Egoraptor's Sequelitis analyses Super Castlevania IV
50
The art of game design is a subtle, delicate craft that requires expertise, dedication and ingenuity to truly master. It's a skill that also goes largely uncelebrated, considering that the best game design is often unnoticeable when properly implemented.
Sequelitis, a new YouTube series from Awesome Series creator/animator Egoraptor, takes a hilarious look at the philosophy behind game design by comparing an original title to one of its sequels. The latest episode (above) takes a look at the differences between Castlevania and Super Castlevania IV, and how changing the whip and jumping mechanics fundamentally altered the game's structural underpinnings. It's a fascinating and remarkably entertaining way to learn about game design, so be sure and check out the first two episodes when you're done here.
Reader Comments (50)
Posted: Jan 29th 2012 1:44PM AzureFlameKite said
Posted: Jan 29th 2012 12:26PM neoand12 said
I disagree.
Ok so I understand what he is saying but shouldn't he be ripping on Dracula X on the SNES? SC:IV was about choice, you could choose if you wanted to use the items or not. plus it saves you the option for using items on bosses rather then running through the hearts.
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Ok so I understand what he is saying but shouldn't he be ripping on Dracula X on the SNES? SC:IV was about choice, you could choose if you wanted to use the items or not. plus it saves you the option for using items on bosses rather then running through the hearts.
Posted: Jan 29th 2012 12:49PM DjiegoMoz said
@neoand12
That's part of the point. Why be given the choice between items and whip when clearly the whip is only ever needed at any given time.
The items are absolutely pointless on a gameplay standpoint. Like he said: the items are only for the sake of consistency.
Also, the level design was mainly designed around the items, so that alone pretty much nullifies your sense of 'choice'.
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That's part of the point. Why be given the choice between items and whip when clearly the whip is only ever needed at any given time.
The items are absolutely pointless on a gameplay standpoint. Like he said: the items are only for the sake of consistency.
Also, the level design was mainly designed around the items, so that alone pretty much nullifies your sense of 'choice'.
Posted: Jan 29th 2012 4:18PM (Unverified) said
@neoand12 Although true, I find the game much more comfortable, and thus more enjoyable to play than other Castlevania titles. The whip alone is enough for me, having stiff controls and less directions is just more frustrating. Yeah, it would've been even better if the levels were designed around the new mechanics, but as it is, its fun.
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Posted: Jan 29th 2012 4:36PM HighFiveJesus said
@neoand12
The items, especially leveled up were more effective than the whip on BOSSES especially, why did he fail to mention it.
The game did everything right in my humble opinion. I used the whip a lot but not exclusively that's for sure.
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The items, especially leveled up were more effective than the whip on BOSSES especially, why did he fail to mention it.
The game did everything right in my humble opinion. I used the whip a lot but not exclusively that's for sure.
Posted: Jan 29th 2012 10:05PM Tar Heel360 said
@HighFiveJesus
I agree. He fails to realize that the developers gave the gamer multiple ways to defeat enemies instead of forcing them to play one way only.
Plus he just sounds really whiny. Not sure if that was what he was going for.
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I agree. He fails to realize that the developers gave the gamer multiple ways to defeat enemies instead of forcing them to play one way only.
Plus he just sounds really whiny. Not sure if that was what he was going for.
Posted: Jan 30th 2012 6:51AM DjiegoMoz said
@Tar Heel360
Like I said before, this sense of choice is false. The level design was based around the items, but the whip is so overpowered you never really need them.
It's like going agaisnt a zombie horde using an AK47 with infinite ammo and a knife. Sure, you can use the knife if you feel like it, but why bother when you have something much more effective.
He's not being whiny. He said he thinks the game is good.
The moral of the story is: SC4 spent too much time trying to be like the original CV that it missed the opportunity to truly shine on it's own.
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Like I said before, this sense of choice is false. The level design was based around the items, but the whip is so overpowered you never really need them.
It's like going agaisnt a zombie horde using an AK47 with infinite ammo and a knife. Sure, you can use the knife if you feel like it, but why bother when you have something much more effective.
He's not being whiny. He said he thinks the game is good.
The moral of the story is: SC4 spent too much time trying to be like the original CV that it missed the opportunity to truly shine on it's own.
Posted: Jan 30th 2012 11:45AM fohf said
@DjiegoMoz
I think he's giving too much credit to the creators of the 1st Castlevania. He thinks all these things lined up to make a well designed game but the likely truth is the guys making it couldn't do it any other way.
