Super Castlevania IV retrospective: Simon's big adventure | Super NES Works

Last week we looked at the original Castlevania for NES; now here is its Super NES remake. Sort of. Super Castlevania IV is kind of like a remix of Castlevania 1 and 3 (which does add up to IV!), but it makes some pretty big changes to the core mechanics of controlling Simon Belmont. On the other hand, it carries over a lot of elements from the NES, too. It's an odd duck in the Castlevania series that doesn't always work but has so much loving detail invested into it that it holds up regardless of its flaws.

[@xenofett7008]

This was my favorite Castlevania game. It wasn't too difficult, yet not too easy either. It was loaded with atmosphere. It also came along during a tumultuous time in my life and cheered me up.

[@trippyskullz6669]

I never liked it as much as everyone else. But i definitely appreciate it and am glad it exists.

[@thegreatape884]

It is too easy.

[@joeyjo-joshabadu9636]

​@@thegreatape884try the second quest

[@bsmith6646]

Probably my favourite SNES game. Just so many good memories. That soundtrack. Oh goodness. The forest, the Dungeon, the 4th level, the library. Stunning. Great memories

[@cmedtheuniverseofcmed8775]

I admit this game was one of my favorites for the SNES. I loved the soundtrack and mechanics that it had. I wished that the future installments of Castlevania kept the whip mechanics like this one had but instead they went back to the traditional one. It would have been interesting if they made a Castlevania III remake on the SNES with the mechanics and construction that this game had. It really would have been the Super Mario All-Stars of its day.

[@thomasffrench3639]

Although I would like to see an expansion on this game, I’m ultimately happy with the direction that the series took as it would lead to some of my favorite games of all time. And I’m not really that big on Super Castlevania IV either. I just prefer the classic style with fixed jumps and straight whipping

[@Kylora2112]

Considering this was basically a launch title for the SNES, Super Castlevania IV set the bar INCREDIBLY high for the console.

[@error4159]

I remember putting the cart in my SNES that was hooked up to my hand me down 20" RCA tv and Sanyo stereo and being completely blown away. The jump from 8 bit to 16 bit graphics was truly amazing and the audio was undescribably good. This was favorite Castlevania until Bloodlines and later Symphony and Rando.

[@timf7413]

Personally, I've always rather liked the altered gameplay mechanics of this game. The increase in whip control really opened up a lot of fun possibilities IMHO. (though in fairness, perhaps it's largely that I appreciate the fact that the game is considerable easier than its predecessors.)

[@robertwrase6026]

I get that people complain that the sub weapons are kind of inferior to just whipping. But I recently played 4 and found myself using the sub weapons a lot. Especially for bosses. Even the dagger, I used entirely for the first boss. The throwing cross completely wrecks the Medusa boss. In first Castlevania, I would spam holy water for bosses and that was my only shot at hearing that game. Castlevania 4 made me feel like I was Simon Belmont and not exploring some cheap stun lock weapon.

[@claw333]

I hate to admit this as a 32 year old man but I got this game when it was released and it used to give me nightmares lol

[@swankidelic]

Jeremy: “oh man, the soundtrack. Let’s talk about the soundtrack.” Jeremy: *does not talk and lets soundtrack play*

[@xenofett7008]

I enjoyed the soundtrack to this game so much I bought the official score on CD from Japan.👍

[@eddsnake]

Xenofett Me too 👌

[@TyCollage]

Soundtrack spoke for *itself!!*

[@full_proof]

To this day, the moment Simon Belmont's Theme starts playing during the end phase of the final battle with Dracula, I get goosebumps. The song starts with this very ominous, haunting intro that builds up into this upbeat, triumphant number. It just fits the final battle so well (and the starting stage). It queues up the theme right when Dracula is (essentially) losing the battle and he gets desperate, and in a way the game is like "Now's your chance! Strike! Kick this guy's ass!" Few moments in gaming top that for me.

[@Scott89878]

For me, final bosses with a music change part way through always makes the best fights. Seiken Densetsu 3 did this well too, playing a very hopeless theme for the first part of the fight and then a more hopeful theme for the second part.

[@SNARC15]

It might be the simplest battle as Dracula only had one life bar, but it still much be my favorite end boss in any CV game just because of the amazing atmosphere, and that unbelievable soundtrack!

