fbpx
Wikipedia

Castlevania II: Simon's Quest

January 01, 1970

"Castlevania II" and "Castlevania 2" redirect here. For the Game Boy game, see Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge.

Castlevania II: Simon's Quest[a] is a 1987 action role-playing game developed and published by Konami.[4] It was originally released in Japan in 1987 for the Famicom Disk System, and in North America in 1988 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the second Castlevania game released for the NES, following the original Castlevania (1986). Set seven years after the events of the first installment,[5] the player once again assumes the role of vampire hunter Simon Belmont, who is on a journey to undo a curse placed on him by Dracula at the end of their previous encounter. Dracula's body was split into five parts, which Simon must find and bring to the ruins of Castle Dracula in order to defeat him.[6] The game deviates from the traditional platforming of its predecessor, incorporating role-playing and open world elements.

Castlevania ll: Simon's Quest
North American box art
Developer(s)Konami
Publisher(s)Konami
Director(s)Hitoshi Akamatsu
Programmer(s)
  • Nobuhiro Matsuoka
  • Yasuo Kuwahara
Artist(s)Noriyasu Togakushi
Composer(s)
  • Kenichi Matsubara
  • Satoe Terashima
    Kouji Murata
SeriesCastlevania
Platform(s)
Release
Genre(s)Action role-playing, Metroidvania
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay edit

 
The player-character Simon can buy items and talk to villagers for clues.

Gameplay in Castlevania II: Simon's Quest departs from the platforming genre of the first Castlevania, and introduces nonlinear gameplay and role-playing elements inspired by The Maze of Galious (1987), including a world map which the player is free to explore and revisit.[7][8][9][10] Simon, controlled by the player, can talk with villagers who will offer him clues or lies.[9] He can go to merchants who sell items, either for fighting enemies or for traversing to otherwise unreachable areas. To pay for them, he must collect hearts, which are dropped by defeated enemies.[9][11] In addition to the ordinary items in Simon's inventory, he can purchase new whips in a few locations.[11][12] Simon's Quest introduces an Experience Rating system, in which Simon's power level and maximum health may be increased by collecting a sufficient amount of hearts.[9][11]

The period of time in Simon's Quest cycles between daytime and nightfall,[12] which has an effect on the game and Simon's encounters. During the day, the enemies outside villages are weaker. At nighttime, they gain strength and inflict more damage to Simon's life points;[12] though when defeated, they drop more hearts.[9][11] The villagers and merchants in their respective locations are also no longer available to talk to and are replaced by zombies.[12][13]

Some elements from the previous game return,[14] including the Magic Weapons, which are secondary weapons to Simon's whip.[11] One of them returning from Castlevania is the Holy Water, a small glass which can disintegrate walls that conceal hidden items.[11] Simon's Quest introduces new Magic Weapons such as the Diamond, which attacks enemies while bouncing off any surrounding walls.[11]

The objective of the game is to travel to the five mansions to find the five body parts of Dracula's corpse, and the Magic Cross.[9] The body parts can be utilized to support Simon in the game. For example, Dracula's Rib can be used as a shield to block projectile attacks fired from an enemy.[10][15] Finding all of the required items will allow Simon to clear the blockade in front of Dracula's castle to fight the last boss.[9]

Plot edit

The game takes place seven years after the original Castlevania.[5] The prologue begins when Simon visits his family's resting place.[5] He encounters a young woman at the cemetery who tells him a curse was placed on him by Dracula during their last battle, and that Simon does not have long to live. The woman says the curse can be undone if he resurrects Dracula himself, explaining that Dracula's body was split into five parts after his defeat, and that Simon must find and bring them to the ruins of Dracula's castle.[6] There, he must seal and defeat Dracula. The woman adds it is not guaranteed this will be Dracula's end.[6]

After Simon defeats Dracula, there are three possible endings depending on the time the player takes to complete the game.[15] In two, Simon sustains fatal injuries from the confrontation with Dracula and dies. The best ending is achieved when the player beats the game in eight game days.[16]

Development and release edit

Simon's Quest was designed by Hitoshi Akamatsu, who also directed Castlevania (1986) and Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (1989) on the NES.[17][18] It was released on the Famicom Disk System (FDS) on August 28, 1987 in Japan.[2] Originally titled Dracula II in Japan, Akamatsu created the title Simon's Quest for release in Western territories.[7] When asked if Metroid (1986) had any influence on the development of the game, Akamatsu instead cited The Maze of Galious (1987), another platform-adventure game by Konami that features puzzle solving and a world map.[7] Most of the original artwork for Simon's Quest and other early Castlevania games was lost during the Great Hanshin earthquake of 1995.[19]

