1:32 “I remember saying those exact words when I played the NES titles.” I remember you saying those EXACT same words when you did the 13 hardest SNES games list.
There are a ton of reproductions of this one on Etsy. Usually around 20-25 bucks, if you want to play it on an original SNES without selling your first-born child, that's the way to go. I'd 100% recommend it, and Rondo of Blood if you can find a way to play it.
+lenton456 yeah i know its a remake/sequel to rondo of blood but it just dosn't capture the magic of the orginal. rondo of blood is far superior. this game is alright but its actually one of two castevania games i never completed the other being castelvania 64 just because both never really pulled me in.
but it didn't set the world on fire even when it came out. Rondo of blood is something people discovered or got well known after the psone era. Symphony of the night and the game press ect. Most people didn't even know about the Turbo. So that's a later thing. It was mentioned in the video, this game was seen as more of a step back than even bloodlines. But it still looked cool and it's still castlevania. It's no exactly hated but it didn't become more loved over time especially after people learned that they got an "inferior" port
I am happy how many said "not as good as rondo of blood" or "straight up crap".. cause i took a punt on virtual console, expected nothing, and enjoyed absolutely every second. Loved it.
Even though this game is expensive and short I really enjoy it. It's got beautiful graphics and an awesome soundtrack. It's fun as hell/you can do back flips and control jumping. I think it's under rated and people should give it a shot. I love how they went back to the old gameplay.
It's all subjective, I personally love exploring so all the metroidvania games on ps1, gba and ds are my favourite. But I love the 8 direction whip and epic music of Super castlevania 4!
@@anouk356 rondo did what cv 3 did, branching paths. It is in no way metroidvania. which was first introduced by Iga in sotn. Both rondo and cv 3 have multiple ways in which you can proceed through the game but they're both strictly linear as opposed to having areas that you can return to like in metroidvania games
@@SleepyTom2165 Metrodivania = Metroid + Castlevania. SOTN was the first Castlevania game who introduced the Metroid map style. Simon Quest doesn't even have a map. SOTN was the first Metrodivania game.
The best version is still the PC-Engine CD version Rondo of Blood, where you could play with the little Maria and could enjoyed much better music sound quality.
He didn't say Bloodlines, he said Rondo of Blood. And yeah man, check out Rondo Of Blood, it's SUPER good and has an amazing soundtrack. Probably the best classic-style Castlevania.
"Bloodlines" is the name of a music track in Rondo of Blood/Dracula X. I agree that the soundtrack is superior in the PC Engine version overall, although there are a couple that I like better in the SNES version. "Cemetary", for example
You should do a companion review for Akumajo Dracula: Chi no Rondo, since it covers the same story and is an infinitely better game. Great review of this one as always, though.
@@gaupau Rondo of Blood is literally title Akumajo Dracula X: Chi no Rondo. The SNES game is Akumajo Dracula XX, not Dracula X. Even Symphony of the Night is originally called Akumajo Dracula X: Gekka no Yasoukoyku in Japan. Hence, both Rondo and Symphony being re-released on PSP as "Dracula X Chronicles".
Dracula X can be cheap instead of challenging, Richter's movement and attacks are restricted and he can be put on overwhelming situations where he can either get damaged or fall for his death due to the damage knock back
If you're having trouble with the final boss: Crouch when you get hit, you won't be knocked back. Also, stay on the middle lower pillar and hit Dracula with the cross powerup.
I owned this game once upon a time. Here in PAL regions it’s called Castlevania: Vampire’s Kiss. I didn’t enjoy it that much due to the frustrating difficulty, so I sold it on eBay for a ridiculous amount of money.
Finally finished it. Overall I thought the game was decent. There could have been more to the levels though, I completely understand the criticism. I'm gonna try the Rondo of Blood version next since its considered superior
On point review. Not being able to whip up and diagonally and upwards is shitty. I like the no time limit and being able to grab your previous weapon if you accidentally grab the knife by accident. Truthfully Dracula x is cool to play while drinking and not giving a shit, Castlevania 4 is the game to play sober and care about. I have both on a 100 in 1 cartridge and would never pay the price that Dracula x goes for
Oh man, you have to try Rondo of Blood then. Dracula X is sort of a botched port of that game (on the PC-Engine) to the Famicom, and holy cow, it's one of (if not the best) Castlevania games ever made.
+Avalanche Reviews I wouldn't go so far as to say it's better than IV, but Dracula X has always been my second favourite Castlevania game, next to Castlevania Bloodlines.
The reason not many people like this game is because the Japan only release: castlevania: rondo of blood for the pc engine cd, is not nearly as unfair, and has better sound quality. Also it is a much longer game with more to do. (Example: you can play as Maria if you save her.)
It's good that it was released on psp, but still significantly lower than the original, graphically well below, the problem being that having only this one for reference, if you have tested on the Nec, I advise you, even after doing Chronicles. X68000 version too on midi sound (the 1rst original version after arcade). Lindsey Lewis But so good that he's right because it's only released in Japan in its original version, for that it is not so famous that the Snes version. And you're commenting to give the Snes version superiority, when you only have Chronicle for reference, you feel sorry for yourself… like many others who come here to comment, most of them act very often only by nostalgia, and more or less good memories of yesteryear. But this is not enough, you have to have researched the origins of the game before posting, after you can always give your impressions, but from there to be formal with his own feelings, I think it's exaggerated and does not reflect public opinion, does not reflect the reality either. Thank you anyway, but we can not be good adviser in these conditions, since the subject is to know which is the best,Chronicles is far far...psp screen is very low res,the psp games are'nt so fluid,obligatorily, it can only be below the originals and can not be taken for reference. Take the originals for reference pls to know which the best.
I loved the three nes castlevania games back in the day with III still being one of my favorite games. I played Super Castlevania IV when it came out, but never bought it because it felt too easy with all the new whip attacks. The whole game relied on the whip while the nes games relied more on platforming and secondary weapons. I wish I picked up Bloodlines on Genesis at the time. Now that is a castlevania game.
