Ever wonder what Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro and other popular magazines thought of your favorite 8-, 16- and 32-bit games? Now you can find out, thanks to Review Crew! This is the only show on the internet that is willing to go back in time to find out what old school critics thought of retro games at the time. Did they pan your favorite game? Did they love something terrible? Find out every week as Defunct Games presents Review Crew!
Dracula is back in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, the newest installment in Konami's long-running franchise. But who cares about the newest 3D Castlevania game, because this is a series at its best in 2D. So let's take a trip back in time to the early 1990s and find out what GamePro, Nintendo Power and Video Games & Computer Entertainment thought of Super Castlevania IV for the Super NES.
(NOTE: Although we occasionally cut for length, no other edits are made to the review. Defunct Games does not change any of the wording, grammar or punctuation use. Also keep in mind that our score is the average of all critics at the time, not just the sample that is reprinted on this page. If you still have more questions, I recommend you check out the
Review Crew FAQ, where we address the review guidelines, converting scores, magazine covers and more.)
GAMEPRO (November 1991)
"Run don't walk to drive your stake through Castlevania IV! An action adventure treat that will appeal to gamers of all ages and ability, this cart should be on the top of every SNES owner's holiday wish list. And while you're writing that down, this reviewer will make his own wish: Castlevania IV!!"
(5 out of 5)
SUPER NES BUYERS GUIDE (May 1992)
"Konami is on a roll! Their Super NES line-up is going to be hard to top. Castlevania 4 does what all sequels should do -- improve on everything! Graphics, special effects, music and challenge are all right up at the top of the chart. Another good reason why you should go out and buy a Super Nintendo. And the best is yet to come!" -Guy
(8 out of 10)
COMPUTERS & VIDEOGAMES #122
"Things that make you go hmmm. Castlevania seemed to be just that. We'd all been waiting, pant-wetting excitement filled the air as the cart was plugged in. Phew, what a relief to find hat Castlevania is in fact the mega-game we were waiting for. All it takes is a little patience on the completely boring early levels and you're met with rewards aplenty as the game turns into a hot love action extravaganza of zombie whipping larks. Neato." -Frank O'Connor
(93% out of 100%)
NINTENDO POWER (Issue 32)
"I think Super Castlevania IV is a blast. The graphics are great and I really like the way the music adds to the action. There's one part where you're swinging from chandelier to chandelier and you literally feel like you're in the air. I'm kind of scared of heights to begin with and it felt like I was on the verge of falling. It's definitely one of the top Super NES games that I've played." -Rob
(4 out of 5)
SUPER PLAY #1
"It's slow-paced, to start with -- worse, it starts off incredibly dull and slowly gets better the further you get. Still, if you enjoyed Super Mario World, and you're looking for a further outlet for your platform-leaping skills, this should be on your list. Just remember, the people who'll get most out of it are the really committed gamers."
(91% out of 100%)
N-FORCE #1
"Delve into the dark depths of this despicable and depraved world and this charismatic cart bursts into bloom. Golden locks flowing and chest plate a-bulging, the sprites are huge and detailed. Playability's smooth and responsive with loadsa levels to keep ya whip hand happy. My only criticism's the slow pace, but that's like complaining that Mario's got blue instead of red dungarees. Personally, I wouldn't give a 'Castlevania XXXX' for anything else." -Ace
(89% out of 100%)
SUPER NES BUYERS GUIDE (May 1992)
"Simon's back! This is a great cart to own to show off the graphics and sound capabilities of the SNES. The game play is very good and there are a ton of levels. The only thing I miss is the ability to change into other characters like in Castlevania 3. All around this is a very impressive cart and definitely a blast to play through." -Dude
(8 out of 10)
VIDEO GAMES & COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT (January 1992)
"Really nice backgrounds, sound effects and music, plus challenging and interesting game play make Super Castlevania IV live up to its heritage. The boss characters are challenging, and the various evil critters that are creeping the halls keep your steps cautious. The problem of screen slowdown -- a prevalent SNES trait, it appears -- did pop up occasionally, but didn't take much away from an otherwise polished and enjoyable game." -B.W.
(9 out of 10)
REVIEW CREW AVERAGE: 86% -
The critics loved Super Castlevania IV, praising the great graphics and atmospheric soundtrack. Some critics decided to go overboard. For example, Rob at Nintendo Power talked about nearly having a panic attack because the graphics are so realistic. GamePro liked the game so much that they decided to put it on their own holiday wish list. I'm not entirely sure why. Guy and Dude from Super NES Buyers Guide enjoyed the game, but were not willing to give it a 9. Most seemed to agree that it's good, but not as strong as Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse.
But what did they think of Castlevania: Bloodlines?
CASTLEVANIA ARCHIVE:
Want to see how this Castlevania game stacks up against the rest? Below you will find every Castlevania game currently in the Review Crew archive. Read the original reviews and see if you agree with the old school critics.