[@jc.1191]

That and when the gate comes up on the first level. Master level design from the team.

[@NinjaKurosai]

While maybe not the *best* Castlevania, definitely my favorite Castlevania.

[@unoclayGaming]

Personally, i think this might be the best castlevania in some ways, and i've played most of them. But to each their own. Just so many good entries in the series, its good to have room for debate.

[@drunkenbuttons606]

Still my favorite Castlevania game of all time.

[@theEJRD]

I wish they use this engine to remake Simon's Quest. 2 note: 1- Best music on the SNES. 2- Konami-face. LOL

[@dariusq8894]

TRIVIA MOMENT: The development staff of Super Castlevania IV would eventually leave Konami to form their own development studio Treasure, which became a legend of it's own in the 16-bit era.

[@SuperSecretAgentNein]

DariusQ I had NO IDEA that this was the Treasure folks!

[@jokerzwild00]

I didn't know this either. I honestly had some doubt it was true (cause people seem to like inventing fun facts that aren't entirely factual) so I looked it up. Turns out you are correct! Masato Maegawa and associates also worked on Simpsons Arcade, Contra III and Axelay. I'm surprised that they aren't credited in any way with Hard Corps, that game screams Treasure. All I can find is speculation that they may have been involved in some capacity. Sucks they haven't made an original title since 2014 and are for all intents and purposes not in the business anymore. The world needs more Treasure, even if they don't know it.

[@skykid]

I would say their greatest legacy are their shmups, such as Radiant Silvergun, Silpheed, and Ikaruga

[@nate567987]

uh no only one member Mitsuru Yaida the player programmer would join treasure

[@nate567987]

@@jokerzwild00 Masato Maegawa worked on none of those him self

[@ChaossX77]

By far my favorite Castlevania game.

[@arkanjoteixeira]

I never thought SCIV was cheesy It was the first CV that I actually took seriously tbh. The atmosphere and music are extremely well done, almost palpable.

[@dumpnchase]

My favorite Castlevania. None better for me.

[@derek-64]

exactly how i feel. and this is my favorite game of all-time as well. =)

[@mresturk9336]

15:23 "You can't help but be glad the series went back to an old fashion approach for a while" I could not disagree more. All the shortcomings he pointed out could have been improved on in followup games. Rondo of Blood and Bloodlines are great games in their own right but they aren't superior (or inferior) to Castlevania 4: just different. Konami really should have built on the Castlevania 4 formula for the SNES sequel rather than the weird, pseudo port of Rondo of Blood they gave us.

[@derek-64]

@Rob S for me with Super Castlevania IV it's the whole package(aside from the slowdown). graphics, music, sound effects, the stages, controls, atmosphere, etc etc. and i've beaten this game countless times as well. i can even tell you how to kill medusa in less than 10 seconds. have extended chain whip, cross with triple shot, wait until about a second before she appears, then crouch and start throwing crosses, and whip like a madman. do it right and she's dead before you know it. there's been times where i killed her in 5 seconds because i got it down. and yes, i would've liked to have seen more games in this style following it, but we probably wouldn't have the games we have now. still, i would like to see castlevania go back to this or perhaps a mixture of 4 and say 3. the whole metroidvania thing is cool and all but i prefer the classics, and Super Castlevania IV is hands down my favorite. it never gets old.

[@IncessantWake]

Same. It quite literally is a masterpiece gameplay wise, artistically and musically.

[@JebberGamingJaws]

Me too, can never get enough!

[@kormakurgararsson4571]

Your Castlevania videos and podcasts are always a highlight, Jeremy. This is no exception.

[@fahriakalin5936]

if you buy the Super Castlevania 4 soundtrack the second disk is both of the Castlevania Adventure soundtracks for Gameboy. A great bonus to an already fantastic score.

[@Ian-ky5hf]

I love Super Castlevania IV.

[@migueldias8546]

I might not agree on everything with you (but I do on most of what you said) but I am VERY pleased that somebody who actually played the game is talking about it. I can tell by your argument "the game is too easy". Honestly, I am not sure it's a bad thing. The game is not easy at first, it becomes easy once you play it a couple of time. There is always a way to pass a difficult part. There is always a position or a simple technique to beat any boss. You just have to find it. Great job and good luck!

