Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest (NES) Playthrough
Ойындар
A playthrough of Konami's 1988 action-adventure game for the NES, Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest.
Reprising his role from Castlevania ( • Castlevania (NES) Play... ), Simon Belmont sets off once again in pursuit of pure evil. This time, however, the adventure is much more personal in nature: Simon was badly injured in his fight with Dracula seven years ago in Castlevania‘s finale.
A mysterious and beautiful woman appeared to warn Simon that the wound had laid a curse upon his mortal soul, and that if he didn’t take action, the taint would kill him. Simon’s only hope for salvation is to return to Transylvania, find the five remaining intact body parts of Dracula, and burn them at his castle.
In a huge departure from the style of the original, this sequel incorporates several RPG mechanics and a non-linear exploratory structure similar to that found in Vampire Killer, a 1986 Castlevania title released for the MSX2 home computer ( • Vampire Killer (MSX2) ... ). Simon must speak with townspeople for hints about what he should do next (though they are oftentimes purposely misleading), buy items in shops, gain levels by collecting hearts from downed enemies, and more. A day/night cycle has also been implemented, significantly changing the flow of the game: at sunset, villagers turn into murderous zombies, and enemy monsters become much more powerful.
In order to find all five body parts, Simon must traverse the Transylvanian countryside seeking out mansions that house Dracula’s nail, eyeball, rib, ring, and heart. Once collected, these pieces can be equipped as items (the rib can shield Simon from damage, the eye allows him to see hidden items, the nail allows walls to be destroyed, and so on). Once all of these pieces are collected, Dracula’s citadel, Castlevania, will become available for the final showdown. The game features multiple endings, and which you see is determined by how many in-game days it took to finish the game.
The platforming action of Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest is quite similar to that of its predecessor and its controls feel nearly identical. The game is significantly less linear than Castlevania, but the awkward translation and the lying villagers' advice results in a lot of time being spent aimlessly wandering. This isn’t time completely wasted, however, since Simon will inevitably build up a necessary stockpile of experience and hearts while exploring.
And then there are the aesthetics. What atmosphere!
The graphics are a big improvement over the original game with better detailed character sprites and fewer garish color schemes - I love the Simon sprite's blood red clothes and the "old world" look of the towns - and the music set a new high bar for NES audio. Complementing the action are some of gaming's most memorable tunes, several of which have appeared remixed in later Castlevania games. Of particular note is the difference in the sound quality between the American NES version and the Japanese disk version: though not usually the case, the cartridge version of the game sounds significantly better than its floppy-based counterpart. The disk system's hardware could handle more sound channels than the base NES system, but the heavier bass and the drum samples in the American version make the music far more driving and dynamic.
Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest is an excellent game and unquestionably a worthy successor to Castlevania, and it's my favorite game in the entire series. Though the intentional misdirects and the hokey English script makes the game a bit more obtuse than it should have been, the improved graphics, sound, and story make this a worthwhile play for any fan of the Belmont clan.
It is, after all, a key stop on the series' road to Symphony of the Night.
(All three endings are shown at the end of the video for anyone who would like to see them.)
_____________
No cheats were used during the recording of this video.
NintendoComplete (www.nintendocomplete.com/) punches you in the face with in-depth reviews, screenshot archives, and music from classic 8-bit NES games!
Пікірлер: 267
“What a horrible night to have a curse.” Simon: 🕺💃🕺💃
@worsethanhitlerpt.2539
Жыл бұрын
The night-time music is so awesome w/ plenty of danger and intrigue!
@jayjanzee9059
6 ай бұрын
Yes!!! That music slaps 🪩🪩
my dad worked the night shift, and he would come home with his work buddy, i would setup the Nintendo and they would play this game for hourssss while i watched....this game is always have a special place in my heart man....love this game
@petep.7868
3 ай бұрын
Nice. Did they ever beat the game?
@hbicgrizzly8212
3 ай бұрын
@@petep.7868 heheheh no lolololool
@MaXimumOverDriveCollection
28 күн бұрын
@@hbicgrizzly8212 Back then there was no "google" to tell you how to win, had to write stuff down and remember! Good ole days!
Castlevania 2 is my favorite game of the entire series, and music doesn't get much better than this on the NES!
@MaycolGamer026
Жыл бұрын
Must be play the Redaction version...
