I bought this game on release day way back in 1991, yup I’m old. The graphics were absolutely amazing for the time. But even more impressive was the music and soundtrack. But at the time in 1991, cartridge games did not have amazing music and fantastic soundtracks. This really was ahead of its time.
A bunch of other cartridge games at the time definitely did have amazing music, even back on the NES and earlier. Of course depends on what kind of music you like, though.
9:09 the “whip shield” (just holding Y and letting it dangle in front of you) it blocks fireballs and can even stutterkill lots of minor enemies before they can even reach you... Hands down it is one of my favorite tactical aspects of combat not to mention being able to dongle it around in any direction. It’s still one of the most innovative weapon controls even by today’s standards, also Simon’s Theme is one of the greatest tracks ever!
I guess you don't know that before the final staircase; if you jump off to the left, you'll land on some invisible platforms where a multitude of hearts will rain down on you.
@@veghesther3204 Nope, the bonuses show up regardless of when you do it. I've even used it when utilizing the password that starts you right there so I could defeat Dracula and then play the game through on the harder difficulty.
So, for me... I never played Super Castlevania IV. Just never had access as a kid. It's the better system by far, and I like WAYY more games on the SNES than the Genesis but I played Bloodlines instead as a 9-10 year old. So I'm more nostalgic for that game, but I can understand why people like this game. They nailed Castlevania on the handheld
The team Konami handed it off to didn’t understand the end boss area, the game is incredible until you get to the end of level 11, at that point it feels like a different game.
I like the directional whip, but it isn't challenged by the enemies. Most of the enemies are recycled from the previous games and they were made for the horizontal whip. This, in addition to poor enemy placement, make most enemies non threatening becausr you can attack in an angle without fear of retaliation. Konami should've used enemies like the ones in Contra.
I disagree. Enemies like those rainbow blobs and the female ghost dancers require directional use of the whip to eliminate quickly, and some of the other mechanics like the ring to swing on require it. I think toning down the difficulty also makes it more accessible to most people and allows greater emphasis on the other things that make the game so amazing
@@brandongriffith7862 what you said is true, but how many times do you kill Axe Knights because they are above you and you can whip upwards? And there's low density of enemies too. The enemy design and placement is poor in this game.
@@loudradialem5233 i believe there’s enough situations in the game that are challenging enough without a heavy monster count to make the game as difficult as intended. I also do believe they wanted the player character to feel a lot more powerful this time around, and in order to do that, the player needs to feel more confident in their abilities. A lower monster count and a supremely buffed Belmont accomplishes this. From your perspective it causes the gameplay to suffer (which I disagree with but respect), but it heightens everything else in the game, particularly the dramaticism and heroicism in its narrative.
@@loudradialem5233 I would encourage you to do a whip only play through of the game if you believe the base game is easy to a fault. It’s how I always played the game (even before I beat it for the first time) and is in my opinion the best way to experience it.
I like CV4, but it is not a very well designed game. Movement is clunky and obtuse, hitboxes are really weird and the 8 direction whip does not fit well with the gameplay or even the level design. It was revolutionary and impressive mostly in presentation, but it pales in comparison with Bloodlines and Rondo, two tight and outstanding games that follow CVIII much better than Super A similar thing happens with Symphony, a revolutionary game thanks to which pixel art still exists today, but a very clunky and not well designed game overall
It feels much better tailored for Hard Mode. More enemies come zooming in at odd angles, and they have more health, so it's rewarding to get clean diagonal strikes (sometimes, in the heat of the moment, I flail instead, which is still fine most of the time on Normal, but on Hard, a lot of enemies will survive long enough to land a hit on you). And it feels like the mode the subweapons were made for, since it's a lot more beneficial to chip away at beefier enemies' health from a distance, or snag bats/hanging skeletons that aren't there on Normal. Agreed that the hitboxes can be goofy. But I legit can't fathom the clunky, obtuse movement bit, unless you're talking about stairs specifically.
