Akumajo Dracula X: Gekka no Yasokyoku

n/a

Akumajo Dracula X: Gekka no Yasokyoku

System(s): Sega Saturn

Publisher: Konami

Developer: Konami Computer Entertainment Nagoya

Original system(s): PlayStation

Sound driver: SCSP (1 track)

Genre: Action

Number of players: 1

Release	Date	RRP	Code
JP	1998-06-25	¥3,8003,800	T-9527G

Non-Sega versions
PlayStation

Sega

CERO
Missing Parameter!

Akumajo Dracula X: Gekka no Yasokyoku (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. Although the title translates closer to Castlevania: Nocturne in the Moonlight, most Western gamers know this game as Castlevania: Symphony of the Night — the official English title used for the original Sony PlayStation version, and all successive re-releases.

It is a direct sequel to Akumajo Dracula X: Chi no Rondo for the PC Engine Super CD-ROM², and the second and final Castlevania game to be released on a Sega system, following Castlevania: Bloodlines.

Gameplay

Akumajo Dracula X: Gekka no Yasokyoku in an action RPG, on which you choose one of three characters: Alucard, the main character, Richter Belmont, previously unlockable in the PlayStation game, and Maria Renard, an exclusive playable character.

Upon choosing Alucard, the game starts at the final battle of the previous game of the series, with improved graphics and a cutscene. In this battle you control Richter Belmont rather than Alucard and if you are about to die, Maria Renard appears to save you. The other characters start straight to the main storyline.

All characters can pause the game ( START ), access a castle map ( START then ), jump (), use at least one button to attack (), back dash () — Richter doesn't have a second attack button, nor can back dash — and use the special weapons found in candles (+). Richter and Maria don't feature an options menu brought up by hitting START like Alucard, and thus cannot equip or use items other than the special weapons (enemies don't even drop anything but hearts and gold for them).

Holding when choosing Richter Belmont gives him different clothing. Idling for a few minutes at the title screen makes Shiina Hekiru (the voice actress who interprets Maria Renard and the fairy familiars) inform the current time of the Saturn's clock.

Playable characters

Alucard (アルカード)

Alucard, real name Adrian Fahrenheit Tepes (アドリアンファーレンハイツツェペシュ), is the 400 years old son of Dracula with an human woman named Lisa (リサ). He is the only character that receives experience and use all items.

and

are used to attack/defend,

,

and

are used to Transform Into Mist (霧に変身), Transform Into Bat (コウモリに変身) and Transform Into Wolf (狼に変身), respectively;

uses consumable items. His spells are:

Move list
Name	Command	Description
Dark Metamorphosis (ダークメタモルフォーゼ)	/	Recovers HP when hitting, with physical attacks, enemies which shed blood
Hellfire (ヘルファイア)	/	Shoots three fireballs; holding upon casting shoots meteors
Summon Spirit (サモンスピリット)	/	Summons a spirit that chases and hit enemies
Tetra Spirit (テトラスピリット)	hold 3sec, then /
Soul Steal (ソウルスチール)	/	Hits everything on screen, recovering HP at the same time

Richter Belmont (リヒターベルモンド)

Richter's secret outfit.
Richter is a 24 years old member of the Belmont clan of vampire hunters. He attacks with his family's legendary whip — the Vampire Killer, which can be fully extended or flailed in multiple directions (hold

and use the D-pad). His only functional buttons are:

for attacking,

for Item Crash (using it with no special weapon endows his whip with fire) and

to jump. His moves set includes:

Move list
Name	Command	Description
Backflip (バック宙返り)
Sliding (スライディング)	+
Drop Kick (ドロップキック)	+
Uppercut
Tackle (タックル)

Maria Renard (マリアラーネッド)

Maria is 17 years old and the younger sister of Richter's deceased girlfriend. Rather than wield a weapon she fires a magical shot (

— can be charged up), kicks (

) and invokes the "Four Symbols" (Chinese mythological creatures).

