Style: VGM
Primary Emotions/Themes: A tale of two sound chips
Thoughts: If you ever wondered what the NES/Famicom was truly capable of sound wise, then the Japanese version of Castlevania III is exactly what you need. This album is a double LP with one containing the soundtrack for the North American version and the other the Japanese version.
There is a distinct difference between the two with a simple explanation: the Famicom cart had an extra sound chip in it. The NES version is quite excellent in its own right - this is a Castlevania soundtrack after all. If I had never heard the Famicom version I would easily say that this is the definitive soundtrack for the series on the NES.
The songs have a life and a spark to them that the first two games are lacking in somewhat. If we compare the ever popular Bloody Tears to the one from Simons Quest it's clear that the version from III is the superior one. It is more upbeat, the bleeps and bloops work together better, and the percussion feels more lively than it did in previous games. It's a real pleasure to listen to.
Then I heard the Famicom version... and all the sudden the NES version did not sound nearly as good. Instead of 8 bit chip tunes we have several more tracks interlacing with the melody - giving it more counter melodies and a clearer overall sound. Where the NES soundtrack sounds compressed and it's struggling to get every ounce it can out of the NES sound chip, the Famicom version sounds effortless, uncompressed, and free flowing. It's night and day the difference.
Castlevania III is still the definitive soundtrack for the Castlevania series on the 8 bit Nintendo systems. Out of the two though the Famicom version is the one that I will listen to when given the choice. I'm glad that the record came with both versions of the soundtrack, it's a nice touch for a classic game.
Written June 4th 2024
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