My quest to beat Castlevania

[toptenmaterial]

I just walk back and forth and avoid the edges since you can get trapped. I tried lushgirl's strategy, but he kept appearing on top of me, so I went back to my old "meander about" tactics and they work as good as any. If he appears under you, just get out of the way and get ready to whip the fireballs when he opens his cape. Try again on the next appearance. He rarely appears in the same spot twice, but he can appear nearby. I think his destination must be tied to your movement in some way, but I cannot pinpoint exactly what that is.

 

I tried CV3 with Syfa tonight and didn't get as far as I did with Grant. Going to try an Alucard run next, although I hate that path.

I also tried Lushgirl's strat and was clobbered. My guess is the rhythm works for her in some way. I think there is more than one way to skin a cat in this game.

 

I am looking forward to slow and steady progress with CV 3. I am not naturally good at these tough games, I'll admit, but I love the feel and rhythm of these old CVs. The controls, in an odd way, are perfect.

 

Did you ever get into Harmony of Dissonance? That was my first love.

 

The valium has kicked in so take the CV love fest with a grain of salt.

[StanJr]

Yeah, I love all the GB Castlevanias. Was going to play some Circle of the Moon soon, work my way back through them all. Great for when I want a SotN fix, but have played it to absolute death.

[toptenmaterial]

Yeah, I love all the GB Castlevanias. Was going to play some Circle of the Moon soon, work my way back through them all. Great for when I want a SotN fix, but have played it to absolute death.

I played CotM a while back and gave up because I thought the mechanics were unfair, like no life refill after beating a boss, and then getting smoked by a bat. Harmony of Dissonance was what got me into the franchise. I found it so atmospheric. Never played Portrait or Ecclasis that much but I'd give it a go. I hated the Mercury Stream games. I wonder if another publisher would do something GBA-esque with the Switch, particularly if it was digital only.

Edited March 11, 2017 by toptenmaterial

[StanJr]

No, I never even touched the Mercury Steam games. Just didn't look like Castlevania to me.

[toptenmaterial]

No, I never even touched the Mercury Steam games. Just didn't look like Castlevania to me.

It wasn't. New is fine, and so is a departure from the regular stuff, like IGA's work. These had nothing to do with CV spiritually. IGA's new indy CV is gonna rock, I can feel it.

 

You've beaten Dracula in 3? I hear that's a tough one.

 

EDIT: Mercury Stream pitched LoS as a successor to Super CV 4. That's what got me in, I even pre-ordered it. It was nothing like any of them.

Edited March 11, 2017 by toptenmaterial

[StanJr]

Yeah, the password system makes it really easy to practice levels until you get them down. I didn't find Dracula to be as hard in 3 and in 1. But I guess that's because I could just play that level over and over any time I wanted to get it right.

[toptenmaterial]

I'm playing 3 and I'm in the ghost ship right now after taking the path where you get Syfa. I'm playing with Grant and the difficulty is pretty manageable so far, although I am using save states until I get the lay of the land. How far in the game am I?

 

EDIT: I can see that the dynamic is more to grind you down through attrition.

Edited March 12, 2017 by toptenmaterial

[toptenmaterial]

I made it to the flame boss on the ghost ship, with very little health. I annihilated the two mummies right away with the cross without taking a hit, then got clobbered by the cyclops. Not sure what the strat is for him, I can't just stand on the ledge and cheese him like in the prior level. Plus I didn't save so I don't have my awesome cross!

[toptenmaterial]

I figured out the cyclops, so that's done. Now I'm at the rising floor level, which can [insert expletive here]. Forward!

[StanJr]

You are closing in on the half way point. After the ship you get to the tower and the bridge, then you are in the castle proper, which is four levels deep. I'm currently stuck at the 2nd castle level (level

 

The Hammer Cyclops is just a matter of whipping him from the ledge and jumping over him, run to the opposite side and repeat. Also getting him to swing the hammer will slow him down and give you a chance to counter attack from a safe distance.

 

Rising floor level? The one in the red tower where it slam-scrolls upward? Use Grant and your problems are solved!

[toptenmaterial]

Yup, that's the one! I picked up Syfa though, so back to the clock tower? I actually find the clock tower to be more of a bitch than the ghost ship. And Syfa is a dude? He's got more gender identity issues than Birdo!

