Castlevania: Rondo of Blood — Retro Gaming Essentials (No. 10)

One of the quirkier traits of being a gamer back in the late 1980s/early 1990s was a propensity for allegiance. Oh, I know even today people get weirdly territorial about which system they will go to war over, but back then it wasn’t just centered around the consoles, or even just the mascots/characters from the first party developers like Nintendo and Sega, but also toward the mascots of third party developers.

I think some of the reason for this was the Wild West newness of the medium, wherein assurances of quality were sparse and hurdles toward playing were significant. Most of us didn’t have $50 just lying around to blow on any old game. We had to find characters and series that worked and then would stick with them, almost as a defense mechanism. Devotion to a particular game series wasn’t just a personal choice; it was a practical way of living.

Back in those days, I fancied myself a pretty big Mega Man fan, and that fandom was rewarded with several quality games and many hours of enjoyment. I loved the rock-paper-scissors aspects to strategy, the cutesy robot designs, and the freedom to explore levels in whatever order I wanted.

My brother, on the other hand, was more of a Castlevania fan, embracing the slightly more mature themes and the options available in terms of switching characters, weapons and routes.

But whereas my appreciation for my entry point into Mega Man (Mega Man 2) has never waned or diminished, my willingness to extol the virtues of the rest of the series has fallen off some.

If you’ve played one Mega Man game, you’ve kinda played them all.

In sharp contrast, Castlevania games meander off of the established path. They experiment. They evolve. They take risks. And as a result, they make themselves more lastingly relevant.

Ask me today which series is the one I’d go to bat for, and without question it’s now Castlevania instead of Mega Man.

Why am I telling you all of this? I promise I’m coming around to the point of that intro, and it’s this:

  1. Castlevania: Rondo of Blood represents a crossroads for the series, wherein the previously stated evolution of the property hit its stride. This was arguably the last truly great “traditional” version of Castlevania (and in my opinion, the best of the entire bunch) before the series would fully embrace its exploratory dynamics. It’s the bridge, so to speak, between the old and the new, and it’s the best possible representation of the evolving nature of the series.
  2. You can probably expect to see a bunch of Castlevania games on this website as this series progresses because of that growth and diversity.

Castlevania: Rondo of Blood

Genre: Side-scrolling platformer
Released: 1993
Platform: PC Engine Super CD
391/400 on GameFan
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Donkey Kong — Retro Gaming Essentials (No. 9)

You know what’s rare?

When a game so completely dominates its own concept to the point that there’s essentially nowhere for any sequels to go.

Think about that for a moment. Yes, the Donkey Kong sequels eventually came into existence (there have been few things so inevitable as this), and yes, they each succeeded to varying degrees. Donkey Kong ’94 has been hailed as an under-the-radar gem as an extension of the original concept, the Donkey Kong Country games as a reinvention carved out new ground in the gigantic platforming genre, and even the 1980s era sequels had their pluses (and definite minuses).

But has Donkey Kong ever again been as good as this?

Many (most?) people would tell you no. And for that to still be the case, 40 years later, is nothing short of remarkable.

Donkey Kong

Genre: Platformer
Released: 1981
Platform: Arcade
No. 50 on Next Generation’s Top 100 of all time
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WhoDatJedi Podcast: What’s so great about WandaVision, and what went wrong with the sequel trilogy?

Hey, since WandaVision wrapped, we went back over the entire series with a fine tooth comb. We also reacted to a bunch of sequel trilogy interviews that all seem to point to a lack of planning … shocker!

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Here’s your ultimate Star Wars reading list

On this week’s WhoDatJedi podcast, we dove into our favorite Star Wars books … so I thought I’d list them here in case anyone wants to take the list and run with it. The fun part of this list is it covers a little bit of everything, from Legends, to kids books, to even a couple of things that aren’t “technically” Star Wars (but really sort of are).

Here we go!

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Super Metroid — Retro Gaming Essentials (No. 8)

There are times, as one works one’s way through a video game, that the entire experience begins to feel like an obligation. Some aspect of the game becomes tiresome or boring or frustrating, and boom, you’re out of the game completely. The very best games find a way (through superb design and programming) to keep that kind of reaction from ever happening.

Super Metroid is one of the better examples in gaming of an experience that never turns into a chore. It’s a joyful play, the kind of game that stays thrilling and fascinating throughout, even as the player runs into the occasional challenge or riddle they can’t solve.

Why?

The game is compelling enough to keep the gamer invested. Instead of quitting from boredom — or worse, anger — one wants to see where this all goes. And perhaps more importantly, one wants to continue the experience itself, challenging as it might be. An obstacle that becomes a conundrum and confuses the gamer … that kind of thing can actually work to a game’s advantage if the overall experience is appealing. Do the controls hold up? Does the level design inspire? These are game play elements that make completing the game less pressing a concern.

The point, as it were, becomes the journey itself.

It’s a fine line to be sure, trying to create something that challenges and thrills rather than something that frustrates. Something that isn’t so much meant to be conquered as enjoyed. Something that rises above the genre or even the medium itself. Something like art.

Super Metroid is art.

Super Metroid

Genre: Exploring platformer
Released: 1994
Platform: SNES
EGM’s Best Game of All Time (’03)
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