What if?
Castlevania for the Wii

By Sam Mills - 1/12/07

If it were up to me, the next Castlevania would be developed for the Nintendo Wii. Never mind the GameCube snuff (Konami has graces Nintendo’s handhelds with 5 portables since 2001 so we know they love Nintendo). The Wii is shaping up to be a serious contender in the upcoming console showdown. I could be wrong, but then I could be right…but let’s delve into the imagination here and see what we can see…

First of all, let’s get past the obvious. The controller could be used as a whip. Could one’s hands get tired of the kind of motion for extended periods of time? It’s possible. So why not invent some other weapons to choose from? In fact, why not eliminate the whip at all and stick to alternate forms of weaponry?

Here’s the premise: Dracula has risen. It’s the middle ages. A Belmont has feels the call to save the world (yeah, that’s original). There’s only one problem: the whip is gone! Where is it? Well, wouldn’t you know? The last Belmont to slay Dracula dropped it while escaping the crumbling castle and it got left behind. Now Dracula is resurrected and his castle has risen. But since the whip went down with it the last time, it is reinforced with the power it contained.

Now the Belmont (let’s give him a name…Louie Belmont. Yeah, that will do) must enter the castle with only a slew of projective weapons (all of which require either a simple button push or a unique twist of the stick). You must search the castle for other unique weapons, some of which may require some very interesting movements on your part. The ultimately goal is to locate the whip somewhere in the castle to take on Dracula.

What kind of weapons you say? Well, there’s the typical holy water (give it a splash), a sword (give it a slash), throw a cross (give it a “toss”). And maybe we could impliment some fists of fury into the mix. Maybe some magic, just use the wand. Crossbow (push of a button). Yeah, there you go.

Of course it’s going to have to be 3D. If you thought 2D was unheard of before, it’s almost a dirty word in the console world these days (a shame but true). So accepting that, let’s talk about the gameplay. First of all, let’s fix all the redundancy problems that plagued past 3D installments. Simplify floor plans, make smaller levels but more of them. Don’t reuse the same room 20 times. This may lead to a shorter game but at least it will be more interesting.

Now since the game is laced with the righteous power of the vampire killer, this castle is going to look a little different. How so you ask? Well, for starters, it’s going to be absolutely beautiful. The main hall is going to be littered with Crystal Chandeliers. The dancehall is going to sweep you off your feet. The Castlevania is always pretty, but this time, there’s a difference. The enemies are pretty too! On the main floor you are ignored by the inhabitance, ladies and gentlemen that walk around aimlessly. But in order to obtain anything, you’ve got to look past the illusion. At the touch of a button, you can see the castle for what it is and it becomes a vile place, one with broken glass all over the floor, horrid darkness. These inhabitants take on gruesome features, rotting flesh and they don’t ignore you. They attack you. But only in this phase can you see hidden items beneath the surface. But you must flip between the two phases in order to progress. A guard in the “dark” phase might simply let you pass by in the “light” phase. (Yes, yes, kind of like when Frodo puts on the ring. I know.)

Ok, you still with me here? Ok, finally, we must address the issue of company. This time, we find out that Louie Belmont has a choice. As in Castlevania III, he will met companions along the way. But this time, there’s a catch. Not everyone you take along with you will have your best interest in mind. While the companions will be the same people in each play through, their intentions will be unique to the play through. For example, the first time you play, you may meet up with (let’s make someone up) Lorraine DeLerone, a witch with a knack for devil forging. But while she may be legit the first time you play, she may not be the “same” person the next time you play and try to sabotage your efforts. Their intentions are completely random and they must gain your trust every time you start a new game.

This is where trust testing comes into play. You can ask them 3 questions when you first meet them. Their answers will always provide clues to their intentions. “Why are you here?” answered by “My master has sent me to help you.” Could be bad. “Who is your master?” could be your next question, followed by “A power being.” The last question could be “Is your master good or evil?” answered by “He wants the best for all his people.” This could mean this person is a servant to a good king or to Dracula himself. In the gameplay, this character will make choices that elaborate. They may spare the life of a foe that intends to kill you at a crucial moment leading to distrust. Or they can save your life when you least expect it. At anytime you can enter “Question” mode but if you use it too often you risk offending them with constant testing and may turn a potentially genuine ally into a bitter rival. There could also be ways to bargain with a foe you’ve exposed and either turn them or at the least get something important out of them.

In the end, a Wii Castlevania is going to have a lot of room for innovation. Some may seem to think the Wii controller is a detriment to the series, not an asset. Let’s hope that even if they don’t come around, they can find a creative solution instead of just giving up on the entire affair. Now that would be a turn to the dark side.

Sam Mills can be reached at sammycut1@aol.com

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