PSA: Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (PC ENGINE) VS Dracula X (SNES)

[esteban]

First, I don't know how I missed this thread the first time around!! I am so glad it was resurrected.

Second: I still play all of the Castlevania 8- and 16-bit games and enjoy them all. Frankly, if you enjoy the series, you probably wish there was another solid entry (I do!) before the series got STOOPID (polygons).

Third: That said, it doesn't mean we can't laugh at fools.

Fourth: We can also laugh at Skeletons + Motorcycles + Castlevania.

[Sarumaru]

I like both. Both are fun and great Castlevania titles. In all honesty though the Snes visually is a bit more detailed in some areas of the stages, and had some pretty cool effects going on like with the background fire in stage 1. The Snes one had a couple extra development years over the PCE game though. The PCE one is the better experience over all. There is simply more to do in it and the cut scenes are better.


The Snes one though is a testament to how well the Snes could be pushed by Konami, especially later in its life without relying on the Treasure guys to carry them. Much like with other titles they released on the system, like Gokujou and Jikkyou Oshaberi Parodius, Sunset Riders, TMNT Turtles in Time and Tournament Fighters, etc, the system hardware gets pushed pretty well with Dracula X.

For me, I'd have to say that the delivery of the experience lies heavily on its soundtrack. That crisp, redbook audio (with some, not so great chiptunes, this opinion varies depending on who you ask) sounds so good and listening to the remixed tracks just made my face melt (this was 1994 after all). The cutscenes are rather nice, too. The acting was meh and the norm for its time, I remember it being amazing... I wonder why that is.

[_joshuaTurbo]

First, I don't know how I missed this thread the first time around!! I am so glad it was resurrected.

Second: I still play all of the Castlevania 8- and 16-bit games and enjoy them all. Frankly, if you enjoy the series, you probably wish there was another solid entry (I do!) before the series got STOOPID (polygons).

Third: That said, it doesn't mean we can't laugh at fools.

Fourth: We can also laugh at Skeletons + Motorcycles + Castlevania.

Castlevania Adventure Rebirth on Wii is the last Castlevania game that I really enjoyed!  If you haven't played it, I'd suggest trying it.

[esteban]

First, I don't know how I missed this thread the first time around!! I am so glad it was resurrected.

Second: I still play all of the Castlevania 8- and 16-bit games and enjoy them all. Frankly, if you enjoy the series, you probably wish there was another solid entry (I do!) before the series got STOOPID (polygons).

Third: That said, it doesn't mean we can't laugh at fools.

Fourth: We can also laugh at Skeletons + Motorcycles + Castlevania.

Castlevania Adventure Rebirth on Wii is the last Castlevania game that I really enjoyed!  If you haven't played it, I'd suggest trying it.

Hahaahhahahahahahahaha!

I only purchased a few digital games for the Wii, and Castlevania Adventure Rebirth was one of them!!!!

At first it was "OK"...but then it started to grow on me. It really seems like a bit of a smorgasbord of Castlevania elements...but I enjoyed it.

There were no skeletons on motorbikes, so that was a good thing. 

[Mzo]

All 3 M2-developed ReBirth games were really, really good!

They were like long-lost 32 bit games...

[Jibbajaba]

I tried to watch one of those vids, but as soon as the first one started, I knew it was going to be a no-go. 

[Groover]

No need for that mix up, everything SNES is way overvalued.

Agreed

[Arkhan]

I like the twirly tunnel level in Super Castlevania.

[ProfessorProfessorson]

I like the twirly tunnel level in Super Castlevania.

Some of those stages in Super Castlevania were just really creative and hold up well compared to later stuff in the series. Really SC is one of my favorites. Really to me its the last traditional Castlevania, and it really went all out considering when the game was made, being a fairly early Snes title.

[esadajr]

you can think of the Snes title as a re imagination of the PCE one but I wouldn't go that far. Sure thing Konami took inspiration from the PCE but that's about it. They're different games and experiences and both enjoyable in their own right.

[Black Tiger]

For those thinking of asking for illegal bootlegs:
http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=319.0

[Arkhan]

I like the twirly tunnel level in Super Castlevania.

Some of those stages in Super Castlevania were just really creative and hold up well compared to later stuff in the series. Really SC is one of my favorites. Really to me its the last traditional Castlevania, and it really went all out considering when the game was made, being a fairly early Snes title.

Yeah, I remember my mind being blown the first time I played it when my aunt/uncle had it.

I was like

LOOK HOW TALL HE IS.   LOOK AT THE THING.   HOLY CRAP WHATS THAT.
 


I was like 5.

[Black Tiger]

I like the twirly tunnel level in Super Castlevania.

Some of those stages in Super Castlevania were just really creative and hold up well compared to later stuff in the series. Really SC is one of my favorites. Really to me its the last traditional Castlevania, and it really went all out considering when the game was made, being a fairly early Snes title.

Yeah, I remember my mind being blown the first time I played it when my aunt/uncle had it.

I was like

LOOK HOW TALL HE IS.   LOOK AT THE THING.   HOLY CRAP WHATS THAT.
 


I was like 5.

Imagine if you had gotten to see China Warrior at that age.

[ClodBuster]

All 3 M2-developed ReBirth games were really, really good!

They were like long-lost 32 bit games...

Agreed.

I have a thing for the music of Castlevania Rebirth.

[Arkhan]

I like the twirly tunnel level in Super Castlevania.

Some of those stages in Super Castlevania were just really creative and hold up well compared to later stuff in the series. Really SC is one of my favorites. Really to me its the last traditional Castlevania, and it really went all out considering when the game was made, being a fairly early Snes title.

Yeah, I remember my mind being blown the first time I played it when my aunt/uncle had it.

I was like

LOOK HOW TALL HE IS.   LOOK AT THE THING.   HOLY CRAP WHATS THAT.
 


I was like 5.

Imagine if you had gotten to see China Warrior at that age.

Oh, I did.

I practically f*cked myself even though 5 year old peepees don't work like that.


They had a Turbo too, so I was always playing:

Vigilante
Bonk
Neutopia
Silent Debuggers
Bloody Wolf

I only got to see/play China Warrior one or two times.  I think they might have rented it.   When they gave me all their stuff, that wasn't in the pile.

Super Volleyball was though.   I like that game a lot.   Mostly for the injuring players.