Nonono, this is isane. The pacing of the video, the extremely nice looking visuals and the well thought through arguments competes with and even surpasses some of the best channels of this kind I have seen. You deserve hundreds of thousands of views.
I'm currently working my way through all of your content and I have to say, it has been an absolute delight. Thank you! I was wondering whether you're considering reviewing Sega Master System games?
Actually, Dracula's second form has a "double life bar" - it takes TWO hits to remove every "pip", meaning that you have to hit Dracula FOURTY EIGHT times to win, versus the four hits Simon can endure. Essentially, you have to hit Dracula at LEAST a dozen times for each hit YOU take if you want to come out ahead. This is actually a really well-balanced fight, though, in my opinion. The game gives you the option of using either the Cross or the Holy Water (both drop from different candles in Dracula's room), and both Sub-weapons have their own advantages and disadvantages: The Cross is the balanced option: it can hit both versions of Dracula more than once if thrown properly and the infinite range on the return "throw" means you can pull off some clear-across-the-screen hits on Dracula with practice. The Holy Water destroys Dracula as hard as it does any other Boss... BUT ONLY IN HIS DEMON FORM. It's completely worthless against his humanoid, teleporting form and only helps you if you can muscle though that and get to the Demon phase consistently. You can get Hearts and even Double/Triple Shot upgrades for your Sub-weapon of choice if you focus on whipping Dracula's fireball attacks! This works in both Phases, although the Demon form obviously doesn't fire as many fireballs as he spends so much time leaping about. Anyway, the point is that it's a GREAT fight, ESPECIALLY for an early NES title, and the decision to make the showdown with Dracula a self-contained experience - just you and Drac, no regular enemies, no stage to slog though - was COMPLETELY BRILLIANT.
NO WONDER he took so long lol. I thought I was potentially just hitting the wrong spot sometimes when rewatching the footage. When you're in the fight it's so intense you don't have time to check the bars, really. And I agree that it was an excellent fight. My absolute favorite part of the game.
@@HPRshredder Doing some quick searching, it's even worse. In Demon form, his head is the Weak Point and Dracula will lose 1 bar of Health for every 2 hits to his head - but it's THREE hits per bar if you hit his body or legs, so you're potentially looking at up to SIXTY FOUR hits if you're just tossing Holy Water/Crosses and whipping totally at random. Dang. I guess the counter point is that Demon Drac doesn't have invincibility frames so you can get hits in very quickly at times, but still.
@@Darkkfated This would explain why you still get the sound that you’ve damaged him on his body or legs with it feeling like nothing happened. Still love the fight though. I think it’s about the perfect level of challenge.
@@HPRshredder Oh, absolutely. I LOVE this fight to death. But I can see how people might get to the Demon form with 1-2 hits left, start panicking, and die with Drac only having lost a few bars of his HP because they were blindly panic-whipping solely at his feet, at which point they basically give up because "this fight is stupid and you can barely even hurt his second form!"
I have to agree with a lot of the folks here-these reviews are really outstanding. I just found your channel in the last couple of days, and am thoroughly impressed. I'm in my mid-40s, and haven't seen a younger reviewer really take the time to play these games with the intent to really get the most out of the experience like this. Your Hi no Tori review was one of if not the best classic game reviews I've ever seen. The persective is modern but honest, and the effort to play the games as intended on their own terms is something reviewers of any media could learn from. You're doing a tremendous job, and I hope you stick with it.
Thank you! I appreciate it I'm working on a new one now - definitely have every intention of sticking with it. I appreciate all the comments you've been dropping the past few days. Also glad you enjoyed the Hinotori video, it's one of my favorites.
Amazingly I found your channel through 4chan (don't judge me people) but I'm blown away! The production quality is absolutely off the chart my dude - so many nice touches all the way through and just a really nice aesthetic to the whole thing. Definitely subbing and keeping an eye on what's next!
Thanks, man! I’m glad you like the videos and recognize the effort. King Kong 2 should be up before the end of the week and I’m playing through Kid Icarus right now. Nice channel yourself btw! I’m always looking for other smaller channels to be friends with 👍
@@HPRshredder Sounds absolutely wicked dude - incredibly interested to see Kid Icarus as that's always one of those games that has a certain mystique about it (mainly from smash bros) but that I know almost nothing about! Thanks for checking mine out too - it's a lot less watchable that's for sure haha!
I don’t think it’s less watchable at all lol. I haven’t checked out your longer vids yet but I’ve watched a few of the shorter ones and they’ve been great.
@@HPRshredder Haha well thanks very much my dude! It's definitely more on the video essay side but I guess that's just what I like making really! I got to say again though man the aesthetic quality of your videos is insanely impressive - that's sure going to bring people in by the bucket load extremely soon!
@@IFinishedAVideoGame That would be sick if it did happen; but I have to put so much effort into sharing them currently on my own time that it's hard to imagine getting and free promo. But I'm going to keep on pushing. I'm close to 1k which was always my goal a decade or so ago when this was a UA-cam channel I think it'll feel good to finally hit it.
@@HPRshredder Definitely a good thing. And nothing wrong with a long video as long as it remains informative, cohesive, and entertaining, which this definitely does. You totally should have exponentially more views and subs.
I'm not sure why or how the blessed algorithm got me to your channel but man, I'm absolutely loving every video of yours. Been pouring through a couple videos a night, as an old fart who grew up with the NES and Famicom, I really appreciate your thoughtfulness and dedication to this period in gaming. It's awesome :)
That makes me happy to hear! I'm glad you've been enjoying the videos. The Rygar vid reached a larger audience than usual. Glad some people are delving into the rest of them.
Didn't catch this until today, but man, I love how consistently chill and awesome these reviews are. Definitely will have to give this game another go because I've only played up til the mummies. Awesome work yet again and it's always a treat to see your new stuff!
Super detailed. And I love the moment in stage 3 when you can see Dracula's tower in the distance. That was a great leap in the narrative power in games.