I completely understand that this game is considered pretty difficult. What's most difficult to me is the final Dracula fight. I blew right through this game, no problem. Now I'm on Dracula and I can't beat him for the life of me... I got him a few times then died on the second form. I am gonna keep at it until I finish it, its becoming a vendetta
I missed out on this game back in the day. I love how you pointed out that it's more in line with the NES titles than Super Castlevania IV. That makes so much sense and I never thought of it that way. That being said, I still think the visuals, music, and overall atmosphere in Super Castlevania IV are FAR superior. I'm not sure what it is, but it just has a creepier vibe that works so well. It's surprising considering that SCIV came out years before Dracula X.
I enjoyed this game when I wasn't enraged by the difficulty. I haven't played it in awhile but I think I was stuck on ether level 5 or 6. Good video too
Funny story. I found out about this game from playing Super Mario Crossover. Why, you ask? Whenever you use the Castlevania character skins, they play THIS AWESOME FRICKEN MUSIC!!! It made me look for the game this soundtrack came from
Generally I don't really like the PSP version's dulled colours, I do love the unlocking PC Engine version and Symphony Of The Night's Maria Mode on the PSP (sooooo gooood). But it's such a great package, no one is left unhappy.
Wasn't the actual reason why people were put off by it (besides being spoiled by super castlevania iv) was because people were expecting a port of rondo but got this instead? Either way i do agree with this. Not a great game, but not bad. The dracula fight is stupidly hard for the wrong reasons (even if i know how to beat it).
No, US fans didn't get Rhonda for over a decade after this version. They knew it was bad, when finally getting the real version it showed why. Also it's Kanomis B team at work, the are infamous for bad games
the final boss battle if you press down a fireball doesn't know you back, making dracula form 2 with any sub item very easy to win, you just need about half life going into it. wait out phase one. I beat the game 5 times prior but then I got hit once with phase one knowing that I could press duck and take the hit as I was in a bad place with the shot was too agressive. I then got to phase two and it was breeze no issue took 3 hits while holding down.
the reason i like dracula X is it feels like a the first Caslevania game. where the sub weapons are very important and you make the most with the way you can whip. With Castlevania 4 I beat it fairly easily, while having a good time it didnt have the same feel though still a great game. Rondo feels very Polished it takes a slightly different direction it's the superior game to X I admit but dracula X feels more like Castlevania 1.
I think this game is much better than Super Castlevania 4. Then again I do prefer the structure and difficulty of the NES games and this is about the last game of them too. I can probably go into great detail on why the level design is masterful as 3. I played X to death so I guess maybe a lot of people give up in defeat? :P I can see why this game gets compared to Rondo of Blood, but besides a similar setting the games play entirely differently.
I’ve only played Dracula X and Castlevania IV and it’s very close for me but I always go back to Dracula X. I prefer the scenery, the music, and the interchangeable weapons. I only wish the whip was flexible like it is in IV.
@@edgeninja In castlevania IV once you get a new subweapon you automatically lose the one you previously had. In X the older subweapon drops and you can pick it up again. That for me is a massive improvement. I think it was a flaw that castlevania IV had. Given that the cross was op and practically always the better option, once you got it, breaking candles and such was actually discouraged. It felt so wrong.
Dracula X isn't a spiritually a sequel to CastleVania IV, but chronologically it is, since it's supposed to be a sequel to CV1, which CVIV is a remake of
In a way, this is the sequel to the original Castlevania/Super Castlevania IV. The setting of Dracula X takes place more than a century (1790s) after the adventure of Simon Belmont. Symphony of The Night would be a follow up to Dracula X.
Of the original 7 Castlevania games, (not including portables) which are your favorite titles from greatest to least favorite? Mine are: 1)Castlevania Bloodlines 2)Castlevania Rondo of Blood 3)Castlevania I 4)Castlevania II Simon's Quest 5)Castlevania III Dracula's Curse 6)Castlevania Dracula X 7)Super Castlevania IV Im sure my order would seem blasphemous to many but thats legit the order in which I enjoyed them lol.
A few extra points between the Europe and USA versions. Dracula X runs faster and you can throw multiple crosses at the same time, while Vampire's Kiss runs a bit in slow motion and you gotta wait for the cross to disappear before throwing another. Don't know if other weapons have this problem. At least Vampire's Kiss Death boss fight has a cooler animation where Death gets decapitated.
SNES drunk forgot to wish us a great rest of our day. :( Here, have a random SC4 joke: *How many Belmonts does it take to change a chandelier? Two: One to jump on the chandelier, and another to complain about how hard the jump was.*
This game was criminally underrated just because it wasn't rondo of blood. Maybe not my favorite Castlevania game but I had a lot of fun playing this back in the day and I'm glad to see Castlevania Dracula x finally get the shine it deserves...
I always loved this game and it is a classic. Rondo was played by a dozen people back in the day, Dracula X was the experience many people had and enjoyed as a true classic.
Ah, NES hard. Where completion is not the point of playing, but mastery. I remember playing and beating it under a dozen times because, you the player needed to be awesome. B)
Rented it on my SNES back in the day and played it a few times the past years. I finished it for the first time last week. Very good and fun game, awesome music. Just the battle vs Dracula is ridiculous, that room full of pits is super cheap, you have to be almost perfect cause 1 hit might kill you even with full health (cause of the fall)
The reason Dracula X was so underappreciated back then was because people were expecting an SNES port of Rondo of Blood from the PC Engine and were shocked to get a different (and somewhat inferior) game. The SNES version is more of a loose remake of it, lacking the extra features that made Rondo stand out.
I actually beat this game about a year ago. I just loaded up on axes and chucked them at the final boss. One time it actually worked (after I died like 50 times.) 🤷♂️
Super castlevania isn't really a sequel. It's a remake of the original with a lot of new stuff added. Dracula x was as close as they could get to putting Rondo of blood on the SNES. It has the hero of Rondo, the enemies and familiar locations and set pieces.
It's worth noting this game actually has 9 stages, since there are branching paths and different endings. Unlocking the secret stages is a real pain though. I played this with savestates and I have no shame about that - some of the difficulty is artificial and obnoxious (particularly the final boss, as Drunk mentioned). I don't understand why so many people in the comments are saying this game is trash though. Sure, it's a downgraded semi-port of Rondo of Blood, but if Rondo didn't exist, Dracula X would be considered a classic.