@PanterAmetal100
Жыл бұрын
Underrated game in the series, especially when we talk about the early entries.
@thecunninlynguist
Жыл бұрын
The groundwork for metroidvania. You love to see it
@j.r.3664
Жыл бұрын
Looking forward to AVGN comments!
@LPetal86
Жыл бұрын
Not to mention, the "Nintendo Power" magazine cover is one of the most amazing things ever.
3:33 That day to night changed in music always gets me! Iconic!
Your little dance while waiting for night to end was fantastic. Laughed pretty good about it 👌 🤣.
@Morec0
Жыл бұрын
I wasn't sure when this comment would come into play, but it was beautiful.
@elmalloc
11 ай бұрын
please timestamp these things
@Steven-fy3wj
9 ай бұрын
25:36
The haunting music always set the tone
Going through a few Horrible Nights to lift a curse or else the Belmont lineage would have met its end. For all the notorious flaws it has, this game did add a lot of neat ideas that paved the way for more highly regarded entries in the series a decade later. This game deserves its respect for what contributed to the series in the long run.
@Rokabur
Жыл бұрын
Without this game we likely never would have gotten Symphony of the Night.
This one had the best music by far! When I hear it I immediately go back in time. ❤❤❤❤
@SuperMarioBrosIII
Жыл бұрын
@Gildedbutterfly1976 ditto for me Sheels1976 I had the NES game, however I didn't like Simons cartoon incarnation of Captain N LOL! 🙋🤠❤🙏
@bannor216
Жыл бұрын
f'n A
Great job on this playthrough of one of my favorite NES games. The music alone makes this a must-play but the gameplay is also extremely satisfying. Back then, imagination took you to a different place in these old games, and Simon’s Quest was oozing with atmosphere. I love how Castlevania 3 went the way it did of a more traditional action platformer, and with that move it made Simon’s Quest that much more special in the NES trilogy. Hats off to this great game!
Oh, man…that music. I just love LOVE how dark this one was in every way. The music, and art, the whole vibe. I remember as a kid, playing this late at night in this shed thing we had that was separate from the house. It had a tv a couch and a mini fridge. I’d spend so many nights out there playing this game, right on the verge of being scared enough to go in the house, but not wanting to imagine what I might run into on the way! Ahh, the nostalgia of these old games seems to age better and better with time. I remember in the early 2000’s there being a resurgence of NES nostalgia. Basically every decade or so, I come back to these old games with a renewed appreciation. For me, and perhaps many of us, these games represent a time special to us individually, a time of safety and simplicity and dare I say happiness. Sadly, it’s a time that will never be again. These old games provide a window back to that time, and that’s why they’ll always be dear to me, and why I’ll be playing them until I physically can’t anymore!
Fun fact: In 1987, Konami had three, count 'em, three Metroidvanias, and all timeless classics. "The Goonies II" (for the NES), "Knightmare II: The Maze of Galious" (for both the MSX and NES), and "Castlevania II: Simon's Quest" (Japanese Disk System version).
@Gildedbutterfly1976
Жыл бұрын
The Goonies was amazing. I remember passing it back in 1988. It wasn't easy to say the least. 😂
0:36 Nice to hear my phone's ringtone! Seriously, anybody who loves Castlevania owes it to themselves to play this game if they haven't already. It's actually a pretty important game in the series lore-wise too, and the soundtrack bestowed upon us such classics as _Bloody Tears_ .
Looking back on the NES era of sequels, it is quite interesting how the second game tends to be when developers really started to experiment. Some notable examples include this, Mario 2 and Zelda 2: the Adventure of Link. They would also introduce a lot of staple elements to their franchise’s. Simon's quest introduced nonlinear exploration into the franchise, multiple endings, and different weapons. Zelda 2 introduced magic and towns in the franchise alongside helping inspire Link's moveset in Smash. With Mario 2, it introduced multiple playable characters and staple enemies and characters like bob-ombs, Birdo, and Shy Guys.
@LuisFelipeFelipe808
2 ай бұрын
both sequels 2 are very different (and at the same time somewhat problematic) so they were revolutionary in their ideas and evolved a lot in future games
This game is my favourite in the series. I never played the first game in the series until many years after part 2. I don’t see the hate this game gets. I play this game every so often and often remember all the lore this game had being 6-7 years old when this game came out.