Simon's Quest was converted to cartridge for release on the NES in North America on December 1988, and in Europe on April 27, 1990. There are functional differences due to hardware differences between the FDS and cartridge.[20] The FDS version features a progress saving feature, commonly seen on FDS games due to the rewritable floppy disk. The NES version instead uses a password function to save player progress.[20] The FDS medium has a data storage limitation of 112 kilobytes of slow access, whereas bank-switching techniques and solid memory costs allow cartridges to have comparable data space with much faster access. The developers used the additional space to improve the music quality of the NES version, adding percussion samples and re-arranging the melodies to take advantage of the technology.[20] Other changes were made to correct several grammatical and spelling errors in the translation, although the rendering of the protagonist's name as "Simmon Belmont" in the game's endings stayed.[20]

Simon's Quest has seen several re-releases. On November 16, 2002, the game was included on Konami Collector's Series: Castlevania & Contra in North America, a PC collection of the Konami NES games via emulation.[21] It has been re-released on other consoles through Nintendo's Virtual Console service.[22] Simon's Quest is included in the North American and European versions of the NES Classic Edition, a miniature replica of the NES featuring many built-in games.[23] It is also a part of the multi-platform Castlevania Anniversary Collection, a 2019 compilation of past Castlevania titles, and Simon's Quest has the distinction of being the only game in the collection that was released in Japan using the North American version instead of its Japanese counterpart.[24][25]

Audio edit

Akumajō Dracula Famicom Best
Soundtrack album by
Kinuyo Yamashita, Satoe Terashima, Kenichi Matsubara, Yoshinori Sasaki, Jun Funahashi, and Yukie Morimoto
ReleasedMarch 21, 1990 (Japan)[26]
GenreVideo game soundtrack
Length1:04:13[26]

The game's soundtrack was composed by Kenichi Matsubara, who later created music for the Castlevania arcade game, Haunted Castle.[27] "Bloody Tears" has since become a recurring song in the Castlevania franchise.[15] The album Akumajō Dracula Famicom Best was released on March 20, 1990, with the catalog number KICA-1005,[28] and a bonus sticker.[29] It was reprinted under Akumajō Dracula Best Vol. 1 on September 23, 1998, with the catalog number KICA-7901.[28] It included the FDS version of Simon's Quest's music, with three bonus tracks from the NES version. The disc includes the audio from Castlevania and Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, covering 33 tracks with a total duration of 1:04.00.[28] A vinyl record, also featuring both the FDS and NES music, was released by Mondo on January 11, 2017.[30] Some reviewers have praised Matsubara's compositions.[15][31] GameSpy called all of the music "incredible", and one of the first appearances of "classics like 'The Silence of Daylight'".[32]

Reception edit

The game garnered positive reviews following its release, and received the reputation of a Nintendo classic over time.[36] Japanese game magazine Famitsu gave it a score of 28 out of 40.[33]

In 1990, Nintendo Power's NES retrospective Pak Source gave Simon's Quest ratings of 4.5/5 for Graphic and Sound, 4/5 for Play Control, 4/5 for Challenge, and 4/5 for Theme Fun.[37] In 2008, Nintendo Power ranked it as the 15th best NES game, comparing it to Zelda II: The Adventure of Link in how it successfully added role-playing video game elements to its series.[38] In a 1997 Castlevania retrospective, GamePro called it "an excellent time-killer, and much longer than the first Castlevania".[39] IGN called Simon's Quest the "perfect game to play during 1989". It praised the theme of exploration, acknowledged the evolution of the series, and lauded its graphical and audio presentation.[31]

Retrospective reviews of Simon's Quest have been more critical. Points of criticism were made about backtracking, easy bosses, and the day-to-night cycle. A common complaint was its English localization, with cryptic and poorly translated clues from non-player characters.[31] Former Castlevania producer, Koji Igarashi, revealed that the NPCs in the Japanese version were deliberate liars.[40] GameSpot said that the subtle hints from the Japanese version were lost in translation, such as the infamous line "hit Deborah Cliff with your head to make a hole".[34] Active Gaming Media showed that the Japanese text was similarly misleading, but further described where and how an accurate hint from the Japanese game was lost.[41] Further criticism stemmed from some of the game's puzzles, which have no clues at all,[14] such as a scenario where Simon must summon a tornado at Deborah Cliff with the Red Crystal.[34] 1UP.com said the game required a walkthrough because of its non-explanatory nature.[36] Game Informer said that while the game is important in gaming history, it was still a polarizing game due to "cryptic puzzles" and other difficult elements.[42]

Legacy edit

Simon's Quest is the second Castlevania game to depart from linear gameplay, following Vampire Killer for the MSX2 in 1986, and instead feature a non-linear explorative world. This design has been compared to Nintendo's Metroid series,[43] yielding the Metroidvania subgenre. The game's exploration system and ideas introduced adventure elements to the series, and it would heavily influence future games.[19] The first game that drew inspiration from it was Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.[43] Igarashi, Symphony of the Night's assistant director, said the critical reaction to Simon's Quest and its gameplay allowed the game to be pitched to Konami.[44] Simon's Quest would be directly referenced in later Castlevania games. In the Game Boy Advance entry, Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance, the protagonist Juste Belmont recounts when his grandfather Simon had to go search for Dracula's body parts. In the game, the player must find them again.[45]

In other media edit

 
The front page of Nintendo Power #2 received complaints from parents.

