-		7-23-1993
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castlevania intro screenshotThe year? 1691. There has been a hundred years of peace, thanks to the efforts of the infamous vampire slayers, known as the Belmont clan. Dracula was defeated by Christopher Belmont, and all was quiet, happy, peaceful.
Suddenly, almost as if to answer the happiness of the world, Dracula returns, and sends his unholy minions to rid the world of the living. The people cry out for help, and there is one who takes up the fight. Simon Belmont takes his family weapon, "Vampire Killer", and sets out for the Counts dreadede home.

Castlevania (Castlevania 68000 as it is more widely known) is one of the toughest Castlevania games on the block. Released for the Sharp X68000 computer system it is, In essence, a remake of the original Castlevania with updated graphics, sounds, and a smattering of new stages. Certainly it is a worthy game in the series, and has fantastic appeal. But with the lacking release in the Sharp system outside of Japan, it did not find its way outside of Japan on its original release.
This game has Simon looking his very best. Even better than he appeared in Super Castlevania IV released just a few years before. His sprite, along with the various evil hords of the castle, have more frames of animation than even the highly praised Akumajou Dracula X: Chi no Rondo had. This, along with the stunning backgrounds and amazing special effects, makes for perhaps one of the best-looking 2-D Castlevanias out there...well aside from Symphony Of The Night.
The sound effects in this game are fantastic for a 2-D game as well. Vocal samples are quite clear, and sound effects are very effective to the game. From the swish of Simon's whip to the threatening vocals of the French Dolls, this is certainly one of the high points of the game. The music, however, is kind of mixed. While some of the tunes in 68000 are quite good, including the remakes of Bloody Tears, Vampire Killer, and the all-new breakbeat-inspired Tower Of Dolls, many of the other ones can get down right annoying. Overall, the soundtrack is decent, but the new tracks are not up to par with the excellence associated with the Castlevania standard.
This game is pure old school Castlevania bliss. Fans of the classic-style of platform-jumping, side-scrolling action will not be disappointed by this title. It plays almost identically to the best Castlevania's around, Akumajou Dracula X. And even then it is taken up a notch. Simon has the added ability to whip downwards while jumping, and has a measure of control in mid-air over his jumps. This gives some much-added breathing room to the controls, which the player will most certainly need.
The most distinctive thing about this Castlevania is that it is perhaps the hardest game in the series when played on the Original X68000. Enemies are nimble, fast, and in the case of such bosses as the Werewolf, quick to dodge your offensive actions. Getting through the stages requires expert timing and super-fast reflexes. It is certainly about as unforgiving as the original NES game if not more so. While many may consider this a detriment to the series, the hardcore fans of old will see it as a welcome break from the simplisticly Metroid-style games of recent times.

	10-8-2001		4-24-2001
	11-9-2001		-

Released on the PlayStation, Castlevania Chronicles consists of 2 game modes. The first is a re-release of the 1993 Castlevania remake which was an originally available only in Japan on the Sharp X68000. The second game on Chronicles is an arranged mode, which is a fantastic remake of the original Castlevania game. This version boasts enhanced graphics to match the high demands of the PlayStation console. Whether you play one or the other game mode, the basics of both is the same. You get to go through 8 stages of pure hell until you meet Count Dracula for a brutal fight to the death.
In Arranged mode, the graphics are kicked up a notch higher, and Simon's sprite is redrawn by Symphony's character designer Ayami Kojima. While some may not like his new look and style, it updates the game for the new line of Castlevania games.
Castlevania Chronicles also has some great hidden features. The first is an Art Gallery featuring beautifully designed artwork from Chronicles, Symphony of the Night and the original '93 Castlevania remake for the X68000. The Art Gallery can be unlocked after clearing all 8 stages of either game mode. Another bonus is an interview with the game's director, Koji Igarashi.
Castlevania Chronicles is a fantastic pick up for the fans of the series who want to relive the moments of the original game. It is also great for the newer fans to Castlevania who want to see how it all began.