[@Magnus1718]

Let's talk about the SOUNDTRACK!!! Amazing. My top 3 soundtracks on the SNES 1. Super Castlevania IV 2. FF3/6 F. F-Zero

[@PianoBlack62]

It may not be the best, but super castlevania 4 is my overall favourite. And belmonts revenge is 2nd on my list.

[@Belmont6830]

Trust me: Super Castlevania 4 is the best of the best. And yes, Belmont's Revenge is a masterpiece.

[@duffman18]

@@Belmont6830 nah, Bloodlines is better. Super castlevania 4 is the most slow and sluggish castlevania game. And making the whip go in all directions removes what makes a castlevania game a castlevania game. It'd be like making a mega man game where he can shoot in all directions, it just feels different and removes that tactical element that the other non metroidvania castlevanias had

[@Belmont6830]

@@duffman18 Super Castlevania 4 has far better controls than Castlevania Bloodlines. And that is more than enough for me to prefer Super Castlevania 4. Also, I LOVE the fact you can whip in all directions. Don't get me wrong, Bloodlines is fantastic! I plan to play it again one of these days.

[@duffman18]

@@Belmont6830 nah Bloodlines has far better controls than Super Castlevania IV for me. It's just so slow and sluggish. The way the controls and level design is, it forces you to be stopping a lot, as well as the slow movement making the whole thing seem underwater somewhat. And then you get bits like you have to hang onto a thing with your whip and wait 30 seconds for the level to rotate. Waiting challenges are always boring. It's like Marble Zone in Sonic 1, these easy to pass challenges where you just stop and do nothing for 30 seconds. Or the bit where the level is moving and you have to wait and wait and then go into the little gaps to avoid getting crushed, and then wait and wait again. Bloodlines has none of that and feels so fluid and speedy. It is a subjective thing of course. But I just can't get addicted to super castlevania 4 like I can all the other castlevanias. What I end up doing a lot is use an emulator to play it and assign Fast Forward to the R2 button to skip all the waiting bits in SC4. And sometimes play the game at 1.5x speed to get it feeling more like bloodlines and the NES games I just sometimes feel like a lot of super castlevania 4 is flashy gimmicks. It's got all rotating mode 7 stuff everywhere and stuff like that. Although the graphics are very muddy and brown and the character sprite for belmont looks really ugly to me. It looks like Missingno. They tried to make it look "realistic" I guess but I don't think I can think of many castlevania games that look worse than it. All these criticisms are in a way nitpicking, because I do actually still like it a fair bit. It's not a terrible game, but it's only pretty good. I don't think it's a classic. It's better than most snes games but I wouldn't put it in a top 10

[@mjorge0alves]

Not sure what you're talking about. I play it only on hard mode, and I barely stop walking or jumping forward in almost every section. Just learn to use the subweapons, they're there for a reason. Rondo is way more sluggish than both games, and it's still better than Bloodlines, even if it's too easy due to item crash becoming a get-out-of-jail free card in the rare situations one gets surrounded.

[@Belmont6830]

Super Castlevania 4 is my favorite game ever. I Love it. Never again will a game grant me such emotions. 💖

[@kabutops87]

My favorite Castlevania followed by Rondo, and Belmont's Revenge. its an absolute masterpiece of a game,i dont care what anyone else says.

[@kdave9754]

Belmont's Revenge is terribly under rated.

[@kabutops87]

@@kdave9754 I always thought the same. In my opinion its the most underrated Castlevania game.

[@duffman18]

I do like Super Castlevania IV but I much prefer Bloodlines. Play them one after the other, and Bloodlines is just so much faster. SC4 seems sluggish. And maybe this is weird but I actually dislike whipping in all directions. Whipping just straight in front is vital to making it feel like a Castlevania game, for me. It is what makes the castlevania games so tactical. And why it's so fun once you've learned the optimal route and tactics for every level and can just storm through the games. SC4's whip as well just feels really flimsy to me. Like that satisfying strong whipping of the other games isn't there. Bloodlines is my favourite castlevania I've played. Though I've finally got Rondo of Blood working on an emulator so I'm playing that finally. It's definitely not sluggish. I'm enjoying it so far. I don't like metroidvanias generally but I'm gonna play symphony of the night after this, seeing as it's the sequel.

[@noside.foxhound]

Despite of all the ups and downs, I really really enjoyed the game when it came out, I still play it to this day.