Upon its release, Simon's Quest was briefly the subject of controversy when it received strong publicity in the second issue of Nintendo Power. Its front page had a costumed model dressed as Simon Belmont, holding Dracula's severed head. This cover provoked many telephone complaints from parents of children who purchased the magazine,[46] stating that it gave their children nightmares. Nintendo Power covered this in issue 50, citing this as its worst cover.[46] Simon's Quest was referenced in a following issue in a Howard and Nester comic strip.[47]

Simon's Quest was followed by the release of merchandise. In 1988, Tiger Electronics released a handheld game and an LCD wristwatch based on Simon's Quest.[48][49] Promotional collector's cards were also available in Japan.[50] In 2007, a figurine of Simon's appearance from Simon's Quest was included as a pre-order bonus for Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles.[51]

Worlds of Power, a 1990s series of books with stories based on Nintendo games, has a novel about Simon's Quest.[52] It was written by Christopher Howell, and the series was produced by Seth Godin. It departs from the original plot and introduces characters not seen in the game, including junior high school student Timothy Bradley, a video gamer who crosses over into the world of Simon's Quest and assists Simon in looking for Dracula's body parts.[53]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Known in Japan as Dracula II: Noroi no Fūin (ドラキュラII 呪いの封印, Dorakyura Tsū: Noroi no Fūin, lit. "Dracula II: The Seal of the Curse")

