The Music of Video Games [389] Akumajou Densetsu

[TheRealPentiumMMX]

I love the way the soundtrack sounds in this version of the game. So awesome...

[darevice239]

the adventures of Trev-... I mean Ralph Belmondo

[mrnuage]

The saw wave + the two extra rectangle channels make some musics sound like it is played by an harpiscord and that fit so well with the Castlevania atmosphere. And just for this, Famicom version > NES version.

It's really a shame that Nintendo of America didn't allow third party extra chips on the NES. On top of that, they moved the extra audio pins under the NES... Maybe if they didn't do this second thing, we could have had Castlevania 3 with the 2 extra rectangle channels from the MMC5...

[retread01]

Anyone that claims the NES version of this soundtrack is better than the Famicom needs to take off their rose-tinted headphones. I don't care what you grew up with, the Japanese version is objectively much better. NES versions are anaemic failed attempts at trying to capture the VRC6 originals, ending up sounding worse than many native NES arrangements.

[mootbooxle]

@retread01 THANK YOU!!!!! I'm so glad somebody agrees with me! Only an idiot would argue that the NES version is actually better than this. Now, as far as preference, I do understand that some people *prefer* the US version's dumbed-down music, and that's fine. They are entitled to their opinion. But saying that the NES version of this is BETTER? That's like saying you prefer Bach when played on cheap Casio keyboards.

[NeoSonicStrike]

The NES music completely Destroys this.

[chuckybyas]

i went through twice, I didn't hear "Clock Tower." Forget? or not enough room to fit it in?

[chuckybyas]

@chuckybyas meant "clockwork"

[swingah]

Wow, this version sounds really really good.

[superrandy69]

you did miss 1 song and that is the boss theme

[Bananadine]

The Japanese Castlevania III sounds pretty awesome. The bass is a little too buzzy though....

[wispparade117]

Wow, did not know that this was on Famicom originally...good to know. xD

[virusinfection1]

I'm flattered that someone use my video for something

[tehkevxor1983]

In my opinion, this one is superior to the U.S. version. It sounds fuller and more distinct. The U.S. sounds thinner and, I dunno, artificial. However, there are cases where I prefer the U.S. versions of soundtracks, most notably concerning NES vs. FDS soundtracks. While both are nice, taken as a whole, FDS will sound brighter and more melodic, but NES versions sound fuller and are more bottom heavy, which I like.

[Gojiro7]

wow!! was the music really that different compared to the north american version of Castlevania III ?

[paulunga]

Yep, that's because the Japanese version used a special soundchip that gave the programmers three additional channels. Considering the system only has 5 to start with that's obviously quite an advantage.

[Gojiro7]

Thats amazing considering the Famicom seems inferior to the NES in quite a few ways.

[NeoSonicStrike]

Yes, you're correct. The NES version is FAR superior to the FC version.

Don't listen to these VRC6 homers, listen to the music and you'll soon realize the superior version is the NES, REGARDLESS of any special chips.

[nintendo1889x]

@NeoSonicStrike How so?

[NeoSonicStrike]

@nintendo1889x

Listen to the music.

That is all that needs to be said, really.

CV3 is musical excellence and AD sucks pipe.

[CCrockyourass]

@nintendo1889x No, stop, just stop. You are being trolled, so hard right now.

[xXNickPXx]

@NeoSonicStrike

If you've ever picked apart the track "Beginning" channel by channel in an NSF player and transcribed the whole thing (for arrangement purposes) you'll find that the VRC6 version is a far more complex and clever piece than the NES version. Lots of the pieces end up simplified in the NES version and while the NES may play the songs more clearly (the sawtooth wave was far too loud in VRC6), the VRC6 version is musically superior by a good margin.

[NeoSonicStrike]

@xXNickPXx

Regardless of any of that, the NES version Sounds'vastly superior.

[SgtThom]

@NeoSonicStrike

Drums are inferior to the VRC6 version and the extra saw bass is just better than use the triangle channel. Really the sound quality is that good.

[Bakuryukun]

@NeoSonicStrike I prefer the Famicom music by far.

[paulunga]

That soundchip was inside the cartridges themselves. I think Nintendo removed the pins responsible for interfacing with the soundchip from the NES so it couldn't be used.

But hey, the music was still great.

[esperlutz]

If you had played the game on the other side of the pond you'd probably say that version sounded better. in terms of composition the songs are the same, i don't know how you can claim one has a "poor" soundtrack and hold the other in such high regard.

[nathanielhowlett]

Anyone got a title for the track at 5:20?

[AnimaxRules]

this track is called "vampire killer"

[nathanielhowlett]

Thanks lots

[Actwoven]

Another note. The game's VRC-6 chip sounds more like the Turbografx-16 than the other 16-bit consoles. Not that it's a bad thing. I really like HuCard chiptunes.

[whelpling1]

...This is so close to the medly from 'Haunted Castle'...

[NeoSonicStrike]

Castlevania 3 sounds MUCH better.

[MattTheSpratt]

Um, no it doesn't? :\

[MattTheSpratt]

Wait, did you mean that the NES version sounds better than the Famicom version, or that this VGM is a vast improvement?

[NeoSonicStrike]

NES>>>>>>>Famicom with special chip.

[MattTheSpratt]

In my honest opinion, the Famicom beats the NES due to the fact that you could achieve some amazing grapical or audio trickery with the right chipset.