[@Knightfall8]

tbh I like Simon's size in this. I dislike modern metroidvania's where your character tends to take up only 1% of the screen lol

[@franco7363]

My fav game of all time. Right here.

[@TotalHenshin]

At this point, I feel Jeremy should simply do this type of in-depth look at all the Castlevanias, just to compare. I would especially like to see a critical analysis of Bloodlines, because for me, that game felt like more of the 16-bit record scratch than SCIV did. For the record, all his comments about this game are spot on.

[@JeremyParish]

IT IS POSSIBLE that I might have registered the domain castlevania-works.com...

[@KujiGhost]

A long time favourite of mine. Just (re-)completed it this weekend for possibly the 100th time.

[@riddleiddle]

Same, I've must have played through this once a week for the last year (got it last Halloween). The pacing is so perfect and the control so fluid it is incredibly easy to pick up and play.

[@MissFuzzbottom]

I haven't seen a review this critical of Super Castlevania IV since Egoraptor's "Sequelitis". It's kinda refreshing.

[@EmilXOM]

Keepin it real, man

[@TheRealJPhillips]

Greatest 16bit game of all time!!! My favorite.

[@KGRAMR]

Here's how I see SCIV today: SCIV is a more slow and methodical game compared to Bloodlines, which is more faster-paced and active, whereas Rondo of Blood is in between SCIV and Bloodlines. I don't know where I would put X68000 Akumajou Dracula but I if asked me, it would be behind Rondo of Blood. I still love SCIV to this day and it remains one of my favorite titles on the SNES, in addition of being one of the few games I can finish on one sitting.

[@jenovalife1]

Nice Eva at the end there Jeremy :D

[@brianmccloskey1319]

That was my older brother game back in the day's

[@pisscookiex1060]

One of the greatest games ever. The soundtrack will live on forever in video game lore.

[@Barkial34]

Amen

[@brewt1mer]

the best in the series for me..and that soundtrack is an all time great...

[@otakubullfrog1665]

Younger me didn't actually mind the easier difficulty (especially as I had found the first and third NES games too hard) and everything about this early Super NES title just seemed, well, super. I find that newer console generations don't really give me that feeling of being blown away by how much more the tech can do anymore like the transition from 8-bit to 16-bit did.

[@rupertcornelius]

simon's quest kicks ass bro

[@Anthony-ku2bb]

My favorite part of this Castlevania game is being able to use the whip in multiple directions. It's a lot of fun to use the whip to block attacks or attack in a different direction besides straight. I don't understand why the other 2D Castlevania games never included that with the whip attacks. Super Castlevania IV is the most enjoyable Castlevania game out of all of them.

[@2yoyoyo1Unplugged]

7:22 VAMPIRE KILLER!!!

[@fbeuks]

Terrific bit of trolling on the preview at the end, there.

[@countvanbruno182]

The 8 directional whip was amazing. This is classic Castlevania at its best.

[@LordChozo]

Last year, courtesy of both the Castlevania Anniversary Collection and the "Castlevania Requiem" double-pack containing both Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night, I either played or replayed all the Castlevania games from NES to that PS1 masterpiece, in chronological order. And I've gotta say, Super Castlevania IV was the first one that I actually unequivocally enjoyed playing. I agreed with nearly every point you made in the Castlevania 1 NES Works video, especially in relation to the historical importance of the game, but it's just...not at all fun to play for me. It's just a giant exercise in frustration. Simon's Quest was a little better overall in that some of its bold new ideas actually worked (though others decidedly did not), but that game was also mostly an unenjoyable slog of annoyance. Dracula's Curse was the first I'd label even "decent" from an entertainment value proposition. Adventure on GB was mediocre at best, and Belmont's Revenge was surprisingly better than everything else 8-bit before it, but Super IV is where I could finally say, "Ah, THAT'S why people love this series!" So many of the things you criticize here, from the 8-way whipping, to the technical gimmicks, to the difficulty curve that doesn't use "let's make the player hate life" as a baseline were things that came to me as a major breath of fresh air. In fact, some of the bits you call out positively as relics of a more challenging era (instant kill traps, for instance) remain some of my biggest beef of the game, like they couldn't quiiiite let go of the oppressive nature of the franchise to date. As you said, with the challenge being scaled back to a level one might describe as "actually fair and reasonable," you're more free to actually revel in the atmosphere, the ambiance, and yes: the soundtrack. I can respect the heck out of the NES Castlevania titles for what they brought to the system and to gaming in general, but Super Castlevania IV is, to me, when the series finally started to become a fine way to spend an evening.