Says people who have no idea wtf they are talking about. one plays like actual Castlevania games while the ther one killed classic CV and replaced it with Metroidvania. Stop being a sheep.
Just discovered your channels. I like your videos: clear, concise, a bit funny and very well paced. Interesting that you don't see a connection between Rondo of Blood and Dracula X. First they have the same name, same tracks and many overlapping characters and mechanics. I would say this snes version apparent itself to a remake/spin off. Aaaaanyway, not like anyone has to care. Keep on rocking, friend!
After playing the PC Engine version, this one falls quite short in terms of gameplay. The pacing and the controls just don't feel as smooth as the PC engine version.
@@kekeke8988 Wrong. In dracula x Richter’s walk speed is slowed down but the jump speed remains the same, completely wrecking the feel of the game. This makes platforming and navigating enemies much more clunky than in Rondo. Play both back to back and you’ll see what I mean. This change is my no. 1 gripe with this game, if they had ported Rondo movement perfectly it would be a lot stronger.
This is one of the Castlevania titles I haven't played before. I have played Castlevania bloodlines though on a Sega Genesis in this kind of reminds me of that in a way kind of seems like they have some similar level designs and they both have that traditional kind of Castlevania gameplay
I always loved this game and was generally very appreciative we even got it here in the states at all, considering the PC Engine version never made it out here, it is a different enough game, but has the same sorta feel, and just basically is another AAA Konami game on the SNES which Im always thankful for, but yes it does lack the overall refinement of Castlevania 4, but its a damn good entry in the franchise, and your totally right it does feel like an NES Castlevania...never saw it that way, excellent review, thank you!
i have this on snes it couldve been an outstanding game but there isnt enough 1ups in the game for the average player then occasionally richter will jump right off a cliff just by standing still and pressing the jump button... the enemies do massive amounts of damage most of the bosses have to be hit multiple times to deal one point of damage ...richter will sometimes turn in the wrong direction when jumping and attacking at the same time... theres no whipping in multiple directions makes the game feel like and nes castlevania ...all that being said i do reccomend this game as long as you can get it. for ten dollars or less i couldnt finish this game on the cartridge i had to use and emulator and constantly save state to progress through the game....
this game is wayyy harder than super castlevania IV. First of all, you only get 3 lives!! there's a lot of moments in this game where you have to throw weapons in anticipation or you won't make it. also, the jumping is weird, he jumps high and slow and theres more lag on landing. Castlevania IV is a better game, this one's ok, but is very tough
i got this on the virtual console on wii u. thank god for wii u's save option its unlimited continues on exactly were u left off. this game is hard as shit but i like it.
Eh i like both rondo and Dracula X, having both games makes You appreciate their similarities and differences, of course i prefer Rondo but i still dracula x sometimes ( also the bass of bloodlines (the song) in the SNES one is superb)
Listening to you talk about saving 100$ on a SNES game is making me wonder how much money I could get for my collection. I honestly have no need for the physical cartridges in a world where I can have the entire SNES library on something the size of a Game Boy Advance cartridge.
I actually got this game today. I went with a repro version though. Those ebay prices are ridiculous. The game has some classic music but i agree with the music. Some of it does sound like something out of Street Fighter. I never beat this game so I decided to get it first before added Super Castlevania 4 to my library.
I played it back in the 90s and also Symphony of the night on the PS1. After downloading both on my PS4, I have to say that Symphony of the night is a far far far superior game, hands down. The funny thing is, i had the same opinion 25 years ago.
dracul X nd Rondo of blood Looks pretty much like symphony of the night. most Level design and especialy the enemys. like sotn are the younger brother :D
hans kanns rondo of blood was iga's 1st castlevania game and he later created SOTN and all the metroidvania games. this game was konami salvaging the assets from rondo and doing a game to recover the costs of rondo of blood because it was a japan exclusive on a dying system add on 🤔
Alianger It goes for an average of $180 loose on Ebay. That's up more than $100 from just a couple years ago according to the Video Game Price Charting website.
***** Right, took it as it being praised a lot rather than having a high price tag. Most people see it as a stripped down Rondo of Blood from what I've read before.
***** I've read that Dracula X to Rondo of Blood comparison from other people in the internet as well, but after seeing how you described Dracula X taking on an NES approach to difficulty/level design, that comparison is starting to seem a bit off. As for the Castlevania IV to Dracula X comparison, the loss of the 8 directional whip I guess is what made people see it as inferior, but looking into the history of the development behind the games, or just even playing them shows that they were going for different things. Not to say that they didn't both have their share of problems within though.
If EGM didn't talk about Rondo of Blood in one of their issues, I probably would've gave this game a fairer chance. But since they did, I knew what I was missing out on. That said, I still bought it because I knew this was the best I was gonna get. While still inferior to RoB, it's still a decent game.
DX isn't horrible but def a C tier Vania game. Got some great graphics but overall feels cheap: Richter's walk speed is horrendously slow for no reason, level design isn't as tight, some areas start w/no stairs or door behind Richter, final stage's background is the entire castle itself (which doesn't make sense), and while I like the different take on the Dracula Battle they didn't change his mechanics to work in the room layout. Ends up taking long and it's boring. 1, 3, 4, Bloodlines and Rondo all feel polished to their max potentials. DX needed some polish in a lotta places. It's a fun game with some great audio and graphics but doesn't feel conplete, feels a bit budget-gamey. I like that it went for a retro throwback feel- one protag, simplified branching paths, higher NES-style difficulty (unless you spam the axe) but isn't what I think of when the series comes to mind.
After playing the PS1 Symphony of the night I was curious because I thought Super Castlevania was the last game in the series but being in the UK I missed this game and the PC engine Rondo of Blood either way I don't have much love for either game as I missed out and games lose their impact when played outside of the original release time. Either I like both games this one and Rondo of Blood and I'd like to say I love the art style with the bright pastel shades really looks next gen PS1 quality or almost.
