Simon's Quest
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Castlevania II: Simon's Quest'' is a 1987
action role-playing game An action role-playing game (often abbreviated action RPG or ARPG) is a video game genre that combines core elements from both the action game and Role-playing video game, role-playing game genres. Definition Action role-playing games empha ...
developed and published by
Konami , commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...
. It was originally released in Japan in 1987 for the
Famicom Disk System The commonly shortened to the Famicom Disk System, is a peripheral for Nintendo's Family Computer (Famicom) home video game console, released in Japan on February 21, 1986. The system uses proprietary floppy disks called "Disk Cards" for more ...
, and in North America in 1988 for the
Nintendo Entertainment System The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on 15 July 1983 as the and was later released as the redesigned NES in several test markets in the ...
. It is the second ''
Castlevania ''Castlevania'' (), known in Japan as is a gothic horror action-adventure video game series and media franchise created by Konami. The series is largely set in the castle of Count Dracula, the arch-enemy of the Belmont clan of vampire hunters. ...
'' game released for the NES, following the original ''
Castlevania ''Castlevania'' (), known in Japan as is a gothic horror action-adventure video game series and media franchise created by Konami. The series is largely set in the castle of Count Dracula, the arch-enemy of the Belmont clan of vampire hunters. ...
'' (1986). Set seven years after the events of the first installment, the player once again assumes the role of vampire hunter
Simon Belmont is a fictional character who serves as the first protagonist to appear in the '' Castlevania'' series. He appears in '' Castlevania'', ''Vampire Killer'', '' Haunted Castle'', '' Castlevania II: Simon's Quest'', '' Super Castlevania IV'', and ' ...
, who is on a journey to undo a curse placed on him by
Dracula ''Dracula'' is an 1897 Gothic fiction, Gothic horror fiction, horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker. The narrative is Epistolary novel, related through letters, diary entries, and newspaper articles. It has no single protagonist and opens ...
at the end of their previous encounter. Dracula's body was split into five parts, which Simon must find and bring to the ruins of
Castle Dracula Castle Dracula (also known as Dracula’s castle) is the fictitious Transylvanian residence of Count Dracula, the vampire antagonist in Bram Stoker's 1897 horror novel ''Dracula''. It is the setting of the first few and final scenes of the nove ...
in order to defeat him. The game deviates from the traditional platforming of its predecessor, incorporating
role-playing Role-playing or roleplaying is the changing of one's behaviour to assume a role, either unconsciously to fill a social role, or consciously to act out an adopted role. While the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' offers a definition of role-playing ...
and
open world In video games, an open world is a virtual world in which the Gamer, player can approach objectives freely, as opposed to a world with more linear and structured gameplay. Notable games in this category include ''The Legend of Zelda (video game ...
elements.