A staple of my childhood for sure and made me a lifelong fan of the series. To me there wasn't an entry in the franchise I didn't have a great time with until the N64 games and I'm sure if I had played them more than like an hour I would have found something I enjoyed. Until you hit the Metroidvania era (which not gonna lie I find the stuff like SotN and Aria of Sorrow among the best in the genre) I would rank the original within my top three of the franchise, with special mention going to the SNES game for being a sort of remake. From beginning to end I really can't think of a better description beyond the title of the video, it is most definitely all killer and no filler.
I was playing this game again on Twitch a few nights ago to give that platform a try, and it's just so much fun every time. I gave Hard Mode a shot as well, but I couldn't quite make it to Frankenstein's Monster. Stage 2 on Hard Mode is so so so difficult.
Nice review, I have to give this one a try since getting the Castlevania collection. I had a load of fun with the Famicom version of 3 but never went and actually beat it. I suck at old vidya but still enjoy it.
I wholeheartedly recommend this game. It's hard, but short enough to where I think anyone can beat it if they put their mind to it without getting too frustrated.
I'm planning to play every one eventually! Simon's Quest is in the next batch of ten, but beyond that I'm really excited to eventually play the Castlevania games for Geneses and PC Engine.
This was one of my favorite arcade and NES games as a teenager. Lots to discover, lots to destroy, lots to loot. My favorite boss was always Queen Medusa mainly because I loved to use different weapons on her to see which worked the best. (I eventually decided it was the fire bomb, but not by much.) The farthest I got in the arcades was the Mummy Men; once I got to rent games, I put many quality hours on the NES port. The thing I really liked about it (other than being one of the first Konami games with unlimited continues, which made _complete_ sense) was that while there were tricky spots, there usually was some specific tactic or maneuver for that one spot that made it simpler. I always needed a little luck to best Igor (the real threat; Frankie was just a big hitbox) and Death, but they were managable. In fact, I'd say the entire game had just the right about of challenge and tension... ...right up to the final battle. 😖 So here I was, tackling this eternally teleporting aggravation, trying to execute the precise series of commands that would damage _him_ without him damaging _me._ And invariably screwing up. Also _knowing_ that he'd frequently teleport right on top of me, and learning to run like hell _just_ far enough, turn, jump-whip at _just_ the right moment, then flog the fireballs, _also_ at just the right moment. And invariably screwing up. Not all the time (well, usually), but with just four hits to spare, it didn't take long to come out on the losing end. Over and over and over. And then, on attempt #20, or #40, or #100, or #288, somehow, everything clicked. I was executing. I had the rhythm. I was reading his moves. Slowly but surely, his life was going down. Four bars left. Three. Two. One... holy crap, I did it! I freaking did it! Break out the champagne and beer nuts! One of the hardest bosses I'd ever taken on in my _life,) and... ...this hideous white monstrosity appears out of nowhere and slaughters me. Now keep in mind, no Internet, so the only way to get insider information was from a friend who'd gotten to that same point in the game, which I didn't have, or from the literature of the time, the quality of which could charitably be described as "useless". _Everything_ I heard about the game (including, of course, the instructions) made it _abundantly_ clear exactly what the big bad was: A vampire. *Vam. Pire.* Not some six-ton rampaging firebreathing supermonster who was as indestructible as a mountain. Once I beat The Count (or "Dracula", as you kids insist on calling him) that was supposed to be it! Evil vanquished! Done! Finit! Kaput! Terminus! I was *pissed.* I couldn't believe that Konami, which I had always considered one of the good guys... this was before the employee abuse and the stuff with the NFTs... would steal victory from me with this crap. (For the record, I never came close; my best was like 5 bars taken off.) I couldn't believe that they'd have a nice, sensible difficulty progression and then suddenly jack it up 500,000 levels with the final enemy. To this day I consider Castlevania 2 a much-needed apology. (It's the only one I ever finished without some kind of assistance.)
Awesome video, duder! I had never seen the Famicom manual before, I'm glad you showed it off. This video also made me realize that... I've never beaten this game before?? I'm pretty sure Simon's Quest is the only pre-Symphony of the Night I've played all the way through. Go figure! Now I feel motivated to see the original all the way through. (Also, I dig the final thumbnail design!)
Thanks, man! I would definitely recommend playing through and beating the first one. It's definitely not long and the final boss is extremely satisfying. And thanks about the thumbnail -- I was a little down on it after posting but I always am. It is what it is ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I agree, it is a simple game, it didn't try to create an innovative gameplay or to do any big twist to the formula, but all it does it does extremely well, it is a very tight experience. It is a shame the sequel did a 360º. It is very nice to watch your reviews after you played it for the first time having an honest first experience of discovery with the game. Amazing working, amazing video, it is a joy to watch, the visual quality and identity is very profissional and pleasing. Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts and experiences with us in such an amazing form.
Your videos are so detailed I am positive you don’t miss a single thing! Konami games are the best. This may show my age but I rented the hell out of this game back in the day. Still love everything about it, one of my favorites. Ever play the rare castlevania legends for GB? Would love if you could do a review on that one .. only I think it’s too rare to purchase now.
This was absolutely excellent. I was looking forward to this after seeing it in your to-play pile. Block 3 is also my favourite level. I hope to see you play the next two games and maybe some other spooky 8-bit games.
As of now Castlevania II is slated to be episode 25! So it's in the next batch of 10. I'm also planning to play Splatterhouse, Kid Dracula, and Sweet Home as well as Castlevania III in the future, but those are a little farther off. Really glad you enjoyed it - that means a lot.
Ah! The beautiful CRT looking, it is impossible to duplicate, shaders, scan lines, etc they don't come close. There is a software CRT filter builtin in some emulators based on the Blargg algorithm that does a good job, but it is not the same, It is not just the look but also the phosphor luminescence, it has its own feel to it. I love it. For me you could do the entire video capture filming the CRT. But I understand it is not for all tastes.
@@HPRshredder A friend of mine has a small one, I think it is a 8" display used in a CCTV system, they look like an enhanced CRT! There is a lot less noise, especially if you are using a RGB cable, if you used a 90's or mid 2000 PC with a good VGA display it is similar but even better, the monitors of good arcade machines also are a very good comparison. I don't know for sure but it looks like the pixel density is higher in a PVM than in a normal CRT/VGA display, also the colors look better, but I don't if it was just because of the RGB cables. It is nice, but I'm happy with my normal CRT. It is what I used in the 80's and 90's and I go for reproducing the same experience I had back in the day. But GameCube, PS2 and the og Xbox, are a perfect match for a PVM, they look particularly very good on those displays.
