The Castlevania series, created by Konami, did exceptionally well on the NES, releasing 3 games that were all enjoyed by many gamers. And when the Super Nintendo came out in 1991, Konami brought the Castlevania series to the 16-bit era in the best way possible, with the release of Super Castlevania IV. Although the game was basically a remake of the original Castlevania, Super Castlevania IV did not feel like a rehash at all, and definitely had the feel of a brand-new game. In my opinion, Super Castlevania IV is one of the best games on the SNES, and is one of the most addicting 2-D platformers ever made.

The story for this game is just like the original: Dracula has risen from his grave and is threatening Transylvania with his dark power, so it's up to Simon Belmont, armed with his whip and courage, to venture into Dracula's castle and defeat the count. However, unlike in the first Castlevania, you don't start Super Castlevania IV right outside Dracula's castle. You will have to explore forests, caves, a submerged city, and more just to reach the castle. And one you get inside, you'll explore many more unique areas, including a library, a room with massive swinging chandeliers that you have to jump on, a clock tower (every Castleveania game needs one), and more.

Super Castlevania IV has 11 stages, while the original only had 6, so the game is definitely longer and offers much more exploration. The graphics in this game are absolutely stunning, as each stage has wonderful sprites and backgrounds. For being one of the earliest games on the SNES, this game certainly has impressive visuals, particularly in the opening, where you see Dracula rise from his grave and fly off to his castle. The sky changes, lightning strikes, and an ominous mist fills the area, creating a chilling atmosphere that lets you know you are in for a real treat. The game is called "Super" Castlevania IV after all, and it certainly lives up to its name.

Speaking of super, the music in this game will just blow you away. Many pieces use the organ and help create a spooky atmosphere that definitely fits as you fight your way towards Dracula. Some songs in this game, like The Forest of Monsters in stage 2, even have an awesome percussion that is just so much fun to listen to. The boss music in this game gets you pumped to fight the many monsters Dracula sends to kill you, and the music that plays when you fight Dracula himself is one of the best boss themes I have ever heard in a video game, chilling and fitting for your final showdown.

One of the best parts of this game is how much better the gameplay is from the NES titles. Simon can now swing his trusty Vampire Killer (his whip) in 8 different directions: right, left, up, down, and even diagonally. In addition, Simon can hold his whip out in front of him, and spin it around to shield himself from enemy projectiles. And Simon can even use his whip to swing over certain pits. In the NES titles, you could only swing your whip left and right, which made killing enemies a much greater chore, but here, using the whip is so much easier. Also, the jumping in this game feels less stiff than in the NES games, although Simon still gets knocked back every time he takes a hit, so be very careful when you are near spikes or pits.

Just like in the previous Castlevania games, you have to be sure to whip any candles that you come across. Candles can drop  sub weapons, hearts (which act as ammunition for sub weapons), blocks with roman numerals on them that allow you to use 2 or 3 shots with a sub weapon at a time, chicken legs that restore your health, power ups for your whip, and bags of money that increase your score. You can also find some of these goodies hidden in certain walls, so make sure to constantly check your surroundings.

Speaking of sub weapons, you have 5 different sub weapons that you can use: daggers that you can throw in a lob fashion, daggers you can throw straight, crosses that act like boomerangs, a stopwatch that can freeze enemies for a short time, and holy water that can hit an enemy multiple times in one use. But be warned: you can only carry one sub weapon at a time. Whenever you get a sub weapon, if you had one before, you will lose it for the one you just got. So make sure to be very cautious when whipping candles if you have a sub weapon you really like.

Many classic enemies from the NES games appear in Super Castlevania IV, including skeletons, Medusa heads, axe-throwing knights, and many more. The sprites for the enemies are well-done, and definitely improvements from the NES games. The bosses in this game are downright awesome too, as you will fight some fearsome monsters that include famous ones such as Medusa, Frankenstein, and Death himself. Some of the bosses are fairly easy, but some, like Death, are quite difficult and will take skill to beat. Each boss in this game comes across as imposing and ferocious, and all of the boss designs are wonderful as well.

This game is quite challenging though, and it will take you many tries to get through all 11 stages. Some enemies are quite powerful and take many hits to skill, and some enemies just annoy you to no end. To make things worse, some stages have a lot of pits that can send you to an instant death, and you also have to watch out for spikes, which are a one-hit kill.  But when you beat the game, the feeling of victory that you get from conquering Dracula and his castle is just wonderful. As you watch the credits, you will know well and good that you have finished a great game.

Super Castlevania IV is one of the greatest games on the SNES, and I highly recommend this game to all gamers. The graphics are stunning, the music always fits the mood of the stage you are in, the bosses are epic, and the ending just makes you feel so triumphant.