But I see your reasoning. You probably grew up with the NES.

[MattTheSpratt]

To be fair, I do have a bit of bias toward the Famicom, what with Nintendo Of America's draconian rule over how games are made for the system.

Barring special hardware, censoring like crazy, requesting three NES games a year, only making games for their console, etc.

[MattTheSpratt]

I wonder what Reg Whatsisface (the current Ninty America CEO(?)) thinks about that policy...

[MattTheSpratt]

Wait, he's COO. Whoops.

[andyukmonkey]

The extra sound chip just adds two more rectangle channels and a saw wave channel. It makes for a big difference but i'd hardly call it better then a Megadrive or Snes

The Japanese Mr. Gimmick! has better music.

[Actwoven]

And even then, Castlevania 3 Jap doesn't even compare to the last game Konami made for the Famicom. Lagrange Point, a space-themed RPG, had the successor to Castlevania 3's VRC-6 chip which is named, of course, the VRC-7. It enhanced the music with 8 FM-wave channels, which literally gave the game the sound quality of a Sega MegaDrive.

[moviemovies1]

@Actwoven It was actually 6 FM Channels, and the FM Sound was not the same kind as the mega drive, but the japanese master system

[wazkatango]

@andyukmonkey Off topic from this video, but I feel that I feel that the FC + VRC-6 is actually superior to the SNES's chip, if only because I like synths (clear, crisp sound) a whole lot more compared to crappy sampled music (Not that it was all bad though. Tim Follin did some pretty impressive stuff with that chip, but the sound quality is still crap.).

Also, while I like Mr. Gimmicks music - Sunsoft was awesome- I don't think it's quite as good as this.

[za909]

@wazkatango The VRC7 is also somewhat superior the YM2612 in the genesis at least it's much easier to write music for it and sure theres no real PCM channel like on the genesis only the DPCM which can make very good sounds if used well however those samples took a lot of space on carts so they weren't used much But if you count that there's still the original NES hardware providing assistance and for the Genesis there are only the crappy PSG channels from the master system you see the difference

[TheOneAndOnlyMoonCat]

Kickin' rad.

[Senapse]

Holy crap, the jap version sounds almost like a SNES game o_O. I've never heard this before but I love it :)

[snad1]

sounds better than a snes game.

More like genesis like than snes.

[MirageL5]

The music at 4:29 was one of my favorites. I can't remember the name of the track though... There was much more music to this game as well, but it's a nice representation of what the soundtrack had to offer.

[heerogunkenobi]

its called demon seed

[MirageL5]

The music in this game was legendary. This was a great game!

[alexj0101]

5/5 stars, this is awesome.

[thefriendsociety]

castlevania 3 is one of my favorite games if I had a top NES games list i'd be up there pretty high close to number 1 even!

[NintendoBengan]

i've longed for this!

[CleverDjembe]

This fucking rocks! Never less than 5 stars for Castlevania.

[AlienDreamtime]

Isn't this how it sounds in all versions? Hehe... I'm pretty sure I've got them all in my NES rom collection. :)

[jimmywolf]

Nope! This is the Japanese game that came with a special sound chip that wasn't included in the American game. Listen to the American game again and you will notice a big difference in sound quality :)

[MonoAzul]

Cool. I'd never heard this version before. Way better than the Castlevania 1 soundtrack.

[foamyfan231]

aww man, I love the sound on this better. USA VERSION SUCKS!!!!! well not really but MUSIC SUCKS!!! I WANT THE JP VERSION!!!!

[leonken1]

wait....i have this game?.....huh?

[gtssage]

Thats amazing. Damn you Konami for not putting those sounds chips in the USA versions.

[evenmorebetter]

They couldn't have. Basically, the connector pin(s?) in the Famicom cartridge port that was used to produce this music was relocated to the SECRET MYSTERY PORT at the bottom of the NES.

[mailanbr]

You have already done this. Not the same name, but same songs. Episode 12 of your list of soundtracks is already this. Just that you named it's American name.

[garudoh]

Pretty sure I remember the games I cover. I'll let you read the comments made by other users to figure out what this video is.

[k007007]

I would have pissed my pants hearing this music come from my NES.

[JMein13074]

Amen, This feels almost on par with TG16 music

[ZeromusX]

Hell yeah, I think the only reason I play the Japanese version of CVIII is because of the enhanced music lol. Lots of classic tunes in here, they keep getting remixed in later games too..."Aquarius", "Clockwork", "Demon Seed"...apparently "Riddle" is gonna show up in Ecclesia too.

[Meowthnum1]

So was this sort of a remixed Castlevania III?

[ZeromusX]

It's just the Japanese version of Castlevania III, which some special sound chip in the cartridge which game it the superior music quality you see here.

[ZeromusX]

*game= gave

[villadelfia]

The famicom version sounds better, has a better sound chip powering it, therefore it is better.

[NeoSonicStrike]

LoL, not even close. The added chip sounds AWFUL and is a complete downgrade from the NES version.

[NeoSonicStrike]

^

Ignorance in it's purest form.

[SgtThom]

@NeoSonicStrike

VRCVII chip says hi.

[NeoSonicStrike]

The NES sound is better by a significant margin over the VRC.

[AlucardsQuest]

This is the original, the US got the "remixed" version so to speak.