I would try to hold on to the boomerang to beat the mummies. Also makes Beetlejuice easy. I used to die all the time in the swamp. Got to "block 5", but never got to Dracula. Hard as nails. Love this game. Played it back in the 80s.
I love how you said "Frankenstein's Monster" instead of just Frankenstein or Frankie! 😉😉 Not everyone knows that the scientist is Frankenstein and the monster is his monster and not him! 😁😁
He's called "Frankenstein" in the instructions (and again for much of the series, in fact), so I say it's acceptable in this case. Not for Capcom games, however, where the monster is _explicitly_ named "Victor Von Gerdenheim". 😁
My hope is that they will be "evergreen" and eventually justify picking up the games and stuff... but even if they aren't it's a lot of fun to play on the real thing. 🙂 Thanks for the complement!
19:25 Yeah, I think it's helpful to think of Blocks 1-3 as the tutorial levels. And then Blocks 4-6 are where you're tested on what you learned in the first 3 blocks.
@@HPRshredder I dont have an NES but ill try to find something that can best match that. Tonight after watching this vid I watched your zelda video and heard what ya where saying about finding something with a low lag when playing it. So Ill keep that in mind. Hey just an fyi I found your vids from some one suggesting you on a reddit retro gaming sub. So thumbs up to them.
For the best ways to play NES, "My Life In Gaming" has an excellent video on it. It's long, but it covers different mods and FPGA options. I think the NES Classic Edition, that little NES they released in ~2015 has some decent emulation from what I've heard but I haven't tried it myself. And thanks for letting me know!
I really do need to get around to beating this. Your rundown of the final battle coupled with Darkkfated's analysis of how hits work in it definitely help me understand why Dracula's second form has felt so impossible to me the couple of times that I've gotten there. Your analysis is 100% on point -- from the music to the graphics to the challenge, it is an instant classic, and I'm glad that you enjoyed it so thoroughly. I know that you grew tired of trying to compare it to G'n'G in your final thoughts, but it's really as if Konami took a lot of the elements of that game and thought long and hard about how to improve upon each of them and more importantly make them relevant to a home system audience. It's that transformational thinking that gives Castlevania such a dramatically different feel from what came before it. From a US NES perspective, I certainly don't think anyone other than Nintendo had given much thought yet about how to break out of the quarter-munching score attack focus of the arcades. This and its FDS brethren Zelda and Metroid really moved the needle on what home console games could be.
It definitely feels like a well-crafted home experience rather than one that’s primarily for the arcade first. Especially considering you can save in the FDS version. I loved my time with this game and I kept going back to it. It has me really hyped for Simon’s Quest! I definitely think beating it is worthwhile - you should let me know if you do
Just discovered your channel and I just wanna say thank you for this content. It's so relaxing to hear you talk about these old games and the quality/aesthetic of them is through the roof. Keep it up man love them!
hope your holidays were happy! I've been visiting family and then my flight back home was cancelled (next one is at 6am so wish me luck) so I've had a bit of a busy time, but I finally found the time to watch this! I've got a buddy who loves Castlevania, and one thing he always says is to skip the holy water whenever possible lol, pretty sure he will even take the dagger over the holy water. Good shit as always man!
As someone who started gaming in the GBC/N64 era, it can often be hard for me to get past the 8 bit look when I see these old games. But something you are so good at is helping me see and appreciate the details in these old games that by the end of each video I walk away thinking about how cool this game is, understanding the atmosphere and feeling each game is trying to get at, and man, its an awesome experience! Great work!
I almost finished this Game back in October this Year! I at least got to Dracula but couldn't Defeat him I made up though later in October I was playing Castlevania 3 Dracula's Curse and I at least got to the end of the Game it took me Multiple Streams though because the Game Wore me out! 😩 but man was Rewarding when I saw the End of the Game! 😄😊 I made a Long Highlight though just to show the Torture I had to go through for the Final Area😨 yeah I kinda had that Planned when I was playing the Game! but I had my Reasons that was a Hard Game!
Hey HPRshredder, i just finished a FC game from 1987 called "Youkai Club". It will instantly remind you of Castevania (but way more janky) + a bit of Kid Icarus and i'm curious if you like it. Granted, I think without save states it's pretty hard but for me it was worth playing through.
I love this game, I don't play it more because I found it to be very hard to play even with the tiniest amount of input lag. And those days I do most of my retro gaming using a portable emulator for convenience sake. Very rarely I play on my consoles now, just when I want to play something special having the most authentic 80's experience. Also the holy water is overpowered. Thank God He did bless the water for us. XD
Most of these games convey information on how to play primarily through the manual. Many still have English text in-game. It's not hard to play a pure action game like Castlevania without the ability to read everything. That being said, I can read two forms of Japanese writing (hiragana & katakana) so I can understand some things without any help. But something like an RPG where the dialogue is really important - I wouldn't be able to play without an English patch. Glad you've been enjoying the videos! Thanks for the comment.
@@HPRshredder Awesome stuff bro, would love to see a vid about your collection or like idk I think a video of more well-known games would do numbers. Not trying to overstep, just some suggestions bc the production and cinematography is all there. Looking forward to more stuff from you!!
@@retiredhater I don't have much of a collection, really. I can't afford to just keep all these games lol. I'm a first-timer for most of these titles. I basically acquire a batch of games and cover them and then sell them and move to the next. Some of the titles from Season 2 are still listed on my ko-fi store. As for which games I cover, I'll get to the bigger titles in time. I'm playing through the games chronologically based on whatever interests me. I'll start incorporating other systems as well in the future. For now, it's about finishing season 3 before 2024 ends!
@@HPRshredder I'm surprised you don't have a collection! It's rare to find people who can respect and appreciate older titles but aren't collectors themselves. Also, I would love to buy some games to show my support but I don't have a collection yet either lol. I want to basically do the same thing as you and start from the 8 bit era onward. Regardless, I'm looking forward to your content in 2024! Good luck!
