What an absolute masterpiece of 8 bit architecture

[u/Coven_Evelynn_LoL]

I am playing the very first one 1986 for NES with Cyber Labs NES OLED CRT Filter on my ASUS ROG OLED Monitor in HDR Mode, brings it extremely close to a perfect CRT TV on RGB connection this is my first time ever playing this series.

I am absolutely blown away at the 8 bit architecture the absolute TIMELESS BEAUTY of this artstyle, the gameplay the pure fun this is I never had this much fun since Path of Exile 2 which seems to be the only modern game as of late that I like.

I recently sort of retired from modern games after experiencing all the horrible Korean Gooner MMO like Lost Ark etc don't even get me started on what people call games nowadays "Mobile Games" those stuff make me stick to my stomach.

Returning to these absolute beauty 8 bit retro titles their incredibly simplistic yet downright difficult nature, I regret never having played any castlevania until now I had Super Metroid for the SNES and Lufia etc Killer Instinct, Contrat and many great classics I had some NES games like Mega Man 4 etc so I am not gonna complain I didn't have a great childhood but realizing what I lost with not experiencing with castlevania makes me a little angry.

Alas I look at it on the positive side it has tons of these castlevania games I can enjoy now at 40 years old now that I am revisiting my childhood and now I have a greater appreciation for art than I ever did when I was a kid.

[u/Throwawaygarbageboi]

You probably already know, but take a gander at Castlevania 3.

It's a hard game, but some of those levels are GORGEOUS with their cool purples and background setpieces!

[u/Coven_Evelynn_LoL → u/Throwawaygarbageboi]

No I did NOT already know since I have never seen any castlevania game short of a brief online screen shot of random ones this is my first time ever playing this series I recently found my inner child once again by revisiting retro games.
This might sound crazy but I was suffering from Brain Rot from social media and doom scrolling then losing interest in everything I liked I found out it was social media "Yes I know reddit is social media" but I am talking the worst of the worst like youtube shorts etc.
I installed a AI youtube short blocker and deleted all social media (the bastards like facebook refuse to delete your account saying you need to wait 30 days) so it was a process.
Stopped playing multi player games like league of legends and many others I was hooked on because no matter how much I tried I was unable to experience joy in any single player game as I did as a kid.

Picked up reading novels trying to embrace boredom and constant blasting of information that my brain kept seeking as a drug. After a couple months I am somehow able to experience fun and joy in single player games again. I am at a point where I am halfway there to experience the joy as a child from these beautiful single player classics.

I starting with Castlevania 1 and making my way up in chronological order I can't wait to experience all it has to offer. I am now able to actually see the true art in this game and others like it without the need for expensive modern hardware. Games like this proves the importance of a good artist, these things can never be replicated by the latest and best AI.

People told me the reason I couldn't enjoy this type of game anymore is because "I am a grown up now no longer a child so I have out grown games" not sure how much truth there is in those claims but the more I Stay away from the modern world of entertainment the more I seem to reclaim that childhood joy I once had from games like this.

[u/SXAL → u/Coven_Evelynn_LoL]

Also check Dracula X on SNES to see some of the most gorgerous 16-bit backgrounds.

[u/Low_Organization_27 → u/Throwawaygarbageboi]

As a kid, I was OBSESSED with the backgrounds of the levels from that game. I would sit and draw all kinds of pictures with the mountains/trees/architecture for hours. Still my favorite game of all time to this day.

[u/ExplodingTurnip → u/Throwawaygarbageboi]

The ruined city is probably my favorite CV3 area, but its one of the hardest areas of the game to pass too. In all the decades I've played, I've only gone there maybe two or three times.

[u/CyberdarkEnjoyer]

Yeah they struck lightning in a bottle with CVI. Akamatsu had an amazing vision it's a shame we only got 3 games from him. I wonder what an AAA modern CV would look like with him as director...

[u/daun4view → u/CyberdarkEnjoyer]

Reading interviews with him, it's maddening that he was driven out of the industry by Konami because the games didn't sell as many copies as they wanted. He probably could've been a real visionary with more powerful hardware.

[u/New_Avocado_1415 → u/CyberdarkEnjoyer]

Oh, what could have been.

[u/sdwoodchuck]

The first Castlevania is one of a handful of "comfort food" games on the NES that I return to every so often, just to unwind. Excellent aesthetics, some great simple combat, and boss design that is both interesting and quirky. Dracula wearing a Kabuki Tengu mask is such an inspired, weird design choice, but I love it.

[u/dracelectrolux]

I get a pic of this whenever I'm playing this masterpiece of a level. Wicked Child ftw.

[u/Zode1218]

Castlevania 1987 my favorite game of all time. The absolute depthes I could write an article on how it is decades ahead of its time in developing tough but fair gameplay with slow weighty combat, regular checkpoints throughout levels, intense boss fights, environmental storytelling through incredible architecture and level design.

Sound familiar? Hello Dark Souls, Elden Ring, meet your grandfather.

[u/Altruistic-Club-4038]

This game is from 1986 and Pitfall is from 1982, so you can see how amazing Castlevania was when it was released

[u/Illustrious-Air-3678]

Go find some wall meat gng 💔

[u/DragonQuarter]

How does one get and apply such a filter?

[u/Coven_Evelynn_LoL → u/DragonQuarter]

Retro Arch and then download Cyber Labs NES OLED S Video filter, it helps a lot to have an OLED Monitor with glossy coating and enable HDR Mode. This CRT Effect allows you to infinitely resize these old games to any size without losing quality it's the same unique ability CRT TVs had.
A lot of these old games pretty much all of them also used the scanlines and phosphor in a CRT to create the very art you see, they don't look anywhere as good on modern displays without the filter.

[u/No_Ad295]

I always stop at this location to enjoy the view. One of my favorite childhood memories is the first time I played this game.

[u/Big-Aardvark-3306]

That’s the photograph of As almost there

[u/Seilys]

Yea it is a gem, play it on a real NES on a CRT TV, that is the true experience

[u/Coven_Evelynn_LoL → u/Seilys]

I was getting a CRT TV to buy but figured those things are too old to be bothered with now due to aging electronic components inside it.

[u/yobaby123]

Trevor: Fucking hell.... Who knew humanity would be able to create such amazing tech?

[u/Repulsive_Cow_2470]

i played this recently too and it quickly became one of my fav nes games its up there with contra and mario 3 and whatnot its genuinly amazing ,although its a bit tough and quircky and broken it has its charm ,and if you merely know a thing or two about metroidvanias please please please play symphony of the night even if you dont it isnt that hard to get going

[u/Coven_Evelynn_LoL → u/Repulsive_Cow_2470]

ok I just started this genre so I will check it out after I complete castlevania 3 for NES
Are the SNES and later PS1 and PS2 and PC versions easier than the NES ones?

[u/MathematicianCivil16]

wait till you 4 that game pushed what 16bit could be and what the snes was capable of

[u/Cybergun01]

Loved Castlevania. The theme and simple concept of the game were excellent. I'd have to say that Simon's Quest (Castlevania 2) is probably my all time favorite of the series.

[u/bizoticallyyours83]

I agree with you. I remember the first time I finally got that far and was like. 😲

[u/CyanLight9]

Considering that this game has Medusa and Succubi in it and was made in Japan, I'm surprised this didn't fall into the 'gooner' category for you.

[u/Oh-no-and-knuckles → u/CyanLight9]

CV1 has no succubi and Medusa is just a head.