The concept of a 12-foot flying witch is a fascinating one that sparks the imagination. A witch, traditionally depicted as a supernatural being with magical powers, soaring through the skies on a broomstick is a well-known image. But envisioning this witch to be 12 feet tall adds an intriguing twist to the tale. A 12-foot flying witch would be a formidable sight indeed. With her towering height, she would command attention and strike a sense of awe into anyone who witnesses her flight. The sheer size of this witch would make her presence impossible to overlook.
As always, we can’t talk about Castlevania and not talk about the music. Even Simon’s Quest managed to score top marks here, and Dracula’ Curse knocks it out of the park. Every track manages to nail the feeling of Castlevania and manages to tie in with the stages perfectly. Signature tracks like Vampire Killer make their return and slap you in the face with pure nostalgia. If you own a Famicom or the Anniversary Collection, then you can even play the Japanese version of Dracula’s Curse which dials up the music quality to 11. Not that it’s needed, the NES rendition is pure gold as it is.
Because of these branching paths, Dracula s Curse encourages multiple playthroughs to see all of its content, even offering multiple endings and plot points. You will pick between stages as you make your way to Dracula s Castle and contend with different enemies, bosses, stage hazards and entirely unique gameplay mechanics.
The sheer size of this witch would make her presence impossible to overlook. In terms of her flying ability, a 12-foot witch would require a significant amount of magic and power to lift herself off the ground. The broomstick, traditionally used as a mode of transportation for witches, would need to be proportionally larger and stronger to support her weight.
Castlevania 3: Dracula’s Curse – Retro Games Review
Disclaimer – This review is part of an 9 part series of reviews for the the Castlevania Anniversary Collection for the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Playstation 4 and PC. Due to a full review of the collection coming soon, I will not be mentioning everything the collection brings – only mentioning those that pertain to Castlevania 3: Dracula’s Curse.
Long before Simon Belmont crushed Dracula and destroyed his dark citadel there was Trevor – the first Belmont to slay the Prince of Darkness. Thunder cracks through the skies above Valachia and Castlevania once again rises. Trevor must steel his nerves, for he must face the fanged fiend with whip, axe and blessed water in hand. He is not alone on his venture however, for he will encounter and befriend a ghostly pirate, mystical enchantress and even Dracula’s own flesh and blood. All of which seek to end the Dark Lords vile reign. This is Castlevania 3: Dracula’s Curse.
Upon it’s initial release, Castlevania 3 had a laundry list things it needed to do to save the series from falling into obscurity. The release, and subsequent failure, of the then abysmal: Simon’s Quest threatened the stability of the entire franchise. Luckily for us, Dracula’s Curse abandoned practically everything Simon’s Quest brought to the series, opting instead to go back to basics – it went back to Castlevania.
Upon ramming your disk, slamming your cartridge, or gingerly pressing “A” on your downloaded copy of Dracula’s Curse, you will be greeted with something weird – a cutscene the likes of which the series had never seen up until this point. A slow text crawl with some simple animations set the scene and give you a very, very basic rendition of the plot at hand. The writing is beyond simplistic but it does its job at filling you in before, BAM! you are hit with the title screen. You punch in your name and you are greeted with Trevor kneeling before an altar, adorned in a sexy cape. With a Belmont worth twizzle, he whips his cape around and the game begins.
Within seconds of starting you will be inundated with feelings of familiarity. The music, the way Trevor moves, the Belmont strut – it all feels fantastic. It feels like Castlevania all over again. But Castlevania this is not. Dracula’s Curse keeps a tight grasp on one single, solitary aspect of Simon’s Quest – scale. Dracula’s Curse is massive, comparatively. Both in terms of game feel (more on that in just a moment) and literal size. Firstly, you do not start in Castlevania, nor do you start just outside of it’s gates. You actually have to travel through various locations, battling Dracula’s minions along the way before you even reach the gates of his fortress. As basic as this may be by today’s standards, it still impressively relays that feeling of adventure and progression. You feel like Dracula has corrupted the land. That the people have fled, been murdered or transformed into the hideous beasts that now hunt you.
Dracula’s Curse is also many times larger than that of its predecessor, rocking in at a whopping 17 stages. This also neatly leads into one of its most brilliant additions to the formula – branching paths. A “run” in Castlevania 3 does not take you through all 17 stages. You will pick between stages as you make your way to Dracula’s Castle and contend with different enemies, bosses, stage hazards and entirely unique gameplay mechanics. Because of these branching paths, Dracula’s Curse encourages multiple playthroughs to see all of its content, even offering multiple endings and plot points.
As a final masterstroke to Castlevania 3’s replayability is the multiple playable characters. For the first time a Belmont is not the only main character. Based on your decisions you will encounter Grant DeNasty, Sypha Belnades or Alucard (yes, that Alucard). Each character offers new and interesting ways to tackle the challenges laid before you – whether that be Grant’s ability to scale walls and ceilings, Sypha’s mastery of magic that can interact with the stage itself, or Alucard’s power of flight. Switching between Trevor and one of his companions can be done at any time and opens the game up to whole new ways of play. It also completely optional. You can beat the entire game with only Trevor should you desire, or with only one of the newcomers, once you unlock them of course. The choice is yours.