I was in junior high when this came out... geeze brings back alot of memories
This title brings back lots of memories. I loved it back when I was a kid.
Classic. Would be cool if Konami revisited this franchise like this type of game. Exploration and a chill vibe.
Played this when I was a kid...very nostalgic to see this game again.
This game was my first real introduction to _Castlevania_ and I was six when it came out. It used to scare me but now I'm so jaded even _Terrifier 2_ doesn't elicit more than mild fear. I actually miss the feeling of a good, safe scare.
@cody10184
Жыл бұрын
I thought I was the only one, I can never explain this to other people very well but I agree. I was younger so my first entry was Castlevania 64 the only other game that scared me that bad was the first Diablo.
@elmalloc
11 ай бұрын
Wait until it turns to night.
@Chernobog2
10 ай бұрын
To be fair I don't think Terrifier 2 or the first one are scary, just really mean-spirited
@kingstarscream3807
9 ай бұрын
@@cody10184 Diablo 1 has a brilliantly creepy atmosphere.
I love the fact that they weren’t afraid to try new things and if it didn’t work they’ll address it in the next game. I miss the good ol days
Despite all of the undeserved hate Simon's Quest gets, it's still my favorite Castlevania game. With minor RPG elements, world exploration, item collection, and towns with NPCs to interact with. Simon's Quest could be considered the prototype for the "Metroidvania" style Castlevania games like Symphony of the Night and Circle of the Moon.
@MattyIcecubes
7 ай бұрын
You are probably young and that's why you like 2 so much. Simon's Quest is a lot of great ideas very poorly executed. The clues to what you are supposed to be doing are very vague and nearly impossible to figure out on your own. There was no internet, and unless you had a magazine with a walkthrough or had a friend who knew what to do, this game became a paperweight.
@eramos8916
4 ай бұрын
@@MattyIcecubes To this day I played Castlevania 2 more than 1 and 3. I liked Simon's Quest as its more open world then just being in a castle or set in levels.
@SirHellNaja
4 ай бұрын
@@MattyIcecubes And that's why I like thoae games so much, the magazines. I even almost finished the game blind without help because I couldn't read Japanese back then.
@BlueAizu_
2 ай бұрын
That's not a coincidence, because Symphony of the Night (the first proper "Metroidvania" game in the series) looked at Simon's Quest specifically for inspiration!
@johnnyyyyyw
2 ай бұрын
Undeserved? Simon's quest is terrible in every way
From what I understand, the structure of this entire game is sitting on the foundation of something it calls the 13 clues, all of which were horrifically butchered in translation. I can only imagine how incredible an experience this might've been had it been localized with it's original intention intact. And, yes, we can all play "fixed" versions of this that benefit from hindsight, but that does absolutely nothing for 2nd grade me.
This is not a horrible day to play this game. This is a great game. Simon's Quest is my favorite game by far in the series.
I was addicted to playing this when I was young. Lol. After I beat it, I just played again. 😄 I do like at the end on Draculas tombstone it has his actual birth and death year (Vlad the Impaler). I didn't know that till years later.
I remember playing this game at my cousin's Pegasus in the early 90s. I had no idea what to do or where to go, but I enjoyed taking down monsters and the blood-pumping music. It wasn't until 2014 or so that I bought this game on Wii Virtual Console and took an entire afternoon to finish it. Managed to find all items and power-ups, Flame Whip included. As different as it is from Castlevania 1 and 3, from me that's a compliment.
First NES game I ever purchased with my hard earned cash. I still 100% respect my decision
Pretty solid game. Wish more Castlevania's would embrace RPG elements and let you visit shops, talk with people and the like. Also is it ever a good night for a curse?
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest was my first Castlevania and, believe or not, i managed to finish the game by only talking with the villagers, finding the hidden clue books (i noted the clues for consulting), exploring every way of interaction (that's how i discovered that you need to show Dracula's heart to the ferry man in the Dead river, so he takes you to the third mansion), and a friend of mine told me how to use the garlic, but i always got the bad ending. I didn't know i needed to kill Dracula in less than 14 days, or else Simon dies by the injuries after defeating Dracula's wraith. I played again recently and got the best ending. This is my favorite Castlevania game, i love the game's soundtrack and Simon is my favorite Belmont.
