Comments on: Anatomy of Castlevania III: Block 5-07

By: Leliel

Leliel — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 12:19:44 +0000

@MetManMas Yeah, my memories are as old and dusty as my CV3 cart, but I’m pretty sure I got to the end fairly easily with Sypha and then could not beat the game at all until much later, when I got there with Alucard. I remember the level where you had to wait for the falling blocks to be a particularly crippling point, Alucard’s special ability notwithstanding, and I think it’s coming up in a couple of posts. Going to be very interesting to read the Anatomy for that one, because I remember THAT stage with tooth-grinding clarity.

By: MetManMas

MetManMas — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 07:07:39 +0000

Okay, without spoiling anything, let me just say that a few bits of the final level almost justify Alucard’s existence! Almost.

Dracula is a jerk. >=(

By: MetManMas

MetManMas — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 06:34:46 +0000

@Leliel: Not that I’ve ever made it there in CV3, but I didn’t think about Dracula. Yeah, I guess the fireball’s range could come in handy for that fight if you get that far with Al.

Game just keeps giving me reasons to use passwords to try things out. Heh.

By: jparish

jparish — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 05:55:28 +0000

Yeah, but when Trevor and Alucard are taking four points, the others are taking five. That works out to four-hit kills either way (16-point health meters and all), but when you start collecting meat this makes it harder to top off the weaker crew’s health.

By: Leliel

Leliel — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 05:17:59 +0000

Back in the day I found Alucard the best for phase 2 of the last fight in the game, but the worst for getting there (having to take the far harder route, and generally being the least helpful partner to boot) – whereas the last fight was hardest (but easiest to get to) with Sypha.

By: Red Silvers

Red Silvers — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 05:03:38 +0000

The ‘taking more damage’ thing becomes less important in the later levels of the game, anyway, since Trevor gradually starts taking more damage per hit anyway.

By: MetManMas

MetManMas — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 04:50:48 +0000

If there was ever an alternate character in Castlevania who felt like a bad choice, Alucard would be it. His bat form’s one of the most useful abilities for getting anywhere in the game as long as he has the hearts and doesn’t get smacked, but his attack options suck.

His fireballs have the longest range of default attacks, but he fires as slow as Trevor whips and they do such crappy damage that Grant’s knife and Sypha’s friggin’ staff are more viable weapon options. He can upgrade to a two or three fireball spread, but he needs to get to point blank range to make more fireballs hit one foe to make the most of it, and Trevor’s first whip upgrade and pretty much any attacks Grant & Sypha can do are still better alternatives.

He can’t shoot fireballs in bat form, he can’t shoot fireballs while climbing stairs, he has zero sub-weapons, and it takes two fireballs for him to kill a Medusa Head, owl, or flea man. The bat morph and not taking more damage than Trevor are really the only advantages Al has going for him.

By: Red Silvers

Red Silvers — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 03:11:35 +0000

I don’t think I’ve ever faced this boss… now I have to dig out the Wii and play!