One thing this video and most comments here fail to take into account is the original release date for this game. Dracula X was released late 1995 in the US and early 1996 in Europe, at a time when most people were moving on to the 32-bit consoles. This game was basically a 16-bit game using 8-bit philosophy released during the early days of the 32-bit era, which is a very hard sell no matter how you put it. I remember in 1996 (I'm from Europe), having bought a PlayStation, while still buying a few last SNES games, and I figured I'd buy this one since I was a fan of Castlevania, and after playing it for a while I just had to stop. I just couldn't take the NES hard philosophy anymore at that time and age. I eventually came to appreciate this game many years later, but at that time it was simply the wrong type of game for the current era. If you think about it, the main problem with Dracula X was probably that there was no clear target audience. People who wanted an exact port of Rondo of Blood were disappointed, people who wanted a less challenging Castlevania game in the vein of Super Castlevania IV were disappointed, and people who had moved on to the 32-bit consoles just didn't care.
I know you had said in a previous video you weren't going to start diving into the PSX library too much because the games are too time consuming, but you really ought to review Symphony of the Night for PSX. Probably my favorite Castlevania.
It's really because my POS computer has trouble recording consistent and decent looking footage from 5th generation consoles. But SotN is pretty great, I wouldn't really have anything new or interesting to say about it
It's ok. Still enjoy finding new games I missed out on as a kid from this channel. Like I completely missed Earthbound growing up and decided to play it because of your review. Gotta say I enjoy it so far.
If this game is too expensive on the SNES, just get the Castlevania Advance Collection on the Nintendo Switch. It includes this game as well as the three best GBA castlevania games.
I like this game a lot until I finally got to play Rondo of Blood. I've never been able to go back since then. Maybe I should give it another shot. I do remember it being very very difficult
I thought castlevania dracula X was rondo of blood. no one should be buying snes games when you can just play them on emulation and SNES classic. and they look beautiful on a 1080p/4k tv.
1:32 “I remember saying those exact words when I played the NES titles.”
I remember you saying those EXACT same words when you did the 13 hardest SNES games list.
There are a ton of reproductions of this one on Etsy. Usually around 20-25 bucks, if you want to play it on an original SNES without selling your first-born child, that's the way to go. I'd 100% recommend it, and Rondo of Blood if you can find a way to play it.
OG ain't even worth $20. It's a junk game. People think Rescue Rangers 2/Contra 3 (NES) should be $900 on eBay. lmao. idiots. doof.
i thought people didnt like Dracula x becuse its no where near as good as its orginal Rondo of Blood form.
+Tom Wilson did i say port?
It's a reimagining of rondo of blood, or you can call it a remake
+lenton456 yeah i know its a remake/sequel to rondo of blood but it just dosn't capture the magic of the orginal. rondo of blood is far superior. this game is alright but its actually one of two castevania games i never completed the other being castelvania 64 just because both never really pulled me in.
but it didn't set the world on fire even when it came out. Rondo of blood is something people discovered or got well known after the psone era. Symphony of the night and the game press ect. Most people didn't even know about the Turbo. So that's a later thing. It was mentioned in the video, this game was seen as more of a step back than even bloodlines. But it still looked cool and it's still castlevania. It's no exactly hated but it didn't become more loved over time especially after people learned that they got an "inferior" port
Rob Sheldon I like the game but prefer Rondo of blood
I am happy how many said "not as good as rondo of blood" or "straight up crap".. cause i took a punt on virtual console, expected nothing, and enjoyed absolutely every second. Loved it.
It's a solid game in it's own right, but pales in comparison to Rondo, and is kind of lazy since it reuses assets of Rondo.
Why didn’t u just get rondo of blood instead? That on virtual console. It ruins x if u play it first though
@@j0nnyism it's not on 3DS virtual console but I have played it on PSP now both in the new and old graphics forms. This was ages ago.
Even though this game is expensive and short I really enjoy it. It's got beautiful graphics and an awesome soundtrack. It's fun as hell/you can do back flips and control jumping. I think it's under rated and people should give it a shot. I love how they went back to the old gameplay.
Ever played Bloodlines? I think its best in this awesome franchise
@@brandinsaurusrex
Bloodlines is extremely mediocre. I've never been more disappointed with a Castlevania game.
Kekeke89 well, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I couldn’t disagree more
All Castlevania games are great
PLAY RONDO OF BLOOD!!!
Super Castlevania IV is one of my favorite video games of all time!
You’re wrong. So many better Castlevania games like 1 3 rondo of blood and symphony and aria
j0nnyism j0nnyism It’s all subjective man. I loved 1, 3, Rondo of Blood, and Lords of Shadow. Haven’t played any other ones.
j0nnyism Yikes to you
@@j0nnyism symphony of the night is not better than super 4
It's all subjective, I personally love exploring so all the metroidvania games on ps1, gba and ds are my favourite. But I love the 8 direction whip and epic music of Super castlevania 4!
I’m currently playing it now, playing it for what it is. It’s a really solid old school style platformer with great graphics and great music.
I want to be pedantic and say there's actually 9 stages. It's just that 2 are in hidden/alternate routes.
I’m trying to u lock the last two rn! (5-1 I think) 😵💫😵
I liked Rondo of Blood but I have to admit that Dracula X is one of my favorite Castlevania Games.
Simply love it!
THE fav for me. Rondo is where the metroidvania started.... thats not castlevania to me
@@anouk356 rondo did what cv 3 did, branching paths. It is in no way metroidvania. which was first introduced by Iga in sotn. Both rondo and cv 3 have multiple ways in which you can proceed through the game but they're both strictly linear as opposed to having areas that you can return to like in metroidvania games
@D core
Dracula XX isn't piss poor. It's just extra hard.
Just here to add that the first Metroidvania was not SOTN, it was Simon's Quest.
@@SleepyTom2165 Metrodivania = Metroid + Castlevania.
SOTN was the first Castlevania game who introduced the Metroid map style.
Simon Quest doesn't even have a map.
SOTN was the first Metrodivania game.
"Perfectly fine." I'm sold, lol.
The best version is still the PC-Engine CD version Rondo of Blood, where you could play with the little Maria and could enjoyed much better music sound quality.
