Sat, 01 Aug 2009 by Damien McFerran
The second Game Boy Castlevania atones for the sins of its predecessor and ranks as one of the finest entries in the entire series
Before we plough headlong into this review, a short history lesson is probably in order. As the title denotes, Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge isn’t the first instalment of Konami’s vampire-slaying franchise to reach the monochrome Game Boy. Castlevania: The Adventure – launched alongside the machine in 1989 – was a largely forgettable affair with crude visuals, ropey music and jarring gameplay. The overwhelmingly average nature of this title didn’t do much to inspire confidence when Konami decided to release a sequel shortly after, but Belmont’s Revenge is a stratospheric improvement in absolutely every respect.
Firstly, the visuals are stunning for a Game Boy title. Whereas many games on Nintendo’s popular portable suffered from bland, featureless stage designs (a conscious move by designers to reduce the issue of screen blur), Belmont’s Revenge has locations that are positively bursting with detail, yet they manage to retain their beauty even when the on-screen action is hectic. The graphics are also as varied as they are impressive, with a wide range of different level themes running through the game.
Instead of following the traditional Castlevania blueprint of linear level-by-level progression, Belmont’s Revenge allows players to choose how they tackle the first four stages – a similar system to that employed in Capcom’s Mega Man games. The opening quartet of castles is a diverse bunch; for example, one is set in the clouds, another is situated in a swamp and yet another contains an interior that wouldn’t look out of place in a pyramid. Konami’s designers clearly let their imaginations run riot and had a blast creating this game, and it shows.
The core gameplay will be instantly familiar to anyone who has played any of the NES Castlevania titles. You control Christopher Belmont, who brandishes the traditional whip of his clan. The whip – which starts out as a short length of leather – can be upgraded by collecting magical orbs; three of these will fully enhance the weapon, at which point you can hurl fireballs from its tip. Those of you that have suffered through The Castlevania Adventure will be pleased to know that contact with an enemy no longer powers-down your whip.
As usual, whipping the many candles that dot the landscape will reveal other useful items. Sub-weapons such as Axes and Holy Water are present, and using these requires hearts which can also be collected from broken candles. Just like in the NES versions, you access your sub-weapon by pushing the attack button along with up on the D-pad.
While the gameplay might not be a radical change from the norm, the way Christopher Belmont reacts to your commands certainly is. Compared to the infuriatingly sluggish manner in which he responded in the first Game Boy title it feels like he’s had a shot of steroids in Belmont’s Revenge; split-second timing is needed to navigate some of the more tricky levels and thanks to the silky-smooth controls you only have yourself to blame when things go wrong.
Elsewhere, the game is packed with moments of surprising innovation. For example, there are sections where you must successfully move through rooms that are literally packed with moving objects; compared to often sedate nature of the NES versions, Belmont’s Revenge feels like an uncharacteristically busy game. In one of the castles, whipping the candles actually proves to be a negative thing as it plunges the room into darkness, thus allowing the previously immobile enemies to attack. There are several similar examples of startling originality here that are absent from later entries in the franchise.
All of this is underpinned by one of the finest Game Boy soundtracks in existence; the music to this game has to be heard to be believed. Quite how Konami’s sound engineers managed to coax such a gorgeous symphony from the Game Boy’s feeble speaker is a mystery. Needless to say, you’ll be playing this game with the volume dial jammed as high as it will go.
The only negative aspect of this otherwise exemplarity game is the challenge. Playing through in one sitting is pretty demanding but there’s a password option to make it a little more manageable. The only trouble is that this system reduces the game’s difficulty somewhat, but then there’s always the choice to ignore it, if your willpower is strong enough.
1. pixelman
01 Aug 2009, 23:43 BST
Wait, Corbie said last night he'd put up a Final Fantasy review today. Well, I guess this isn't the first time you guys surprised us...
This looks really cool. I'll have to (cough cough) check it out.
2. Corbie
01 Aug 2009, 23:45 BST
We had a miscommunication on the proofing. LOL. So it's going to be Castlevania II today. Sorry.
3. LinktotheFuture
01 Aug 2009, 23:46 BST
Sounds cool. If the DSi VC ever comes out, this is a must download for me.
4. Machu
01 Aug 2009, 23:54 BST
Never played it, but now I wish I had.
5. Giggsy
02 Aug 2009, 00:05 BST
Nice review Damo. Only played a small part of this game, but it seemed to carry that certain Castlevania greatness.
6. Ricardo91
02 Aug 2009, 00:07 BST
I ought to go look for this one.
7. GabeGreens
02 Aug 2009, 00:11 BST
can you move your character in the air, and can you jump while on steps?
My two main gripes on Castlevania 3
8. slapshot82
02 Aug 2009, 00:17 BST
Im lovin these reviews already and this is the second one. My God my wife is gona kill me when I end up buyin half of these games that I already don't have. This is the next on my list as of right NOW. Great review Damien.
