Super Castlevania IV (SNES) review "As a transitional game to a new generation, there was a lot at stake."

It was bound to happen at one point...

Castlevania had to evolve with the medium. 16-bit was all the rage, and people were tired of not being able to control the Belmonts' movements mid-jump in previous installments. Personally, I always preferred those mechanics because they forced you to be absolutely certain and precise about your actions before performing them. And perhaps the brand's evolution isn't that much different in nature. In both cases, there's no turning back...

So Simon's adventure saw a facelift in the form of Super Castlevania IV. His sprite grew, showed off more details, and came with a more natural-sounding voice than a deep, 8-bit HRMP! whenever he took damage. His journey to the heart of Dracula's fortress also changed with the times, adding new pathways and placing some of the vampire's old confidants in fresh places. You no longer fought the giant bat first, and Death hid somewhere near the throne room rather than atop the clock tower. Akmodan II, the mummy, took that vacant slot instead...

Perhaps the most noticeable change, though, is the game's promising start. After you begin your quest in earnest, a humongous background gate forces its way out of the earth and the music shifts to something with more of a hint of religious hymn. It builds and eventually breaks into a glorious and powerful melody, reminding you that even if the Belmonts are not entirely virtuous, their battle against the Mr. Tepes remains righteous.

All goes well for the first stage. You discover that you can now lash your whip in numerous directions, and even allow it to dangle and swing it around in a circle, effectively creating a barrier against smaller foes or destructible projectiles. Hell, your weapon even serves as a rope with which you can swing from floating rings found throughout your travels. Meanwhile, series mainstays like attack upgrades and throwable sub-weapons return, now more easily lobbed by pressing one of the shoulder triggers rather than awkwardly relying on “Up plus the attack button” to execute.

Perhaps the most well-known difference, though, comes in the form of the game's use of Mode 7, making use of apparent background depth in some stages. During one outing, you actually battle in the background of a stage, while another level has you moseying through a tunnel that appears to roll while you advance through it.

The content on offer seems so delightful early on, but all of that peters out when you face the first, underwhelming boss: Rowdain, an ordinary skeleton riding a skeletal horse that yips like a coyote when defeated. He isn't the simplest boss the franchise has to offer, but he's definitely up there, requiring very little thought or engagement besides spamming throwing knives and/or dodging the most rudimentary strikes and shots. Remember this encounter well, because it showcases just how uneven this Konami offering can be. The game hits some epic highs, only to occasionally dump you into a few disappointing lows.

The following few stages sadly continue the game's spree of unremarkable content. Simon plows through a simple river level, only to meet with Medusa at the end. She's thankfully no longer merely a floating head, having been given a full body that unfortunately perishes with little effort. From here, the gauntlet inexplicably continues when it felt like it should have ended, soon ushering you into a dull cave segment.

You battle your way through pretty ordinary Castlevania real estate and crush mostly adequate villains, including a pair of giant snake-like beasts, a massive skull whose name is basically “Licks You Up” spelled backwards, and a weak golem that shrinks as you damage it. By this point, you might grow tired enough of the experience to move on and check out a different title in the same brand. And honestly, that would be your loss...

Super IV dusts itself off in its second half, sending you through a haunted dance hall, where spectral couples waltz toward you while a maddened, off-screen pianist belts out an aggressive BGM. Meanwhile, giant chandeliers rock to and fro in rhythm with the music, threatening to throw you into the dark abysses below them. You soon end up in the chamber of a couple of ghostly dancers who go by the awesome, yet groan-worthy names of Paula Abghoul and Fred Askare. Finally, this game has found its voice!

You venture through a few more creative levels, including a library complete with flying books, a torture chamber guarded by Frankenstein's creation, and a treasure trove that serves as home to a monstrous bat made of coins and gems. The classic clock tower segment shows its ugly, nostalgic face, complete with flying Medusa heads, eventually leading you to the final shebang, where four total boss encounters await you.

It's at this point that the game ends where it all began, bringing everything full circle in a very bold way. While you battle the final boss, the music sparks your memories. Why, it's the epic-sounding cut that you first heard when you started the game! You had no idea when embarking on this voyage that you were actually listening to the final boss theme, and somehow it's a pleasant and fitting surprise to hear it while taking on the main antagonist.

One complaint that older fans, including myself once upon a time, have made against Super IV is that it's “too easy.” I've played enough games in this series to know that their difficulty ratings have differed throughout the decades. Yeah, you have face-breakers like Castlevania III, but you also have pushovers like Harmony of Dissonance. Hell, my favorite installment, Symphony of the Night, isn't by any stretch hard. Granted, it's a tiny bit tricky on your first playthrough, but understanding concepts like grinding and farming deaden any of that game's nightmarish qualities.

Super IV is significantly easier than any of its predecessors, but its simplicity isn't its biggest sin. No, that dishonor goes to its ho-hum first third of the campaign, which seems to do nothing more than show off Konami's early prowess with SNES's hardware. Sure, those stages visually dazzle, but their composition provides nothing new or exciting. It's all the same stuff we've seen in prior Belmont adventures, sans the stiff difficulty rating.

Ultimately, though, Super Castlevania IV remains a mostly worthwhile trip through what was then a new look at Transylvanian gothic platforming. While it features some great and imaginative levels, they unfortunately lie beneath a pile of more tiring moments. I have to commend Konami because jumping from one generation to another back then wasn't easy, and they handled it better than some developers did. They managed to at least give us a decent game with a memorable closing act, and that's really all I ask for.

Community review by JoeTheDestroyer (October 31, 2023) Rumor has it that Joe is not actually a man, but a machine that likes video games, horror movies, and long walks on the beach. His/Its first contribution to HonestGamers was a review of Breath of Fire III.