@@Rodanguirus Didn't know that about hard mode! I'm definitely gonna try it. Thanks! As for the clunky movement, what is annoying to me is how floaty the jump feels. It feels underbaked in my opinion, like they couldn't program the proper jump (maybe they took a wrong design desicion instead). Compare it to CVIII, Rondo or Bloodlines. Jump is fixed and you fully commit to it once you jump, yes, but if feels weighty, you can rely on the precise arc of the jump to control your position. In Super, the floatiness of the jump and the sketchy hitboxes make the gameplay really annoying to me. But i am definitely gonna try hard mode. Seriously, thanks for the advice
@alescano3504 No problem! Since I usually play it on the recent collection or SNES Mini, I usually keep a state saved at the very start of Hard mode. You'll get it by beating the game once, but I believe there is also a password to start with it, if you keep the name blank.
The movement isn't clunky nor is it obtuse. The same people that complain about the movement in Ghosts N Goblins, yeah they are stiff by design. The people that belt out the phrase, this one is better usually use words like obtuse, yeah using a 20 dollar word and not saying much isn't gonna cut it😂
I bought this game on release day way back in 1991, yup I’m old. The graphics were absolutely amazing for the time. But even more impressive was the music and soundtrack. But at the time in 1991, cartridge games did not have amazing music and fantastic soundtracks. This really was ahead of its time.
A bunch of other cartridge games at the time definitely did have amazing music, even back on the NES and earlier.
Of course depends on what kind of music you like, though.
This is my favorite snes game. Great review.
At 1:58, that’s not Super Castlevania IV on the SNES, that’s part of the opening to Symphony of the Night for the PlayStation 1.
9:09 the “whip shield” (just holding Y and letting it dangle in front of you) it blocks fireballs and can even stutterkill lots of minor enemies before they can even reach you... Hands down it is one of my favorite tactical aspects of combat not to mention being able to dongle it around in any direction. It’s still one of the most innovative weapon controls even by today’s standards, also Simon’s Theme is one of the greatest tracks ever!
When you have the boomerang and you pickup a gold triple III a straight up apotheosis
I guess you don't know that before the final staircase; if you jump off to the left, you'll land on some invisible platforms where a multitude of hearts will rain down on you.
Not just hearts but the boomerang and both upgrades plus full pork chops, so you face Dracula fully stocked!
@@MethosJK9 Yep. I was kinda saving that as a bonus surprise; but there you have it. Lol
Correct but I'm not sure if Dracula KILLS you if those power ups will reappear are only gotten ONCE PER playthrough of the game.
@@veghesther3204 Nope, the bonuses show up regardless of when you do it. I've even used it when utilizing the password that starts you right there so I could defeat Dracula and then play the game through on the harder difficulty.
Konami is stupid for not making full control of the whip, ducking, standing & jumping a standard feature of ALL vania games going forward
You got my attention and respect when you said S-N-E-S and not "Sness" as some people say it which always drives me nuts lol
lol, right. When they say “sness” I want to say god bless you.
Love the love sent to this game. This is one of THE BEST Castlevania games in the long series. Well made indeed.
All the 2d Castlevanias are great (assuming you have a guide for Simon's Quest) and worth playing today imo
God tier OST!!!
So, for me... I never played Super Castlevania IV. Just never had access as a kid. It's the better system by far, and I like WAYY more games on the SNES than the Genesis but I played Bloodlines instead as a 9-10 year old. So I'm more nostalgic for that game, but I can understand why people like this game. They nailed Castlevania on the handheld
Simon "Swoll" Belmont
Swollmon Bigmont
The team Konami handed it off to didn’t understand the end boss area, the game is incredible until you get to the end of level 11, at that point it feels like a different game.
The end boss area in Castlevania games.
castlevania 4 is a damn good game because you can swing your whip in 8 directions.
If Konami made a special edition of Super Castlevania 4 was remade with Alucard as the main character instead of Simon, would you play it?
I like the directional whip, but it isn't challenged by the enemies. Most of the enemies are recycled from the previous games and they were made for the horizontal whip. This, in addition to poor enemy placement, make most enemies non threatening becausr you can attack in an angle without fear of retaliation. Konami should've used enemies like the ones in Contra.