You think they intentionally made the jumping a chore? I think that was the only way they could figure out how to do it. Why was the whip so limiting in its attack? Because the code guy said it was impossible to whip diagonal.
So maybe they did add the extra items to supplement a crappy control scheme, but it was more of a patch to a broken game than intention design.
I really think that if the coders/artists who made Castlevania 1 could have made Super Castlevania 4 first, they would have.
Reply
I think he's giving too much credit to the creators of the 1st Castlevania. He thinks all these things lined up to make a well designed game but the likely truth is the guys making it couldn't do it any other way.
You think they intentionally made the jumping a chore? I think that was the only way they could figure out how to do it. Why was the whip so limiting in its attack? Because the code guy said it was impossible to whip diagonal.
So maybe they did add the extra items to supplement a crappy control scheme, but it was more of a patch to a broken game than intention design.
I really think that if the coders/artists who made Castlevania 1 could have made Super Castlevania 4 first, they would have.
Posted: Jan 30th 2012 12:33PM RageOverdose said
@fohf
Could very well be technical limitations that prevented these things, but he never complains that they were added and you, along with a lot of others, are missing the theme of the review, it seems.
They updated the game engine but he (egoraptor) didn't feel they updated anything else to complement the enhancements. The levels were designed around items, but the whip did basically the same thing as the items, if not better than them. So this "choice" people are going on about is something you have to force on yourself. This leaves you to accept the usage of suboptimal forms of play, instead of expanding the functionality or level design to allow the items to be more useful and giving the player more to do and learn.
His little paper animation gives some of his ideas on what they could've done, like expand how the whip was used since it was more functional and useful in puzzles. Adding redundant tools is poor game design, it only clutters up the game without actually adding anything.
Just about everyone seems to be ignoring that.
Reply
Could very well be technical limitations that prevented these things, but he never complains that they were added and you, along with a lot of others, are missing the theme of the review, it seems.
They updated the game engine but he (egoraptor) didn't feel they updated anything else to complement the enhancements. The levels were designed around items, but the whip did basically the same thing as the items, if not better than them. So this "choice" people are going on about is something you have to force on yourself. This leaves you to accept the usage of suboptimal forms of play, instead of expanding the functionality or level design to allow the items to be more useful and giving the player more to do and learn.
His little paper animation gives some of his ideas on what they could've done, like expand how the whip was used since it was more functional and useful in puzzles. Adding redundant tools is poor game design, it only clutters up the game without actually adding anything.
Just about everyone seems to be ignoring that.
Posted: Jan 29th 2012 1:01PM Alexisonfire said
I love these series of videos and am thankful that a bunch of people are being introduced to them (check out the two previous sequelitis..us..ese.. people)
But why is this on Joystiq.
Quit becoming Kotaku, Joystiq.
Reply
But why is this on Joystiq.
Quit becoming Kotaku, Joystiq.
Posted: Jan 29th 2012 5:11PM darkinchworm said
@Alexisonfire
Personally I wish Joystiq covered more on gaming community and culture. Though I would pick this site over its peers any day, Kotaku and Destructoid have the 'stiq beat in some regards. A lot of Joystiq coverage is strictly news, some of it not even that compelling (why, thank you for that press release on that game none of us have any interest in).
Reply
Personally I wish Joystiq covered more on gaming community and culture. Though I would pick this site over its peers any day, Kotaku and Destructoid have the 'stiq beat in some regards. A lot of Joystiq coverage is strictly news, some of it not even that compelling (why, thank you for that press release on that game none of us have any interest in).
Posted: Jan 29th 2012 5:56PM ryukinkeeper14 said
@Alexisonfire
What? Huh? What? Ug-uh what?
An article on a gaming blog was posted solely for me to have fun?
Oh noooo. That's-- noooo
(Note: I'm just being a smart ass; don't take this too seriously.)
Reply
What? Huh? What? Ug-uh what?
An article on a gaming blog was posted solely for me to have fun?
Oh noooo. That's-- noooo
(Note: I'm just being a smart ass; don't take this too seriously.)
Posted: Jan 29th 2012 1:23PM RickGhastly said
It was a valid (and good) point about the weapons, but it was also blown so far out of proportion for the sake of comedy that it distorts the overall quality of the game, which is still very, VERY good.
