January 12, 2009 - The review of this product is based on a re-released version of the game. Because of this change of medium and the passage of time, it is possible that there are slight factual differences between the original retail product and the version reviewed. The following review should be used as a reference for how well the game stood up over time rather than an evaluation of how it would have scored based on its original release date.

Here's the one we've been waiting for. Konami's Castlevania series is one of the gaming industry's longest-running and most successful franchises, and it got its start on the 8-bit NES. The first Castlevania established the style and setting, and has been available for download through the Virtual Console for a long time. The second Castlevania, Simon's Quest, continued the saga and introduced adventure elements to the platforming design -- and it, too, has been on sale in the Wii Shop for a while. But the NES Castlevania trilogy didn't reach its peak until the third installment, Dracula's Curse. Which, now, is also finally available in VC form.

Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse takes a step back from the adventure elements of its direct predecessor, and is instead a more straightforward and linear action/platforming game like the first Castlevania. That said, though, there are several new ideas included here that elevate the experience -- from the interesting inclusion of multiple paths through the game's set of levels, to the even more interesting inclusion of multiple playable characters.

Trevor Belmont is the primary hero this time around. An ancestor of Simon Belmont (as this game is set in the past relative to Castlevania I and II), Trevor wields the Vampire Killer whip as you'd expect, and also has access to the standard set of secondary weapons -- the holy water, the boomerang, the stopwatch. He's your basic Belmont. But though you can choose to cruise through the entire journey with just Trevor if you like, you'll also have the option to recruit three different companions along the way.

Pick your partner.

Grant DaNasty is your first possible partner, a small and agile pirate who first attacks you as the boss of the clock tower level, but then offers to join your journey once you break the curse possessing him. His fighting ability is limited in range, as he's armed with only a short stabbing knife -- his benefit, though, is his incredible mobility. He's able to cling to sheer vertical walls and ceilings, duck to avoid projectiles, and change directions in mid-air while jumping. Playing as Grant is the closest thing you've ever going to get to controlling Spider-Man in a Castlevania title, and his dexterity in this debut appearance made him a fan favorite character.

Sypha Belnades is the second option. A white-robed sorceress who you'll rescue from the clutches of a hammer-wielding Cyclops, she's nowhere near as agile as Grant. Her ability, though, is her powerful spellcasting -- she's the only character who can access the high-damage fire, ice and thunder spells hidden throughout each level. She's also got a bit of a Samus Aran vibe going on, too, as the game introduces her as a man -- she's only revealed to be a woman in the end credits. (That's no major spoiler, guys. Everybody knew it already.)

Finally, the last available ally is Alucard -- the most notable of all Castlevania III's characters, since he went on to become the primary protagonist in the incredible Castlevania: Symphony of the Night seven years after this first appearance. He's not nearly as capable a character here in 8-bit form, as his height and sluggish pace make him an easy target for Dracula's minions. His counterbalancing positive features, though, are his power to project fairly long-range fireballs and his ability to transform into a bat. If you've saved up enough collectible hearts to fuel it, the bat transformation can help you bypass huge areas of many stages (and avoid unnecessary confrontations with enemies along the way).