[@thomasffrench3639]

Except Super Castlevania is not why I love the series. I find it less fair than the original game, and a lot less fun than Dracula’s Curse. It feels more like a generic SNES action platform game with cheap one hit spikes. Sure it’s a good game, but isn’t why Castlevania is appealing. Also the games you like in the series seem to be more platformer based so maybe you just prefer platformers.

[@leifmorgensen526]

"Bloody Tears"...

[@robertlauncher]

I don’t really agree that there’s that much of a difference between instant death spikes and enemies that’ll knock you into bottomless pits without warning your first time playing, the latter a common occurrence in the NES days. I’m not saying Super Castlevania is just like those games overall, but that comparison seems a bit off to me

[@frankieh]

The flailing ultra long range whip in Super Castlevania 4 kind of reminds me of the charging megabuster in Mega Man. It really made the sub weapons feel obsolete and unnecessary.

[@sanjurosama]

It really depends on the situation. Mega Man 5 for instance has some parts, where enemies block the ladders, so you have to use some other weapons, since you can't shoot up or down.

[@frankieh]

@@sanjurosama Sure, just like in Castlevania 4, there are a few places where sub-weapons are good. Largely though, whip and buster are your best option.

[@DanielSong39]

Fantastic game.

[@thrillhouse_vanhouten]

Brilliant summary video as always. I could listen to Jeremy talk for hours.

[@johnsimon8457]

IIRC there’s a skeleton with a sword sitting in the corner of the rotating spike lined tower. Sorry, buddy. ☺️ I’m seriously going to have to just sit down with CV 1 and 3 and keep my hands off the save state buttons

[@mid-jump_attack]

the SNES could sure play the organ.

[@jonesmalaco]

To be honest, I'll never understand some of the backlash this game gets. At the time of release, for obvious reasons, it was the best Castlevania game ever. To me, it's still the best in the series (along with Bloodlines). I won't take into account any modern Castlevania games (the ones that borrow from the PS2 God of War series games), as I never played them. What I believe it stands out with this particular SNES release is that everything Konami approached as brand new (mentioned by Jeremy: 8-direction whip swing, shield-whip, whip-swing) were done correctly. As opposed (just an example), everything new that Konami tried with Castlevania 2 Simon's Quest flops big: day-night cycles, non-linear stages (not to mention the whole Japanese-English translation catastrophe).

[@TheCompletionist]

I can actually appreciate the amount of detail that went into this review especially with giving super castlevania IV its fair share of criticism because the game in itself comes across as universally loved and people are almost afraid to criticize it. I have personally completed this game to 100% and it is retired permanently but I personally got my enjoyment out of this game, but its definitely not within my top 5 castlevania games of all time. I think one of the things I took out of this game, is I found that it had an excellent sense of transitional difficulty even though there are more difficult castlevania games out there but it gave me this addictive feeling that when I came across a frustrating part of the game, I was getting through certain areas just a little more with each playthrough. The fact the game had unlimited continues was also a plus. I'm glad that you did bring up some of the games inherent flaws because no game is universally perfect and its nice for you to bring up the apparent flaws that this game had which never really get discussed.

[@willmistretta]

I don't always agree with J.P., but I also can't recall another game review I thought was more on the nose. Great atmosphere, but I often find myself wishing I had a reason to care what sub-weapon (and multiplier) I'm holding and how many hearts I have left. It's never really a concern and that's a bummer. It's always great to see another series superfan willing to approach a revered entry like this in a level-headed way.

[@MosoKaiser]

9:24 Simon's flatulation skills? (yeah, I know it's flagellation)

[@Coolman13355]

I thought it but wasn't going to say it.

[@TyCollage]

Jeremy: * criticizes super Castlevania * Me: Hey, hey HEY!! Stop it! Now you stop it right now!! 😅😅 I get where he's coming from but man I have a soft spot for this one I swear. Those brutally honest observations hit hard!!