I disagree. Enemies like those rainbow blobs and the female ghost dancers require directional use of the whip to eliminate quickly, and some of the other mechanics like the ring to swing on require it. I think toning down the difficulty also makes it more accessible to most people and allows greater emphasis on the other things that make the game so amazing
@@brandongriffith7862 what you said is true, but how many times do you kill Axe Knights because they are above you and you can whip upwards? And there's low density of enemies too. The enemy design and placement is poor in this game.
@@loudradialem5233 i believe there’s enough situations in the game that are challenging enough without a heavy monster count to make the game as difficult as intended. I also do believe they wanted the player character to feel a lot more powerful this time around, and in order to do that, the player needs to feel more confident in their abilities. A lower monster count and a supremely buffed Belmont accomplishes this. From your perspective it causes the gameplay to suffer (which I disagree with but respect), but it heightens everything else in the game, particularly the dramaticism and heroicism in its narrative.
@@loudradialem5233 I would encourage you to do a whip only play through of the game if you believe the base game is easy to a fault. It’s how I always played the game (even before I beat it for the first time) and is in my opinion the best way to experience it.
@@brandongriffith7862Try a horizontal whip only playthrough. Makes the game comparable to the classic games difficulty.
SOTH has its foundation in Metroid, not Castlevania 2. No?...
Neils super castlevania iv.
If you're going to play Rondo of Blood, don't play the SNES version that is terrible.
Matt's Reviews. Let me know if you get this comment.
this game is the best castelvania game. Metroidvania s....cks. Makes it boring.
I like CV4, but it is not a very well designed game. Movement is clunky and obtuse, hitboxes are really weird and the 8 direction whip does not fit well with the gameplay or even the level design. It was revolutionary and impressive mostly in presentation, but it pales in comparison with Bloodlines and Rondo, two tight and outstanding games that follow CVIII much better than Super
A similar thing happens with Symphony, a revolutionary game thanks to which pixel art still exists today, but a very clunky and not well designed game overall
It feels much better tailored for Hard Mode. More enemies come zooming in at odd angles, and they have more health, so it's rewarding to get clean diagonal strikes (sometimes, in the heat of the moment, I flail instead, which is still fine most of the time on Normal, but on Hard, a lot of enemies will survive long enough to land a hit on you). And it feels like the mode the subweapons were made for, since it's a lot more beneficial to chip away at beefier enemies' health from a distance, or snag bats/hanging skeletons that aren't there on Normal.
Agreed that the hitboxes can be goofy. But I legit can't fathom the clunky, obtuse movement bit, unless you're talking about stairs specifically.
@@Rodanguirus Didn't know that about hard mode! I'm definitely gonna try it. Thanks!
As for the clunky movement, what is annoying to me is how floaty the jump feels. It feels underbaked in my opinion, like they couldn't program the proper jump (maybe they took a wrong design desicion instead). Compare it to CVIII, Rondo or Bloodlines. Jump is fixed and you fully commit to it once you jump, yes, but if feels weighty, you can rely on the precise arc of the jump to control your position. In Super, the floatiness of the jump and the sketchy hitboxes make the gameplay really annoying to me.
But i am definitely gonna try hard mode. Seriously, thanks for the advice
@alescano3504 No problem! Since I usually play it on the recent collection or SNES Mini, I usually keep a state saved at the very start of Hard mode. You'll get it by beating the game once, but I believe there is also a password to start with it, if you keep the name blank.
@@Rodanguirus Thanks bud!
The movement isn't clunky nor is it obtuse. The same people that complain about the movement in Ghosts N Goblins, yeah they are stiff by design. The people that belt out the phrase, this one is better usually use words like obtuse, yeah using a 20 dollar word and not saying much isn't gonna cut it😂
Free these games from Nintendo jail!
Castlevania Anniversary Collection already exists and is on all major platforms
@@SilentKGaming stfu! Really? May the gods bless you🙏 I must be tarded
@@SilentKGaming I swear I checked for it some what recently😝. Thank you. DL now💪