Even after picking it up since my first times playing it on the 3DS, I still remember so much about this game. The Copy Abilities were implemented really well overall, and the game struck a near-perfect chord engaging you with its Ability-based challenges and puzzles. The bosses and mid-bosses are a highlight, difficulty is well-balanced, 1-UPs are addicting to collect, and Kirby just feels so good to play. Most of my cons boiled down to nitpicks that hardly bother me, just stuff that’s worth mentioning but fail to bog down the experience. It honestly has me wondering how future Kirby games will compare to this one, because this one NES entry set a really high standard, especially coming off clean from the previous game. For a consistent 2-hours of playtime, it’s time well spent coming back to.

Without a doubt, I have full confidence in saying I love this game. All the new mechanics and presentation upgrades elevate this game’s charm tenfold, and are the reason why I can sink hours and hours of replay value into this game. The many different playable characters, the branching level paths, the spectacle of the bosses, you name it! The best part about it all is that Dracula’s Curse manages to seek out that perfect balance between the complexity of modern gaming and the simplicity of retro gaming. While there are a few hiccups (such as a cheaper lower route and handicapped character in Alucard), this game is undoubtedly one of Konami’s best works, the embodiment of a true classic, a monumental effort that stands the test of time!

I wasn’t expecting to like the game this much, it almost beat out Castlevania 3 as my favorite in the series so far. The way I see it, Super Castlevania 4 has unique focal points on what makes the experience so enjoyable. From the enemies and gimmicks to the diverse settings, the way that everything in this game feels so realized and fresh helps to flesh out the world of Castlevania like no other. Not to mention all the pentiful options given to Simon’s mobility, moveset, and just basic QoL improvements to the controls, they make playing as him feel so good. It may not have as much in the difficulty and depth departments compared to Castlevania 3, but its simplicity manages to be fun each and every time you play it. Such value is what it's all about in the end, you play games to have fun, get yourself immersed in that world, and Super Castlevania 4 delivers in spades.

I’m convinced this game is like a melting pot of the design philosophies established in every Mega Man game beforehand. You have the tightness and challenge of the first three NES games, the exploration and signature goodies of the X games, the graphics and wonder of the second three NES games, the structure of the Game Boy games, the intro stage of DOS. Especially when considering the short development of three months, this game is up there for what I would consider the definitive classic Mega Man experience. Every important character is here and plays their part well in the overarching narrative, the stages and bosses are a great evolution in challenge and complexity (the final boss especially), the weapons are really fun, pretty much everything is a huge step up in quality from what came before. It has plenty of areas where the challenge ramps up, too, and I would apply the same sentiment I gave to Mega Man 3 here: if this game had just a little more time in a oven, we’d be looking at the best classic Mega Man game without a doubt, masterpiece material!

I like to think of this game as the closest to Mega Man getting the “Kirby” treatment; Kirby games have a lot of love and polish and fan service put into them that make you feel good for being a Kirby fan, at the expense of difficulty compared to other platformers. Mega Man 8 is the same way compared to the rest of the classic series, it has a different approach to how the experience is crafted and I think it’s unfair to hold it to the same expectations as those other games. It’s very unique and I always feel a nice sense of coziness cruising through the game. It’s not the best Mega Man game in the series since it is missing that signature difficulty outside of the snowboard sections, but that’s not why I love the game. All of its distinct mechanics like making a build out of the shop upgrades, or quick switching to combo my weapons together, those are really fun to mess around with, not to mention the presentation is such a treat to eat up as you cruise along. Your enjoyment with this game is dependent on how much fun you want to get out of the game, which makes it easy to weed out any blatant cynicism, but really, there’s no other Mega Man game that makes me feel as proud to be a Mega Man fan as this one.

This was an interesting game to review because unlike the other two NES Ninja Gaiden games, this one I was able to beat on my first day of playing it, came about as a shock that had me worried. However, as I played Ninja Gaiden 2 more and more, I realized that while it is overall an easier game to beat, the real magic is how you can improve your performance. I can’t lie when I say the game got me hooked with mechanics like the Shadow Clones and level gimmicks tailored around improving your skills in the long run. No matter how much I play, the game never ceases to impress me and reward me, because it always felt like there’s room for improvement.