Retronauts: Castlevania III Vs. Akumajou Densetsu

[Haspen89]

The only two stages that sound better are Rising (that pulsating saound at 0:30) and Stream (more catchy, less melodic, ftw)!

Has spoken.

[Haspen89]

@Haspen89 Gaah, meant 'sound better on NES'

[TheKrustaceox]

The only song that is better in the US is Mad Forest in my opinion. The rest are all superior in the JAP version without any questions and trolls.

[KesterStudios]

JAP



[jolachgh]

I want a Famicom to my collection!!!

[kuugarx100]

i like the japanese version

[ruminator3570]

The Japanese version is far superior. However I do not understand why they simply did not reproduce the samples that the US Nintendo could have played and just added a bass channel if they did they would have had a much better sounding US version. Our version is just wimpy sounding compared to Japan's version. If you don't think so listen to Homie0static's remixes of the songs on YouTube.

[BareknuckleRoo]

@ruminator3570

The reason the audio on the NES is worse is because the NES (unlike the Famicom) did not have support for extra sound channels added by cartridge chips (perhaps to make the console cheaper). The VRC6 (3 extra channels) chip as well as the superior VRC7 chip used in Konami's Lagrange Point (6 extra channels) also added to the cost of the game, so Konami probably figured they'd sell more and make a bigger profit by selling a version made with the more basic MMC5 chip for the audio.

[autentyk]

wow, comes as a real surprise.

[varoennauraa]

I can't decide which one is more pleasant. Japanese version is obviously technically better but it also sounds colder and harsher. Sometimes japanese versions effects muddle some things that I like, while Nes version is more articulate. On the other hand they had to cut Nes versions arrangement down. I enjoy both very much...theres nothing better than Castlevanias music.

[shamanflebus]

Japan all the way!! Não tem nem comparação!!

[spike007980]

I'm gonna have to say, I'm in love with the FC VRC6 chip.

[evenmorebetter]

They both sound great. The FC version really is truly excellent though, really kind of portends the approach to music that they'd be taking in the future games like CV4, Bloodlines, Dracula X, and SotN. Here's what I think: they definitely did their damnedest to cram the soundtrack into the NES's 5 basic channels and sound as good as it could, but while the NES version sounds like a really well-composed NES game, the FC version sounds like a full-on 8-bit orchestra. Such a rich sound.

[frikidashit]

La version USA se me hace mejor, es como mas... cool, asi de sonidos mas de nes haha

[shailen1982]

VRC6 Chip forward ! =D

[TBoneMontana]

Man better sound chip or what ever the NES version still kicks the japanese version by far!

[yusukeelric]

@TBoneMontana why?

in Nes version Grant is almost unplayable. You can't save the game and as i know. And the only way to continue is using passwords.

The only thing i like about the Nes version is Dracula Final fight. He is actually a challenge in that version... In the famicom version he is too easy For a castlevania standard...

[Grandstra]

@yusukeelric Nah, Dracula is not much more difficult. You just have to jump once or twice more. Besides, the first form is even easier. He lets more time pass between his attacks.

[freestylenut]

Wow, "Dead Beat" sounds like a totally different song...so much better then that generic one us Americans got...same with "Aquarius"!

[doomedperson]

Famicom version all the way. The NES version sounds extremely bland in comparision.

[NeoSonicStrike]

The Japanese version stinks.

[atebit80]

wrong on so many levels

[nensondubois]

@johneymute This game uses VRC6, not MMC5. VRC6 has 2 square waves and a sawtooth with a duty cycle of 50. The MMC5 has two square waves that are identical to the 2A03's.

[crazyiproshow]

I like Akumajou Densetsu, prolly because that is the 1st version I heard.

[NeoSonicStrike]

If the FC version sounded better, I would have no problem admitting it. It doesn't, even despite having a more technical soundchip.

[aquasaber]

@NeoSonicStrike Not to sound rude, but I can't agree. I grew up lucky enough to be able to play NES and Famicom games side by side, and the VRC6 chip really does make a difference. On a side note, because of the VRC6 in the Japanese cart, I noticed less of the slow-down that the NES version sometimes had problems with.

[Luigi84289]

@NeoSonicStrike You don't like any of the songs better? That's a very fanboyish position to take. Some of the music is inarguably better in the ad release. There are more channels. Aquarius doesn't even compare to the US/EU release.

[NeoSonicStrike]

@Luigi84289

The NES version sounds alot better.

It's not even debatable if you actually listen to the music from both games.

Literally EVERY song from the American release is vastly superior.

[Fradener]

@NeoSonicStrike :trollface:

[TheBilly]

@NeoSonicStrike I don't know about that. I grew up on NES and CV3 was one of my favorite games, one I burned the most time, I've always absolutely loved the music......yet, hearing the JP version only in the past few years, I gotta say, I really love the richness the VRC6 adds. I don't really care for the feel of Aquarius though.

[jpkushin]

Was the audio captured on the original hardware or through an emulator?

[AndrewC437]

I guess it serves right... Japanese Castlevania 2 sounded HORRIBLE compared to US Castlevania 2...

[ACANDEJORE]

US and European Castlevania 3 music was poor and slower due to the chip that japanese cartridge included. I have the three ones and I only play it on the original Famicom. There´s no comparison possible between this an the other two.

Reading "HORRIBLE" I only can think that you have no idea about we´re talking about here.

[ACANDEJORE]

Sorry man... I had read "3" instead "2". My apologies :)

[AndrewC437]

:P no biggie. Since the video's about CV3, I can see where ya messed up.

[jaholmes01]

Yep, VRC6 made a big difference. By the time this game was released in the US, however, the Sega Genesis was available and the SNES was just around the corner. Putting the VRC6 in the US version would have made it cost a lot more at a time when people were looking for excuses to stop buying 8-bit stuff.

Incidentally, MMC5 offered no audio capability at all; what you're hearing in the US version is just the stock NES audio. MMC5 vs. VRC6 is kind of apples-and-oranges.

[shakeababy]

Keep in mind that the NES is incapable of having expanded sounds (without modding, anyway). Even if they had kept the VRC6 on the carts, the sound wouldn't have come through.

Using MMC5 had its advantages, too. Namely, it allowed each individual 8x8 tile to have its own palette setting (as opposed to each 4 tile (16x16 pixel) group).

[BrennusShamira]

Yeah, the differences are really clear and I like more the Japanese Version.

[dayeight]

wow. why not put on gamevideos?

[1080Peter]

Wow... The difference really is there.