4.5/5 ★ – MegaBlastoise's review of Super Castlevania IV.

Platform Played: SNES Date Reviewed: Jun. 11, 2023 Rating: 9/10 The year is 1991. The Super Nintendo had just launched and people around the world are being wowed by the 16 bit graphics and a new sound chip that can (mostly) produce orchestral music. Many video game franchises were making the jump to 16 bit, and Castlevania was no exception. Released on Halloween in Japan and December everywhere else, it was heavily praised at the time and many people still think it was the best of the Classicvanias. Has this game aged like a fine wine, or do I need to summon a Belmont to kill it? Let's talk about the story first. Super Castlevania 4 is a remake/reimagining of Castlevania 1. To be honest, the game's not really clear as to what it's supposed to be, so I'm willing to believe that it's the latter instead of the former. You're once again in the control of Simon Belmont and your mission is simple: Kill Count Dracula once and for all. Yep, exactly like the first game; no extra bullshit, no secondary characters, just you vs. Dracula. For a launch window SNES game, this is one of the best looking games for the system. The backgrounds are beautifully crafted and the sprites and their animations are well done. The music is also some of the best to come from the system. Some of my favorites include Simon's theme, The Forest of Monsters, this game's version of Beginning (which debuted in Castlevania 3), The Submerged City, and The Chandeliers. For the most part, the core gameplay is the same. Simon can now whip in all 8 directions, which automatically makes this game the easiest of the Classicvanias. As per usual, sub-weapons are an essential part of combat. The Cross got a major buff in this game and is by far going to be your most used weapon, especially when fully upgraded. Stairs are no longer a big issue as you no longer have to hold Up while walking up them. Granted, the movement is still sluggish as all hell, but Konami definitely realized that there were legitimate complaints towards the controls. Overall, Super Castlevania 4 is a brilliantly designed game and is EASILY one of the best SNES games of all time. While I will admit that Rondo of Blood is the better Classicvania, this is a game worth playing. If you're interested, the game is available on Nintendo Switch Online as well as the Castlevania Anniversary Collection.