9. warioswoods
02 Aug 2009, 00:30 BST
One of the few Castlevania games I never got around to playing.
By the way, I'm very much in favor of using the "natural" yellowish Game Boy color for the screenshots. It just looks weird in true black-and-white, and nothing at all like the game actually played on the original system. It'd be like showing your Virtual Boy screenshots without the red; it doesn't make any sense for a retro review.
10. pixelman
02 Aug 2009, 00:33 BST
I'm curious, do you guys use emulators to snap the retro screenshots?
11. dsijared
02 Aug 2009, 00:49 BST
linktothefuture
it's not gonna be called vc its virtural handheld or just vh come on guys get it right
12. theberrage
02 Aug 2009, 00:56 BST
a 9? Please.
A 10 for a gameboy game should be an 8.
So I will take this as a 7
13. Bahamut ZERO
02 Aug 2009, 01:09 BST
This is why I really wish the DSi would release a VC. There are so many GB games I've never had the chance to play, and probably will not since I would have to buy them individually off eBay. When I had my GB as a kid (first system ever) my schedule of gaming for the entire year went along the lines of:
Pokemon Blue, Pokemon Red, Super Mario Land, Pokemon Blue, Mega Man: Dr.Wily's Revenge, Pokemon Red, Pokemon Blue.
Yes, I was (and still am) I huge Pokemon fan. Even later on when I became a true gamer (with the N64 era) and started buying more games for the GB, there was so much I missed.
@theberrage: You have something against the greatest console ever made? Huh, do ya punk , do ya
14. Corbie
02 Aug 2009, 01:38 BST
There are many Game Boy games I'd take over anything we're seeing this generation, that's for sure.
15. pixelman
02 Aug 2009, 01:45 BST
@Corbie: Do you have a GBA? If you do, how do the original GB games play on it? I'm thinking of buying a few for cheaps on Amazon.
16. Bahamut ZERO
02 Aug 2009, 01:51 BST
@pixelman: You place it in the GBA slot. You don't need a PHD
17. pixelman
02 Aug 2009, 01:53 BST
@Bahamut ZERO: I meant "do they play well on it". I know they go in the GBA slot, LOL.
Also, does the backlight look natural when playing them?
18. Corbie
02 Aug 2009, 02:04 BST
The look really good on my GBA SP2. Nice and clear. But for these reviews, I'm going old school and playing them on the original Game Boy system.
19. pixelman
02 Aug 2009, 02:08 BST
Sweet, thanks. My SP is still holding up after half a decade, so I think I may give some of the classics a go. Thanks again.
20. Corbie
02 Aug 2009, 02:18 BST
Oh and yes, I used an emulator to snap the shots. No other way to do it really. And I think you'll enjoy going back and playing some of these classic GB titles. They're still great, even all these years later.
21. pixelman
02 Aug 2009, 02:21 BST
Oh yeah, thanks.
I used an emu to try out a few of the classics, which is what prompted my desire to buy them. See? Emulators aren't all bad. 
22. Corbie
02 Aug 2009, 02:24 BST
No emulators are not all bad, we just try to encourage people to play the real deal. But when it comes to snapping screenshots, there is no better way to grab a shot.
23. WolfRamHeart
02 Aug 2009, 02:54 BST
As a die-hard Castlvania fan, I am ashamed of myself for never playing this gem of a game.
24. dsijared
02 Aug 2009, 03:08 BST
How many admins are there here?
25. Corbie
02 Aug 2009, 03:14 BST
Seven I believe, and then there are some mods as well.
26. dsijared
02 Aug 2009, 03:28 BST
what is mods and how do you get to be admin are you guy all friends who started something like the college guys who started facebook
27. dsijared
02 Aug 2009, 03:40 BST
sorry you mean moderators sorry
28. Bahamut ZERO
02 Aug 2009, 04:24 BST
@Corbie: Did you say seven mods? Oh, you make it too easy Corbs, too easy
And uh, btw, emulators are illegal unless you're in Switzerland
29. Corbie
02 Aug 2009, 04:30 BST
Emulators are not illegal. Roms are illegal.
And Daz and Damo started the VC-Reviews site and then spun off the WiiWare World site at which time I joined the fold. We then fused all of these sites into Nintendo Life and the monster was created. Now we're just trying to contain it all. And you get to be an admin by working your ass off day and night.
30. Bahamut ZERO
02 Aug 2009, 04:46 BST
@Corbie: I know, I was a lurker on Vc-Reviews from the start, but got an account when WWW started. But you owe me won, I resisted making a joke that time
And if ROMs are illegal, how did you get the pics without ROMs
31. pixelman
02 Aug 2009, 04:58 BST
@Bahamut ZERO: I don't see the problem with emulating games that aren't available anymore. If I do end up buying Super Mario Land (and I probably will after playing the rom) Nintendo won't make a dime off it, just some third party.
