Game Debate #31: Castlevania

[Reed Rothchild | 9,520]

 

[Gloves | 11,776]

I only played this for the first time last year, but I enjoyed it a lot. Gave it 8/10.

[mbd39 | 2,020]

I love this game. It's so good for a 1987 NES release. 9/10

I can beat it without continuing. I'd like to no death it someday.

 

 

[AstralSoul | 502]

Not my favorite in the series by a long shot but still a great game and a great start to an iconic series. 8/10

[Br81zad | 629]

I want to love it, but I can only like it. lol

I guess I messed up by playing much later series entries before getting around to this one. That said, it's not a bad game by any means, but it just feels so sluggish and stiff to me. Like you're walking through mud the entire time with lead weights around your waist.

[Californication | 1,477]

Great game. The number of remakes it has is telling. What a wonderful early release.

[Webhead123 | 675]

I'm very tempted to give this game a 10 but I have to reel myself in just a touch and recognize that it isn't the friendliest experience for the contemporary gamer. Even so, I think it is an undeniable classic on the NES and one of the best all-around games of its time. It's one of those games that I can (and do) pop in at a moment's notice and just enjoy, whether I just beat the first few stages or get totally sucked in and go for yet another completion.

Subjective Score: 10/10
Objective Score: 8/10
Average Score: 9/10

[elprincipe | 142]

10. One of my favorite games ever. Controls are nearly flawless, with the special weapon usage on stairs being the only real blemish. The game is amazingly fun to pick up and play with a lot of challenge to be had. Level design is excellent and affords some nice secrets and optional risks for rewards. The weapons are varied and you are rewarded for holding onto them and using them by powering them up, although the holy water is overpowered (I tend not to use it for that reason, kills some of the challenge). The graphics are excellent, especially for an NES game of its era. The setting is classic and affords fun enemies to fight. And of course, the sounds and music are just some of the best in any game ever, with no weak tracks and level three being my favorite music of any NES game.

[Andy_Bogomil | 815]

Amazing game. 

[TDIRunner | 2,734]

I hate to say it, but I never really got into the Castlevania series.  We never rented any of them during the NES era, and none of my friends had them either.  I've played many of the games as an adult, but none to completion.  I really enjoyed the games I tried and some day I hope to play through more of them.  I probably haven't played the original enough to give it a proper rating, but I still feel confident enough rating it high.  Symphony of the Night is the only one I've played extensively, but even then, I haven't finished it.  

[Hammerfestus | 3,835]

Fun. The controls are stiff and that’s shitty.  8.

[Splain | 2,566]

24 minutes ago, Hammerfestus said:

Fun. The controls are stiff and that’s shitty.  8.

I audibly laughed at this. Please review every game ever.

[guitarzombie | 924]

8.  I would like to vote but Im not voting for any of the 'next' games because I dont really know and never played them.  I kinda know of Ikaruga.

[Reed Rothchild | 9,520]

47 minutes ago, guitarzombie said:

8.  I would like to vote but Im not voting for any of the 'next' games because I dont really know and never played them.  I kinda know of Ikaruga.

I wait a week and then vote so that I don't sway the selection.  You could do the same.

[Webhead123 | 675]

12 minutes ago, Reed Rothchild said:

I wait a week and then vote so that I don't sway the selection.  You could do the same.

Apparently, I'm the only one traumatized enough by Darkest Dungeon to demand the satisfaction of discussing that beast.

[Dr. Morbis | 2,088]

5 hours ago, elprincipe said:

10. One of my favorite games ever. Controls are nearly flawless, with the special weapon usage on stairs being the only real blemish. The game is amazingly fun to pick up and play with a lot of challenge to be had. Level design is excellent and affords some nice secrets and optional risks for rewards. The weapons are varied and you are rewarded for holding onto them and using them by powering them up, although the holy water is overpowered (I tend not to use it for that reason, kills some of the challenge). The graphics are excellent, especially for an NES game of its era. The setting is classic and affords fun enemies to fight. And of course, the sounds and music are just some of the best in any game ever, with no weak tracks and level three being my favorite music of any NES game.

What he said.  I've owned it since I was a wee lad and loved it from day one.

10/10

[DefaultGen | 5,401]

9, so good for all the reasons. Some of the hottest jams on NES too. It’s so easy to replay games, either entirely or just sections you’re dying on, when the music bops.

[BortLicensePlate | 652]

Love this game. Play it every year for Halloween

[DoctorEncore | 3,691]

6/10. I've played the games dozens of times and it was fine, but I probably never made it past the first or second stage and never felt a desire to. I suspect I would enjoy it if I put some dedicated time into it, but I probably never will, so this is my honest rating as of right now.

[spacepup | 2,404]

 I gave it an 8 - was a bit torn between 8 and 9 to be honest.  I have a few gripes with certain game mechanics, and I love CV3 a bit more, but all in all, I still love Castlevania and it kickstarted a franchise that I love.  It's still a fun game and one that I'd consider classic for the console.  I've always loved the style and universe / ambiance created in the Castlevania games - very cool!

[fcgamer | 4,723]

9/10, had it as a kid and have always loved it.

The only reason this didn't get a 10/10 is because that would be reserved for Castlevania III.

I might have to pop one of these in tonight to play.

[Strange | 1,700]

One of my favorite games on the NES. Iconic. 

[Sumez | 2,947]

Timeless masterpiece.

I've more than once heard people complain about the game being awkward and unfair, with cheap deaths and whatnot. I can only say those people either never really gave it a try, dismissed it based on the primitive graphics, or just expected something entirely different from what it is.

Especially for a 1986 game, it's incredible how well balanced and thoughtfully designed Castlevania 1 is. The controls are spot-on, and outside of a single iffy hitbox on those instakill crushing traps on the second stage, everything in the game is incredibly fair. Medusa heads alone write a book on solid enemy design via their very existance.

I've played every single Castlevania game, most of them many, many times. I love the classics, and I also love the modern metroidvanias. Considering what a long running and consistently great series CV has been, it's really admirable that the first game in the series also still stands as one of the best.

[Sumez | 2,947]

14 hours ago, Californication said:

The number of remakes it has is telling.

You mean the fact that it never "needed" one?  

[JamesRobot | 5,799]

Love og Castlevania.  Great soundtrack and very relplayable.  I gonna stiff it on the 10 and go with a 9 because I just can't seem to beat it.  Time to give it another go.