Castlevania Review - Screenshot 1 of 2

A while back we were "graced" with the arrival of Castlevania: The Adventure on 3DS Virtual Console, an overly simplistic attempt to bring the series to handhelds. Now the NES original has arrived on the service as well, but is it still worth going batty over?

If you've played almost any other "classic-style" Castlevania game, you'll be quickly reminded that the game that started it all is a lot clunkier than those that followed - Simon cannot yet change direction in mid-air while jumping, can not jump onto stairs or drop off them, meaning he must slowly traipse up or down them. Also, being hit not only knocks him back, but briefly stuns him as well.

On top of that, the enemies in Dracula's castle are ferocious, and you'll have to look out for things rushing at you and projectiles flying at you all the time. And we haven't even mentioned the bosses, which take quite a few hits and are almost impossible to dodge - your only hope at escaping most boss fights unharmed is finding the Holy Water sub-weapon - along with a Double or Triple shot power-up - and simply "stunlocking" them to death before they can get a single hit in.

Castlevania Review - Screenshot 2 of 2

Despite the difficulty, defeating Dracula is not an insurmountable task - if you get good enough and master the game's rigid mechanics, you can fly through each level with ease, outsmarting all the enemies and vanquishing the dreaded Count in about 15 minutes. It's all about practice, but actually getting to that level of proficiency can turn into the obsession of a lifetime - some Castlevania fans are still trying today!

Graphically and musically, the game still holds up by modern standards. Dracula's castle looks appropriately old and decrepit, from the entrance hall to the ramparts and all the way to Dracula's room. The soundtrack also features nothing but catchy tunes that have gone on to be remixed countless times in later games. Castlevania's reputation as a series with excellent music was set in motion by the tunes you're presented with here.

Conclusion

Although it's now over 25 years old, the original Castlevania is still a classic title everyone should try at least once. It'll take you a long time to beat if you're playing it for the first time, but the save state feature can help make life a little easier. Although subsequent entries in the lineage have improved on the formula, Simon Belmont's legendary debut remains an 8-bit classic and is well worth experiencing.