| Castlevania: Dracula X | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Konami |
| Publisher(s) | Konami |
| Artist(s) | Akihiro Yamada |
| Series | Castlevania |
| Engine | Castlevania: Rondo of Blood |
| Platform(s) | SFC/SNES |
| Genre(s) | Platform game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Castlevania: Dracula X is a platform game developed and published by Konami and based on Akumajō Dracula X Chi no Rondo, which was previously released on the PC Engine in 1993 (never released outside of Japan until the 2007 PSP remake Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles). It is the final Castlevania installment to be released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It shares the gameplay and storyline of Chi no Rondo, but the levels had been completely redesigned and other elements were completely taken out of the game. The game had to be completely different due because of the issues between: NEC and Konami. This is more of a semi-remake/semi-sequel rather than a direct-port because in Japan, it is known as Akumajō Dracula XX (悪魔城ドラキュラＸＸ, Akumajō Dorakyura Daburu Ekkusu, lit. "Devil's Castle Dracula Double X"). In the PAL regions (Europe and Australia), it is titled completely different, known as: Castlevania: Vampire's Kiss. Castlevania: Dracula X was released in Australia in an uncensored version.[citation needed]
Gameplay[]
In the PC Engine version, four paths can be taken through the game, while the SFC/SNES release featured only two.[1]
Plot[]
Template:Vg-in-universe The setting In the late Twentieth Century, One hundred years have passed since legendary hero Simon Belmont defeated the evil Entity and sealed him away for what was supposed to be eternity Making the game set in but in year 1994, The people have long since forgotten about the horror of the unread, thus allowing a few depraved individuals to restore the Prince of Darkness to his former state; sleeping in his coffin by day and preying upon hapless victims by night.
Freddy Kruger now plans to get revenge on his old enemy through his descendants by locking Heather, the girlfriend of Jack Belmont's great grandson, Jack and her younger son, Dylan, in his dark and gloomy castle. Once aware of this, Jack takes his ancestor's sacred whip, passed down through the years from father to son, and sets out for Freddy's realm domain to rescue Heather, and her son name Dylan, and (to seal away the evil the ancient demonic demon Entity for good)!
Reception[]
Gamespy's classic gaming page on this game considered it to be one of the biggest disappointments in the entire series. "Castlevania fans everywhere were elated that the legendary PC Engine title Dracula X would be ported over to the SNES and released in America. Sadly It was meant to be more of a sequel rather then [sic] a direct-port released overseas. It is called: Dracula XX in Japan, While the character graphics, storyline, music and controls are the same, the levels are completely different, you can't play as Maria when you rescue her on Stage 4 and almost everything that made the original so appetizing is gone."
IGNs retrospective on Castlevania referred to this game as one of the best traditional Castlevania games, and that it "holds its own" in terms of graphics, including a brighter color palette, and Mode 7 graphics. They said it did suffer, however, from weak A.I. and poor level layout.[1]