The 1993 Japanese cartridge re-release actually has an "Easy" difficulty mode. Enemies do less damage and there's no knockback. If anyone wants to play the game but needs even more train-y training wheels give that a shot.
Another great job. Really liking your videos. Also, there is only one 1up in the game. It is in the Grim Reaper's stage. In the stage there is a wall you need to walk into until the 1up appears. It will appear at the bottom of the stairs by the wall you have to walk into. The area is right where you showed the red skeletons in your video.
Thanks for the tip, man! I'll have to check on that the next time I play. It's no wonder I missed it. I'm glad you continue to enjoy these and I also find it fitting that "TheKonamiMan" prioritized the current Konami reviews lol. Another Konami game, Hi No Tori, is coming up right after I finish the review for Layla. I'm excited for that one!
@@HPRshredder GetsuFumaDen is a Konami game worth looking into. There is a new sequel out now after 35 years since the original so it might get you some views with people more interested in the series now.
@@TheKonamiMan Okay, wow. Usually when people bring up games they're already on my list, but looking into it I missed this one somehow. Looks like its a July 1987 release so I actually could squeeze it in still if I wanted to... I'll have to think about that. The next season was currently going to end with Rockman, so that would potentially kick that to season 4... but IDK. Maybe I'll do a 12-game season for season 3? hmmmm. I'll need to look into it a little more. But not too much as not to spoil it. Have you played it?
This game was so awesome on release. Tough as nails but overall great NES graphics, game play and music (NES Komani killed it). I used to be able to beat this game in years gone by although I'm sure I still can. The remake on SNES, Super Castlevania IV is also legendary.
People always say that Holy Water is the best weapon in the game. Dude, have you ever tried the cross/boomerang with the x3 multiplier? You can cheese basically everything with it. Except maybe Dracula.
It's worth a go! I love this game. Dracula felt impossible for me at first, but I managed it after a few hours of trying and learning. Now it's a lot easier every time I jump back in. It's one of the most satisfying bosses I've beaten in any game I've ever played.
I just got my Disk System version of this game a few days ago, and just tonight, I finally beat the "Block 4" or "level 4" boss, that Frankenstein & Igor fight, man that fight was hard and annoying for me. This is also my first time ever going through the game, despite the fact I've had a NES version loose cart for over 10 years now, the last time I attempted the game, I did the first block, it was a piece of cake for me, but then, in the second block, the medusa heads made me quit, haha. They seem easier for me to handle now.
It's nice knowing you can pick up where you left off for a first playthrough. The FDS version is great. That boss is also really hard for me as well. It always gives me the most trouble.
I'm checking out a lot more! I don't know if Bayou Billy is on my list or not -- I'd have to check. The game I'm playing right now is Konami though: King Kong 2. I'm definitely playing CV2 & 3 though.
Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! is currently slated to be episode 28! So I'm halfway there lol. I'm going to try my best to pick up the pace a little in the new year -- but it takes a lot of time to play/record/edit/plan each review. Hopefully you will see a video on it before July!
14:24 wow hunters in Halo were super fun to fight but bulky... I wonder how bulky a hunter in a kart would be... When is that Halo Kart 64 dropping dawg? Been waiting for that Mario Kart 64
Well there aren’t really many other people covering the Japanese versions in English. Every ten reviews I plan to give a few away - this might be one of them. I always have the Famicom versions for the physical shots.
That disk click into the famicom was so CINEMATIC. My boy is out here making movies out of game reviews
Nonono, this is isane. The pacing of the video, the extremely nice looking visuals and the well thought through arguments competes with and even surpasses some of the best channels of this kind I have seen. You deserve hundreds of thousands of views.
I'm flattered! Thank you for the comment, and I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
I'm currently working my way through all of your content and I have to say, it has been an absolute delight. Thank you! I was wondering whether you're considering reviewing Sega Master System games?
@@FabianRudin I do plan to cover Master System games as well as Genesis and Saturn games, eventually
@@HPRshredder this makes me so happy :)
Actually, Dracula's second form has a "double life bar" - it takes TWO hits to remove every "pip", meaning that you have to hit Dracula FOURTY EIGHT times to win, versus the four hits Simon can endure. Essentially, you have to hit Dracula at LEAST a dozen times for each hit YOU take if you want to come out ahead.
This is actually a really well-balanced fight, though, in my opinion. The game gives you the option of using either the Cross or the Holy Water (both drop from different candles in Dracula's room), and both Sub-weapons have their own advantages and disadvantages:
The Cross is the balanced option: it can hit both versions of Dracula more than once if thrown properly and the infinite range on the return "throw" means you can pull off some clear-across-the-screen hits on Dracula with practice.
The Holy Water destroys Dracula as hard as it does any other Boss... BUT ONLY IN HIS DEMON FORM. It's completely worthless against his humanoid, teleporting form and only helps you if you can muscle though that and get to the Demon phase consistently.
You can get Hearts and even Double/Triple Shot upgrades for your Sub-weapon of choice if you focus on whipping Dracula's fireball attacks! This works in both Phases, although the Demon form obviously doesn't fire as many fireballs as he spends so much time leaping about.
Anyway, the point is that it's a GREAT fight, ESPECIALLY for an early NES title, and the decision to make the showdown with Dracula a self-contained experience - just you and Drac, no regular enemies, no stage to slog though - was COMPLETELY BRILLIANT.
NO WONDER he took so long lol. I thought I was potentially just hitting the wrong spot sometimes when rewatching the footage. When you're in the fight it's so intense you don't have time to check the bars, really.
And I agree that it was an excellent fight. My absolute favorite part of the game.
@@HPRshredder Doing some quick searching, it's even worse. In Demon form, his head is the Weak Point and Dracula will lose 1 bar of Health for every 2 hits to his head - but it's THREE hits per bar if you hit his body or legs, so you're potentially looking at up to SIXTY FOUR hits if you're just tossing Holy Water/Crosses and whipping totally at random. Dang. I guess the counter point is that Demon Drac doesn't have invincibility frames so you can get hits in very quickly at times, but still.