32. Corbie
02 Aug 2009, 06:12 BST
I have a Rom Reader for my various Nintendo consoles. I can run the rom directly from the cartridge. That's how.
33. Damo
02 Aug 2009, 08:39 BST
For this review I dug out my old monochrome GB, my copy of Belmont's Revenge (which I will never part with for love nor money) and spent an evening in retro paradise.
34. Corbie
02 Aug 2009, 08:51 BST
Brings back memories, doesn't it? Nothing like going blind all over again.
35. dsijared
02 Aug 2009, 10:44 BST
that is so awesome ,corbie, is it fun playing video games all day and then making reviews ?
36. Corbie
02 Aug 2009, 10:55 BST
that is so awesome ,corbie, is it fun playing video games all day and then making reviews ?
I don't know, I'll let you know if I ever get to do that.
Most of our time is spent contacting PR firms, sorting through press releases, shooting and editing gameplay trailers, uploading them to YouTube, checking all the various sources for news, confirming the news, putting the news up, tracking down assets like screenshots and artwork, coming up with specials for the site, researching those special, proofing the news items that go up in draft form, moderating the forums and comments sections of the various posts, news items, and reviews, setting up interviews with developers, conducting those interviews, putting the interviews together and adding assets to them, to name a few. But yeah it's cool when we finally do get to play a game, at least those times when it's one we enjoy and not a clock or calculator. 
37. xesbeth
02 Aug 2009, 10:59 BST
Perfect score for a perfect game.
38. dsijared
02 Aug 2009, 11:11 BST
yea you just totally downed my hopes of having a fun job (i've been hopeing to be a video game reviewer since i was 7) Because my dad bought me a gameinformer maginzine
39. Corbie
02 Aug 2009, 11:15 BST
Well I can say this, it might be a lot of work, but it's a very rewarding experience as well. If it's something you want to do, go for it!
40. Damo
02 Aug 2009, 12:24 BST
And here was me thinking those clock and calculator reviews were the highlights of your day, Corbie!
41. Mike
02 Aug 2009, 17:34 BST
I never played this game, but I did play the first one.
42. Bahamut ZERO
02 Aug 2009, 19:33 BST
@pixelman: I think there might be a law in some countries that says it's legal to use a ROM if the game is 10 years old, not sure though.
ROMs are very controversial, and nobody knows for sure their legality.
43. Omega
02 Aug 2009, 21:42 BST
This is what Nintendo thinks about ROMs:
http://www.nintendo.com/corp/legal.jsp
Copyrights owned by corporations are valid for 75 years in the U.S., according to this text. And I'm afraid that even Rom Readers are not really legal, because all kinds of devices that allow copying video game software to computers seem not to be allowed.
However, I do not believe that anyone cares.
44. Mickeymac
03 Aug 2009, 06:38 BST
Hm, for some reason I thought Castlevania Legends was the best out of GB Vanias, but that was just from what I'd heard. It's too bad that this one is the hardest to track down. Might have to get Legends instead, anyways.
45. Corbie
03 Aug 2009, 11:01 BST
Legends is my favorite, but most fans prefer Belmont's Revenge.
@ Omega - I look at it like music CDs. I buy them so I can copy the songs to other CDs, my computer, etc. So I figure if I spend the money on the carts, I should have the same freedom as long as I don't share them or make them available to others, which I do not.
46. emiru69
04 Aug 2009, 01:39 BST
I found kind hypocritical saying that roms are illegal but also saying that "we don't have plans in the near future for a Virtual Console on the DSi". Well then I do not have a "legal option".
47. dsijared
04 Aug 2009, 01:50 BST
Thanks corbie
48. Mickeymac
04 Aug 2009, 03:16 BST
@emiru69
'Course you do! It's called "eBay".
49. Darknyht
04 Aug 2009, 18:56 BST
I had the original for the original Gameboy, one of my first games. Never was able to finish the last stage.
50. Omega
04 Aug 2009, 20:48 BST
The last Boss, Dracula, is ridiculous hard. You'll have to memorize all his appearing positions and even then it's not easy to avoid the flying things that surround him. I would give the game 5/10 because I hate games that are too hard (for me) to beat. The difficulty is of course 9/10, if not 10/10.
51. That Guy from Faxanadu
16 Sep 2009, 00:04 BST
Hm. I might just try to get this game. This review got me curious. Especially about the music.
52. deggs
06 Oct 2009, 21:31 BST
of the few castlevanias i've played, this is still one of my favorites... it truly is amazing. i got it off of a friend a few years back and fell in love with the gameplay and the music. prob one of the best games on the original gameboy (along side gargoyle's quest, operation c, nemesis and gradius interstellar, metroid 2, wario land, link's awakening and the kid icarus game)...
53. deggs
06 Oct 2009, 21:34 BST
oh yeah, also throw megaman 5 on that list as well. that game is super amazing
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