Akumajou Densetsu (Castlevania III)

Started by Jedi Master Baiter, November 01, 2006, 02:16:27 pm

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b1aCkDeA7h

I should run some personal tests one of these days comparing different emulators and emulator mediums' sound quality.

Both versions are on the Virtual Console so I can even test that.

Heck, with a Gyromite adapter, I can hear what the game sounds like without the expansion channel in a normal NES or even the AV Famicom (in the case of the Famicom, I'm daisy chaining converters).

Jedi Master Baiter

Okay, after many years, I've played both games and it is my determination that Castlevania III (NES version) is better than 悪魔城伝説 (FC version) for several reasons.

Off the top of my head:

-well-balanced difficulty (ok, I admit, I didn't think so at first; I thought CVIII ramped up in difficulty way too high, until I played it again)
-the music, though downgraded, sounds better compositionally (just like Castlevania II)
-an added difficulty setting
-fixed glitches
-the HUD text is more fitting
-cooler title screen

Come at me! :diskkun:

fcgamer

Cv3 has a difficulty setting? Or you just mean the second quest?
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P

It's much more difficult anyway. Check out changes at The Cutting Room Floor.
Castlevania III got quite a number of improvements and fixes.

I don't really like that all enemies take the same damage for each stage in C3 though. Even if it's better balanced it's a sloppy way to fix it. Different enemies should take different amount of damage or else fast enemies like bats will always be the most dangerous enemies which they aren't supposed to be.

Other fixes are good except for the censoring stuff (Medusa isn't male :-[).


Music is of course many times better in Akumajou Densetsu and is reason enough to play this version. It's one of the reasons I got a Famicom in the first place. :)

Jedi Master Baiter

I vehemently disagree. Listen to Rising: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VVGlQDF42g

Where the hell did the reverberations go?! I guess they didn't need them.

Then listen to Rising: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luxL5ufVTZM

Ahh! There's that harp sound. I also just like the minimalist approach to this track, because it's supposed to be eerie, and not hard-hitting like the rest of the game's music. But the rest of the JP soundtracks single-handedly elbow smash the US version, but because this is the best track in the entire Castlevania series, I win. ;) My opinion is right. Alucard is not Trevor. Castlevania III is a sequel.

P

Well I only played the first two Castlevania games for NES back in the day, so I might be more accustomed to the Famicom version. Though I admit that they did an excellent job in converting the sound to an APU-only soundtrack and I have nothing against the minimalist approach (otherwise I wouldn't listen to chiptunes in the first place).

And yeah Alucard is definitely not Trevor. Alucard is Alucard and Trevor is Trevor or Ralf.

What about it being a sequel? If I understand the English words sequel and prequel right, it's purely about the story-wise chronology. In that case it's a prequel to the first two Famicom games and a sequel to Legends and Lament of Innocence since they both take place before it.

Jedi Master Baiter

Quote from: P on October 07, 2019, 04:26:10 pmit's a prequel to the first two Famicom games and a sequel to Legends and Lament of Innocence since they both take place before it.

Somehow you read right through me. ??? Yes, Castlevania is a sequel, but not to Akumajou Dracula/Dracula II, only to Legends/Lament even though they came out after Densetsu. But yeah, isn't weird they call it Castlevania III? Also Ninja Gaiden/Ryukenden III apparently doesn't take place after II. ???

Quote from: fcgamer on October 06, 2019, 12:03:51 am
Cv3 has a difficulty setting? Or you just mean the second quest?
Crap! Did I mess that up? Does Akumajo Densetsu have a second quest, too? ???

Quote from: P on October 06, 2019, 12:26:27 pmI don't really like that all enemies take the same damage for each stage in C3 though. Even if it's better balanced it's a sloppy way to fix it. Different enemies should take different amount of damage or else fast enemies like bats will always be the most dangerous enemies which they aren't supposed to be.
Also it's stupid how enemies get stronger in later stages.

By the way, does the JP version have this glitch feature? https://youtu.be/x-vrJD7hguk

P

Quote from: Jedi QuestMaster on October 07, 2019, 08:32:03 pm
isn't weird they call it Castlevania III? Also Ninja Gaiden/Ryukenden III apparently doesn't take place after II. ???

And Dragon Quest III takes place before I and II, it's kind of common to have instalments in a series to not come in chronological order story-wise. Akuden is the third game in the series (if we only count Famicom games), I don't know the English word for a game that comes after another in a series though.

QuoteDoes Akumajo Densetsu have a second quest, too?

I don't think so. At least the second round doesn't have different looking enemies with new patterns. Although I have the game I haven't actually got around to beat it yet (I came to the final stage long ago though). I'm also not sure what you meant by added difficulty setting.

QuoteAlso it's stupid how enemies get stronger in later stages.

Yeah maybe, it makes sense to gradually raise the difficulty, but I think the Famicom version already had this. At least the later stages gets quite hard.

QuoteBy the way, does the JP version have this glitch feature? https://youtu.be/x-vrJD7hguk

Haha Grant fights himself. I don't know, I could try it out on my copy next time I play, if I remember it.