Castlevania: Dracula X (SNES) review "Castlevania: Dracula X is a game based on a PC Castlevania game that was a complete hit. However instead of bringing a direct port of the game to the Super Nintendo, they remade it drastically. Most say that this was a horrible thing, but I really do not know. I have never experienced the PC game, and Castlevania: Dracula X is a fun experience, and a middle classed game in this great series. It has the same feeling as the past games in the series, as you just move from point A, to point B while ..."

Castlevania: Dracula X is a game based on a PC Castlevania game that was a complete hit. However instead of bringing a direct port of the game to the Super Nintendo, they remade it drastically. Most say that this was a horrible thing, but I really do not know. I have never experienced the PC game, and Castlevania: Dracula X is a fun experience, and a middle classed game in this great series. It has the same feeling as the past games in the series, as you just move from point A, to point B while attacking various candles with your whip. I mean, it isn't anything inspirational or great, but it is a Castlevania game at heart, and in my mind that is what is important.

STORY (4/5): One of the stronger stories in the Castlevania series until Symphony of the Night came around. The story is that you are Richter Belmont (how I love that lastname) and you are out searching for your girl Maria and a nurse who have been kidnapped by Dracula and his followers. You must save them and defeat Dracula to get the most perfect ending, but you can always forget them too. The different endings is a nice little thing for Dracula X, but in truth, I don't feel right not freeing the people, because you are a Belmont and ending Dracula's claim is important, but so is being a savior.

GRAPHICS (12/15): This game looks very good. While not overly as flashy as Super Castlevania IV the graphics fit the game very nicely. They really fit the Castlevania series very well, and look very similiar to Dracula's Curse. That is really the only problem is they do look fairly similiar to that off the later Nintendo Castlevanias, but really that is not that bad of a thing. They are still superior to many Super Nintendo games, and I do not like when you really over do the graphics, because Castlevania is supposed to be dark and gloomy, and Dracula X still posseses that feel.

SOUND (7/10): The gloomy music of Castlevania. It is nearly always the same thing, something that plays softly in the background as your whip rings out against the current enemy. This has not changed in this game, and it sounds as good as always. A beautiful ringing of the whip once again appears in the sound department, along with the typical burning of the holy fire, or the swish of an axe/boomerang shooting through the air. Definitely the greatest sound effects of all.

GAMEPLAY (44/55): First of all this is a Castlevania games, and it is definitely true to the series. The whip returns to the old way in which you can only whip forward, they way it should've been. You have the subweapons like the Axe, Holy Water, Cross and Dagger to attack your enemies, but unlike past Castlevania games, if you pick up a subweapon you don't want you can go back and switch back to the old one. Very handy addition that will remain in the Castlevania series for awhile. This means you can stick with those subweapon you love must to try and break through the castle.

Now to the jumping, long weakness in the Castlevania series. You can actually somewhat control your jump in this Castlevania game, although it isn't as responsive as you like, it is still a big improvement. Now the most rediculous addition, yet actually useful thing. The backwards jump. If you doubleclick the jump button quickly, you do a backwards flop. That is a good maneuver to avoid enemy attacks and scale climbs quickly. One problem is Richters speed though. He moves much slower than past Castlevania games, and this is annoying when trying to avoid enemies.

The game itself is typical point A to point B movement, as you work your way through the castle. At times you will climb stairs, and try to scale up Dracula's castle, in which you will jump many gaps, and if you miss you lose a life. There are many enemies to hinder your travels, but most of which can be disposed of by your whip. This is how a Castlevania game typically works, so if you have played through one (of the earlier ones) it should feel second nature to you.

REPLAYABILITY (8/10): There are different routes through this Castlevania game. You can go the simple way through without getting the key and saving your two captives, or you can go out of the way to save them. A few different levels occur depending on which of these routes you take and a better ending. This is a larger variety then past Castlevania games, where there are multiple routes, and this will lead to you playing through mroe then once. There are different endings to earn also, and you will try and grasp that best ending.

DIFFICULTY (3/5): Castlevania is just a little over the top in difficulty as far as a series goes, and it really just has tough enemies which are very frequent. You will not be able to just cruise through this game, but that is truly the tradition that Konami tries to keep within this series. You will have to be even quicker with your fingers in this one, if you want to even have a chance to survive, and to conquer another Castlevania game.

OVERALL (78/100): Castlevania: Dracula X is definitely not without weakness. There are many things that could be improved upon, to make this game much better. However there is alot of good in this game, and it is truly an enjoyable experience all around. I love the Castlevania series, and this is an enjoyable game of the series and deserving of it's namesake. It is a Rare find also, so if you get your hands on it hold on tight for one hell of a joy ride.

Community review by ratking (December 12, 2002) A bio for this contributor is currently unavailable, but check back soon to see if that changes. If you are the author of this review, you can update your bio from the Settings page.