• 21Aug 08

  Top #20 Castlevania tracks

  I have to give credit where credit is due and thank Saruman1719 for inspiring me to create this list. Please check out Saruman1719's blog for a list on favorite Castlevania tunes that is completely different than this one.

  Castlevania is known for having some of the best game music of all time. While most gamers became aware of this after the series' most successful release, 1997's Symphony of the Night, the series had actually had a legacy of excellent music dating back to the first Nintendo Entertainment System release in 1987. In my 30 year gaming career I have been priveliged to be playing the Castlevania series since it's inception, and have played every game in the series except for the recent American mobile phone release: Castlevania - Order of Shadows. No tracks from that game will be making it's way onto my list.

  All other Castlevania games are fair game. There are a few rules I restricted myself with while making this list and they are:

  • No remixes: Although there are better versions of some these tracks in other games, it was important to me to show the original game in which the music was inspired. This means that a game like Castlevania: Circle of the Moon is forfeit. While Circle of the Moon has excellent music, it does not have many original tracks within the entire game (actually, it does have one original track...it's called "Awake").
  • Only American releases: If I was to include tracks from games that aren't available to the people who might read this blog, the list would become so obscure it would be irrelevant. It also keeps the naming of the games clear as well.
  • No soundtrack tracks: There have been sountracks and bonus disks of a wide variety released with Castlevania games over the years. I will only be picking actually tracks from the games themselves.

  I will post the entire list on my first post, and add commentary as time allows. Please check back to this blog for more comments and interesting links at a later date if you are interested. The list is in descending order with #20 being the least favorite on the list and #1 being the most favorite.

  #20 Ripe Seeds from Belmont's Revenge

  Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge is the best title for the original Gameboy, and that means that many of the game's compositions are no slouch either. The best of the compositions is "Ripe Seeds" in my opinion. It's just a really catchy tune that is upbeat and inspiring. This is one of those examples where the composition goes beyond it's hardware limitations. There was a bonus sountrack disc (Dracula Battle Perfect) released with the Japanese version of Symphony of the Night which contained a remix of this track.

  #19 Castle Centre from Legacy of Darkness

  While I refuse to acknowledge the existence of Castlevania 64 as a complete game, it successor "Legacy of Darkness" was an excellent chapter in the Castlevania series. To the surprise of many, it is actually my favorite 3D Castlevania...even outranking the recent PS2 releases. While the game is not known for it's music, it does have one original track that is just outstanding. One of the few good Castlevania tracks not composed by Michiru Yamane, Castle Centre is a forboding dark trck with an excellent beat.

  #18 Christopher's Theme from Adventure

  There was a time in my life where video game music in stereo was a big deal. Yes, that makes me feel very, very old. In 1989, when the original Gameboy launched...the "Castlevania Adventure" came not long after. The Castlevania Adventure may now be considered one of the worst games in the series, but at the time it was amazing to have this close to NES experience in the palm of your hand. It was also amazing to hear Castlevania quality music in stereo for the first time too. Many of us bought Gameboys because of this jump in music quality, even though you could barely see the screen. Christopher Belmont's theme is the most memorable track from this game, and due to the games punishing difficulty, the only track many players ever heard.

  #17 Jail of Jewels from Portrait of Ruin

  Personally, I consider Portrait of Ruin to be the best thing that has happened to the Castlevania series since Symphony of the Night. While this game also has many, many outstanding tracks, the one that resonates the most with me is Jail of Jewels. An upbeat tune that is surprisingly longer and more varied than most Castlevania tracks, yet still undeniably "Castlevania". There is another excellent remix that was included in the original soundtrack bonus disc.

  #16 Horrible Curse from Simon's Quest

  From Simon's Quest, "Bloody Tears" is most often picked as the fan favorite. While this is justified, Horrible Curse is often overlooked. The perfect antithesis to Bloody Tears, Horrible Curse is a forboding, dark yet upbeat track at the same time.

  #15 Riddle from Dracula's Curse

  Found in the final stages on this game, it's doubtful that many players have heard this one. If you have made it to the end of Dracula's Curse then chances are you spent a bit of time listening to this song due to the final stages punishing difficulty. Luckily this track provides the stamina needed to see these difficult stages through. The recently released Order of Ecclesia has an excellent remix of this track in it's later stages as well.

  #14 Sinking of the Old Sancutary from Bloodlines

  While the sound chip in the Genesis could never match the that of the Super NES', the compositions found in Bloodlines are not to be overlooked. This track has that definate Castlevania feel while taking the music to some new and interesting places, just like the stage in which it's based on. This track's staying power is expressed with remixs appearing in Legacy of Darkness and Circle of the Moon.

  #13 Clockwork Mansion from Super Castlevania IV

  Super Castlevania IV was the greatest Castlevania game ever released before Symphony of the Night, and a large part of that was due to music. Another part of it was mind-bending "Mode 7" effects which blew our minds back in 1991. I think this track holds it's own without those effects, even though it was played during the most effect heavy part of the game. Others must think so as well since this track also appears in Circle of the Moon.