@@Darkkfated This would explain why you still get the sound that you’ve damaged him on his body or legs with it feeling like nothing happened. Still love the fight though. I think it’s about the perfect level of challenge.
@@HPRshredder Oh, absolutely. I LOVE this fight to death. But I can see how people might get to the Demon form with 1-2 hits left, start panicking, and die with Drac only having lost a few bars of his HP because they were blindly panic-whipping solely at his feet, at which point they basically give up because "this fight is stupid and you can barely even hurt his second form!"
I have to agree with a lot of the folks here-these reviews are really outstanding. I just found your channel in the last couple of days, and am thoroughly impressed. I'm in my mid-40s, and haven't seen a younger reviewer really take the time to play these games with the intent to really get the most out of the experience like this. Your Hi no Tori review was one of if not the best classic game reviews I've ever seen. The persective is modern but honest, and the effort to play the games as intended on their own terms is something reviewers of any media could learn from. You're doing a tremendous job, and I hope you stick with it.
Thank you! I appreciate it I'm working on a new one now - definitely have every intention of sticking with it. I appreciate all the comments you've been dropping the past few days. Also glad you enjoyed the Hinotori video, it's one of my favorites.
Amazingly I found your channel through 4chan (don't judge me people) but I'm blown away! The production quality is absolutely off the chart my dude - so many nice touches all the way through and just a really nice aesthetic to the whole thing. Definitely subbing and keeping an eye on what's next!
Thanks, man! I’m glad you like the videos and recognize the effort. King Kong 2 should be up before the end of the week and I’m playing through Kid Icarus right now. Nice channel yourself btw! I’m always looking for other smaller channels to be friends with 👍
@@HPRshredder Sounds absolutely wicked dude - incredibly interested to see Kid Icarus as that's always one of those games that has a certain mystique about it (mainly from smash bros) but that I know almost nothing about! Thanks for checking mine out too - it's a lot less watchable that's for sure haha!
I don’t think it’s less watchable at all lol. I haven’t checked out your longer vids yet but I’ve watched a few of the shorter ones and they’ve been great.
@@HPRshredder Haha well thanks very much my dude! It's definitely more on the video essay side but I guess that's just what I like making really! I got to say again though man the aesthetic quality of your videos is insanely impressive - that's sure going to bring people in by the bucket load extremely soon!
@@IFinishedAVideoGame That would be sick if it did happen; but I have to put so much effort into sharing them currently on my own time that it's hard to imagine getting and free promo. But I'm going to keep on pushing. I'm close to 1k which was always my goal a decade or so ago when this was a UA-cam channel I think it'll feel good to finally hit it.
This is probably the most thorough and comprehensive review of Castlevania I've ever seen.
Hope that’s a good thing! Sometimes I worry I make them too long but I like going over everything especially when I like a game.
@@HPRshredder Definitely a good thing. And nothing wrong with a long video as long as it remains informative, cohesive, and entertaining, which this definitely does. You totally should have exponentially more views and subs.
That's comforting to hear. It's hard to know if you're doing something right with limited feedback. Appreciate the comments.
Eh, not much to add to the discussion, it's Castlevania after all, but I must say this review stands out among the hundreds on the tube.
I'm not sure why or how the blessed algorithm got me to your channel but man, I'm absolutely loving every video of yours. Been pouring through a couple videos a night, as an old fart who grew up with the NES and Famicom, I really appreciate your thoughtfulness and dedication to this period in gaming. It's awesome :)
That makes me happy to hear! I'm glad you've been enjoying the videos. The Rygar vid reached a larger audience than usual. Glad some people are delving into the rest of them.
Didn't catch this until today, but man, I love how consistently chill and awesome these reviews are. Definitely will have to give this game another go because I've only played up til the mummies. Awesome work yet again and it's always a treat to see your new stuff!
Glad you're still enjoying it! Looking forward to making more. 🙂
Super detailed. And I love the moment in stage 3 when you can see Dracula's tower in the distance. That was a great leap in the narrative power in games.
I think 3 is my favorite stage overall. It's the prettiest to look at.
A staple of my childhood for sure and made me a lifelong fan of the series. To me there wasn't an entry in the franchise I didn't have a great time with until the N64 games and I'm sure if I had played them more than like an hour I would have found something I enjoyed. Until you hit the Metroidvania era (which not gonna lie I find the stuff like SotN and Aria of Sorrow among the best in the genre) I would rank the original within my top three of the franchise, with special mention going to the SNES game for being a sort of remake. From beginning to end I really can't think of a better description beyond the title of the video, it is most definitely all killer and no filler.
I was playing this game again on Twitch a few nights ago to give that platform a try, and it's just so much fun every time. I gave Hard Mode a shot as well, but I couldn't quite make it to Frankenstein's Monster. Stage 2 on Hard Mode is so so so difficult.
Cool in depth video, I liked it and I agree that Castlevania is absolutely worth beating.
Nice review, I have to give this one a try since getting the Castlevania collection. I had a load of fun with the Famicom version of 3 but never went and actually beat it. I suck at old vidya but still enjoy it.
I wholeheartedly recommend this game. It's hard, but short enough to where I think anyone can beat it if they put their mind to it without getting too frustrated.
If this is your first Castlevania then I hope to see some other Castlevania games on here!
I'm planning to play every one eventually! Simon's Quest is in the next batch of ten, but beyond that I'm really excited to eventually play the Castlevania games for Geneses and PC Engine.
This was one of my favorite arcade and NES games as a teenager. Lots to discover, lots to destroy, lots to loot. My favorite boss was always Queen Medusa mainly because I loved to use different weapons on her to see which worked the best. (I eventually decided it was the fire bomb, but not by much.) The farthest I got in the arcades was the Mummy Men; once I got to rent games, I put many quality hours on the NES port. The thing I really liked about it (other than being one of the first Konami games with unlimited continues, which made _complete_ sense) was that while there were tricky spots, there usually was some specific tactic or maneuver for that one spot that made it simpler. I always needed a little luck to best Igor (the real threat; Frankie was just a big hitbox) and Death, but they were managable. In fact, I'd say the entire game had just the right about of challenge and tension...