I just replayed through Super Castlevania on the SNES Mini after like 30 years. These games are gold.
Another great video plus it's another game I've never seen defeated before great job
This was the first game that basically gave me the feeling of an RPG
I was about 6 years old, I remember crying when I saw the end of the game... too much suffering this game was very hard
The music from this game is next level, takes me back to my childhood memories of me and my brother trying to figure out how to beat this game!!!
It took me more than a week to finish this game in 1988. And you finished it in an hour and forty one minutes. 😲
This game was amazing, definitely one of the few games that truly gave you a sense of danger, with its dark and scary vibes/atmoshere and challenge. The only thing that got me though, was how cryptic they made this game. Idk how anyone figured out how to travel through that wall unless they read a guide or something. Or using the oak stake on the crystal balls.
BEAUTIFUL upload, NC.
Although I hold Castlevania 3 higher (the best of the NES trilogy, in my opinion), this game is a guilty pleasure right alongside Zelda 2. Such a classic game! Thanks for the playthrough!
@carlodurant87
Жыл бұрын
whats guilty about it castlevania 2 is awesome
@cubanref9670
Жыл бұрын
💯 I owned 3, and it was the cream of the crop, but this is one is so unique. Hilariously, I'm currently on vacation running through it on my switch. Doing a marathon of the Castlevania collection. 🤣😂
@LordSephleon
Жыл бұрын
@@cubanref9670 Hell yeah! Enjoy the marathon! I'm probably due for one myself. Castlevania 3 is my absolute favorite of the NES trilogy, but as you said, this one is so unique, and I have fond childhood memories of it.
@cubanref9670
Жыл бұрын
@LordSephleon The Castlevania Advance Collection deserves praise as well. All we need left is the DS collection. I seriously have a problem, though, because I also purchased 2 copies of the TNMT collection. One for the ps5 and one for the Switch. Not to mention the Contra collection on both. If you grew up in the 80s, these compilations are bliss. There's nothing like running through Contra again without the Konami code on your big ass tv.
@LordSephleon
Жыл бұрын
@@cubanref9670 I see no problem here. Just someone who really appreciates the amazing games of the 80s and 90s and wants to play on every possible medium. :) Even though I grew up in the 80s having played video games since before I learned to read, I personally consider the 90s 16-bit console generation - namely the SNES and Sega Genesis - to be the best we ever achieved in video games, but I can't argue that the 8-bit NES paved the way to that era with an unmatched legacy. Those collections you mentioned are great ways for people young and old to reconnect with the classics.
I like how when you're waiting for morning, you move to the music. Lmfao. I used to do the same thing 🤣
But how can you like this game? Don't you know that some guy on the Internet said it was bad? Also don't you know that some other guy on the Internet said the only correct way to play it was with a hack that replaces the entire text with an in-game walkthrough and kills the whole "the hints are supposed to be riddles" thing from the Japanese version? Now you have to correct your entire outlook on one of your favorite video games according to two random guys' opinions. Sorry, pal, I don't make the rules. [insert enormous tag here]
@NintendoComplete
Жыл бұрын
Shit, this changes my outlook not on just games, but on life. Where have I been? Thanks from the heart man, you really saved me from myself.
@AgentofLADON
Жыл бұрын
Your sarcastic humor comment gives me deepjoy and I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter.
@ElZorroHonesto
Жыл бұрын
@@NintendoComplete Happy to help, dude. 👍
My first Castlevania game!
Beautiful, for one of the most tragically under appreciated Castlevania title of all and hands down my personal favorite version of Simon Belmont as the Gothic warrior/Hunter that he was always meant to be i did a No Hit-No death Guide for this glorious true Metroidvania NES classic 🤘 WHAT A HORRIBLE NIGHT TO HAVE A CURSE 🌙
@starofjustice1
Жыл бұрын
"WHAT A HORRIBLE NIGHT TO HAVE A CURSE 🌙" ikr wtf?
@GothicXlightning
Жыл бұрын
you put the little Moon and everything good attention to detail buddy 🤙
@worsethanhitlerpt.2539
Жыл бұрын
I like the way this game is so random and you get disinformation from the people. it really doesnt follow the mold like all the other adventure games
The "music" is so metal! 🤘
As a kid I always got the gray ending, not realizing it was the worst one. I thought I had won, I didn’t know I had died!
