Castlevania Bloodlines by Konami
Sega Genesis– March 1994
Words by Michael Crisman
Replay Value: This is a frequent
stumbling block for some older
Castlevania titles which offer only one set path through the
game. You'll fire them up again for nostalgic reasons, to
beat a high score, or practice for a speed run, but that's
about it. Not the case with these two 16-bit hits, which
each offer reasons to plug the cart in anew.
Winner: Bloodlines. Two playable characters with two
distinct playing styles, four different endings, Expert mode,
and some subtle level differences depending on the
character you choose–Sega's entry drops the hammer on
Dracula X's pair of hidden pathways and trio of endings.
Final Winner: Bloodlines earns the championship belt er, whip–but not without a struggle. Nintendo's
graphics and sound capabilities put up a valiant fight, but in the end, the Genesis/Mega Drive entry
stands triumphant for its superior presentation and storyline, locking Dracula X back in the crypt with a
wreath of garlic hanging outside the doorway.
Did You Know...?
・ ...Elizabeth Bathory, a countess from 16th century Hungary, became known as The Blood Countess due to her
predilection for bathing in the blood of virgins, a practice which resulted in the demise of over 600 young girls
before she was imprisoned in her own castle?
・ ...to comply with Nintendo's long-standing policies concerning depictions of religious icons in games, all crosses
and references to Christianity were altered/deleted from Dracula X in the US?
・ ...John Morris is the son of Quincy Morris, who (SPOILER ALERT!) delivers the death blow to the fanged one at
the conclusion of Bram Stoker's novel?
・ ...the European version of Dracula X recolored all the blood in the game white due to fears the game would be
seen by parents as too violent for their children?
・ ...the SNES Dracula X is loosely based on the Japanese PC Engine game Dracula X: Rondo of Blood, which is
the true precursor to Symphony of the Night?
・ ...John Morris's own son Jonathan stars as a protagonist for the 2006 Nintendo DS release Castlevania: Portrait
of Ruin?
(*) - International readers may know Dracula X as Castlevania: Vampire's Kiss and Bloodlines as either Vampire Killer or
Castlevania: The New Generation depending on where you live. For simplicity's sake, the editor used the names he
was familiar with as US-based retro gamer, but the points raised apply no matter where in the world you played.
Death of the first boss, Sega Genesis version