RpgmaniacNo1 What? The soundtrack was much better on the SNES. Just listen to Bloodlines, compare them on each version.
He didn't say Bloodlines, he said Rondo of Blood. And yeah man, check out Rondo Of Blood, it's SUPER good and has an amazing soundtrack. Probably the best classic-style Castlevania.
"Bloodlines" is the name of a music track in Rondo of Blood/Dracula X. I agree that the soundtrack is superior in the PC Engine version overall, although there are a couple that I like better in the SNES version. "Cemetary", for example
@@arkanjoteixeira The SNES Bloodlines version was really shitty compared to the original Turbo version. I don't know how you think it's better.
I disagree with the music being better. The music is was better in Dracula X. But everything else in Rondo of Blood is WAY better
It was basically a reboot of Rondo of blood.. which was really superior!
Superior 🤣🤣🤣
Not really. It’s a COMPLETELY different game.
@@giovannitigalo7011 I know they are different I've completed and own both. Helas it is indeed true that Dracula X is a reboot of rondo for the snes.
The fact that they still haven't made a follow-up to Super Castlevania IV is absolutely baffling to me.
You should do a companion review for Akumajo Dracula: Chi no Rondo, since it covers the same story and is an infinitely better game. Great review of this one as always, though.
here here!
Also Dracula X is being released for the Wii U virtual console on october 2nd for anyone who is able, and interested in getting that.
Get rondo of blood its same but better
@@j0nnyism drac x and rondo are entirely different games with different levels so im not sure what ur talking about
@@gaupau Hear Hear!
@@j0nnyism One plays Castlevania and one plays Metroidvania...... not "the same but better" at all
@@gaupau
Rondo of Blood is literally title Akumajo Dracula X: Chi no Rondo.
The SNES game is Akumajo Dracula XX, not Dracula X.
Even Symphony of the Night is originally called Akumajo Dracula X: Gekka no Yasoukoyku in Japan. Hence, both Rondo and Symphony being re-released on PSP as "Dracula X Chronicles".
Dracula X can be cheap instead of challenging, Richter's movement and attacks are restricted and he can be put on overwhelming situations where he can either get damaged or fall for his death due to the damage knock back
every CV made...... js
Welcome to NES Castlevania.
If you're having trouble with the final boss:
Crouch when you get hit, you won't be knocked back. Also, stay on the middle lower pillar and hit Dracula with the cross powerup.
I owned this game once upon a time. Here in PAL regions it’s called Castlevania: Vampire’s Kiss. I didn’t enjoy it that much due to the frustrating difficulty, so I sold it on eBay for a ridiculous amount of money.
I actually like the visual style more on this one than on super castlevania IV. this is a great game
Finally finished it. Overall I thought the game was decent. There could have been more to the levels though, I completely understand the criticism. I'm gonna try the Rondo of Blood version next since its considered superior
One of the best sounding chain whips in the series; seriously, it's pretty satisfying.
On point review. Not being able to whip up and diagonally and upwards is shitty. I like the no time limit and being able to grab your previous weapon if you accidentally grab the knife by accident. Truthfully Dracula x is cool to play while drinking and not giving a shit, Castlevania 4 is the game to play sober and care about. I have both on a 100 in 1 cartridge and would never pay the price that Dracula x goes for
this game is FARRRRRRRRR BETTER than sc4 , better graphics ,MUSIC , level design , endings and all
Better balance on weapons.
Casuals prefer SC4 because they suck at video games.
I always though Dracula X was much much better than Castlevania 4. Not really sure why, I just love the look and sound of it.
Oh man, you have to try Rondo of Blood then. Dracula X is sort of a botched port of that game (on the PC-Engine) to the Famicom, and holy cow, it's one of (if not the best) Castlevania games ever made.
I played it on the psp. I liked it a lot, but I wish I had a pce to play it in all its sprite based glory.
You can get it on the Wii VC. That's how I played it at least.
Man, I haven't touch that thing in years
+Avalanche Reviews
I wouldn't go so far as to say it's better than IV, but Dracula X has always been my second favourite Castlevania game, next to Castlevania Bloodlines.
The reason not many people like this game is because the Japan only release: castlevania: rondo of blood for the pc engine cd, is not nearly as unfair, and has better sound quality. Also it is a much longer game with more to do. (Example: you can play as Maria if you save her.)
It's good that it was released on psp, but still significantly lower than the original, graphically well below, the problem being that having only this one for reference, if you have tested on the Nec, I advise you, even after doing Chronicles. X68000 version too on midi sound (the 1rst original version after arcade).
Lindsey Lewis But so good that he's right because it's only released in Japan in its original version, for that it is not so famous that the Snes version. And you're commenting to give the Snes version superiority, when you only have Chronicle for reference, you feel sorry for yourself… like many others who come here to comment, most of them act very often only by nostalgia, and more or less good memories of yesteryear. But this is not enough, you have to have researched the origins of the game before posting, after you can always give your impressions, but from there to be formal with his own feelings, I think it's exaggerated and does not reflect public opinion, does not reflect the reality either.
Thank you anyway, but we can not be good adviser in these conditions, since the subject is to know which is the best,Chronicles is far far...psp screen is very low res,the psp games are'nt so fluid,obligatorily, it can only be below the originals and can not be taken for reference. Take the originals for reference pls to know which the best.
I loved the three nes castlevania games back in the day with III still being one of my favorite games. I played Super Castlevania IV when it came out, but never bought it because it felt too easy with all the new whip attacks. The whole game relied on the whip while the nes games relied more on platforming and secondary weapons.
I wish I picked up Bloodlines on Genesis at the time. Now that is a castlevania game.
In that xase you might like this one, I was of the same kind as you back then.
I completely understand that this game is considered pretty difficult. What's most difficult to me is the final Dracula fight. I blew right through this game, no problem. Now I'm on Dracula and I can't beat him for the life of me... I got him a few times then died on the second form. I am gonna keep at it until I finish it, its becoming a vendetta
I missed out on this game back in the day. I love how you pointed out that it's more in line with the NES titles than Super Castlevania IV. That makes so much sense and I never thought of it that way.