Gameplay

Gameplay in ''Castlevania II: Simon's Quest'' departs from the platforming genre of the first ''Castlevania'', and introduces
nonlinear gameplay A video game with nonlinear gameplay presents players with challenges that can be completed in a number of different sequences. Each may take on (or even encounter) only some of the challenges possible, and the same challenges may be played in a ...
and
role-playing Role-playing or roleplaying is the changing of one's behaviour to assume a role, either unconsciously to fill a social role, or consciously to act out an adopted role. While the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' offers a definition of role-playing ...
elements inspired by ''
The Maze of Galious ''The Maze of Galious'' is a 1987 platform-adventure video game developed and published by Konami for the MSX home computer. A reworked conversion was released for the Family Computer. Both versions were re-released digitally for Microsoft Windo ...
'' (1987), including a
world map A world map is a map of most or all of the surface of Earth. World maps, because of their scale, must deal with the problem of projection. Maps rendered in two dimensions by necessity distort the display of the three-dimensional surface of t ...
which the player is free to explore and revisit.Jeremy Parish
Metroidvania Chronicles II: Simon's Quest
UP.com, June 28, 2006
Simon Simon may refer to: People * Simon (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name Simon * Simon (surname), including a list of people with the surname Simon * Eugène Simon, French naturalist and the genus ...
, controlled by the player, can talk with villagers who will offer him clues or lies. He can go to merchants who sell items, either for fighting enemies or for traversing to otherwise unreachable areas. To pay for them, he must collect hearts, which are dropped by defeated enemies. In addition to the ordinary items in Simon's inventory, he can purchase new whips in a few locations. ''Simon's Quest'' introduces an Experience Rating system, in which Simon's power level and maximum health may be increased by collecting a sufficient amount of hearts. The period of time in ''Simon's Quest'' cycles between daytime and nightfall, which has an effect on the game and Simon's encounters. During the day, the enemies outside villages are weaker. At nighttime, they gain strength and inflict more damage to Simon's life points; though when defeated, they drop more hearts. The villagers and merchants in their respective locations are also no longer available to talk to and are replaced by zombies. Some elements from the previous game return, including the Magic Weapons, which are secondary weapons to Simon's whip. One of them returning from ''Castlevania'' is the Holy Water, a small glass which can disintegrate walls that conceal hidden items. ''Simon's Quest'' introduces new Magic Weapons such as the Diamond, which attacks enemies while bouncing off any surrounding walls. The objective of the game is to travel to the five mansions to find the five body parts of Dracula's corpse, and the Magic Cross. The body parts can be utilized to support Simon in the game. For example, Dracula's Rib can be used as a shield to block projectile attacks fired from an enemy. Finding all of the required items will allow Simon to clear the blockade in front of Dracula's castle to fight the last boss.


Plot

The game takes place seven years after the original ''Castlevania''. The prologue begins when Simon visits his family's resting place. He encounters a young woman at the cemetery who tells him a curse was placed on him by Dracula during their last battle, and that Simon does not have long to live. The woman says the curse can be undone if he resurrects Dracula himself, explaining that Dracula's body was split into five parts after his defeat, and that Simon must find and bring them to the ruins of Dracula's castle. There, he must seal and defeat Dracula. The woman adds it is not guaranteed this will be Dracula's end. After Simon defeats Dracula, there are three possible endings depending on the time the player takes to complete the game. In two, Simon sustains fatal injuries from the confrontation with Dracula and dies. The best ending is achieved when the player beats the game in eight game days.