...right up to the final battle. 😖
So here I was, tackling this eternally teleporting aggravation, trying to execute the precise series of commands that would damage _him_ without him damaging _me._ And invariably screwing up. Also _knowing_ that he'd frequently teleport right on top of me, and learning to run like hell _just_ far enough, turn, jump-whip at _just_ the right moment, then flog the fireballs, _also_ at just the right moment. And invariably screwing up. Not all the time (well, usually), but with just four hits to spare, it didn't take long to come out on the losing end. Over and over and over.
And then, on attempt #20, or #40, or #100, or #288, somehow, everything clicked. I was executing. I had the rhythm. I was reading his moves. Slowly but surely, his life was going down. Four bars left. Three. Two. One... holy crap, I did it! I freaking did it! Break out the champagne and beer nuts! One of the hardest bosses I'd ever taken on in my _life,) and...
...this hideous white monstrosity appears out of nowhere and slaughters me.
Now keep in mind, no Internet, so the only way to get insider information was from a friend who'd gotten to that same point in the game, which I didn't have, or from the literature of the time, the quality of which could charitably be described as "useless". _Everything_ I heard about the game (including, of course, the instructions) made it _abundantly_ clear exactly what the big bad was: A vampire. *Vam. Pire.* Not some six-ton rampaging firebreathing supermonster who was as indestructible as a mountain. Once I beat The Count (or "Dracula", as you kids insist on calling him) that was supposed to be it! Evil vanquished! Done! Finit! Kaput! Terminus!
I was *pissed.* I couldn't believe that Konami, which I had always considered one of the good guys... this was before the employee abuse and the stuff with the NFTs... would steal victory from me with this crap. (For the record, I never came close; my best was like 5 bars taken off.) I couldn't believe that they'd have a nice, sensible difficulty progression and then suddenly jack it up 500,000 levels with the final enemy.
To this day I consider Castlevania 2 a much-needed apology. (It's the only one I ever finished without some kind of assistance.)
Man, love your NES reviews
Awesome video, duder! I had never seen the Famicom manual before, I'm glad you showed it off. This video also made me realize that... I've never beaten this game before?? I'm pretty sure Simon's Quest is the only pre-Symphony of the Night I've played all the way through. Go figure! Now I feel motivated to see the original all the way through.
(Also, I dig the final thumbnail design!)
Thanks, man! I would definitely recommend playing through and beating the first one. It's definitely not long and the final boss is extremely satisfying. And thanks about the thumbnail -- I was a little down on it after posting but I always am. It is what it is ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I agree, it is a simple game, it didn't try to create an innovative gameplay or to do any big twist to the formula, but all it does it does extremely well, it is a very tight experience. It is a shame the sequel did a 360º.
It is very nice to watch your reviews after you played it for the first time having an honest first experience of discovery with the game. Amazing working, amazing video, it is a joy to watch, the visual quality and identity is very profissional and pleasing. Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts and experiences with us in such an amazing form.
not s360º LOL but a 180º it was very late...
This is the most criminally undersubbed channel on UA-cam, bar none.
This back in the day when Konami could do no wrong!
This game just never gets old! Ever!
Beating Castlevania no death puts you in a special gamer category.
i remember beating Castlevania. love it!
Your videos are so detailed I am positive you don’t miss a single thing! Konami games are the best. This may show my age but I rented the hell out of this game back in the day. Still love everything about it, one of my favorites. Ever play the rare castlevania legends for GB? Would love if you could do a review on that one .. only I think it’s too rare to purchase now.
I haven’t, but eventually once I hit later years I may begin to incorporate some gameboy! I think 1989 is when it came out in Japan.
Also I did actually get corrected by someone within an hour of posting lol
This was absolutely excellent. I was looking forward to this after seeing it in your to-play pile. Block 3 is also my favourite level. I hope to see you play the next two games and maybe some other spooky 8-bit games.
As of now Castlevania II is slated to be episode 25! So it's in the next batch of 10. I'm also planning to play Splatterhouse, Kid Dracula, and Sweet Home as well as Castlevania III in the future, but those are a little farther off. Really glad you enjoyed it - that means a lot.
Great vibes from this video!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
Gotta say I love your art direction/aesthetic w these vids
Your videos have a cozy feel that I haven’t really seen anywhere else
Thank you, that means a lot. 🙂
thanks for bringing to my attention Frank Frazetta's Norseman painting 🐾 much luv
Ah! The beautiful CRT looking, it is impossible to duplicate, shaders, scan lines, etc they don't come close. There is a software CRT filter builtin in some emulators based on the Blargg algorithm that does a good job, but it is not the same, It is not just the look but also the phosphor luminescence, it has its own feel to it. I love it. For me you could do the entire video capture filming the CRT. But I understand it is not for all tastes.
I love the CRT as well. I’d love to see what a PVM would look like eventually but they are so expensive.
@@HPRshredder A friend of mine has a small one, I think it is a 8" display used in a CCTV system, they look like an enhanced CRT! There is a lot less noise, especially if you are using a RGB cable, if you used a 90's or mid 2000 PC with a good VGA display it is similar but even better, the monitors of good arcade machines also are a very good comparison. I don't know for sure but it looks like the pixel density is higher in a PVM than in a normal CRT/VGA display, also the colors look better, but I don't if it was just because of the RGB cables. It is nice, but I'm happy with my normal CRT. It is what I used in the 80's and 90's and I go for reproducing the same experience I had back in the day. But GameCube, PS2 and the og Xbox, are a perfect match for a PVM, they look particularly very good on those displays.
I'm so happy to have found your channel, best yt suggestion in a long time, I'm enjoying binge watching your stuff
I would try to hold on to the boomerang to beat the mummies. Also makes Beetlejuice easy. I used to die all the time in the swamp. Got to "block 5", but never got to Dracula.
Hard as nails. Love this game. Played it back in the 80s.
I love how you said "Frankenstein's Monster" instead of just Frankenstein or Frankie! 😉😉 Not everyone knows that the scientist is Frankenstein and the monster is his monster and not him! 😁😁
He's called "Frankenstein" in the instructions (and again for much of the series, in fact), so I say it's acceptable in this case.