@LadyWolvie82
6 ай бұрын
A year late, but there is wide speculation about the text for each ending not matching the visual. The text for the neutral ending was most likely meant for the gray visual, the text for the best ending meant for the daylight visual (blue background) & the text for the worst ending intended with the sunset visual.
@BrutalEnough
4 ай бұрын
Haha, same here!
What a horrible night to Have a Simon's Quest dance partyyyyyyy
Wow....!!! I'm feeling nostalgia now ❤
Awesome gameplay bro 😁👍 My favorite Game 😏👉👉
They really just decided to pull a Zelda 2.
What a fun game for the NES!! Castlevania is the best series that I've ever played, I'm waiting on a new one too come out......❤❤❤❤❤❤
32 years and I still can't clear the final level... Which is why this game is the BEST
2:48 *Bloody Tears* 😭
Man some of the pixel perfect jumps this game requires gives me anxiety😂 That sound track though is lit 🔥
One of the first games I ever had. Currently working on a live version of the item list. I’m a metalworker making a display for Simon’s equipment.
So he comes out of town and there are lots of werewolves and skeletons hanging around ? Tough neighborhood.
26:00 nice dance lol
¡¡This was my Soundtrack for walking-around Hangtown!!
When I was little this game would actually scare me when it turned night
This is the most complete walkthrough I've found on this game, and oh yeah to the contrary most people claims, this BY FAR THE BEST of the three series. THE BEST! It was also my first Castlevania game, and with the RPG elements it quickly gained love and respect in my heart. Player here managed to show almost every aspect of the game which is no need to say how much appreciated, really. Only detail is the thorn whip, although shown how to get it, I would've purchased it and made some use just for the sake of the "step-by-step" walkthrough. Excellent on the rest, but... Hmnnnn... I have the feeling there were some spots unvisited, specially at the end....
I ended up missing the castle with the eye. I recently just finished this game for thr first time lol. I had to go all the way back to the one castle to get onto the bridge at Dracula's entrance. I ended up fighting the reaper with the flame whip lol. A few hits and he's toast 😅
Konami's first attempt at a Metroidvania...sure they nailed it with SOTN, but Simon's Quest was a very ambitious game. Despite its flaws, it's still one of my favorites to this day.
dance simon dance!~ 25:40 lolol
The Music in this Series is So Hot
Awesome dude
This is probably the hardest Castlevania game!
Would love to see you do a full playthru of Konami's Mouryou Senki Madara!
My first Castlevania game, and I was deeply confused by it.
@worsethanhitlerpt.2539
Жыл бұрын
Holding the red Crystal at the dead-end would stump just about anyone
@SolCresta3405
Жыл бұрын
@@worsethanhitlerpt.2539 Yeah. But funny enough, my brother and I accessed the second half of the game prematurely. We didn't get Dracula's Heart and Eyeball before, only his Rib. So either way, we were stuck at a dead end.
@Koekie5616
9 ай бұрын
Same here, totally lost at the lake
@SolCresta3405
9 ай бұрын
@@Koekie5616 But thank God for emulation and walkthroughs, because I eventually got even with the game that had tormented me for years. Same for Snake’s Revenge.
@Koekie5616
9 ай бұрын
@@SolCresta3405 woah nice! Looking at the videos I sometimes have an impulse to buy these kind of retro games and play it again 😅
What a horrible night to have a curse...
When the internet wasnt available and magazines were your guide...what a game
4:20 Fuck living in this town. Ghouls wander the roads at night and shit. Guess you cant just go out for food or anything I’d imagine.
@SwordfighterRed
Жыл бұрын
Can't have crap in Ohio.
DAMN I WAS ALWAYS GOING STRAIGHT TO RIGHT SIDE AND DYING XD now i know what to do
What a horrible night to have a curse.
what a horrible night to have a curse
Perhaps some haven’t mentioned this, but the ending theme is one of the most emotional pieces of chiptune music composed, even for how brief it lasts. Gets me every time. 🥲
At first when it was released, I didn’t like it, because it was so different from the first Castlevania. But today, it’s my favorite in the series on the 8-bit system!