As I may have already aluded to, Dracula’s Curse is a return to classic Castlevania in terms of gameplay. This means enemies will be coming at you from all angles, your whip can only strike in 1 direction, your attacks have a wind up and your jump arcs are set in stone. This also means Sub Weapons make their triumphant return after they took a backseat in Simon’s Quest. If you liked Castlevania, you will feel right at home here. That trademark puzzle-esque combat and platforming is on full display and it’s as glorious as ever.
I made the bold statement in my review of Castlevania that the game wasn’t actually all that hard once you understood what the game was trying to teach you. Those words do not apply here. Dracula’s Curse is a ball-bustingly hard game that takes no prisoners. It will throw mid-late game enemies at you from as early as stage 1. It will assault you relentlessly with enemies at all angles. Death pits are everywhere and they even throw in some new stage hazards to keep you on your toes. This game will beat you black and blue, forcing you to either give up, or push through. I recommend pushing through because once you achieve the required “Next Level Castlevania Skills”, you will find a game that is supremely satisfying from start to finish, even if there is some questionably rage inducing moments on your journey to mastery.
Graphically Dracula’s Curse is the most impressive entry yet. As with most things, it abandons Simon’s Quest’s “improved” graphics and instead opts for a more refined take on the original. This means we are back to a bright orange Belmont and an over abundance of blue tones…and I love it. Like the original, your eyes are always fixated on the task at hand, and you never feel like you want to throw holy water at your retinas because everything is melding together in a drab mess. Sprites look as good as ever with new and returning enemies getting a face lift. Bosses are unique and elaborate, with a few familiar faces popping up from time to time. Finally your companions all look fantastic. The skulking grant, the robed Sypha and the supremely regal and beastial Alucard just help bring the package together.
Stages are also taken to the next level with more background details than ever before and even some little environmental tricks that will trip you up in ways the previous games couldn’t. Each stage has a unique theme and aesthetic, once again pushing the concept of replayability, because you want to see what else they brought to the table. Heck they even managed to squeeze in weather effects. It is a truly staggering achievement that all of this managed to fit on an NES cart. Easily one of the best looking games of its era.
As always, we can’t talk about Castlevania and not talk about the music. Even Simon’s Quest managed to score top marks here, and Dracula’ Curse knocks it out of the park. Every track manages to nail the feeling of Castlevania and manages to tie in with the stages perfectly. Signature tracks like Vampire Killer make their return and slap you in the face with pure nostalgia. If you own a Famicom or the Anniversary Collection, then you can even play the Japanese version of Dracula’s Curse which dials up the music quality to 11. Not that it’s needed, the NES rendition is pure gold as it is.
Dracula’s Curse blew me away. I did not expect to find another Castlevania that touched my soul in the same way as the original, but Castlevania 3 not only reached those heights, it exceeded them. Whilst this may be the most difficult game yet, its challenge, once met, elevates this game to a whole new level. A true return to form that I cannot recommend enough.
Castlevania 3: Dracula’s Curse’s only misstep is its difficulty, and even that helps fuel its success by the time the credits roll. Let me know in the comments below what you thought of Dracula’s Curse. Heck, do you prefer this Alucard or Symphony of the Night’s Alucard? Personally I love the beastial swagger of C3’s!
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The Bad
Level 5A, 7A, 7B, 9 and 10 slowly move in part of it. once you head off the screen, youre dead.
One can imagine a broomstick made of sturdy branches and reinforced with enchantments to ensure its durability. The sheer spectacle of a 12-foot witch navigating the skies would undoubtedly leave people in awe and spark curiosity. Her elegant movements through the air, gliding effortlessly from one place to another, would captivate the imagination of all who witness it. Perhaps she would perform breathtaking aerial acrobatics or leave behind a trailing streak of magical colors as she zooms through the clouds. One can envision the 12-foot flying witch as a character in a magical world, traversing vast landscapes in search of adventure or fulfilling her mystical duties. Her height could give her an air of authority and power, making her a respected figure in the witching community. However, being a 12-foot flying witch also presents its challenges. Maneuvering through narrow spaces or avoiding obstacles would require precision and skill. The wind resistance and the strain on her body caused by moving through the air at high speeds would need to be taken into account. In conclusion, the image of a 12-foot flying witch is an intriguing concept that combines the enchanting world of witches with a larger-than-life presence. The visual impact and awe-inspiring nature would make her a memorable and captivating character in any story or folklore. With her commanding stature and aerial prowess, the 12-foot flying witch would certainly leave a lasting impression on the imagination of those who encounter her..
Reviews for "The Supernatural Powers of the 12-Foot Flying Witch"
1. John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "12 Foot Flying Witch". The concept seemed interesting, but the execution fell flat. The characters lacked depth and the storyline was predictable. The special effects were underwhelming, and overall, I just couldn't get invested in the film. It felt like a wasted opportunity for a great supernatural thriller.
2. Sarah - 1 star - "12 Foot Flying Witch" was honestly one of the worst movies I've ever watched. The acting was atrocious, and the dialogue was cringe-worthy. The plot was all over the place and didn't make much sense. There were also numerous plot holes that were never addressed. I found myself laughing at the unintentionally funny moments more than being scared. Save yourself the trouble and skip this one.
3. Mark - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "12 Foot Flying Witch" after seeing the intriguing trailer, but unfortunately, the movie failed to deliver. The pacing was way off, with long stretches of boredom interrupted by sudden bursts of action. The characters lacked charisma, and I found it hard to care about what happened to them. The film also relied too heavily on jump scares, which felt cheap and overdone. Overall, it was a forgettable horror experience.