Not for Capcom games, however, where the monster is _explicitly_ named "Victor Von Gerdenheim". 😁
Love the production values! I always appreciate it when people go through the efforts of getting the physical goods for a video.
My hope is that they will be "evergreen" and eventually justify picking up the games and stuff... but even if they aren't it's a lot of fun to play on the real thing. 🙂 Thanks for the complement!
19:25 Yeah, I think it's helpful to think of Blocks 1-3 as the tutorial levels. And then Blocks 4-6 are where you're tested on what you learned in the first 3 blocks.
you made me wanna play this game.
If you do I’d love to hear what you think. I recommend playing on original hardware or with as low latency as possible!
@@HPRshredder I dont have an NES but ill try to find something that can best match that. Tonight after watching this vid I watched your zelda video and heard what ya where saying about finding something with a low lag when playing it. So Ill keep that in mind. Hey just an fyi I found your vids from some one suggesting you on a reddit retro gaming sub. So thumbs up to them.
For the best ways to play NES, "My Life In Gaming" has an excellent video on it. It's long, but it covers different mods and FPGA options. I think the NES Classic Edition, that little NES they released in ~2015 has some decent emulation from what I've heard but I haven't tried it myself. And thanks for letting me know!
@@HPRshredder thx Ill check that out.
I really do need to get around to beating this. Your rundown of the final battle coupled with Darkkfated's analysis of how hits work in it definitely help me understand why Dracula's second form has felt so impossible to me the couple of times that I've gotten there.
Your analysis is 100% on point -- from the music to the graphics to the challenge, it is an instant classic, and I'm glad that you enjoyed it so thoroughly. I know that you grew tired of trying to compare it to G'n'G in your final thoughts, but it's really as if Konami took a lot of the elements of that game and thought long and hard about how to improve upon each of them and more importantly make them relevant to a home system audience. It's that transformational thinking that gives Castlevania such a dramatically different feel from what came before it. From a US NES perspective, I certainly don't think anyone other than Nintendo had given much thought yet about how to break out of the quarter-munching score attack focus of the arcades. This and its FDS brethren Zelda and Metroid really moved the needle on what home console games could be.
It definitely feels like a well-crafted home experience rather than one that’s primarily for the arcade first. Especially considering you can save in the FDS version. I loved my time with this game and I kept going back to it. It has me really hyped for Simon’s Quest! I definitely think beating it is worthwhile - you should let me know if you do
Just discovered your channel and I just wanna say thank you for this content. It's so relaxing to hear you talk about these old games and the quality/aesthetic of them is through the roof. Keep it up man love them!
Thank you! I'm glad you've been enjoying them. Many more are on the way, but a few more things need to happen first before season 3 officially starts.
hope your holidays were happy! I've been visiting family and then my flight back home was cancelled (next one is at 6am so wish me luck) so I've had a bit of a busy time, but I finally found the time to watch this!
I've got a buddy who loves Castlevania, and one thing he always says is to skip the holy water whenever possible lol, pretty sure he will even take the dagger over the holy water. Good shit as always man!
The holy water is so good though! Is it just because he prefers longer range attacks? And hope yours were as well!
i like the art in the little booklet
WOW! incredibly comfy vid, love the style!
Thanks, man! Glad you enjoyed
Also, nice channel
@@HPRshredder thanku thanku 🙏 and im excited to see whatever u make next :D
Solar you Belmont. I thought I was the only one who got that.😊
i am loving this series. sounds like it's time for you to face Ninja Gaiden.
It's on the list! All three, actually. It'll take a bit to reach them in terms of release date, but I'm excited to play.
As someone who started gaming in the GBC/N64 era, it can often be hard for me to get past the 8 bit look when I see these old games. But something you are so good at is helping me see and appreciate the details in these old games that by the end of each video I walk away thinking about how cool this game is, understanding the atmosphere and feeling each game is trying to get at, and man, its an awesome experience! Great work!
Damn, dude... Thank you so much. That is almost exactly what I'm trying to do with a lot of these videos. I'm really glad you get something out of it.
I almost finished this Game back in October this Year! I at least got to Dracula but couldn't Defeat him I made up though later in October I was playing Castlevania 3 Dracula's Curse and I at least got to the end of the Game it took me Multiple Streams though because the Game Wore me out! 😩 but man was Rewarding when I saw the End of the Game! 😄😊 I made a Long Highlight though just to show the Torture I had to go through for the Final Area😨 yeah I kinda had that Planned when I was playing the Game! but I had my Reasons that was a Hard Game!
Hey HPRshredder, i just finished a FC game from 1987 called "Youkai Club". It will instantly remind you of Castevania (but way more janky) + a bit of Kid Icarus and i'm curious if you like it. Granted, I think without save states it's pretty hard but for me it was worth playing through.
I'll look into it!
I love this game, I don't play it more because I found it to be very hard to play even with the tiniest amount of input lag. And those days I do most of my retro gaming using a portable emulator for convenience sake. Very rarely I play on my consoles now, just when I want to play something special having the most authentic 80's experience.
Also the holy water is overpowered. Thank God He did bless the water for us. XD
The water is definitely a blessing! It’s nice as well since it’s optional should you want more of a challenge.
@@HPRshredder I'm fine in using the holy power against demons XD
Absolute love your videos!! I’ve been wondering how do you manage to play these famicom games with japanese text?
Most of these games convey information on how to play primarily through the manual. Many still have English text in-game. It's not hard to play a pure action game like Castlevania without the ability to read everything. That being said, I can read two forms of Japanese writing (hiragana & katakana) so I can understand some things without any help. But something like an RPG where the dialogue is really important - I wouldn't be able to play without an English patch.
Glad you've been enjoying the videos! Thanks for the comment.
@@HPRshredder Awesome stuff bro, would love to see a vid about your collection or like idk I think a video of more well-known games would do numbers. Not trying to overstep, just some suggestions bc the production and cinematography is all there. Looking forward to more stuff from you!!
@@retiredhater I don't have much of a collection, really. I can't afford to just keep all these games lol. I'm a first-timer for most of these titles. I basically acquire a batch of games and cover them and then sell them and move to the next. Some of the titles from Season 2 are still listed on my ko-fi store.