Development and release

''Simon's Quest'' was designed by Hitoshi Akamatsu, who also directed ''
Castlevania ''Castlevania'' (), known in Japan as is a gothic horror action-adventure video game series and media franchise created by Konami. The series is largely set in the castle of Count Dracula, the arch-enemy of the Belmont clan of vampire hunters. ...
'' (1986) and '' Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse'' (1989) on the NES. It was released on the
Famicom Disk System The commonly shortened to the Famicom Disk System, is a peripheral for Nintendo's Family Computer (Famicom) home video game console, released in Japan on February 21, 1986. The system uses proprietary floppy disks called "Disk Cards" for more ...
(FDS) on August 28, 1987 in Japan. Originally titled ''Dracula II'' in Japan, Akamatsu created the title ''Simon's Quest'' for release in Western territories. When asked if ''
Metroid is an action-adventure game franchise created by Nintendo. The player controls the bounty hunter Samus Aran, who protects the galaxy from Space Pirates and other malevolent forces and their attempts to harness the power of the parasitic M ...
'' (1986) had any influence on the development of the game, Akamatsu instead cited ''
The Maze of Galious ''The Maze of Galious'' is a 1987 platform-adventure video game developed and published by Konami for the MSX home computer. A reworked conversion was released for the Family Computer. Both versions were re-released digitally for Microsoft Windo ...
'' (1987), another
platform-adventure game A platformer (also called a platform game, and sometimes a jump 'n' run game) is a subgenre of action game in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are characterized by levels wi ...
by Konami that features puzzle solving and a
world map A world map is a map of most or all of the surface of Earth. World maps, because of their scale, must deal with the problem of projection. Maps rendered in two dimensions by necessity distort the display of the three-dimensional surface of t ...
. Most of the original artwork for ''Simon's Quest'' and other early ''Castlevania'' games was lost during the
Great Hanshin earthquake The Great Hanshin Earthquake (, ) occurred on January 17, 1995, at 05:46:53 JST in the southern part of Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, including the region of Hanshin. It measured 6.9 on the moment magnitude scale and had a maximum intensity of 7 o ...
of 1995. ''Simon's Quest'' was converted to cartridge for release on the NES in North America in 1988, and in Europe in 1990. There are functional differences due to hardware differences between the FDS and cartridge. The FDS version features a progress saving feature, commonly seen on FDS games due to the rewritable floppy disk. The NES version instead uses a password function to save player progress. The FDS medium has a
data Data ( , ) are a collection of discrete or continuous values that convey information, describing the quantity, quality, fact, statistics, other basic units of meaning, or simply sequences of symbols that may be further interpreted for ...
storage limitation of of slow access, whereas bank-switching techniques and solid memory costs allow cartridges to have comparable data space with much faster access. The developers used the additional space to improve the music quality of the NES version, adding percussion samples and re-arranging the melodies to take advantage of the technology. Other changes were made to correct several grammatical and spelling errors in the translation, although the rendering of the protagonist's name as "Simmon Belmont" in the game's endings stayed. ''Simon's Quest'' has seen several re-releases. On November 16, 2002, the game was included on ''Konami Collector's Series: Castlevania & Contra'' in North America, a PC collection of the Konami NES games via emulation. It has been re-released on other consoles through Nintendo's
Virtual Console The Virtual Console was a line of downloadable retro video games for Nintendo's Wii and Wii U home video game consoles and the Nintendo 3DS family of handheld systems. The Virtual Console lineup consisted of titles originally released on pa ...
service. ''Simon's Quest'' is included in the North American and European versions of the
NES Classic Edition NES Classic Edition is a dedicated home video game console by Nintendo, that emulates the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Family Computer (Famicom). Originally launched on November 10, 2016, the console aesthetically is a miniature rep ...
, a miniature replica of the NES featuring many built-in games. It is also a part of the multi-platform ''
Castlevania Anniversary Collection ''Castlevania'' is a List of video game franchises, video game series created and published by Konami. The series debuted in Japan on September 26, 1986, with , which was later released as ''Castlevania (1986 video game), Castlevania'' in the Uni ...
'', a 2019 compilation of past ''Castlevania'' titles, and ''Simon's Quest'' has the distinction of being the only game in the collection that was released in Japan using the North American version instead of its Japanese counterpart.


Audio

The game's soundtrack was composed by Kenichi Matsubara, who later created music for the ''Castlevania''
arcade game An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily game of skill, games of skill and in ...
, '' Haunted Castle''. "Bloody Tears" has since become a recurring song in the ''Castlevania'' franchise. The album ''Akumajō Dracula Famicom Best'' was released on March 20, 1990, with the catalog number KICA-1005, and a bonus sticker. It was reprinted under ''Akumajō Dracula Best Vol. 1'' on September 23, 1998, with the catalog number KICA-7901. It included the FDS version of ''Simon's Quest''s music, with three bonus tracks from the NES version. The disc includes the audio from ''Castlevania'' and ''Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse'', covering 33 tracks with a total duration of 1:04.00. A
vinyl record A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English) or a vinyl record (for later varieties only) is an analog signal, analog sound Recording medium, storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, ...
, also featuring both the FDS and NES music, was released by Mondo on January 11, 2017. Some reviewers have praised Matsubara's compositions.
GameSpy GameSpy was an American provider of online multiplayer and matchmaking middleware for video games founded in 1999 by Mark Surfas. After the release of a multiplayer server browser for Quake, QSpy, Surfas licensed the software under the GameS ...
called all of the music "incredible", and one of the first appearances of "classics like 'The Silence of Daylight'".