References edit

  1. ^ (PDF). Nintendo of America. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 11, 2014. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  2. ^ a b . GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2011-05-25. Retrieved 2008-07-21.
  3. ^ . GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2008-07-28.
  4. ^ Top 100 NES Games – 25. Castlevania II: Simon's Quest 2011-01-23 at the Wayback Machine, IGN
  5. ^ a b c Dracula II: Noroi no Fūin instruction manual (in Japanese). Konami. 1987. pp. 6–7. KDS-DRK.
  6. ^ a b c Dracula II: Noroi no Fūin instruction manual (in Japanese). Konami. 1987. pp. 8–9. KDS-DRK.
  7. ^ a b c "Castlevania – Developer Commentary". Shmupulations. from the original on 2019-05-10. Retrieved 2019-05-10.
  8. ^ Jeremy Parish, 1UP.com, June 28, 2006
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Castlevania II: Simon's Quest instruction manual. Konami. 1988. pp. 4–5. NES-QU-USA.
  10. ^ a b Castlevania II: Simon's Quest instruction manual. Konami. 1988. pp. 8–9. NES-QU-USA.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g Castlevania II: Simon's Quest instruction manual. Konami. 1988. pp. 10–11. NES-QU-USA.
  12. ^ a b c d Castlevania II: Simon's Quest instruction manual. Konami. 1988. p. 7. NES-QU-USA.
  13. ^ Castlevania II: Simon's Quest instruction manual. Konami. 1988. p. 12. NES-QU-USA.
  14. ^ a b . 2018-01-14. Archived from the original on 2018-01-14. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  15. ^ a b c d Mike Whalen, Giancarlo Varanini. . GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2008-07-25. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
  16. ^ "Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest". ClassicGaming.com. GameSpy. from the original on 2009-08-01. Retrieved 2008-07-27.
  17. ^ Konami Industry Co., Ltd. (22 December 1989). Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (in Japanese). Konami Industry Co., Ltd. Scene: staff credits (second playthrough).
  18. ^ "Hitoshi Akamatsu Video Game Credits and Biography". MobyGames. from the original on 2017-03-12. Retrieved 2016-08-31.
  19. ^ a b Mark Bozon (2007-01-18). "Castlevania: The Retrospective". IGN. from the original on 2008-09-28. Retrieved 2008-07-31.
  20. ^ a b c d "Castlevania II: Simon's Quest". ClassicGaming.com. GameSpy. from the original on 2016-03-14. Retrieved 2008-08-13.
  21. ^ . GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2011-05-25. Retrieved 2007-10-11.
  22. ^ "Castlevania II: Simon's Quest – Release Summary (Wii)". GameSpot. Retrieved 2008-07-28.[permanent dead link]
  23. ^ Paul, Ian (July 14, 2016). "Nintendo's releasing a miniature NES console packed with 30 classic games". from the original on July 15, 2016. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  24. ^ "Castlevania Anniversary Collection screenshots, price point". Nintendo Everything. 2019-04-21. from the original on 2019-04-25. Retrieved 2019-05-10.
  25. ^ "「悪魔城ドラキュラ アニバーサリーコレクション」が本日配信。山根ミチル氏インタビューや未公開資料を掲載した「ボーナスブック」を収録". 4Gamer.net. from the original on 2022-05-17. Retrieved 2022-05-17.
  26. ^ a b "Akumajo Dracula Best". Square Enix Music Online. from the original on 2013-05-13. Retrieved 2013-02-05.
  27. ^ Konami Game Music Collection Vol.1 (Media notes). King Records Co., Ltd. 1988. from the original on 2009-06-13. Retrieved 2010-09-28.
  28. ^ a b c . Game Music Revolution Online. Archived from the original on 2007-10-24. Retrieved 2008-08-27.
  29. ^ "Akumajo Dracula Best". VGMuseum.com. from the original on 2008-07-20. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  30. ^ "New Music Release: CASTLEVANIA II: SIMON'S QUEST – Mondo". Mondo. from the original on 2017-06-26. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  31. ^ a b c d Lucas M. Thomas (2007-10-31). . IGN. Archived from the original on 2012-08-13. Retrieved 2008-07-12.
  32. ^ "Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest". ClassicGaming.com. GameSpy. from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2008-08-27.
  33. ^ a b "ドラキュラII 呪いの封印 [ファミコン] / ファミ通.com". www.famitsu.com. from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  34. ^ a b c Frank Provo (2007-11-06). "Castlevania II: Simon's Quest for Wii Review". GameSpot. from the original on 2012-02-24. Retrieved 2011-12-28.
  35. ^ "Castlevania II: Simon's Quest Video Game". GameTrailers. from the original on 2009-10-14. Retrieved 2009-12-10.
  36. ^ a b "Retro Roundup 10/29: Castlevania, Spyro, Magician Lord". 1UP.com. Retrieved 2008-08-09.[permanent dead link]
  37. ^ "Pak Source". Nintendo Power. Nintendo of America. January 1990.
  38. ^ "Nintendo Power – The 20th Anniversary Issue!" (Magazine). Nintendo Power. 231 (231). San Francisco, California: Future US. August 2008: 71. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  39. ^ "Castlevania Rises from the Grave". GamePro. No. 108. IDG. September 1997. p. 34.
  40. ^ . Gie Wie Gorilla. Archived from the original on 2008-06-24. Retrieved 2008-07-28.
  41. ^ Anthony Teixeira. . Active Gaming Media. Archived from the original on 2011-03-10. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
  42. ^ Turi, Tim (2012-04-04). "Ranking The Castlevania Bloodline". Game Informer. from the original on 2013-05-07. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  43. ^ a b Kurt Kalata (2006-07-26). . 1UP.com. Archived from the original on 2011-05-22. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
  44. ^ Oxford, Nadia (September 7, 2018). "Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Wouldn't Have Happened Without Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest". USGamer. from the original on October 1, 2018. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
  45. ^ Konami (2002-06-06). Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (Game Boy Advance). Konami. Level/area: Corridor in the Air.
  46. ^ a b 50 Issues of Nintendo Power: Worst Cover: Castlevania II – Vol. 2 showed Simon Belmont holding Dracula's head. Kids had nightmares and so did our phone reps who dealt with the complaints. – Nintendo Power, Vol. 50, p.36
  47. ^ Nintendo Power November/December 1988
  48. ^ . GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2008-07-26. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
  49. ^ "Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest – LCD Wristwatch". VGMuseum.com. from the original on 2008-09-23. Retrieved 2008-07-31.
  50. ^ "Castlevania 2 Cards". ClassicGaming.com. GameSpy. from the original on 2010-06-12. Retrieved 2008-09-30.
  51. ^ "Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles with Simon Belmont figure". QJ. Caputo Media. 2007-10-08. Retrieved 2014-05-02.
  52. ^ "Castlevania 2: Worlds of Power Book". ClassicGaming.com. GameSpy. from the original on 2010-01-09. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
  53. ^ Struck, Shawn; Scott Sharkey (2006-08-03). . 1UP.com. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2009-07-14.

