The videogame Castlevania Symphony of the Night (SOTN) features a character named Alucard who is pitted against his father, Dracula, in a battle to ensure the safety of humans. During the course of the game, the player (in the character of Alucard) explores a huge castle, learns spells, meets different characters, gradually learns the history of the characters, and picks up various items.
Symphony of the Night is classified as a role-playing game (RPG). The game was originally released in 1997 for the PlayStation 1 videogame system, and has developed legions of fans who still praise the game even in 2011 when the current console is the PlayStation 3.
New Game System Requires New Videogames
As Videogame systems grow and evolve, so do the videogames. PlayStation 1 (PSone) has evolved to PlayStation 3, and the Xbox game system has progressed to Xbox 360. Game systems like Dreamcast and Gamecube have been eliminated altogether, so with the advancements of game systems why would a company reproduce a videogame from 1997?
In March 2007, the Konami videogame Castlevania Symphony of the Night was re-released for the Xbox 360. Although the original game was released 10 years earlier for PlayStation One, the Xbox version of the game was highly anticipated, as the 1997 versions of the game were becoming rare and difficult to find.
Castlevania Symphony of the Night – Videogame Classic
Xbox recognized the popularity of Castlevania SOTN and capitalized on videogamer’s demand for the product. The company produced a version of the game that can be downloaded online by owners of the Xbox 360. But is the Xbox version a remake, recreation, or total re-imagining of the original?
Although the Xbox 360 website boasts that the version of the game is, “recreated and enhanced for Xbox 360,” the game is nearly identical to the original PlayStation One version of the game. According to Xbox.com, the enhancements refer to “12 achievements and a leaderboard” as well as an option to play the original version of Symphony of the Night “with improved graphics and modernized audio and sound effects.”
How Castlevania Symphony of the Night (SOTN) is Enhanced
Fewer pixels and high-definition comprise the visual enhancements, and 12 extra achievements include accomplishments such as engaging in battles without sustaining damage or exploring 100% of the castle. The new version mimics the older version, and the enhancements do not include new scenes or storylines.
So the Xbox 360 version of Castlevania SOTN is essentially the same as the PlayStation One version of the videogame. Some may still wonder at the reasoning behind the repeat release of the videogame. One of the main reasons for re-release of the Castlevania game is its enduring popularity.
SOTN Release on Xbox 360
As Jason Ferguson of Just RPG writes, “it’s sort of amusing to think that one of the most highly anticipated Xbox 360 games was a 10-year-old PlayStation game.” But as Ferguson indicates, the release of Symphony of the Night was indeed highly anticipated.
Videogamers thoroughly enjoyed the original game, but once production of the PlayStation One system ceased, production of the videogames ceased too – despite its popularity. Although the current model of the PlayStation console has backward compatibility (the latest console gaming system will play videogames from earlier models of the game system), copies of Castlevania SOTN are few and rare.
Symphony of the Night Costly Videogame
Purchasing a “new” copy of the original PSone videogame can be costly; sellers on various websites offer Castlevania SOTN unopened in the original package for up to one-hundred dollars or more. While used versions of the game may be purchased at more reasonable prices; used videogame discs may be unplayable due to age or scratches, so the buyer has to be vigilant.
Because of the limited options for purchasing the original PSone game, many videogamers were pleased to discover that an Xbox version of the game was being released and would be available for download. The story of the protagonist Alucard has captivated videogame enthusiasts for more than a decade. Castlevania Symphony of the Night – like all good stories - remains ever popular, and fans new and old are anxious to rediscover the game.
Marian Henderson - I was in the Marine Corps for 12 years, and after completing my last four-year enlistment, I became a Merchant Marine. I worked aboard ...
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