Reception

The game garnered positive reviews following its release, and received the reputation of a Nintendo classic over time. Japanese game magazine ''
Famitsu , formerly , is a line of Japanese Video game journalism, video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly f ...
'' gave it a score of 28 out of 40. American publication ''
Computer Entertainer ''Computer Entertainer'', also known as ''The Video Game Update'', was an American video game newsletter. Based out of Los Angeles, California and edited by Celeste Dolan, it was published monthly between 1982 and 1990. It regularly featured news ...
'' wrote that it "outdoes its predecessor in every way" with "better graphics, more challenges" and "more variety in settlings" while concluding it "is a very well crafted"
action-adventure An action-adventure game is a video game genre, video game hybrid genre that combines core elements from both the action game and adventure game genres. Definition An action adventure game can be defined as a game with a mix of elements f ...
that "provides excellent play value, superb graphics, lots of music, and some special touches that add to the enjoyment of the game." In 1990, ''
Nintendo Power ''Nintendo Power'' was a video game news and strategy magazine from Nintendo of America, first published in July/August 1988 as Nintendo's official print magazine for North America. The magazine's publication was initially done monthly by Ninte ...
''s NES retrospective ''Pak Source'' gave ''Simon's Quest'' ratings of 4.5/5 for Graphic and Sound, 4/5 for Play Control, 4/5 for Challenge, and 4/5 for Theme Fun. In 2008, ''Nintendo Power'' ranked it as the 15th best NES game, comparing it to '' Zelda II: The Adventure of Link'' in how it successfully added role-playing video game elements to its series. In a 1997 ''Castlevania'' retrospective, ''
GamePro ''GamePro'' was an American multiplatform video game magazine media company that published online and print content covering the video game industry, video game hardware and video game software. The magazine featured content on various video ...
'' called it "an excellent time-killer, and much longer than the first ''Castlevania''". ''
IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
'' called ''Simon's Quest'' the "perfect game to play during 1988". It praised the theme of exploration, acknowledged the evolution of the series, and lauded its graphical and audio presentation. Retrospective reviews of ''Simon's Quest'' have been more critical. Points of criticism were made about backtracking, easy bosses, and the day-to-night cycle. A common complaint was its English localization, with cryptic and poorly translated clues from
non-player character A non-player character (NPC) is a character in a game that is not controlled by a player. The term originated in traditional tabletop role-playing games where it applies to characters controlled by the gamemaster (or referee) rather than by a ...
s. Former ''Castlevania'' producer,
Koji Igarashi is a Japanese video game producer, programmer, writer, and creative director. In 2009, he was chosen by IGN as one of the top 100 game creators of all time. Often credited as IGA, he began his career by joining Konami in 1990 as a programmer ...
, revealed that the NPCs in the Japanese version were deliberate liars. ''
GameSpot ''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady, and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'' said that the subtle hints from the Japanese version were lost in translation, such as the infamous line "hit Deborah Cliff with your head to make a hole". ''
Active Gaming Media Active Gaming Media Inc. (AGM) is a localization company based in Osaka, Japan. Founded in 2008 by CEO Ibai Ameztoy, the company's main focus lies in providing localization services for video games. AGM has since branched out to provide services ...
'' showed that the Japanese text was similarly misleading, but further described where and how an accurate hint from the Japanese game was lost. Further criticism stemmed from some of the game's puzzles, which have no clues at all, such as a scenario where Simon must summon a tornado at Deborah Cliff with the Red Crystal. '' UP.com'' said the game required a walkthrough because of its non-explanatory nature. ''Game Informer">Strategy guide">walkthrough because of its non-explanatory nature. ''Game Informer'' said that while the game is important in gaming history, it was still a polarizing game due to "cryptic puzzles" and other difficult elements.