And what was wrong with Castlevania III?
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And what was wrong with Castlevania III?
Posted: Jan 29th 2012 1:56PM RickGhastly said
@NathanDTS
Ok, that makes sense then.
I was confused because while it's personally my least favorite of the NES titles (I'll defend Simon's Quest to the grave), I've never heard a single bad thing about it.
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Ok, that makes sense then.
I was confused because while it's personally my least favorite of the NES titles (I'll defend Simon's Quest to the grave), I've never heard a single bad thing about it.
Posted: Jan 29th 2012 1:26PM Brother Unit No 4 said
I've always loved Egoraptor's videos, but this is my first introduction to Sequelitis.
I gotta say that he makes a good point that I never realized. I rarely if ever used the items in SCIV.
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I gotta say that he makes a good point that I never realized. I rarely if ever used the items in SCIV.
Posted: Jan 29th 2012 6:21PM Prince David said
@ironneko yeah this one was good but the Mega Man episode was amazing! Mega Man, Mega Man!
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Posted: Jan 29th 2012 1:44PM Dick Socrates said
This video sounds like someone thought 'That JonTron fellow on youtube is funny and popular. I know, I'll copy him EXACTLY.'
It's kind of embarrassing.
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It's kind of embarrassing.
Posted: Jan 29th 2012 3:19PM (Unverified) said
It's too bad we won't get another one in a long time. It was months between the first two episodes, and now Egoraptor's busy being on The Tester.
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Posted: Jan 30th 2012 3:10PM (Unverified) said
@jobocan
It seems I was mistaken. It IS a new episode. I thought Joystiq was just late to the party as usual. The Castlevania in the title made me think they were posting the first episode he did a year ago.
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It seems I was mistaken. It IS a new episode. I thought Joystiq was just late to the party as usual. The Castlevania in the title made me think they were posting the first episode he did a year ago.
Posted: Jan 29th 2012 4:46PM Valis said
Why is every Video Review this kind of "funny"? example: "Super Castlevania, Super, Super super". God dammit, every geek has to be so "funny" and all. it gets annoying !!
Thats the reason why i enjoy James Rolfe, he is calm and respectful and explain something. none of this "look, im so funny!!!"
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Thats the reason why i enjoy James Rolfe, he is calm and respectful and explain something. none of this "look, im so funny!!!"
Posted: Jan 29th 2012 5:13PM darkinchworm said
@Valis
I enjoy Egoraptor but am inclined to agree with you. Gaming needs some sort of humor revolution. A lot of it makes it seem like we're all on crack.
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I enjoy Egoraptor but am inclined to agree with you. Gaming needs some sort of humor revolution. A lot of it makes it seem like we're all on crack.
Posted: Jan 29th 2012 5:21PM PointlessPuppies said
@Valis
I know a doctor who can get that stick up your ass removed pretty painlessly if you want his number.
There's plenty of reviewers who simply explain. There are other reviewers who inject humor on their reviews. What, people are now simply not allowed to put comedy in reviews? You must be a real hoot at parties.
Reply
I know a doctor who can get that stick up your ass removed pretty painlessly if you want his number.
There's plenty of reviewers who simply explain. There are other reviewers who inject humor on their reviews. What, people are now simply not allowed to put comedy in reviews? You must be a real hoot at parties.
Posted: Jan 29th 2012 6:50PM darkinchworm said
@PointlessPuppies
I don't think the poster's problem is with humor itself, but the style of humor.
Reply
I don't think the poster's problem is with humor itself, but the style of humor.
Posted: Jan 29th 2012 5:15PM darkinchworm said
As a wee lad, I never thought about how superfluous the items were. I just thought "oh my gosh this game is so creepy!" Doom also. Hell, I couldn't even cope with first-person shooters until Half-Life...
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Posted: Jan 29th 2012 5:17PM Mrguy you know that guy said
Watched the Mega Man/Mega Man X videos a dozen times already. I never get tired of it. It's that good.
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Posted: Jan 29th 2012 7:47PM (Unverified) said
Man, I hate this guy. Even if he does have some good points his reviews are grating to put it mildly. I wish everyone on the internet would stop trying to be Yahtzee or Seth Mcfarlene.
Reply
Posted: Jan 29th 2012 9:30PM masterpain22 said
You can whip up, or down, or diagonal , or pffprrprprffpprfp
LOL
Reply
LOL
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