Akumajo Dracula X: Gekka no Yasokyoku

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Akumajo Dracula X: Gekka no Yasokyoku
System(s): Sega Saturn
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Konami
Genre: Action
Number of players: 1

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Akumajou Dracula X: Gekka no Yasoukyoku (悪魔城ドラキュラＸ　～月下の夜想曲～) is an entry in the Castlevania series released for the Sega Saturn exclusively in Japan in 1998. Western gamers know this game as Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - the name the PlayStation 1 version of the game and all successive re-releases. It is a direct sequel to Akumajō Dracula X: Chi no Rondo for the TurboGrafx-CD and the second and final Castlevania game to be released on a Sega system, following Castlevania: Bloodlines.

Though it shares the same name, the Saturn version of this game contains various exclusive features including new characters, weapons and stages. However it is said to have been badly ported to the system. The PlayStation does not have a 2D graphics mode, instead relying on programmers to turn the 3D mode into a 2D one through the use of polygons and textures. The Saturn contains both 2D and 3D graphics modes, which can be used in conjunction with each other, however the developers of this game did not take advantage of it, forcing the Saturn to render it in the same method as the PlayStation.

The results include, among other things, stretched graphics (The PS1 runs the game with a 256x224 screen resolution, while the Saturn goes for 352x240) and other distortions. There are longer loading times, and transparency effects in the Saturn version are also altered as the Saturn cannot handle alpha transparency while dealing with 3D polygons. It is believed that many of these issues could be fixed had the game been altered to play to the Saturn's strengths.

Physical Scans

Saturn Version

Saturn, JP
Cover