Vampire Killer

http://www.classicgaming.com/castlevania/vkiller.gif

The very first 'Castlevania' game, prequel to the NES game. It was released in 1986, for the MSX plattform( loads of Konami games on that system!). Unfortunately, I have never played nor owned an MSX so I've completely missed out on this game.
To anyone who has played it, is it worth purchasing? Has it stood the test of time? Is it available via the Konami's MSX antiques disc?

Btw, im pretty sure it's a completely different game from the NES rev. I hear the level design is far more open ended and all.

I think it's pretty much the same actually, but I'm not 100% on it.

Vampire Killer is pretty primitive compared to the NES Castlevania. The levels are composed of single screens - there's no scrolling. The physics are pretty basic as well, and don't feel as nice as the NES version. The gameplay is puzzle-focused and there are more tools to use than in later games. It isn't really a Castlevania game at all...just sort of a prototype whose ideas were carried forward into the later games. I didn't play it all that far, but it doesn't seem to hold up as well as later CVs. Unfortunately, it hasn't been ported to any MSX antiques disc (just like Metal Gear 1&2). I suggest tracking down the rom and an MSX emulator (they're not too difficult to use these days) and trying the game out before you spend money on it.

http://www.classicgaming.com/castlevania/vkill.htm

I'm pretty sure this WAS an Akamajo Dracula game in japan, actually. With Simon Belmont and all. It is the first CV game.

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Originally posted by Frogacuda
I'm pretty sure this WAS an Akamajo Dracula game in japan, actually.

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You're right - it was the original game to be called "Akumajo Dracula." It just doesn't play quite similarly enough to the later games for me to consider it part of the main series.

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Originally posted by jiji
You're right - it was the original game to be called "Akumajo Dracula." It just doesn't play quite similarly enough to the later games for me to consider it part of the main series.

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Don't large parts of the level design overlap with the NES one? And besides, alot of the CV game play differently.

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Originally posted by Frogacuda
Don't large parts of the level design overlap with the NES one? And besides, alot of the CV game play differently.

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Hmm. Good point. I guess it's the best that could be expected of a Castlevania game on the MSX hardware, antiquated gameplay elements aside.

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Originally posted by NeoZeedeater
http://www.classicgaming.com/castlevania/vkill.htm

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I find it amazing that as many times as I've visited that site, I've never bothered to look at Vampire Killer. That site and the contra one are two of my favorites from classicgaming.com.