That being said, I still think the visuals, music, and overall atmosphere in Super Castlevania IV are FAR superior. I'm not sure what it is, but it just has a creepier vibe that works so well. It's surprising considering that SCIV came out years before Dracula X.
I enjoyed this game when I wasn't enraged by the difficulty. I haven't played it in awhile but I think I was stuck on ether level 5 or 6. Good video too
Funny story. I found out about this game from playing Super Mario Crossover. Why, you ask? Whenever you use the Castlevania character skins, they play THIS AWESOME FRICKEN MUSIC!!! It made me look for the game this soundtrack came from
I agree, this game is still totally underrated
No it’s not it’s pants
The best version is the PSP one:
Upgraded graphics, the possibility to unlock early in the game the PC Engine version and Symphony of the Night.
Generally I don't really like the PSP version's dulled colours, I do love the unlocking PC Engine version and Symphony Of The Night's Maria Mode on the PSP (sooooo gooood). But it's such a great package, no one is left unhappy.
Wasn't the actual reason why people were put off by it (besides being spoiled by super castlevania iv) was because people were expecting a port of rondo but got this instead?
Either way i do agree with this. Not a great game, but not bad. The dracula fight is stupidly hard for the wrong reasons (even if i know how to beat it).
No, US fans didn't get Rhonda for over a decade after this version. They knew it was bad, when finally getting the real version it showed why. Also it's Kanomis B team at work, the are infamous for bad games
the final boss battle if you press down a fireball doesn't know you back, making dracula form 2 with any sub item very easy to win, you just need about half life going into it. wait out phase one. I beat the game 5 times prior but then I got hit once with phase one knowing that I could press duck and take the hit as I was in a bad place with the shot was too agressive. I then got to phase two and it was breeze no issue took 3 hits while holding down.
the reason i like dracula X is it feels like a the first Caslevania game. where the sub weapons are very important and you make the most with the way you can whip. With Castlevania 4 I beat it fairly easily, while having a good time it didnt have the same feel though still a great game. Rondo feels very Polished it takes a slightly different direction it's the superior game to X I admit but dracula X feels more like Castlevania 1.
Castlevania 4 is Castlevania 1 for dummies.
@@kekeke8988 this comment just won the internet
Happy to see this game get a new release in the advanced collection , it's no Rondo of blood but it's a great game in it's own right
I think this game is much better than Super Castlevania 4. Then again I do prefer the structure and difficulty of the NES games and this is about the last game of them too. I can probably go into great detail on why the level design is masterful as 3. I played X to death so I guess maybe a lot of people give up in defeat? :P
I can see why this game gets compared to Rondo of Blood, but besides a similar setting the games play entirely differently.
I always feel something is missing in your older videos. I've become so used to hearing have a great rest of my day. 😔
This is my favourite version because of that arcade feel that it has.. i was put off by the insane difficulty though
Surprise enemy placements, no invincibility frames on damage, some attacks can't be dodged, and Dracula's entire boss fight is a huge mess.
Haha i made that comment 3 years ago.. ive since changed my mind. Cv4 is way better
I love this game for what it is. I kinda prefer the PC engine Rondo of Blood over it though.
I’ve only played Dracula X and Castlevania IV and it’s very close for me but I always go back to Dracula X. I prefer the scenery, the music, and the interchangeable weapons. I only wish the whip was flexible like it is in IV.
Uhh...Castlevania IV had sub-weapons too.
@@edgeninja In castlevania IV once you get a new subweapon you automatically lose the one you previously had. In X the older subweapon drops and you can pick it up again. That for me is a massive improvement. I think it was a flaw that castlevania IV had. Given that the cross was op and practically always the better option, once you got it, breaking candles and such was actually discouraged. It felt so wrong.
Dracula X isn't a spiritually a sequel to CastleVania IV, but chronologically it is, since it's supposed to be a sequel to CV1, which CVIV is a remake of
order is 3, 1/4, 2, X/Rondo, Symphony etc.
I think this game is really underrated! Its a lot of fun and its a great classicvania. I personally like it better than SCIV
Just got one for 2 bucks at a house sale!
Lucky XDD
I know that guy. He wants his game back. Your cards been marked
In a way, this is the sequel to the original Castlevania/Super Castlevania IV. The setting of Dracula X takes place more than a century (1790s) after the adventure of Simon Belmont. Symphony of The Night would be a follow up to Dracula X.
Castlevania IV: Harmony of Dissonance events recently say so...
Of the original 7 Castlevania games, (not including portables) which are your favorite titles from greatest to least favorite?
Mine are:
1)Castlevania Bloodlines
2)Castlevania Rondo of Blood
3)Castlevania I
4)Castlevania II Simon's Quest
5)Castlevania III Dracula's Curse
6)Castlevania Dracula X
7)Super Castlevania IV
Im sure my order would seem blasphemous to many but thats legit the order in which I enjoyed them lol.
For me it's
1. Dracula X
2. IV
3. III Dracula' Curse
4. II Simons Quest
5. Rondo of Blood
6. I
7. Bloodlines
@@anouk356 Bloodlines in last place. Nintendo fanboy confirmed.
Bloodlines is my favorite too! Hell yeah
A few extra points between the Europe and USA versions.
Dracula X runs faster and you can throw multiple crosses at the same time, while Vampire's Kiss runs a bit in slow motion and you gotta wait for the cross to disappear before throwing another. Don't know if other weapons have this problem.
At least Vampire's Kiss Death boss fight has a cooler animation where Death gets decapitated.
SNES drunk forgot to wish us a great rest of our day. :(
Here, have a random SC4 joke: *How many Belmonts does it take to change a chandelier? Two: One to jump on the chandelier, and another to complain about how hard the jump was.*
This game was criminally underrated just because it wasn't rondo of blood. Maybe not my favorite Castlevania game but I had a lot of fun playing this back in the day and I'm glad to see Castlevania Dracula x finally get the shine it deserves...
I always loved this game and it is a classic. Rondo was played by a dozen people back in the day, Dracula X was the experience many people had and enjoyed as a true classic.
