Thats some crazy box art Holding most likely the title for most ominous of SNES introductions with it's exploding gravestone and rolling fog (which was probably super scary way back when) Super Castlevania IV holds its place as one of the best games which first showed what the SNES could actually do.
It's the usual hey Simon Dracula's risen from the dead again and will probably try to take over the world or something so go kill him for us. This time being the final slaying for Simon in the Castlevania series, Castlevania: Judgement notwithstanding. OK so its typical Castlevania story but then again early Castlevania isn't really known for its story prowess now is it? That really didn't start till Symphony of the Night with its Metroidvania.
Yup you gotta go through all that So you obviously go play as Simon Belmont on his quest to kill Dracula again but this time things are a little bit different. They added what is probably the most revolutionary thing in the entire Castlevania series: the ability to control your movement in the air. Now of course getting hit by an enemy will send you flying backwards unable to move but just the ability to control your movement while airborne made the game so much easier and less frustrating in the long run. And you'll need it because the platforming is still tough with in certain stages making the ground disappear right under you making you constantly go forward no what the cost along with adding in some more tougher jumps that will constantly have you landing on the edge. I guess they finally smartened up once they reached the fourth Amercian installment. Another new feature is Simon being able to whip onto this door knocker things that make him cross pits that would be impossible to jump over. Sadly theres not enough of these opportunitys in the game and they really only shine in the last few stages.
But wait there's more! You can now swing the whip in eight different directions! No longer will you only be able to hit things coming right at you now! And if you attack now oyou can swing your whip around like a silly person dealing minimal damage that's right! Minimal damage! just hold won the attack button to act now! They might as well have included a informercial in the game for all these new features but no they didn't. You can't have Dracula selling the weapons that will destroy him.
Nothing will get past my chain whip wall!
All sort of monsters also stand your way with the usual skeletons, those annoying Medusa heads and the bosses which go from what looks like a jousting skeleton, to Medusa to even this weird flying blue demon. The enemy variety in the game is pretty good for a game on the SNES with even axe throwing armour, evil cats, zombies and even flying bugmen filling out the roster throughout the game. They even make one of your greatest foes in the game a metal disc going across the screen meaning game over if it ever caught up to you. And then there are of course the series mainstays of Death and Dracula but the main thing is every single boss battle is more fun the the final one with Dracula. It truly is one of the faults of the game as since its the first time Castlevania was put onto the console you'd expect something special from the developers but no all those hopes were for nothing.
Yes its that easy to die from boredom during the final boss
I'm just hanging around...I'm sorry for that
But wait there's more! You can now swing the whip in eight different directions! No longer will you only be able to hit things coming right at you now! And if you attack now oyou can swing your whip around like a silly person dealing minimal damage that's right! Minimal damage! just hold won the attack button to act now! They might as well have included a informercial in the game for all these new features but no they didn't. You can't have Dracula selling the weapons that will destroy him.
Nothing will get past my chain whip wall!All sort of monsters also stand your way with the usual skeletons, those annoying Medusa heads and the bosses which go from what looks like a jousting skeleton, to Medusa to even this weird flying blue demon. The enemy variety in the game is pretty good for a game on the SNES with even axe throwing armour, evil cats, zombies and even flying bugmen filling out the roster throughout the game. They even make one of your greatest foes in the game a metal disc going across the screen meaning game over if it ever caught up to you. And then there are of course the series mainstays of Death and Dracula but the main thing is every single boss battle is more fun the the final one with Dracula. It truly is one of the faults of the game as since its the first time Castlevania was put onto the console you'd expect something special from the developers but no all those hopes were for nothing.
Yes its that easy to die from boredom during the final bossThat really is all theres is too it. New gameplay elements with the same old story and gameplay that makes it turn into one of the many classics in the already massive classic library that is the SNES. If you ever do have the opportunity play it do so because Dracula always needs to be put to rest time and time again.
- Ryan P.
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