External links edit

January 01, 1970
castlevania, simon, quest, castlevania, castlevania, redirect, here, game, game, castlevania, belmont, revenge, 1987, action, role, playing, game, developed, published, konami, originally, released, japan, 1987, famicom, disk, system, north, america, 1988, nin. Castlevania II and Castlevania 2 redirect here For the Game Boy game see Castlevania II Belmont s Revenge Castlevania II Simon s Quest a is a 1987 action role playing game developed and published by Konami 4 It was originally released in Japan in 1987 for the Famicom Disk System and in North America in 1988 for the Nintendo Entertainment System It is the second Castlevania game released for the NES following the original Castlevania 1986 Set seven years after the events of the first installment 5 the player once again assumes the role of vampire hunter Simon Belmont who is on a journey to undo a curse placed on him by Dracula at the end of their previous encounter Dracula s body was split into five parts which Simon must find and bring to the ruins of Castle Dracula in order to defeat him 6 The game deviates from the traditional platforming of its predecessor incorporating role playing and open world elements Castlevania ll Simon s QuestNorth American box artDeveloper s KonamiPublisher s KonamiDirector s Hitoshi AkamatsuProgrammer s Nobuhiro MatsuokaYasuo KuwaharaArtist s Noriyasu TogakushiComposer s Kenichi MatsubaraSatoe TerashimaKouji MurataSeriesCastlevaniaPlatform s Famicom Disk SystemNintendo Entertainment SystemReleaseJP August 28 1987 2 NA December 1988 1 PAL April 27 1990 3 Genre s Action role playing MetroidvaniaMode s Single player Contents 1 Gameplay 2 Plot 3 Development and release 3 1 Audio 4 Reception 4 1 Legacy 5 In other media 6 Notes 7 References 8 External linksGameplay edit nbsp The player character Simon can buy items and talk to villagers for clues Gameplay in Castlevania II Simon s Quest departs from the platforming genre of the first Castlevania and introduces nonlinear gameplay and role playing elements inspired by The Maze of Galious 1987 including a world map which the player is free to explore and revisit 7 8 9 10 Simon controlled by the player can talk with villagers who will offer him clues or lies 9 He can go to merchants who sell items either for fighting enemies or for traversing to otherwise unreachable areas To pay for them he must collect hearts which are dropped by defeated enemies 9 11 In addition to the ordinary items in Simon s inventory he can purchase new whips in a few locations 11 12 Simon s Quest introduces an Experience Rating system in which Simon s power level and maximum health may be increased by collecting a sufficient amount of hearts 9 11 The period of time in Simon s Quest cycles between daytime and nightfall 12 which has an effect on the game and Simon s encounters During the day the enemies outside villages are weaker At nighttime they gain strength and inflict more damage to Simon s life points 12 though when defeated they drop more hearts 9 11 The villagers and merchants in their respective locations are also no longer available to talk to and are replaced by zombies 12 13 Some elements from the previous game return 14 including the Magic Weapons which are secondary weapons to Simon s whip 11 One of them returning from Castlevania is the Holy Water a small glass which can disintegrate walls that conceal hidden items 11 Simon s Quest introduces new Magic Weapons such as the Diamond which attacks enemies while bouncing off any surrounding walls 11 The objective of the game is to travel to the five mansions to find the five body parts of Dracula s corpse and the Magic Cross 9 The body parts can be utilized to support Simon in the game For example Dracula s Rib can be used as a shield to block projectile attacks fired from an enemy 10 15 Finding all of the required items will allow Simon to clear the blockade in front of Dracula s castle to fight the last boss 9 Plot editThe game takes place seven years after the original Castlevania 5 The prologue begins when Simon visits his family s resting place 5 He encounters a young woman at the cemetery who tells him a curse was placed on him by Dracula during their last battle and that Simon does not have long to live The woman says the curse can be undone if he resurrects Dracula himself explaining that Dracula s body was split into five parts after his defeat and that Simon must find and bring them to the ruins of Dracula s castle 6 There he must seal and defeat Dracula The woman adds it is not guaranteed this will be Dracula s end 6 After Simon defeats Dracula there are three possible endings depending on the time the player takes to complete the game 15 In two Simon sustains fatal injuries from the confrontation with Dracula and dies The best ending is achieved when the player beats the game in eight game days 16 Development and release editSimon s Quest was designed by Hitoshi Akamatsu who also