Ah, NES hard. Where completion is not the point of playing, but mastery. I remember playing and beating it under a dozen times because, you the player needed to be awesome. B)
Rented it on my SNES back in the day and played it a few times the past years. I finished it for the first time last week. Very good and fun game, awesome music. Just the battle vs Dracula is ridiculous, that room full of pits is super cheap, you have to be almost perfect cause 1 hit might kill you even with full health (cause of the fall)
One of my biggest gripes with this game is how slow Richter walks. They clearly slowed his pace down for this game. Wish he moved a little faster.
Loved Castlevania 2& 4 on the 3ds. I'll keep an eye out for this 1 too!
Just got Cx on wii U shop for 7 bux, and it's well worth it.
I like this more than supe 4 i wish this was on the SNES classic instead
ayuda!! alguien sabes cual es la version menos lenta o mas fluida de este castlevania?? la japonesa, usa, europea??
The reason Dracula X was so underappreciated back then was because people were expecting an SNES port of Rondo of Blood from the PC Engine and were shocked to get a different (and somewhat inferior) game. The SNES version is more of a loose remake of it, lacking the extra features that made Rondo stand out.
I actually beat this game about a year ago. I just loaded up on axes and chucked them at the final boss. One time it actually worked (after I died like 50 times.) 🤷♂️
Super castlevania isn't really a sequel. It's a remake of the original with a lot of new stuff added.
Dracula x was as close as they could get to putting Rondo of blood on the SNES. It has the hero of Rondo, the enemies and familiar locations and set pieces.
This was my first Castlevania. I prefer it to Super Castlevania. Music, stages, and classic gameplay.
It's worth noting this game actually has 9 stages, since there are branching paths and different endings. Unlocking the secret stages is a real pain though. I played this with savestates and I have no shame about that - some of the difficulty is artificial and obnoxious (particularly the final boss, as Drunk mentioned). I don't understand why so many people in the comments are saying this game is trash though. Sure, it's a downgraded semi-port of Rondo of Blood, but if Rondo didn't exist, Dracula X would be considered a classic.
This seemed like a good game to me.
Drácula X is just the poorman's version of Rondo of Blood. I advise playing the PC Engine game if you can.
Says people who have no idea wtf they are talking about. one plays like actual Castlevania games while the ther one killed classic CV and replaced it with Metroidvania. Stop being a sheep.
Just discovered your channels. I like your videos: clear, concise, a bit funny and very well paced.
Interesting that you don't see a connection between Rondo of Blood and Dracula X. First they have the same name, same tracks and many overlapping characters and mechanics. I would say this snes version apparent itself to a remake/spin off. Aaaaanyway, not like anyone has to care. Keep on rocking, friend!
Thanks for taking the time to watch
To defend the Dracula fight: its one of the most unique in the series and I like it for that even if it's not one of the best.
After playing the PC Engine version, this one falls quite short in terms of gameplay. The pacing and the controls just don't feel as smooth as the PC engine version.
They feel exactly the same. Only difference is the level designs themselves.
@@kekeke8988 Wrong. In dracula x Richter’s walk speed is slowed down but the jump speed remains the same, completely wrecking the feel of the game. This makes platforming and navigating enemies much more clunky than in Rondo. Play both back to back and you’ll see what I mean. This change is my no. 1 gripe with this game, if they had ported Rondo movement perfectly it would be a lot stronger.
Another awesome vid- keep em coming!
The way to beat Dracula is to use the axe sub weapon and if your going to get hit duck so you won't be knocked off the platform.
*you're
the axe seems like the weapon to use for pretty much the entire game
Also extremely expensive as it's a rare cart because it came out near the SNES era ending.
This is one of the Castlevania titles I haven't played before. I have played Castlevania bloodlines though on a Sega Genesis in this kind of reminds me of that in a way kind of seems like they have some similar level designs and they both have that traditional kind of Castlevania gameplay
I always loved this game and was generally very appreciative we even got it here in the states at all, considering the PC Engine version never made it out here, it is a different enough game, but has the same sorta feel, and just basically is another AAA Konami game on the SNES which Im always thankful for, but yes it does lack the overall refinement of Castlevania 4, but its a damn good entry in the franchise, and your totally right it does feel like an NES Castlevania...never saw it that way, excellent review, thank you!
i have this on snes it couldve been an outstanding game but there isnt enough 1ups in the game for the average player then occasionally richter will jump right off a cliff just by standing still and pressing the jump button... the enemies do massive amounts of damage most of the bosses have to be hit multiple times to deal one point of damage ...richter will sometimes turn in the wrong direction when jumping and attacking at the same time... theres no whipping in multiple directions makes the game feel like and nes castlevania ...all that being said i do reccomend this game as long as you can get it. for ten dollars or less i couldnt finish this game on the cartridge i had to use and emulator and constantly save state to progress through the game....
this game is wayyy harder than super castlevania IV. First of all, you only get 3 lives!! there's a lot of moments in this game where you have to throw weapons in anticipation or you won't make it. also, the jumping is weird, he jumps high and slow and theres more lag on landing. Castlevania IV is a better game, this one's ok, but is very tough
jet0l19 Yup, it's a throwback to the NES titles
i got this on the virtual console on wii u. thank god for wii u's save option its unlimited continues on exactly were u left off. this game is hard as shit but i like it.
+jet0l19 super castlevania 4 is better than everything ever tho!
+AudioXVNVX Dracula X pretty much DESTROYED my love for Castlevania until SoTN came out.
Carnage Insaniac
why is that? they used alot of the best parts from dracula x to make sotn
I bought this one for 3€ in flea market maybe year ago... Though it was loose copy but still i think it was best find for 2018.
I do recommend Rondo of Blood highly.
Eh i like both rondo and Dracula X, having both games makes You appreciate their similarities and differences, of course i prefer Rondo but i still dracula x sometimes ( also the bass of bloodlines (the song) in the SNES one is superb)
Listening to you talk about saving 100$ on a SNES game is making me wonder how much money I could get for my collection. I honestly have no need for the physical cartridges in a world where I can have the entire SNES library on something the size of a Game Boy Advance cartridge.