[@joshuacampbell289]

My top 5 snes games: Street Fighter 2 turbo, Gradius 3, Mario Kart, Castlevania 4, and Mario World

[@luisguillermojg]

Nice finish.

[@ajax700]

Thank you for beign honest and critic about the poor mechanics of this game. Excellent analisys.

[@ajax700]

It's a very entertaining game nonetheless. Excellent soundtrack, specially for an early released game.

[@paine7992]

4:30 it's....just the best. End of Story^^

[@RetroCabeza]

Man, I can't wait to get my Flip Grip! :)

[@brandonmanuel2842]

I loved Super Castlevania 4. I would play it at my godmother's house. I could not get past stage 4 with the rock monster boss.

[@nightowl8363]

This and the original are my favorite in the entire series. 3rs would be Aria/Dawn of Sorrow

[@SeekerLancer]

Castlevania IV has it's moments but it's never been one of my favorites. Capcom made the same mistake with sprite size in Mega Man 7.

[@kingzlo]

Funny intro quote.

[@chanceaaronblack2792]

Awesome vid happy Halloween! Castlevania & J. Parish rrrocks!!!

[@JONNYSORENSEN_AU]

If you want to be a masochist and play the entire game with no whip upgrade or sub weapon be my guest. Id rather have the upgrade option. Thanks for another high quality video.

[@DIProgan]

Easily the best Castlevania game.

[@hemangchauhan2864]

Except for the soundtrack, I'm not too big on Super Castlevania 4, Rondo and Bloodlines are more "fun" for me. But I can't deny that the funky whip in that is a satisfying weapon.

[@seventhevii3188]

2:24 is there a bathroom in this castle? Shoulda never eaten that half cooked meat!

[@jackreed36]

Nice retrospective. It did come off as a bit negative, but to each their own. Super Castlevania IV is my favorite Castlevania game. The atmosphere, soundtrack, and play control are just amazing to me. If I die in the game it doesn't feel as cheap or because of stiff controls as in 1 or 3. I can play it anytime and have a lot of fun. I love the Castlevania series as a whole and enjoy a lot of the more difficult games, but Super Castlevania IV is still my favorite.

[@seventhevii3188]

I want to see a Metroidvania remake of Castlevania 3

[@JeremyParish]

You mean Rondo of Blood?

[@seventhevii3188]

@@JeremyParish Thanks. I never owned any of the systems it was on. I will check it out. Gotta have Sypha, Grant, and Alucard though. Love what you do by the way.

[@dbpooper7512]

IV might feel like a "dumbing down" of the series, but it's held up well simply by merit of being more forgiving. It was designed to be beaten by a majority of gamers, whereas previous games only offered that reward to the skilled (or persistent). Certainly, we know which philosophy won out.

[@barny15]

Normally I find your criticisms of a games' flaws refreshing and honest... but you miss the mark a bit here.

[@StiffAftermath]

Too bad no one talks about castlevania rebirth :(

[@weinerblut6869]

Talk about overly critical.

[@Bt3615]

While Rondo and Bloodlines were two masterpies they should have planned another SNES game with the same control scheme expanding the formula making the game more difficult. People longed for this kind of approach and i still want something like that. In fact the control scheme is so good that a modern gamer can pick up and play it without the feel that's something designed almost 30 years ago, something that even Rondo suffers from. Fun fact: at the time the main flaw pointed out by a lot of magazines was that Simon sprite was too small compared to Genesis/MD platformers.

[@nathandaniels4823]

As a responsible father, I’ve made it my job to share my childhood with my kids. This means they’ve come to appreciate G1 Transformers, Gummi Bears, The Mysterious Cities of Gold, and the music of Super Castlevania IV. How’s that working, you ask? Well, my youngest boy was having a bad day a few weeks back. My wife asked him what she could do to make him feel better. He responded, “I’d like to listen to Simon’s theme”. And not the Bloodlines version, or the X68000 or even Savaged Regime’s excellent YM2612 cover........he wanted the SNES version.

[@Mr.madmight266]

I honestly don't like this game that much. While the music it's fiiting for the atmosphere, to me it doesn't sound catchy. I also find the game to be a little too long.

