NES

Castlevania II: Simon's Quest

With the new backpack system, the non-linearity and more emphasis on a story, Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest is my pick out of the three NES games in the series.

Despite the absence of any real bosses and a story that just kind of throws you into the middle of a town with no idea of what to do, this is one hell of a game. This game SHOULD be in your collection. Simon's Quest will always be remembered for taking a step away from the platformer game, and a step to a RPG/Adventure-type game and at the same time it retains the classic feel of the series.

Simon's Quest lacks the arcade flavor of the first game, but its graphics and sound are very good. The monsters include the usual suspects like skeletons, swamp creatures, and werewolves, but there are also new surprises like web-slinging spiders and hands that reach out of graves. The soundtrack is high quality, but much like the gameplay, it is repetitive. Simon's Quest is far more expansive than the first, so a much-needed password feature is provided. The game has three different endings, but don't expect much from them. Castlevania II just isn't as fun as the original game, and its new RPG elements weigh it down.

Indeed, spend your time with this only if you’re a diehard fan who has to jaunt through every inch of Castlevania unholy ground (like me), but for heaven’s sake, take a guide of some sort along, and get that Ebay seller screen ready - even the hardcore won’t want to endure a second go round with this curse.