I actually got this game today. I went with a repro version though. Those ebay prices are ridiculous. The game has some classic music but i agree with the music. Some of it does sound like something out of Street Fighter. I never beat this game so I decided to get it first before added Super Castlevania 4 to my library.
The game is indeed short, but there are 2 branching paths, so there are 9 levels total
Do you have a video for Castlevania 3 Dracula's Curse?
I bought my copy for $5 back when Blockbuster Video was going out of business. 😊
All Castlevania games are created equal!
MOST Castlevania games are created equal!
I played it back in the 90s and also Symphony of the night on the PS1. After downloading both on my PS4, I have to say that Symphony of the night is a far far far superior game, hands down. The funny thing is, i had the same opinion 25 years ago.
Dracula go all the way to the right use the axe
Going for over 500 bucks on eBay if you have the book and box as well.
that’s why I like this games cisuals so much „cause it’s strangely bright and colorful“
Super Castlevania IV is the Best Castlevania of the classics.
It had the more variety on whip attacks.
dracul X nd Rondo of blood Looks pretty much like symphony of the night. most Level design and especialy the enemys. like sotn are the younger brother :D
hans kanns
rondo of blood was iga's 1st castlevania game and he later created SOTN and all the metroidvania games. this game was konami salvaging the assets from rondo and doing a game to recover the costs of rondo of blood because it was a japan exclusive on a dying system add on 🤔
@@borrellipatrick Giving us the last Castlevania game before Iga killed it AND the Belmonts so Metroidvania could be born.
@@borrellipatrick Iga was just a playtester for Rondo, he didn’t have that much involvement with it.
Didn't know this was hyped
Oh and use the axe on drac. You can also learn how to direct your jumps, it's a bit tricky but can help there.
Alianger It goes for an average of $180 loose on Ebay. That's up more than $100 from just a couple years ago according to the Video Game Price Charting website.
***** Right, took it as it being praised a lot rather than having a high price tag. Most people see it as a stripped down Rondo of Blood from what I've read before.
Alianger Not most people in my experience. _shrug_
***** I've read that Dracula X to Rondo of Blood comparison from other people in the internet as well, but after seeing how you described Dracula X taking on an NES approach to difficulty/level design, that comparison is starting to seem a bit off. As for the Castlevania IV to Dracula X comparison, the loss of the 8 directional whip I guess is what made people see it as inferior, but looking into the history of the development behind the games, or just even playing them shows that they were going for different things. Not to say that they didn't both have their share of problems within though.
If EGM didn't talk about Rondo of Blood in one of their issues, I probably would've gave this game a fairer chance. But since they did, I knew what I was missing out on. That said, I still bought it because I knew this was the best I was gonna get. While still inferior to RoB, it's still a decent game.
DX isn't horrible but def a C tier Vania game. Got some great graphics but overall feels cheap: Richter's walk speed is horrendously slow for no reason, level design isn't as tight, some areas start w/no stairs or door behind Richter, final stage's background is the entire castle itself (which doesn't make sense), and while I like the different take on the Dracula Battle they didn't change his mechanics to work in the room layout. Ends up taking long and it's boring.
1, 3, 4, Bloodlines and Rondo all feel polished to their max potentials. DX needed some polish in a lotta places. It's a fun game with some great audio and graphics but doesn't feel conplete, feels a bit budget-gamey. I like that it went for a retro throwback feel- one protag, simplified branching paths, higher NES-style difficulty (unless you spam the axe) but isn't what I think of when the series comes to mind.
After playing the PS1 Symphony of the night I was curious because I thought Super Castlevania was the last game in the series but being in the UK I missed this game and the PC engine Rondo of Blood either way I don't have much love for either game as I missed out and games lose their impact when played outside of the original release time.
Either I like both games this one and Rondo of Blood and I'd like to say I love the art style with the bright pastel shades really looks next gen PS1 quality or almost.
One thing this video and most comments here fail to take into account is the original release date for this game. Dracula X was released late 1995 in the US and early 1996 in Europe, at a time when most people were moving on to the 32-bit consoles. This game was basically a 16-bit game using 8-bit philosophy released during the early days of the 32-bit era, which is a very hard sell no matter how you put it. I remember in 1996 (I'm from Europe), having bought a PlayStation, while still buying a few last SNES games, and I figured I'd buy this one since I was a fan of Castlevania, and after playing it for a while I just had to stop. I just couldn't take the NES hard philosophy anymore at that time and age. I eventually came to appreciate this game many years later, but at that time it was simply the wrong type of game for the current era.
If you think about it, the main problem with Dracula X was probably that there was no clear target audience. People who wanted an exact port of Rondo of Blood were disappointed, people who wanted a less challenging Castlevania game in the vein of Super Castlevania IV were disappointed, and people who had moved on to the 32-bit consoles just didn't care.
The problem was the were denied permission to port the real version.
It’s kind of hard to go back and play Dracula X after playing rondo of blood.
I know you had said in a previous video you weren't going to start diving into the PSX library too much because the games are too time consuming, but you really ought to review Symphony of the Night for PSX. Probably my favorite Castlevania.
It's really because my POS computer has trouble recording consistent and decent looking footage from 5th generation consoles. But SotN is pretty great, I wouldn't really have anything new or interesting to say about it
It's ok. Still enjoy finding new games I missed out on as a kid from this channel. Like I completely missed Earthbound growing up and decided to play it because of your review. Gotta say I enjoy it so far.
That's really cool, thanks for watching
If this game is too expensive on the SNES, just get the Castlevania Advance Collection on the Nintendo Switch. It includes this game as well as the three best GBA castlevania games.
I like this game a lot until I finally got to play Rondo of Blood. I've never been able to go back since then. Maybe I should give it another shot. I do remember it being very very difficult
I thought castlevania dracula X was rondo of blood. no one should be buying snes games when you can just play them on emulation and SNES classic. and they look beautiful on a 1080p/4k tv.
Rondo of Blood on the PC Engine is the one I like to play.
I got Castlevainia 4 assuming it would be hard, I guess I was wrong by not looking at Dracula X