[@mymangodfrey]

While Symphony of the Night is my favorite Castlevania, IV is my favorite of the linear games. I agree with the other commenters who called Bloodlines and Rondo/X a confusing step back. The graphical style and playstyle of IV could have been the foundation of a truly amazing second Castlevania Trilogy. Although Kid Icarus was more innovative, Castlevania IV is in the Kid Icarus category of masterpiece games - games that could not really have been improved - that few critics seem to love.

[@jaynw2398]

I was kind of disappointed in this game playing nes and GameBoy and then playing super Nintendo there was no upgrades

[@j0nnyism]

Don’t get me wrong it’s a good game but nowhere near as good as the original and rondo of blood

[@gfdggdfgdgf]

Generally I agree with your reviews but this one.... Seems to be extremely negative.

[@derek-64]

Super Castlevania IV by no means is a perfect game. sure it has flaws such as the snes slowdown for example, but that's ok. to me this is what castlevania should be. i'm a HUGE castlevania fan and this by FAR is my favorite, not to mention it's also my all-time favorite, number one, hands hands down, can't beat it, can't top it, absolute, best game ever, PERIOD. i fucking LOVE this game! Super Castlevania IV FOREVER!!!

[@zsciaeount]

Wow. Sacrilege!!

[@masterrserch3971]

I can’t believe how much negative U pointed out in this game. I think it’s arguably the best game on on the SNES. And Yes, I think it’s far superior than any of the 3 games on the NES

[@masterrserch3971]

@Tom Ffrench grew up with Commodore 64 and Atari... then NES, SNES and Genesis, and Sega CD! Worked at the deli up the block from me since I was 14, bought most of that myself and traded in shit at FUNCOLAND to upgrade lol!!! It was summer after senior year of high school but before college when PS1 came out... Born in 78--- perfect time frame; old enough to know how shit was before internet and cell phones and cable, DVR, GPS, but young enough to not let computers, the internet, and next gen gaming pass me by...

[@masterrserch3971]

@Tom Ffrench castlevania is also very good. I actually LOVED Simon's Quest, and the diff characters in 3... Super CV 4 is also one of my favorites

[@TheyCallMeBruce13]

These are some nuclear hot takes

[@JeremyParish]

Not in the least. Super Castlevania IV is pretty love-it or leave-it.

[@jasongarrett768]

Eh, speaking as someone who absolutely adores this game, criticisms like the redundancy and disincentivization of subweapons are commonly accepted in my experience.

[@joed5150]

@@JeremyParish Hahahaha no it's not. The overwhelming number of fans consider this one of the best if not the best in the entire series.

[@JeremyParish]

@@joed5150 [citation needed]

[@BladedEdge]

Did we play different games or something? Castlevania IV was overly long, full of baffling and frustrating level design decisions and poorly-designed bosses. The levels felt like SNES tech demos for the most part, effects thrown in one after another with no coherence. The whip swing physics were unintuitive and frustrating. The music is flat, muted smooth jazz with only "theme of simon" positively memorable - the caverns music was certainly negatively memorable. My strongest memory of the second half of thr game is the absolutely cheap enemy placement in the library stage. Subweapons are mostly pointless and feel vestigial, the 360 degreewhip obsoleted all of them. Basically this game was a practice run for Rondo and Bloodlines, at best.

[@RICHUNCLEPENNYBAGS77]

I wouldn't be so negative... to me this is one of the top Castlevania titles. Also, maybe I"m just bad but I do not find this game easy at all.

[@FranzFerdinand76]

You point to this game's lack of difficulty in relation to its predecessors as a downside, and dwell on that a little too much here. Difficulty does not equal fun nor does it equate to good game design. I would rather play this game than any of the nes games.

[@mjorge0alves]

1) The whip is not too strong, I don't know why they keep repeating that. The one best weapon is the cross, and it's not even close. 2) The vast majority of people does not think the game is too easy. Many young players couldn't get past the water stage. 3) The game does have a hard mode, just like the CV1 and 3 (never played 2, too grindy). It populates most sections which are purely platforming on normal difficulty, so dying due to taking too much damage is quite real, even if the game is generous with the hidden roast beefs. 4) Games were not meant to be played only once, by then. It was assumed players would buy or rent the games so as to play them multiple times over. As one acquires more skill, using subweapons becomes second nature. 5) Rondo is an order of magnitude easier than CV4, and I rarely see people complaining about it. Experienced players finish that game with 18 or more lives, due to perfecting almost every stage and boss. 6) The game was never meant to be a true sequel to CV3. Its real name is "Dracula's Demon Castle", nothing else, just like the first one: it's not the developers' fault that Nintendo of America or whatever decided to censor the shit out of the game and change its name.

