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A Comparative Essay Between Metroid and Castlevania
Captain Treacherous
Metroid was the first game of its kind. Released on the NES in 1986, a time when side-scrolling platformers went in one direction- left to right, with no backtracking allowed, Metroid broke the mold by introducing right to left and even up and down, with lots of backtracking to find hidden secrets and powerups to give you a better chance against the bosses of the game. Where most platformers were divided into stages, which you would beat and continue from, Metroid introduced the idea of re-visitable zones that encompassed large tracts of rooms. Lastly, where platformers typically featured pitfalls to keep you on your toes, Metroid took this feature away to further the desire to explore rather than create a fear of the unknown. This set Metroid leagues apart from other platformers and essentially created a new genre, which we can term the "exploration-platformer." While Metroid curiously lacked a map feature and was riddled with quirks and loopholes (some of which have now become famous) it still remains the first of its kind and gave rise to some of the best games ever produced. Most notable among these was Super Metroid, which took the best features of its predecessor while adding map and save features, greater equipment variety and graphics and music never before imagined on the Super Nintendo.
In contrast to this there is the Castlevania series, which debuted on the NES just as Metroid did. Where Metroid was a unique if somewhat flawed exploration-platformer, Castlevania went the more standard route with its left to right platformer style, with no backtracking allowed. Castlevania also featured the classic platformer pitfalls, made more deadly by flying menaces such as the Medusa Heads which were obscenely difficult to avoid and could send you plummeting to your death. One couldn't refute the style of Castlevania's presentation, though the gameplay itself could be incredibly frustrating. That was the factor which kept me from enjoying the series, until the release of a particularly famous Castlevania title known as Symphony of the Night.
Symphony of the Night launched on the Playstation and became a huge hit. Combining the classic Castlevania style with the Playstation's tremendous graphical and musical capabilities; it was a treat for all the sensibilities. Most surprisingly, however was its inclusion of a new style of gameplay from all the older Castlevania titles: the main character, Alucard had to visit and re-visit distinct zones to collect powerups that would enable him to further explore these zones, and had a map to show him all the places he had been and had yet to visit. There were no pitfalls, unlike all the Castlevania titles which preceded it, and it was done to encourage the spirit of exploration which formed the very core of the title's gameplay.
Sound familiar yet? While Symphony of the Night was truly a stellar title and worthy of all the praise it received, it clearly borrowed more than a few elements from the Metroid series, and more particularly took its cues from Super Metroid.
However, I don't fault Konami for doing this, as I would never have appreciated the Castlevania series until they made this decision. I wasn't a fan of the classic platformer style that the older titles had but I appreciated the aesthetics of Castlevania, particularly the use of the supernatural horror elements and the unique vampire-slaying weaponry. I only wished that these elements could be included in a title I could appreciate, and this is what Symphony of the Night did. Now I could swing a sword, cast spells and defeat monsters of ancient mythology while traversing multiple zones and exploring hidden areas with the aid of a map. The addition of RPG elements to Symphony of the Night also set it apart from previous Castlevania titles and further accentuated the uniquely fun gaming experience: Alucard could gain levels off of the monsters he slew, increasing his powers and making the game easier. In addition, the game featured new weapons and armor to acquire, some of which could greatly improve Alucard's prowess. These features combined created a title that many consider to be one of the best games ever made.
How, then does it compare to Super Metroid, a title also considered by many to be one of the best games ever made? The differences are numerous but subtle, and serve to illustrate not only the nuances between the two titles themselves but between the two series as a whole.
For starters, both are exploration-platformers. However, the type of areas you explore in the two are very different- Super Metroid has you traverse various zones within the crust of an alien planet, which range from underwater depths to lava-filled caverns. You must acquire particular items to safely and easily explore these zones, such as the Varia Suit which allows you to withstand extreme temperatures and the Grappling Beam which lets you latch onto special blocks and swing over treacherous terrain. Acquiring these items and remembering which zones they will help you in is a key element of Super Metroid's gameplay, and it keeps the pace of the game going.
