Developer Rumbleminze recently released another NES to SNES conversion, this time for the original Castlevania game. Like with Rumbleminze’s previous NES to SNES conversions, this is utilizing FastROM/HiROM to further speed up the data transfer. That, combined with the SNES’ higher sprite limit should reduce (or completely eliminate) sprite flicker and slowdown. This also includes rumble support, via the open sourced code from SNES Doom 2025 that Randy Linden provided the community! A list of changes and additions can be found below the links:
Link #1: https://mega.nz/folder/UkgjmDxD#UA2lKeCajyRdWuNRDgtgVQ
Link #2: https://archive.org/details/castlevania-snes
One notable addition in this release is the ability to change soundtracks in-game, without restarting anything! You can still select the soundtrack via the intro options, but you can also pause the game at any time and swap using the L button. This is pretty handy for picky people like me, who prefer different versions of the music, depending on what part of the game you”re in. Here’s the full list of enhancements and quality of life options:
- Difficulty Levels
- Normal – This is the standard NES game difficulty
- Easy – Easy mode from the FC Cartridge version:
- 9 lives
- 30 hearts to start
- no knockback
- Keep your weapons / multiplier on pick of a new weapon and on death
- Less damage taken from bosses and enemies
- Bosses take double damage from you
- Hard = Hard mode from the VS. Castlevania arcade cabinet
- you take more damage
- timers are much shorter
- good luck
- Ability to start on the 2nd loop of the game
- 14 different palettes to choose from. you can select it on the intro options, or while paused you can press SELECT to cylce through them.
- 6 MSU-1 Soundtracks – If you’re on a platform that supports MSU-1 (MiSTer, FxPakPro, etc). You can choose the soundtrack on the intro options or while paused with the L button.
- A & X buttons will fire your subweapons
- You can now hold a 2nd subweapon and swap with the R button. Upon pickup up a subweapon, your current weapon (with it’s multipler) will swap out. Press R to swap back and forth between them.
- Initial Rumble support. If you have access to a rumble controller, various events in the game will provide tactile feedback!
Also, you’d like more details as to why these NES -> SNES ports are such a big deal, I already covered this in a previous post and discussed it during Weekly Roundup #361 at the 12min mark: https://youtu.be/rviGb9gS_CA?t=721 While the previous post/podcast was talking about the developer Infidelity’s conversions, all of that still applies here: You basically get the same exact game, just without some of the NES’ limitations.