[@blackcheesyghoul]

What flaws? This game is fucking perfect. SC4 is the best Castlevania and NO I'm not glad they went back to the original formula. I just wasted 17 min.

[@skippermatt7939]

If Castlevania 1 was a Universal Monster movie, Super Castlevania IV is a Hammer Horror film.

[@JeremyParish]

I dig it.

[@NinjaKurosai]

Oooooo I like!

[@derek-64]

it would make an excellent movie if it were done right. i don't wanna see the rock as simon belmont and other stupid hollywood bullshit, make. it. right.and yes it does need to have lots of horror elements but done in the right way so it feels like castlevania.

[@Clay3613]

@@derek-64 Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

[@2yoyoyo1Unplugged]

derek221122 there’s already a kickass animated series for it.

[@haydens.2755]

I adore this game so goddamn much. The first game is a close second for my top favorite, but I think I think I gotta give it to Super Castlevania 4. Sure, it's got some problems in it's level design and yes, it's not as difficult as the previous game, but I don't think that matters. This is a different kind of Castlevania experience, one that focuses more on the reflexes of the player and the atmosphere of the world rather than slowing down and strategically approaching danger; this is vampire killing Castlevania wish fulfilment. The music is gorgeous, the graphics (although causing some minor slowdown issues) are fantastic, the control is fluent and satisfying, and the game prioritizes FUN and making memories above anything else. I can respect your opinion for sure, but nothing is gonna beat this one for me.

[@Horrorfreak106]

I truly adore Akumajou Dracula X68000. It's a true remake of an NES classic done very tastefully. But what I truly love about SCVIV is the scope of the game. You're going on a HUGE journey and that's something that I truly admire. I just wish that at some point someone will make the best of both worlds: The style and gameplay of X68000 and the scope of IV.

[@jasongarrett768]

I don't know if I heard a touch more enthusiasm than usual while you're discussing the soundtrack(what with watching on a different sound system than usual), but if so, wholeheartedly seconded. There are parts that are genuinely haunting. The two tracks used in the final battle also being revisits of themes from the beginning of the game still gets to me. Castlevania never really had a soundtrack quite like this one, with Symphony of the Night possibly coming closest, and that one honestly sounds distinct even from her later Castlevania soundtracks. I agree with the gameplay criticisms from top to bottom, but in my heart of hearts, this is still my favorite of the Classicvanias. Also, Castlevania X68000 is absolutely as hard as suggested here. I'd honestly say its the hardest of all the Classicvanias. But unlike Haunted Castle, it's *fair*. Those looking for it in physical form would probably be best served looking for the Playstation remaster and rerelease: Castlevania Chronicles. It's a solid package which arguably shows more effort and love than the recent Castlevania Requiem repackage. All in all this was a pretty good day to have a curse.

[@jamergamer0076]

I remember when my older brother got this game in 92 when I was around 10. That opening sequence used to scare me soooo much. He would come home after his after school job around 11pm, turn this on and scary music and scenery would haunt me. Good times.

[@nickmalcom6360]

"he can even moonwalk!"-james rolf

[@MikeChimeri]

The jazz elements remind me of Chick Corea.

[@harrylane4]

rip

[@texturem0nkey]

Wow, turns out SCIV is a fairly divisive game, who knew. I was fairly eager for it back in the day, but even but the screenshots previewed in the magazines I could tell that something was amiss with the game. The final product turned out at times both beautiful and mismatched/ugly, something which was not unfamiliar with the NES prequels although they managed to keep things at least consistent if cluttery. I can't say more than what has already been said about the excellent soundtrack, but I can harp on the gameplay a little, and I'll agree with what was hinted at in this review, it felt simply rushed. That is to say - the gameplay was solid, the levels well layed-out and all, but the pace was kind of a slog and the basic mechanics never felt like they had been put through their proper paces before building an entire game around them. Not the most heinous of crimes, but now all this time later I can so easily go back to a game like the original 1st and 3rd CV games and feel that things are polished and still exceptionally fun to play, whereas this one is best left as a memory.