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Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest is notorious for being much different than the game that predates it being Castlevania on the NES. Now, some of you are familiar with the Angry Video Game Nerd as he did review it on YouTube giving his own opinion. This was part of a strange sequel sequence going on with Nintendo when it came to specific franchises. Zelda 2 was different from the first based upon its style and the same for Mario 2 as it had different characters. In fact, this style would actually predate that of what could be considered of the best Castlevania games ever made being Symphony of the Night.

The story in this one is that Dracula is dead and you have to find five pieces of him scattered in mansions. The reason for that is that Simon is cursed and must go through a premature resurrection and defeat him in order to eliminate the curse. It is a pretty simple and straightforward plot. Basically, it is up to you to find the pieces and get to the castle as quickly as possible without dying.

What you will get will be experienced points and hearts that are like coins in this game. The higher the level you advance up to, the more energy you will have but one thing that is annoying is the day to night transitions. Even I can admit that wasn't exactly waiting and plus the frequency is unbelievable. The monsters are stronger and none of the townspeople are out when you are in towns.

Unlike the early Castlevania games, you do not have to fight the bosses and going inside there are really only two of them but in different locations. One has the Grim Reaper and another one that has a floating head that is large but goes all over the air. Make sure you buy an oak stake to hit the orb as it has a part of Dracula's body. Without a map, this game is difficult as there is none given in the first place as it is just try to find clues and get through the game.

The game play is pretty simple and right to the point. You have your inventory with weapons and can buy items easily. The controls are really responsive as long as you have a good working controller. Sometimes it may seem like controls may not be good but it possibly though not always be a case of a controller wearing out. Graphically, the game is as good as it gets for the NES. Keep in mind however that graphics were slowly getting better and evolving over time. The most famous song remixed is the Bloody Tears song in Simon's Quest as you can hear in other notable games like Super Castlevania IV, Dracula X, Bloodlines, and maybe other ones that I didn't mention.

You can find the game via the Virtual Console but this is a game that could be good for major Castlevania fans. This style actually predates the Symphony of the Night, which is the best in that particular form so it's not a bad game. It is enjoyable but I personally rank it the lowest of the three NES Castlevania games created. Despite that, it is enjoyable but very challenging. If you are going to complete this game, get a guide as you could potentially get lost. The challenge is there and are you up for the task? If you are and want to take on something difficult, go for this.

Learn more about this author, Bruce Bostwick.
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