directed Castlevania 1986 and Castlevania III Dracula s Curse 1989 on the NES 17 18 It was released on the Famicom Disk System FDS on August 28 1987 in Japan 2 Originally titled Dracula II in Japan Akamatsu created the title Simon s Quest for release in Western territories 7 When asked if Metroid 1986 had any influence on the development of the game Akamatsu instead cited The Maze of Galious 1987 another platform adventure game by Konami that features puzzle solving and a world map 7 Most of the original artwork for Simon s Quest and other early Castlevania games was lost during the Great Hanshin earthquake of 1995 19 Simon s Quest was converted to cartridge for release on the NES in North America on December 1988 and in Europe on April 27 1990 There are functional differences due to hardware differences between the FDS and cartridge 20 The FDS version features a progress saving feature commonly seen on FDS games due to the rewritable floppy disk The NES version instead uses a password function to save player progress 20 The FDS medium has a data storage limitation of 112 kilobytes of slow access whereas bank switching techniques and solid memory costs allow cartridges to have comparable data space with much faster access The developers used the additional space to improve the music quality of the NES version adding percussion samples and re arranging the melodies to take advantage of the technology 20 Other changes were made to correct several grammatical and spelling errors in the translation although the rendering of the protagonist s name as Simmon Belmont in the game s endings stayed 20 Simon s Quest has seen several re releases On November 16 2002 the game was included on Konami Collector s Series Castlevania amp Contra in North America a PC collection of the Konami NES games via emulation 21 It has been re released on other consoles through Nintendo s Virtual Console service 22 Simon s Quest is included in the North American and European versions of the NES Classic Edition a miniature replica of the NES featuring many built in games 23 It is also a part of the multi platform Castlevania Anniversary Collection a 2019 compilation of past Castlevania titles and Simon s Quest has the distinction of being the only game in the collection that was released in Japan using the North American version instead of its Japanese counterpart 24 25 Audio edit Akumajō Dracula Famicom BestSoundtrack album by Kinuyo Yamashita Satoe Terashima Kenichi Matsubara Yoshinori Sasaki Jun Funahashi and Yukie MorimotoReleasedMarch 21 1990 Japan 26 GenreVideo game soundtrackLength1 04 13 26 The game s soundtrack was composed by Kenichi Matsubara who later created music for the Castlevania arcade game Haunted Castle 27 Bloody Tears has since become a recurring song in the Castlevania franchise 15 The album Akumajō Dracula Famicom Best was released on March 20 1990 with the catalog number KICA 1005 28 and a bonus sticker 29 It was reprinted under Akumajō Dracula Best Vol 1 on September 23 1998 with the catalog number KICA 7901 28 It included the FDS version of Simon s Quest s music with three bonus tracks from the NES version The disc includes the audio from Castlevania and Castlevania III Dracula s Curse covering 33 tracks with a total duration of 1 04 00 28 A vinyl record also featuring both the FDS and NES music was released by Mondo on January 11 2017 30 Some reviewers have praised Matsubara s compositions 15 31 GameSpy called all of the music incredible and one of the first appearances of classics like The Silence of Daylight 32 Reception editReceptionReview scoresPublicationScoreFamitsu28 40 33 GameSpot6 5 of 10 34 GameTrailers7 5 of 10 35 IGN7 0 of 10 31 The game garnered positive reviews following its release and received the reputation of a Nintendo classic over time 36 Japanese game magazine Famitsu gave it a score of 28 out of 40 33 In 1990 Nintendo Power s NES retrospective Pak Source gave Simon s Quest ratings of 4 5 5 for Graphic and Sound 4 5 for Play Control 4 5 for Challenge and 4 5 for Theme Fun 37 In 2008 Nintendo Power ranked it as the 15th best NES game comparing it to Zelda II The Adventure of Link in how it successfully added role playing video game elements to its series 38 In a 1997 Castlevania retrospective GamePro called it an excellent time killer and much longer than the first Castlevania 39 IGN called Simon s Quest the perfect game to play during 1989 It praised the theme of exploration acknowledged the evolution of the series and lauded its graphical and audio presentation 31 Retrospective reviews of Simon s Quest have been more critical Points of criticism were made about backtracking easy bosses and the day to night cycle A common complaint was its English localization with cryptic and poorly translated clues from non player characters 31 Former Castlevania producer Koji Igarashi revealed that the NPCs in the Japanese version were deliberate liars 40 GameSpot said that the subtle