Love this game ♥️
This is my first castlevaina game, can't beat it yet but boy it's a pain to get many hearts.
Was never able to complete it as a child
AVGN: "This game sucks"
As much as internet has ripped this game apart, you have to give it credit for trying something different. Let me ask this: What would you have wanted from a Castlevania -sequel? A linear game that plays exactly the same as the first one? Or a game that has open world exploration and new gameplay mechanics?
@Rokabur
Жыл бұрын
Both Castlevania 2 and Zelda 2 weren't safe sequels and did something different that influenced later entries.
@Phantom.Gaming64
Жыл бұрын
@@Rokabur Very true 👍
@Shadowfynx
Жыл бұрын
This.
Classic game!
Why are all old games unnecessarily hard like that secret to get the chain whip nobody said nothing about it you either knew it by accidentally throwing the holy water or learned it from someone else back in the day (I am currently going thru the anniversary collection lol)
Amazing gameplay had so many titles on NES - can't believe the bad SPELLING mistakes in this game :D
Now imagine something like this, but with the polish of Castlevania 3. 😊
25:36 my goodness lol
I remember a friend of mine lent me this game because he did not understand it. After playing the first one i was expecting the same thing but found it confusing yet intriguing. I kept playing and playing and loved it due to how different it was from the first one. The only problem was i had no guide, no reference or friends that had beat it. So there was no way for me to know to kneel at that cliff where the tornado takes you away, or no way of knowing where you were supposed to perform specific tasks to keep moving forward. I spent years just going back and forth without being able to get passed the initial areas and thought maybe the game is broken? After about 5 years or so of not playing it since i had completely given up on it, i asked a friend if he had ever finished it? He said yes and gave me all these odd details of a tornado and kneeling here and there, i thought nah he is lying. So i started asking him specifics to which he would just tell me what to do but could not remember the details. I invited him over and asked him to show me what he meant. At first he struggled to remember but after going back and forth for a while he finally made it! Seeing him kneel at that cliff with the tornado put me in shock. I thought omg after so many years i will finally have closure! Anyways it became one of my all time best games on the NES.
Super fun game and Dracula was super easy to defeat great memories
i was 5 in '88. HTB but i was too scared to fight the monsters back then
konami must’ve had some star wars fans working on the team at the time with that death star clue and all
Here's almost every gamer's 1st exposure to the classic "Bloody Tears." However the arcade game "Haunted Castle" preceded this one by almost a full year. "Dwelling Doom" (The Mansion BGM) is another underrated classic and unfortunately has been underplayed throughout the entire franchise.
@ManiacalForeigner
Жыл бұрын
Sorry, but that's incorrect. The original Famicom version of Simon's Quest came out 4 months before Haunted Castle. Kenichi Matsubara, the composer of Simon's Quest, even specifically mentions rearranging Bloody Tears for Haunted Castle in the liner notes for the Konami Game Music Collection Vol. 1 album.
@xxHUNGRY4THETRUTHxx
Жыл бұрын
@@ManiacalForeigner Just double-checked the dates & you are correct. Simon's Quest is the parent title for Bloody Tears. It was created shortly before Haunted Castle. Yet the international release dates are reversed buy almost a full year.
@ManiacalForeigner
Жыл бұрын
@@xxHUNGRY4THETRUTHxx Yeah, no worries. I can see how you could get confused.
First nes game i ever played, my favorite castlevania of the entire series too. The difficulty level in this one was perfect imo although the hints didnt help whatsoever.
My childhood ❤
I don't have that blue potion to let the water down now what do I do?
The one game I wish I could like. And I’ve tried.
It’s a really good game and all, but having only 3 dungeon bosses was always disappointing. Kind of like Metroid with only 3 bosses.
Very cool. Too cryptic, however. If Simon’s Quest got a remaster, fix everything but the music.
I can't progress without that blue potion..
Me loving The music
Man this game is not that bad but, this game was ahead of its time and before MetroidVania was a thing. Also this game has one of the best versions of bloody tears IMO. No, This is my all time favorite version of bloody tears.
That’s the first game I ever won. Eventually I did won a few others. Even the DLC Of Dead Cells
Garlic in the graveyard summons a stranger 😂😂😂😂
HES GONNA TAKE YOU BACK TO THE PAST🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