  #12 The Pinnacle from Dawn of Sorrow

  While Aria of Sorrow's tracks are technically competent, I didn't think any of them where memorable enough to make my list. Dawn of Sorrow on the other hand was a different story. This game has some really inspiring tracks with the power of the DS hardware to show them off. The Pinnacle is an excellent track that comes so close to Symphony of the Night quality. Castlevania's first DS game showed us that musically, Castlevania games had a bright future on that platform.

  #11 Dracula's Castle (opening) from Order of Ecclesia

  Of all of the wonderful tracks in Order of Ecclesia, Dracula's Castle is the one that continues to stick out above the rest. While the in-game track is excellent in its own right, the pace of the music in this opening sequence creates an emotional effect that very few tracks can.

  #10 Simon's Theme from Super Castlevania IV

  There is so much that is perfect about this track it's hard to know where to begin. First, it was the first Castlevania track that wasn't 8-bit sound that most of us ever heard. Second, it defines the series' music in such complete way that anyone listening to it can almost immediately guess which series of games it's from. This track has been remixed in various games, including Bloodlines , Dracula X and Portrait of Ruin, where Simon is conspicuously absent. It is also remixed in Castlevania Chronicles, a remake of the original game for the PSX. One of my favorite versions is from the bonus soundtrack disc that came with the Japanese version of Symphony of the Night, "Dracula Battle Perfect".

  #9 Bloody Tears from Simon's Quest

  Bloody Tears is the best of a trio of music that will forever define Castlevania, Vampire Killer, Bloody Tears and The Beginning, all legendary tracks hailing from the original Castlevania NES trilogy. I feel that of these three amazing tracks "Bloody Tears" is by far the best one in regards to composition. It has reappeared in many, many Castlevania games. These games include Super Castlevania IV, Dracula X, Castlevania Legends, Castlevania Chronicles and Dawn of Sorrow. It could easily be said that this is the "fan favorite" Castlevania track, and deservingly so.

  #8 Successor of Fate from Harmony of Dissanance

  Successor of Fate is a clear example of when the composition is better than the technical platform in which it was played. How important is music in Castlevania games? Harmony of Dissanance sets out to answer this question by delivering an adventure that is clearly on par in visuals and design as Symphony of the Night, but given the limitations of the Gameboy Advance hardware gives us one of the worst soundtracks in the franchise. While 8-bit sound never impeded Castlevania games before, the tracks from this game were unmemorable, save Successor of Fate composed by Michiru Yamane. To add insult to injury, the end credits plays a version of Successor of Fate that shows us what it could have sounded like if Nintendo had built the Gameboy Advance with a dedicated sound chip. When all is said and done though, Successor of Fate is a phenominal track that ranks high in Castlevania's musical legacy.

  #7 Requium for the Gods from Symphony of the Night

  As Symphony of the Night took Castlevania to a new level, Requium of the Gods took Castlevania's music to a new level as well. The eerie church choir theme takes Castlevania from "Monster Squad" to something feeling a little more adult, dark and sinister. In a game where almost every track can be included in top 100 best video game music of all time lists, this one had an incredible inpact in my opinion.

  #6 Wicked Child from the original Castlevania

  Vampire Killer, Heart of Fire, Stalker and Out of time were all amazing tracks that defined the original NES game, but the track that stood head and shoulders above the rest was Wicked Child. Strangely enough, Wicked Child has not been remixed in many other games. It was remixed in Castlevania Chronicles, but that version of Wicked Child is not close to the original to be instantly recognizable. The best remixes seem to be from soundtracks and what is available on the internet.

  #5 After Confession from Dawn of Sorrow

  All of the Gameboy Advance Castlevanias had some problems with music, whether it was from not enough original tracks, technical problems concerning hardware, or an overall mediocre composition. The first title for the DS changed all that, with a number of excellent tracks that used the hardware wisely. After Confession brings the soundtrack back to the rock-pipe organ origins of the series 16-bit entries, while updating the technical aspects of the sound accordingly. The result is nothing short of amazing, and distinctly Castlevania.

  #4 Iron Blue Intention from Bloodlines

  Coming Soon

  #3 Baljhet Mountains from Curse of Darkness

  Coming Soon

  #2 Aquarius from Dracula's Curse

  Coming Soon

  #1 Dance of Pales from Symphony of the Night

  Coming Soon

  • Posted Aug 21, 2008 11:04 am GMT
  • Category: Opinion
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• 21Jul 08

  And now the time has come...

  ...I will be moving over to http://www.giantbomb.com/profile/LordelX/ as I had been planning to do for some months. All of my major activity concerning games will be there. I will continue to check this page everyone once in a while for updates concerning friends.

  I doubt I'll be the only one making the switch. See you all over there.

  • Posted Jul 21, 2008 5:13 am GMT
  • Category: Writing
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• 20Mar 08

  Dar-ma's daring escape

  Oblivion. With midnight fast approaching, it was time to keep my appointment with Jiv Hiriel. He was the only resident of the town of Hackdirt willing to speak to me, and it was quickly apparent that I was running out of time in locating Dar-ma. Now with her horse "Blossom" standing infront of me, looking as though it had been abandoned...it became clear that the residents of Hackdirt had known exactly what had been done with the young maiden. Her mother, Seed Neeus had mentioned previously that Dar-ma doesn't go anywhere without her beloved horse. She had to be close by.