hints from the Japanese version were lost in translation such as the infamous line hit Deborah Cliff with your head to make a hole 34 Active Gaming Media showed that the Japanese text was similarly misleading but further described where and how an accurate hint from the Japanese game was lost 41 Further criticism stemmed from some of the game s puzzles which have no clues at all 14 such as a scenario where Simon must summon a tornado at Deborah Cliff with the Red Crystal 34 1UP com said the game required a walkthrough because of its non explanatory nature 36 Game Informer said that while the game is important in gaming history it was still a polarizing game due to cryptic puzzles and other difficult elements 42 Legacy edit Simon s Quest is the second Castlevania game to depart from linear gameplay following Vampire Killer for the MSX2 in 1986 and instead feature a non linear explorative world This design has been compared to Nintendo s Metroid series 43 yielding the Metroidvania subgenre The game s exploration system and ideas introduced adventure elements to the series and it would heavily influence future games 19 The first game that drew inspiration from it was Castlevania Symphony of the Night 43 Igarashi Symphony of the Night s assistant director said the critical reaction to Simon s Quest and its gameplay allowed the game to be pitched to Konami 44 Simon s Quest would be directly referenced in later Castlevania games In the Game Boy Advance entry Castlevania Harmony of Dissonance the protagonist Juste Belmont recounts when his grandfather Simon had to go search for Dracula s body parts In the game the player must find them again 45 In other media edit nbsp The front page of Nintendo Power 2 received complaints from parents Upon its release Simon s Quest was briefly the subject of controversy when it received strong publicity in the second issue of Nintendo Power Its front page had a costumed model dressed as Simon Belmont holding Dracula s severed head This cover provoked many telephone complaints from parents of children who purchased the magazine 46 stating that it gave their children nightmares Nintendo Power covered this in issue 50 citing this as its worst cover 46 Simon s Quest was referenced in a following issue in a Howard and Nester comic strip 47 Simon s Quest was followed by the release of merchandise In 1988 Tiger Electronics released a handheld game and an LCD wristwatch based on Simon s Quest 48 49 Promotional collector s cards were also available in Japan 50 In 2007 a figurine of Simon s appearance from Simon s Quest was included as a pre order bonus for Castlevania The Dracula X Chronicles 51 Worlds of Power a 1990s series of books with stories based on Nintendo games has a novel about Simon s Quest 52 It was written by Christopher Howell and the series was produced by Seth Godin It departs from the original plot and introduces characters not seen in the game including junior high school student Timothy Bradley a video gamer who crosses over into the world of Simon s Quest and assists Simon in looking for Dracula s body parts 53 Notes edit Known in Japan as Dracula II Noroi no Fuin ドラキュラII 呪いの封印 Dorakyura Tsu Noroi no Fuin lit Dracula II The Seal of the Curse References edit NES Games PDF Nintendo of America Archived from the original PDF on June 11 2014 Retrieved August 9 2015 a b Dracula II Noroi no Fuuin Release Summary GameSpot Archived from the original on 2011 05 25 Retrieved 2008 07 21 Castlevania II Simon s Quest Release Summary NES GameSpot Archived from the original on 2007 09 30 Retrieved 2008 07 28 Top 100 NES Games 25 Castlevania II Simon s Quest Archived 2011 01 23 at the Wayback Machine IGN a b c Dracula II Noroi no Fuin instruction manual in Japanese Konami 1987 pp 6 7 KDS DRK a b c Dracula II Noroi no Fuin instruction manual in Japanese Konami 1987 pp 8 9 KDS DRK a b c Castlevania Developer Commentary Shmupulations Archived from the original on 2019 05 10 Retrieved 2019 05 10 Jeremy Parish Metroidvania Chronicles II Simon s Quest1UP com June 28 2006 a b c d e f g Castlevania II Simon s Quest instruction manual Konami 1988 pp 4 5 NES QU USA a b Castlevania II Simon s Quest instruction manual Konami 1988 pp 8 9 NES QU USA a b c d e f g Castlevania II Simon s Quest instruction manual Konami 1988 pp 10 11 NES QU USA a b c d Castlevania II Simon s Quest instruction manual Konami 1988 p 7 NES QU USA Castlevania II Simon s Quest instruction manual Konami 1988 p 12 NES QU USA a b RPGamer gt Staff Retroview gt Castlevania II Simon s Quest 2018 01 14 Archived from the original on 2018 01 14 Retrieved 2018 07 24 a b c d Mike Whalen Giancarlo Varanini The History of Castlevania Castlevania II Simon s Quest GameSpot Archived from the original on 2008 07 25 Retrieved 2008 08 01 Castlevania 2 Simon s Quest ClassicGaming com GameSpy Archived from the original on 2009 08 01 Retrieved 2008 07 27 Konami Industry Co Ltd 22 December 1989 Castlevania III Dracula s Curse in