style" (new and very much improved to the series), flailing the thing around like a wild fire hose (unintentionally hilarious yet surprisingly effective), swinging from grapples placed throughout stages to reach new areas (addictive as hell), making a tough platforming jump with vastly improved air controls (...finally) or anything in between. Even the dreaded "knockback" from taking enemy damage feels reduced to the point of near non-existence making this Dracula-destroying pilgrimage as satisfying a trek as it's ever been in franchise history!
• Music/Sound: 5/5 (I love it)
  Like a fine wine aged to perfection, Super Catlevania IV's soundtrack and effects add the perfect aesthetic to the beautiful buffet of components that already make up this 16-bit masterpiece. Whether rocking out to the percussion-heavy beats of The Forest of Monsters stage or the rad new Bloody Tears rendition updated from Simon's Quest (sound bar above), the music (as usual) pushes new levels of quality than ever before which has become as synonymous with the series as medusa heads flying at you in droves! No doubt that same sentiment holds true for the sound effects as well with awesomely appropriate wolf howls and zombie groans accompanying a slew of other distinguishable noises which further envelopes the imaginative world of Castlevania around you to near-transcendence.
• Graphics: 5/5 (I love it)
  The final nail in Super Castlevania IV's "quality coffin", the graphical design initially served as a primer piece of sorts showcasing the impressive prowess of the Super Nintendo's new mode-7 hardware (which was typical for many of their early-release games) to a tee however I'm sure nobody expected the kinds of things that were still yet to be revealed in the later stages of the game. Rooms that rotate on a full 360 degrees axis, multi-layered areas where players could walk in front of and go behind gates to access different pathways as well as boss characters who grow in size before shrinking to nothing after defeat offer just some of the game's highlights to go along with a bevy of kick-ass backgrounds rich in detail and ready to scroll to your eyes delight. In the early stages of the SNES vs. Genesis 16-bit console war which got us all hyped in the 90's, it was extremely difficult to not be in awe of this juggernaut title sheathed across Nintendo's shoulder thanks in large part to the amazing visuals which seemed to serve not only in pridefully displaying what the new Super Nintendo could achieve but also what the next stage of graphical evolution was truly going to look like!
• 'Tude Meter: MAXIMUM (Coolness guaranteed)
  No real surprise to see the dial in the red on this one, Super Castlevania IV is easily one of the coolest and most 'tudey games you can find on the kid-friendly SNES with a big emphasis on horror/action as is par for the series. With superb enemy design inspired by some of the most famous horror characters across literature, amazing stages full of interesting gothic concepts and you bashing everything you see in sight to a pulp with your whip, there's plenty of pork chop on the bone in this department to stand out as a worthy competitor for the rebellious-initiated video game playing crowd. It should be noted that there was a slight drawback in overall score due to the goofy way Simon gyrates his limp-whip like a pom-pom girl whenever you hold down the attack button and move the d-pad around however it wasn't enough to pull the needle significantly out of the "maximum" zone.

Final Verdict: 5/5 (Great game)

Hitting on all cylinders in every facet with the precision of a cat o' nine tails, Super Castlevania IV remains as one of the shiniest treasures in the great SNES library with outstanding enhancements on the original's already successful formula, superior design quality from the always-studious Konami folks and amazing focus to gameplay detail which holds the players full attention right up to the very last lash on the old Count. In fact, it improves the first game so much that it's really not even fair to compare them as if the developers read my review of Castlevania for the NES and figured out how to implement new innovations from previous criticisms while simultaneously improving every square inch of Simon's initial quest through Drac's haunted mansion. From my first ever rental of this title during my youth up to my most recent session for this review, Super Castlevania IV has and will forever MESMERIZE my imagination transporting my consciousness into a suspended realm of amusement-overload which is what video games are all about! It's a glorious achievement of visceral storytelling stimulating the senses in a way that effectively sees the dreaded and unfamiliar world of Dracula's keep come to life around you. Best of all, Simon's new abilities (most notably the free-aiming Vampire Killer) coupled with all the other additions make progression simpler than any of its NES big brothers (a point of contention for some) and this title the new ideal starting point for rookies to the series.

Critiques are as sparse as the skin on a bone chukker but I'll do my best to be objective. While the previous mention of the game's accessibility does indeed increase its stretch within the virtual community, there are many that feel this actually handicaps Castlevania's standard of "only the strong survive" broadening too much the level with which one would typically need to conquer Dracula and his brood of scary creeps. While I understand the perspective of those that plant their flag on this infertile soil having bled my through all 3 NES versions as a kid myself, the truth is I embrace the "evolved" gameplay here wholeheartedly as I'm too entranced by fun factor to ever notice (or care) which is, once again, what video games are ALL about! As far as I'm concerned, Super Castlevania IV is one of the greatest ever re-imaginings in video game history and a true bar-setter in the showcase of how to properly ingratiate incumbent and brand-new fans alike. I guess Super Power is where is it's at!

Parting Thoughts-

• Pros-
  *AMAZING level design
  *Contra-style multi-directional whip absolutely rules
  *Masterfully polished like a Rembrandt painting
• Cons-
  *No points for originality
  *One of the easier treks through a Castlevania title
  *Is the "IV" even necessary since its not a sequel canon-wise?

The 'Tude Dude's Bottom Line-

Eschewing many of the problems that haunted gamers playthroughs in earlier iterations, Super Castlevania IV captures lightning within its holy-water bottle improving every facet from the original game with the stewardship and dedication that this amazing series deserves.

Thanks for reading!