Castlevania III - Dracula's Curse

Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse is a side-scrolling action-platformer developed by Konami in 1989, the third Castlevania entry on the NES. The story takes place 215 years before the original, featuring Trevor Belmont battling Dracula's resurrected forces. The game returns to linear action-platforming roots. New features include branching pathways offering multiple routes. Trevor can recruit three companions: Grant Danasty (climbs walls), Sypha Belnades (magic spells), and Alucard (bat transformation). The game spans 15 total stages, but only nine are experienced in a single playthrough. Classic sub-weapons return including the cross, axe, holy water, and stopwatch.

NES

Released in Japan on December 22, 1989, and North America on September 1, 1990. The cartridge uses the advanced MMC5 mapper chip, enabling enhanced graphics and larger sprites. The clock tower level with moving gears pushes the NES to its limits, causing noticeable slowdown. The soundtrack is widely praised as among the NES's best, using the MMC5's advanced audio capabilities. Controls are precise but intentionally limited—Trevor only whips horizontally. The game is brutally difficult, with punishing checkpoints. A password system saves progress. The Japanese version differs: Grant throws daggers and has lower health. The English version altered enemy behaviors and increased difficulty. The European release arrived in December 1992, after Super Castlevania IV on SNES. The game is considered a masterpiece of late-era NES development.