Legacy

''Simon's Quest'' is the second ''Castlevania'' game to depart from linear gameplay, following ''Vampire Killer'' for the MSX2 in 1986, and instead feature a non-linear explorative world. This design has been compared to Nintendo's ''Metroid'' series, yielding the Metroidvania subgenre. The game's exploration system and ideas introduced adventure elements to the series, and it would heavily influence future games. The first game that drew inspiration from it was '' Castlevania: Symphony of the Night''. Igarashi, ''Symphony of the Night''s assistant director, said the critical reaction to ''Simon's Quest'' and its gameplay allowed the game to be pitched to Konami. ''Simon's Quest'' would be directly referenced in later ''Castlevania'' games. In the
Game Boy Advance The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console, manufactured by Nintendo, which was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, and to international markets that June. It was later released in mainland China in 2004, under the name iQue Game Boy Advanc ...
entry, '' Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance'', the protagonist Juste Belmont recounts when his grandfather Simon had to go search for Dracula's body parts. In the game, the player must find them again.


In other media

Upon its release, ''Simon's Quest'' was briefly the subject of controversy when it received strong publicity in the second issue of ''Nintendo Power''. Its front page had a costumed model dressed as Simon Belmont, holding Dracula's severed head. This cover provoked many telephone complaints from parents of children who purchased the magazine,''50 Issues of Nintendo Power'': Worst Cover: Castlevania II – Vol. 2 showed Simon Belmont holding Dracula's head. Kids had nightmares and so did our phone reps who dealt with the complaints. – ''Nintendo Power'', Vol. 50, p.36 stating that it gave their children nightmares. ''Nintendo Power'' covered this in issue 50, citing this as its worst cover. ''Simon's Quest'' was referenced in a following issue in a ''
Howard and Nester ''Nintendo Power'' was a video game news and strategy magazine from Nintendo of America, first published in July/August 1988 as Nintendo's official print magazine for North America. The magazine's publication was initially done monthly by Ninte ...
'' comic strip. ''Simon's Quest'' was followed by the release of merchandise. In 1988,
Tiger Electronics Tiger Electronics Ltd. (also known as Tiger and Tiger Toys) is an American toy manufacturer best known for its handheld electronic games, the Furby, the Talkboy, Giga Pets, the 2-XL robot, and audio games such as '' Brain Warp'' and the ...
released a handheld game and an LCD wristwatch based on ''Simon's Quest''. Promotional collector's cards were also available in Japan. In 2007, a figurine of Simon's appearance from ''Simon's Quest'' was included as a pre-order bonus for '' Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles''. ''
Worlds of Power The ''Worlds of Power'' books are a series of novelizations of video games for the Nintendo Entertainment System released in the early 1990s by Scholastic."8-Bit Lit: Behind the Worlds of Power. '' 1up.com''1. Retrieved on November 23, 2008. Th ...
'', a 1990s series of books with stories based on Nintendo games, has a novel about ''Simon's Quest''. It was written by
Christopher Howell Christopher Howell (born August 29, 1945) is an American poet, editor, and educator. He has published nine books of poetry. Born in Portland, Oregon, Howell served as a journalist for the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. He earned a B.S. from O ...
, and the series was produced by
Seth Godin Seth W. Godin, also known under his pen name as "F. X. Nine" (born 1960), is an American author, marketing expert, entrepreneur, and a former dot-com business executive. Early life and education Seth W. Godin graduated from Williamsville East H ...
. It departs from the original plot and introduces characters not seen in the game, including junior high school student Timothy Bradley, a video gamer who crosses over into the world of ''Simon's Quest'' and assists Simon in looking for Dracula's body parts.


Notes


References


External links

* * {{Authority control 1980s horror video games 1987 video games Simon's Quest Famicom Disk System games Nintendo Entertainment System games Open-world video games Side-scrolling platformers Single-player video games Tiger Electronics handheld games Video game sequels Video games adapted into novels Video games developed in Japan Video games scored by Kenichi Matsubara Virtual Console games Virtual Console games for Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console games for Wii Virtual Console games for Wii U