However, the sense of exploration in Symphony of the Night is somewhat different. Whereas Super Metroid has you traversing an alien planet, Symphony of the Night puts you in Dracula's castle, where you must travel from room to room to find items that will let you further explore the zones. These items range from a double jump to various supernatural forms such as the flying bat and the vaporous mist. Unlike Super Metroid, however there are very few environmental hazards, and this makes the exploration that much more difficult. While Super Metroid's zones always remind the gamer "you must have this item to pass", Symphony of the Night's zones are far more ambiguous since they all appear as generic rooms of a castle. While Super Metroid has zones that shimmer with extreme heat and vaporize your health bar or are flooded with water which slows your movement to a crawl; indicating without any uncertainty just what item you need to cross, Symphony of the Night has rooms that are barred by locked doors or vague gratings for you to eventually slip though. It lacks the organic feeling of the zones in Super Metroid, though it still offers a fun sense of exploration.
What Symphony does differently (and better, some would attest) is the inclusion of RPG elements, as mentioned earlier. Scattered throughout Dracula's castle are legendary weapons and armor that can greatly increase Alucard's strength. These legendary items also offer unique advantages such as the Shield Rod, which when combined with particular shields can grant you powerful magical effects, or the Crissaegrim which offers lightning-fast sword attacks. These, in addition to the leveling system featured in Symphony of the Night make for a powerful "twinking" system, where you can gather specific equipment for a strong effect, such as gathering items to increase the power of your subweapons and combining them with other items that reduce the heart cost of those subweapons. This would allow Alucard to abuse his subweapons and deal lots of damage with them as well. That is the essence of twinking, and while it is fun to do it comes at a cost: it makes the game far too easy and many of the bosses won't be able to put up much of a fight.
In contrast to this, Super Metroid offers no twinking. There are items to increase your life and weapon meters, but these are not exactly "twink gear" in the true sense of the term. All the weapon and armor powerups included in Super Metroid are part of the gameplay structure rather than extra amenities such as in Symphony of the Night, thus the game necessitates you finding this equipment if you wish to succeed. Twinking is a separate matter entirely and not possible in Super Metroid, thus those who want to twink need to look elsewhere.
The final factor between the two titles is replayability. Some people find Symphony f the Night to be highly replayable, but they are in the minority compared to the Super Metroid crowd. Super Metroid has claimed a number of people who publicize their "speed run" efforts on the Internet. A speed run is the attempt to clear a game under a certain time limit, and in the case of Super Metroid; collect all the hidden items as well. Currently the record stands at a one hour completion with 100% item collection, which is a staggering game achievement and shows that people are willing to play this game countless times to perfection. These speed runs are only possible because Nintendo specifically included ways to circumvent hazards without the necessary gear. For instance, one feature of the game is the ability to cross vast gaps with a powerful horizontal leap, but it requires a lengthy running start with the Speed Boots item. In the room that leads to the Wrecked Ship zone, there is a deep lake that you cannot leap out of on the opposite side. This room requires you to have the Grappling Beam item, so you can swing above the water to reach the door. However, with the Speed Boots you'll find that there's just enough room to run from the prior room to this room, and make a huge horizontal leap across the water. This means that you can get the Speed Boots and ignore the Grappling Beam that you usually need to get, and still be able to progress. Features such as these were carefully added by Nintendo to increase replayability for the few who really make the attempt to get the most out of a game. While Symphony of the Night is a replayable game as well, it doesn't cater to the experts quite like Super Metroid does.
In closing, Super Metroid and Symphony of the Night are both terrific games and showcase the very best that both the Metroid and Castlevania series have to offer. While both feature exploration platforming, they cater to unique crowds: Super Metroid to those who prefer engaging and fluid exploration, and Symphony of the Night to those who like to continually acquire and test out newer and better equipment. Some may prefer exploring the depths of a planet and experiencing a sense of desolation in the passing of a great alien civilization, while others may like the stylings of a half-vampire out to slay his evil father in the midst of an elegant, sprawling castle. For those who can appreciate both, Metroid and Castlevania are two of the best titles that money can buy.
-The Captain