  As I passed by Hackdirt's General Store, Moslin's Dry Goods, I was surprised to see that it was still open. I had lost alot of arrows taking down the vampires in the ruins to the north, so this was a good opportunity to pick up some more; another chance to inquire about Dar-ma as well. As I entered, the proprietor of the store, Etira Moslin and her comrade, Marlena Brussiner, were getting ready to leave. I could see that she was in no mood to sell me any Iron arrows, so I asked Etira about "Blossom", Dar-ma's horse. Etira replied that it was her horse and that she had "owned it for years" a little too quickly for me to believe her. When I asked Marlena about Dar-ma she simply said that in good time I would meet "the Brethren" and that I would be sorry.

  I wasn't sure whether Marlena was threatening me or whether she had been waiting for the opportunity to use her expanded vocabulary, so I bid the women farewell without saying anything more. As I left Moslin's Dry Goods, I met Natch Pinder again who was as friendly now as he was the first time I talked to him; it was taking all the restraint he could muster to not strike me down there and then. I let him be on his way, and walked out of town to take the long way around to Jiv Hiriel's place. I didn't want to get him into trouble, especially if he had useful information.

  Jiv was nervous and looked as though he was at wit's end when I entered his house. He said that he needed to get down to the chapel before he was missed; he explained that the residents of Hackdirt had taken to worshipping "the dark ones" in an attempt to acquire their power. I wondered for a moment if "the dark ones" he spoke of were the vampires I had previously met, but it mattered little. He elaborated that Dar-ma had been captured so that she could be offered as a sacrifice in hopes appeasing these demigods. Jiv was obviously the only person in Hackdirt with a conscience, he handed me a key that would allow me entry into the trap doors I had seen all around Hackdirt; he said he couldn't bear to see Dar-ma killed in such a manner. I promised I'd take her to safety and quickly bid Jiv farewell, we both had places that we had to be. As I left he told me that the closest trapdoor to Dar-ma's position was inside the Moslin Inn. I left Jiv's house I made my way towards Moslin's Inn at a full sprint.

  I snuck around to the entrance of the Inn and contemplated what I should do with the Innkeeper if he halted my progress, but upon entering the Inn I was relieved to see that there was no one in sight. Everyone was obviously at the chapel, so I had to move quickly before they suspected what Jiv and I had planned. I found the trapdoor in the Inn without much effort; it was tucked away in a corner but not concealed. I used to key, and made my way down...

  It was quite impressive and a little disturbing that an entire labyrinth of caverns existed under Hackdirt. I paused for a moment to wonder if the resident I had met over the course on the day had a hand in creating them, but that line of thought was broken when I noticed Dar-ma caged a few meters away. I quickly opened her cage with key Jiv gave me, and told her who I was and why I was there. She was completely aware that something horrible was about to be done to her by these simpletons, and offered no resistance to the idea of leaving immediately. I managed to get her up into the Inn without being discovered, much to my surprise.

  As we made our way outside, Dar-ma told me that she couldn't leave without Blossom. That was fine with me; if we needed to run it would be best if Dar-ma was on horseback. We found Blossom and left Hackdirt with everyone being none the wiser. The journey to Chorral took until morning but was surprisingly incident free. Seed Neeus was absolutely ecstatic to see her daughter return unharmed. I received more praise from the both of them than I could bear, but I felt satisfied that I was able to do some good. Yet, how long could it last? Hackdirt's lust for "the dark ones" power may never harm Dar-ma again, but someone was surely to fall victim to this sacrifice. I spend the rest of the day in Chorral, slept a few hours at the Mage's Guild and arose as the sun set. I set back out for Hackdirt, my work was not yet finished.

  I had to be cautious. It would be obvious to everyone that I was responsible for Dar-ma's escape, so I approached the town while hiding in the shadows. I stayed close to the outer walls of the houses while moving around the edge of Hackdirt, Thinking I wouldn't be seen. When I peered around the corner to get a look at the town's central square, I was more than a little shocked to see Natch Pinder staring straight back at me. He drew his weapon and came charging at me. I drew my steel long sword, and the battle begun.

  For a man that had all the power of hate behind him, it wasn't too difficult to run him through. Soon, Natch's blood decorated the walls in which I had previously sought secrecy. That secrecy had been compromised, for I soon found myself face to face with two members of "the Brethren". These shirtless romance novel clones didn't believe in the benefits of armor, so with very little effort I was able to educate them. As I searched their corpses for clues as to where they originated, I found the same stomach turning material that I had found on the corpse infront of the ruins...mort flesh.

  It was midnight again; everyone must be gathered at the chapel. Enough was enough. I grew tired of this town's arrogant and dangerous population, and the ridiculous dogma in which they followed. I felt no remorse as I stood over my latest meat carvings, and a terrible anticipation overtook me. I drew my sword, enraged, embittered and justified, and began walking slowly towards the chapel...

  • Posted Mar 20, 2008 9:40 am GMT
  • Category: Writing
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