Japanese Konami Industry Co Ltd Scene staff credits second playthrough Hitoshi Akamatsu Video Game Credits and Biography MobyGames Archived from the original on 2017 03 12 Retrieved 2016 08 31 a b Mark Bozon 2007 01 18 Castlevania The Retrospective IGN Archived from the original on 2008 09 28 Retrieved 2008 07 31 a b c d Castlevania II Simon s Quest ClassicGaming com GameSpy Archived from the original on 2016 03 14 Retrieved 2008 08 13 Konami Collector s Series Castlevania amp Contra Release Summary GameSpot Archived from the original on 2011 05 25 Retrieved 2007 10 11 Castlevania II Simon s Quest Release Summary Wii GameSpot Retrieved 2008 07 28 permanent dead link Paul Ian July 14 2016 Nintendo s releasing a miniature NES console packed with 30 classic games Archived from the original on July 15 2016 Retrieved July 14 2016 Castlevania Anniversary Collection screenshots price point Nintendo Everything 2019 04 21 Archived from the original on 2019 04 25 Retrieved 2019 05 10 悪魔城ドラキュラ アニバーサリーコレクション が本日配信 山根ミチル氏インタビューや未公開資料を掲載した ボーナスブック を収録 4Gamer net Archived from the original on 2022 05 17 Retrieved 2022 05 17 a b Akumajo Dracula Best Square Enix Music Online Archived from the original on 2013 05 13 Retrieved 2013 02 05 Konami Game Music Collection Vol 1 Media notes King Records Co Ltd 1988 Archived from the original on 2009 06 13 Retrieved 2010 09 28 a b c Akumajo Dracula Best Game Music Revolution Online Archived from the original on 2007 10 24 Retrieved 2008 08 27 Akumajo Dracula Best VGMuseum com Archived from the original on 2008 07 20 Retrieved 2008 09 02 New Music Release CASTLEVANIA II SIMON S QUEST Mondo Mondo Archived from the original on 2017 06 26 Retrieved 2017 06 27 a b c d Lucas M Thomas 2007 10 31 IGN Castlevania II Simon s Quest Virtual Console Review IGN Archived from the original on 2012 08 13 Retrieved 2008 07 12 Castlevania 2 Simon s Quest ClassicGaming com GameSpy Archived from the original on 2011 07 23 Retrieved 2008 08 27 a b ドラキュラII 呪いの封印 ファミコン ファミ通 com www famitsu com Archived from the original on 2015 09 24 Retrieved 2018 07 24 a b c Frank Provo 2007 11 06 Castlevania II Simon s Quest for Wii Review GameSpot Archived from the original on 2012 02 24 Retrieved 2011 12 28 Castlevania II Simon s Quest Video Game GameTrailers Archived from the original on 2009 10 14 Retrieved 2009 12 10 a b Retro Roundup 10 29 Castlevania Spyro Magician Lord 1UP com Retrieved 2008 08 09 permanent dead link Pak Source Nintendo Power Nintendo of America January 1990 Nintendo Power The 20th Anniversary Issue Magazine Nintendo Power 231 231 San Francisco California Future US August 2008 71 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Castlevania Rises from the Grave GamePro No 108 IDG September 1997 p 34 Interview with Koji Igarashi amp Michiru Yamane Gie Wie Gorilla Archived from the original on 2008 06 24 Retrieved 2008 07 28 Anthony Teixeira Resolving a Translation Mystery Castlevania II Active Gaming Media Archived from the original on 2011 03 10 Retrieved 2010 01 10 Turi Tim 2012 04 04 Ranking The Castlevania Bloodline Game Informer Archived from the original on 2013 05 07 Retrieved 2013 12 05 a b Kurt Kalata 2006 07 26 Tales from the Crypt Castlevania s 20th Anniversary Blow Out 1UP com Archived from the original on 2011 05 22 Retrieved 2008 08 01 Oxford Nadia September 7 2018 Castlevania Symphony of the Night Wouldn t Have Happened Without Castlevania 2 Simon s Quest USGamer Archived from the original on October 1 2018 Retrieved September 7 2018 Konami 2002 06 06 Castlevania Harmony of Dissonance Game Boy Advance Konami Level area Corridor in the Air a b 50 Issues of Nintendo Power Worst Cover Castlevania II Vol 2 showed Simon Belmont holding Dracula s head Kids had nightmares and so did our phone reps who dealt with the complaints Nintendo Power Vol 50 p 36 Nintendo Power November December 1988 The History of Castlevania Related Games GameSpot Archived from the original on 2008 07 26 Retrieved 2008 08 01 Castlevania 2 Simon s Quest LCD Wristwatch VGMuseum com Archived from the original on 2008 09 23 Retrieved 2008 07 31 Castlevania 2 Cards ClassicGaming com GameSpy Archived from the original on 2010 06 12 Retrieved 2008 09 30 Castlevania Dracula X Chronicles with Simon Belmont figure QJ Caputo Media 2007 10 08 Retrieved 2014 05 02 Castlevania 2 Worlds of Power Book ClassicGaming com GameSpy Archived from the original on 2010 01 09 Retrieved 2008 08 01 Struck Shawn Scott Sharkey 2006 08 03 8 Bit Lit Behind the Worlds of Power Books based on Nintendo Entertainment System games 1UP com Archived from the original on 2011 06 05 Retrieved 2009 07 14 External links edit nbsp Video games portal nbsp Japan portal nbsp Speculative fiction Horror portal Castlevania II Simon s Quest at MobyGames Castlevania II Simon s Quest title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Castlevania II Simon 27s Quest amp oldid 1218388154, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.