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Wow. I absolutely loved Castlevania as a kid, and bought myself an original NES on eBay to enjoy as an adult...it's a Thanksgiving tradition to bust out Castlevania and original Zelda to play through til the New Year like old times.

But reprogramming it?! Such things are beyond my compehension, but I'm impressed at your Castlevania Glory. What a cool dad. I hope you just changed the graphics and not the sounds.

Odd how such a simplistic (and extremely frustrating) game like this still appeals to kids today. I find they always want to play the old-people NES and Castlevania when they come visit on holidays. The screaming is just the same...get the meat! GET THE MEAT! I figured it was just my nostalgia but it seems to have enduring appeal.

Can you use controllers like the originals when you're running it on a computer though? No fun if not. I didn't build that thumb-based muscle memory for nothing.

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I left the sound. The key to making any kind of remix, rewrite, reboot, or hack of an original work is to find the weaknesses, and leave the strengths.

We do have controllers hooked up for anyone who likes them, and yes, wall meat definitely has enduring appeal:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndbszol6qFA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Gm4olhwrB8&t=69s

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[A conversation thread with an AI]

> Hello Mixtral! Do you know of Konami's video game, Castlevania?

Yes, I'm familiar with Castlevania. It's a popular video game series developed by Konami. The games typically feature the Belmont family, who use a legendary vampire hunting whip to defeat Dracula and other supernatural enemies. The first Castlevania game was released in 1986 for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Since then, the series has spawned numerous sequels, prequels, and spin-offs, spanning various platforms and genres. Is there a specific aspect or question about Castlevania you'd like to know more about? I'm here to help!

> There is indeed a specific question I have about this game. You mentioned the Belmont family; in the original Castlevania the player takes on the role of Simon Belmont in his quest to defeat Count Dracula and his nefarious minions. To do this Simon uses his whip, dagger, axe, stopwatch, and holy water. My question is: Why doesn't Simon just show up during the day when Dracula and the undead within his castle are torpid, and blow the entire place to smithereens with dynamite?

That's an interesting question! The game's lore and mechanics don't explicitly address this, but I can provide a possible explanation based on the game's setting and narrative.

First, it's important to note that Castlevania is a gothic horror series inspired by classic literature and films. The game's narrative revolves around the eternal struggle between the Belmont family and Dracula, which is deeply rooted in superstition and folklore. In this context, dynamite might not be a readily available or accepted tool for combating supernatural forces.

Second, the game's mechanics and level design are built around the concept of Simon exploring and battling through a dangerous, monster-infested castle. If Simon could simply blow up the castle with dynamite, it would undermine the game's core challenge and the player's sense of accomplishment.

Lastly, it's worth considering that Dracula and his minions might not be as vulnerable to conventional weapons like dynamite during the day. While it's true that some undead creatures in folklore are weakened by sunlight, Dracula and his castle are often depicted as being impervious to the effects of daylight.

In summary, the game's narrative, mechanics, and folklore-inspired setting provide a few reasons why Simon Belmont doesn't use dynamite to destroy Dracula's castle. However, it's important to remember that the game is primarily designed for entertainment, and the specifics of its world and mechanics are subject to creative interpretation.

> I get it! So what you're saying is that nobody else was smart enough to realize it makes no sense that Dracula's castle falls down at the end of the game without dynamite, so all I have to do is make a Castlevania game centered around explosives to exploit an open niche in the market and make millions!

While it's true that creating a unique game concept can be a successful strategy, it's also important to consider the game's target audience and how well the concept aligns with the established lore and mechanics of the Castlevania series. Explosives-focused gameplay might not resonate with fans of the series--

> OK whatever, thanks for your help!

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Meika! The long lost story of Gibbet Hill? Now there is assuriedly a Thing To Read.

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