As for which games I cover, I'll get to the bigger titles in time. I'm playing through the games chronologically based on whatever interests me. I'll start incorporating other systems as well in the future. For now, it's about finishing season 3 before 2024 ends!
@@HPRshredder I'm surprised you don't have a collection! It's rare to find people who can respect and appreciate older titles but aren't collectors themselves.
Also, I would love to buy some games to show my support but I don't have a collection yet either lol. I want to basically do the same thing as you and start from the 8 bit era onward.
Regardless, I'm looking forward to your content in 2024! Good luck!
The 1993 Japanese cartridge re-release actually has an "Easy" difficulty mode. Enemies do less damage and there's no knockback. If anyone wants to play the game but needs even more train-y training wheels give that a shot.
I really wanted to buy that one for this review but it was like $300. I think it's even more money now.
Another great job. Really liking your videos.
Also, there is only one 1up in the game. It is in the Grim Reaper's stage. In the stage there is a wall you need to walk into until the 1up appears. It will appear at the bottom of the stairs by the wall you have to walk into. The area is right where you showed the red skeletons in your video.
Thanks for the tip, man! I'll have to check on that the next time I play. It's no wonder I missed it. I'm glad you continue to enjoy these and I also find it fitting that "TheKonamiMan" prioritized the current Konami reviews lol. Another Konami game, Hi No Tori, is coming up right after I finish the review for Layla. I'm excited for that one!
@@HPRshredder GetsuFumaDen is a Konami game worth looking into. There is a new sequel out now after 35 years since the original so it might get you some views with people more interested in the series now.
@@TheKonamiMan Okay, wow. Usually when people bring up games they're already on my list, but looking into it I missed this one somehow. Looks like its a July 1987 release so I actually could squeeze it in still if I wanted to...
I'll have to think about that. The next season was currently going to end with Rockman, so that would potentially kick that to season 4... but IDK. Maybe I'll do a 12-game season for season 3? hmmmm. I'll need to look into it a little more. But not too much as not to spoil it.
Have you played it?
@@TheKonamiMan Okay, now I feel like I have to try and squeeze it in; I got a look at the dungeon crawling aspect and I want to play it...
This game was so awesome on release. Tough as nails but overall great NES graphics, game play and music (NES Komani killed it). I used to be able to beat this game in years gone by although I'm sure I still can. The remake on SNES, Super Castlevania IV is also legendary.
I'm playing the second one soon-ish - hopefully before the year is out!
People always say that Holy Water is the best weapon in the game. Dude, have you ever tried the cross/boomerang with the x3 multiplier? You can cheese basically everything with it. Except maybe Dracula.
I've always thought the ghosts were actually just possessed toads for some reason
Can you please review The Goonies II ? 🙏🏻
Press 6:49 for some CAKE.
Ive smashed some notable challenges for the nes, including all megaman ninja gaiden and many other, but I Still haven't beaten this game.
It's worth a go! I love this game. Dracula felt impossible for me at first, but I managed it after a few hours of trying and learning. Now it's a lot easier every time I jump back in. It's one of the most satisfying bosses I've beaten in any game I've ever played.
I just got my Disk System version of this game a few days ago, and just tonight, I finally beat the "Block 4" or "level 4" boss, that Frankenstein & Igor fight, man that fight was hard and annoying for me. This is also my first time ever going through the game, despite the fact I've had a NES version loose cart for over 10 years now, the last time I attempted the game, I did the first block, it was a piece of cake for me, but then, in the second block, the medusa heads made me quit, haha. They seem easier for me to handle now.
It's nice knowing you can pick up where you left off for a first playthrough. The FDS version is great. That boss is also really hard for me as well. It always gives me the most trouble.
Check out CV3, Tiny Toons Adventures (seriously), and The Adventures of Bayou Billy for more classic Konami greatness
I'm checking out a lot more! I don't know if Bayou Billy is on my list or not -- I'd have to check. The game I'm playing right now is Konami though: King Kong 2. I'm definitely playing CV2 & 3 though.
it's pretty good i guess
Please, review the other Castlevanias! 🙏
Simon's Quest is only a few videos away for me!
@@HPRshredder You will probably hate it. Don't give up on the rest!
The boomerang was the best weapon,
Do a video on life force! Excellent game!
I have a video on Life Force (though I have the Salamander version) coming this season!
Great videos. Any interest in reviewing the Mega Man series?
Mega man is currently slated to be the opening game for Season 4 (currently in Season 3). I plan to play all 6 NES releases.
@@HPRshredder Sick! Subbed and looking forward to it dude.
You should cover Punch-Out!! next
Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! is currently slated to be episode 28! So I'm halfway there lol. I'm going to try my best to pick up the pace a little in the new year -- but it takes a lot of time to play/record/edit/plan each review. Hopefully you will see a video on it before July!
14:24 wow hunters in Halo were super fun to fight but bulky... I wonder how bulky a hunter in a kart would be... When is that Halo Kart 64 dropping dawg? Been waiting for that Mario Kart 64
Hope you had a good 12/27 hunter appreciation day my man.
Lol, I had this game as a kid. Try beating on original hardware with just a booklet to guide you. 3 hours? I don't think so.
4:40 im 12 years olde but about a year ago when i was 11 and a half i beat this game in 16:25 Yes, that is minutes and seconds :0 😵
also right after i got that pb i got a 16:50 but i died once and my 1st run i didn't die at all btw this is my favorite nes game
Nice work! It's one of my favorites too. I've replayed it a lot since posting this and it never gets old.
@@HPRshredder Damn Right None Of The Castlevania's Do Here's Me Beating It Non-Speedrun ua-cam.com/video/HDHsSX93Ho8/v-deo.html
Where did you get tahat old and pretty tv?
I ordered it off eBay in ~2018 or so for about $75.
this was just an excuse to show off that you have the japanese game complete in box in the first minute
Well there aren’t really many other people covering the Japanese versions in English. Every ten reviews I plan to give a few away - this might be one of them. I always have the Famicom versions for the physical shots.
The game is compromised? Oh no!