Edited March 12, 2017 by toptenmaterial

[StanJr]

Syfa is female in the bulk of Castlevania lore, even though the manuals and in game text refer to her as "him." I think it's cooler if she's a she.

 

You can do it with Syfa, you just have to know where the next platforms and knights appear and stick close to the top. Grant makes it easier because he can jump really high and stick to walls and ceilings so you can stay close to the top at all times and jump to whatever platform you need to. You can also avoid most of the knight confrontations. So it will take practice.

 

Syfa is awesome on the ghost ship, especially taking down the Medusa King boss. About 4 hits with that fireball spell and he's toast! You'll like her even better on the bridge when you get the freeze spell as you can freeze the water fall and run across, much faster than treading water!

[Austin]

Syfa is a chick. You're not supposed to find out until you beat the game.

[toptenmaterial]

Syfa is a chick. You're not supposed to find out until you beat the game.

You ruined it for me!!!!

[StanJr]

A spoiler 28 years in the making...

[toptenmaterial]

A spoiler 28 years in the making...

Yeah he told me that thing about Luke's dad too. I'm gonna start 3 from the beginning. I might cheat a bit and use the name code to pick up Grant and then link up to the red tower where the floor drops. All of this depends on my daughter falling asleep....

Edited March 13, 2017 by toptenmaterial

[toptenmaterial]

Someone started to remake 1, though appearently got a cease and desist from Konami. I hope he goes through with it and renames it Kiss of the Demon Castle Bat or something. Anyway it looks good.

 

https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=gHcFU7Fkx6I

[StanJr]

There's a LOT to like in that video. The character movement reminds me of Pitall 3D for the PSX. The lighting, while perfectly atmospheric, is brutal and needs balance. The play field design is really nice and all of the mechanics look pretty good as well. You could really dig into that and flesh out the backdrops without touching the gameplay. Would be interesting to see where he would have taken it.

[toptenmaterial]

There's a LOT to like in that video. The character movement reminds me of Pitall 3D for the PSX. The lighting, while perfectly atmospheric, is brutal and needs balance. The play field design is really nice and all of the mechanics look pretty good as well. You could really dig into that and flesh out the backdrops without touching the gameplay. Would be interesting to see where he would have taken it.

Yeah I thought it was rad, and the mechanics are definitely on point. In one vid he eats shit while jumping from a platform after colliding with a medusa head so you know it's for real! Looks like he hasn't posted anything in a while though.

 

The desolation and decrepit nature of the castle is disturbing and I dig that. I get a Shadowgate vibe from it. Reminds me a bit of HP Lovecraft's stories where the protagonist stumbles upon something ancient and realizes he's in over his head.

 

I've never played Pitfall for the PS. The iPhone runner isn't half bad!

 

I'll check back in when I've made progress on 3. My daughter is teething.

Edited March 13, 2017 by toptenmaterial

[toptenmaterial]

Ok so I'm at the Alucard fight in 3 and he's tough, by virtue of the fact that I can't seem to jump over his fireballs like his dad in 1. Any suggestions?

[Austin]

You don't try very hard before giving up, do you?

 

Attack the fireballs when you need to. He's a piece of cake.

[toptenmaterial]

You don't try very hard before giving up, do you?

 

Attack the fireballs when you need to. He's a piece of cake.

I get easily discouraged. I also need something to talk about on the internet. Perhaps I should start a blog.

 

I'll give it a crack tomorrow during the snow storm.

[Austin]

I get easily discouraged. I also need something to talk about on the internet. Perhaps I should start a blog.

 

I'll give it a crack tomorrow during the snow storm.

 

Yeah.. I mean, I want to help and all, but it's time consuming to chime in on every little thing. You should be able to figure out a lot of this on your own. I might suggest a walkthrough on Game FAQs for quick tips if you get stuck.

 

*edit: the old-school Castlevania games were not made for the easily discouraged. So.. suck it up, man up and learn from your mistakes, or go play some Super Mario instead.

Edited March 14, 2017 by Austin

[toptenmaterial]

He's tit. I used the axe for his head and whipped the fireballs.

[toptenmaterial]

 

Yeah.. I mean, I want to help and all, but it's time consuming to chime in on every little thing. You should be able to figure out a lot of this on your own. I might suggest a walkthrough on Game FAQs for quick tips if you get stuck.

 

*edit: the old-school Castlevania games were not made for the easily discouraged. So.. suck it up, man up and learn from your mistakes, or go play some Super Mario instead.

Point taken.