Castlevania (1999)

Castlevania (1999) This game is a perfect example of how hard 2D to 3D conversion was. But hey, at least they tried. Genre: Action Adventure Platforms: Nintendo 64 Release Date: January 26, 1999 Developer: Konami Computer Entertainment Kobe Publisher: Konami Franchise: Castlevania Previous Game: Super Castlevania IV Next Game: Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness (remake) Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (Next main game)

Castlevania (also referred to as Castlevania 64) is an action-adventure video game developed by Konami's Kobe branch for the Nintendo 64 video game console.

Plot

In 1852, Dracula reawakens after nearly sixty years of enforced slumber, as a result of humankind's descent into vice and wickedness. Carrie Fernandez, a girl gifted with magic powers, and Reinhart Schneider, heir to the ancient Belmont clan of vampire hunters, set out to storm Dracula's castle in Transylvanian province of Wallachia and vanquish him.

Bad Qualities

1. The game has a terrible camera. This is largely thanks to Nintendo patenting the idea of using the N64 controller's C-buttons to directly control the in-game camera.
2. The game has one of those Easy difficulties that do not let you finish the game: if you select it, the game instead ends upon clearing stage 5, Castle Center, with a message to play it on Normal to play the rest of the game.
3. Many platforming sections use fixed camera views which leaves it unclear which direction to go in.
4. There is an infamous section in Castle Center where the player character must make a two-part bomb, one ingredient of which is an extremely volatile explosive called "magical nitro" that will explode and kill the character instantly if they are hit, fall or jump.
5. The jumping mechanics only allow a full-height jump in the direction the character is currently facing: trying to jump in any other direction will instead result in a very low evasive jump that is supposed to be used as a dodge move.
6. The two "puzzle" areas feature some extremely convoluted action sequences, often requiring it to be a specific time of day for events to trigger.
7. Characters carry far too many healing items, meaning the only reason they will ever die in combat is if the player gets careless.
8. Awkward combat, particularly for Reinhardt who can only attack in the direction he is facing and has to stand still in order to attack.
9. The bosses heavily outstay their welcome a lot.
10. Clunky and heavy controls that are sometimes sluggish to move.
11. Extremely obvious plot twist where a young boy whose name means "evil" in Latin turns out to be Dracula.

Good Qualities

1. The opening and title screen are very atmospheric.
2. Dracula's transformation looks pretty cool.
3. Decent gameplay, despite the poor controls and awkward combat.
4. Great soundtrack, thought not as memorable as previous installments.
5. Good graphics for the time.
6. Its remake, Legacy of Darkness was an improvement over this.

Reception

Castlevania 64 received mixed to positive reviews from critics for the time, but ever since it's release, the reception declined over the years and is now widely concidered by fans and even critics as the second low point of the entire franchise, next to Castlevania Judgment.

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