Her moves and summoning spell are:

Move list
Name	Command	Description
Guardians' Knuckle (ガーディアンズナックル)
Sliding (スライディング)	+
3-steps Jump (3段ジャンプ)
Jump Kick (ジャンプキック)	, hold //,
High Jump
Drop Kick (ドロップキック)

Move list
Name	Command	Description
Recall Suzaku (朱雀召還)	hold 2sec, /	Owl familiar
Recall Genbu (玄武召還)	/	Recovers about 1/6 of life
Recall Byakko (白虎召還)	/	Powerful flamethrower
Recall Seiryuu (青龍召還)	/	Dragon controllable with the D-pad, plus invulnerability for its duration
Shiseijuu Shoukan (四聖獣召還)	, hold 3sec, +/	Invincibility for 40sec, also causing damage if touched

Versions

The Saturn version of this game contains various exclusive features including a new playable character (Maria Renard), new items, new enemies (sixteen lesser, a boss, plus Maria Renard if playing as Alucard), two new areas (Cursed Prison and Underground Garden) and a secret outfit for Richter Belmont. A third equippable hand is available to Alucard for equipping usable items such as healing items. A relic known as "God Speed boots" become available to Alucard halfway through the game and allow the player to move faster. Classic Castlevania music is remixed and a couple new tracks have also been recorded.

Unfortunately, the game was 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 of the bad port 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.

Production credits

Dracula X Nocturne in the Moonlight

Cast: Ryoutaroh Okiayu, Kiyoyuki Yanada, Chisa Yokoyama, Norio Wakamoto, Rica Fukami, Masaharu Satoh, Hekiru Shiina, Jyouji Yanami
Staff
- Program: Nobushige Takaki, Yasuhiro Masuoka, Akihiro Shimiz, Hideto Imai
- Support Program: Hiroaki Atsumi, Yoichi Hayama, Kazuo Taniguchi, Norihide Sugimoto
- Design: Yoshichika Suzuki, Naoya Tanabe, Yasuko Muraoka, Hiroshi Miyata, Yuki Miyagi
Sound Staff
- (Sound Direction): H.Suzuki
- (Program): Y.Iwata
- (Music): T.Ohsono
- (Music/Sound Effect): J.Karashima
- (Music): K.Okada
Product Design: Tsukasa Hiyoshi
Special Thanks: Masaki Tanaka, Atsushi Mishima, Nazha Kondo, Satoko Hayashi, Takahiro Nakayama, Toyohiro Yamada, Noriko Uchida, Sachiko Hara
Character Design & Illustration: Ayami Kojima
Ending Theme: "I Am The Wind"
- Staff
  - Produced by: Rika Muranaka
  - Music written by: Rika Muranaka, Tony Haynes, Jeff Lorber
  - Arranged by: Rika Muranaka, Jeff Lorber
  - Recorded by: Jeff Lorber, Robert Chinelli, Eric Greedy At Jhl Studio, Larry Mah At Mad Hatter Recording Studio
  - Mixed by: Al Schmitt At Capitol Recording Studio
- Musicians
  - (Lead Vocal/Back Chorus): Cynthia Harrell
  - (Keyboards): Jeff Lorber
  - (Keyboards): Rika Muranaka
  - (Bass): Nate Phillips
  - (Drums): John Robinson
  - (Guitar): Michael Tompson
  - (Sax): Gerald Albright
  - (Percussion): Louis Conte
Original Staff: Toru Hagihara, Kouji Iga, Gagensai.F, Kousuke Iwakura, Reika Bando, Toshiharu Furukawa, Kimihiro Morishita, Hiroto Yamaguchi, Nobuya Nakazato, Shinichiro Shimamura, Noriyoshi Sato, Kenichiro Imaizumi, Michiru Yamane, O.Kasai, Imohore Imai, Takayuki Fujii, Nishimura Oh.Ya.Zi., Kahori Yamane, Shogo Kumasaka, Yumiko Nozawa, Aoni Production, Arts Vision, 81 Produce, Sigma Seven, Dojinsha, Central Studio, Studio24
Producer: Hiroyuki Fukui
Director: Hiroshi Miyata

Developed by: KCE Nagoya

Source:

In-game credits^[1]

Staff

キャラクターデザイン＆イラストレーション: 小島文美
エンディングテーマプロデュース: 村中りか
エンディングテーマボーカル: シンシア＝ハレル

Cast

アルカード: 置鮎龍太郎
リヒター: 梁田清之
マリア: 横山智佐
深見梨加, 佐藤正治, 椎名へきる, 八奈見乗児
ドラキュラ: 若本規夫

Source:

JP manual^[2]

Magazine articles

Main article: Akumajo Dracula X: Gekka no Yasokyoku/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) #1997-10: "1997-10 (1997-04-04)" (1997-03-21)

Artwork

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

Ação Games (BR)

95

^[9]

Consoles News (FR)

NTSC-J

85

^[10]

Consoles + (FR)

NTSC-J

92

^[11]

Edge (UK)

NTSC-J

70

^[3]

Famitsu (JP)

NTSC-J

80

^[12]

Gamers' Republic (US)

NTSC-J

83

^[13]

Joypad (FR)

NTSC-J

80

^[14]

MAN!AC (DE)

NTSC-J

88

^[15]

Mega Fun (DE)

NTSC-J

79

^[16]

neXt Level (DE)

NTSC-J

80

^[17]

Saturn Fan (JP)

NTSC-J

77

^[18]

Saturn Fan (JP)

NTSC-J

81

^[19]

Sega Magazin (DE)

NTSC-J

83

^[20]

Sega Saturn Magazine (UK)

NTSC-J

94

^[21]

Sega Saturn Magazine (JP)

NTSC-J

73

^[22]

Sega Saturn Magazine (JP)

NTSC-J

86

^[23]

	83
Based on 16 reviews

Akumajo Dracula X: Gekka no Yasokyoku

Saturn, JP
Cover
Spinecard Disc Manual Inlay

Technical information

ROM dump status

System

Hash

Size

Build Date

Source

Comments

✔

CRC32
MD5
SHA-1

484,589,616

1998-04-27

CD-ROM(JP)

T-9527G V1.400

Track list

1. [data track]

2. CD Warning message (special) (00:14)
警告メッセージ
Vocals: Ryoutaroh Okiayu

► Running time: 0:14

Extra content

This game has extra content which can be viewed when accessing the disc on a PC.

Saturn (JP) Extra files
Folder / File	Type	Size	description
\OMAKE\24	Folder	20,939,592	It contains 15 extra images of truecolor.
\OMAKE\8	Folder	6,995,784	It contains 15 extra images of 256 colors.
\OMAKE\KAIHATSU.DOC	TXT	11,310	Messages from the developers.
ABS.TXT	TXT (Abstract)	31	About this game.
BIB.TXT	TXT (Bibliographiced)	21	About original game
CPY.TXT	TXT (Copyright)	56	Copyright

References

Castlevania games for Sega systems
	Castlevania: Bloodlines (1994) \| Super Castlevania IV‎ (unreleased)
	Castlevania: The Bloodletting (unreleased)
	Akumajou Dracula X: Gekka no Yasoukyoku (1998) \| Castlevania: The Bloodletting (unreleased)
	Castlevania Resurrection (unreleased)

[:File:ADXGnY_Saturn_JP_SSEnding.pdf_p-1] File:ADXGnY_Saturn_JP_SSEnding.pdf

[:File:Adxgny_sat_jp_manual.PDF_p30-2] File:Adxgny sat jp manual.PDF, page 30

[:File:Edge_UK_063.pdf_p95-3] 3.0 ^3.1 Edge, "October 1998" (UK; 1998-09-08), page 95

[:File:MAN.21AC_DE_1998-07.pdf_p52_.2870.29-4] MAN!AC, "07/98" (DE; 1998-06-03), page 70 (52)

[:File:SegaMagazin_DE_58.pdf_p16_.2816-17.29-5] Sega Magazin, "September 1998" (DE; 1998-08-05), page 16-17 (16)

[:File:SSM_UK_34.pdf_p64_.2864-65.29-6] Sega Saturn Magazine, "August 1998" (UK; 1998-07-15), page 64-65 (64)

[:File:SSM_JP_19980703_1998-20.pdf_p200_.28198.29-7] Sega Saturn Magazine, "1998-20 (1998-07-03)" (JP; 1998-06-19), page 198 (200)

[:File:SnGwSISDRZK_Book_JP.pdf_p11_.289.29-8] Sega Saturn Magazine (readers), "Final data" (JP; 2000-03), page 9 (11)

[:File:AcaoGames_BR_131.pdf_p52-9] Ação Games, "Setembro 1998" (BR; 1998-xx-xx), page 52

[10] Consoles News, "Septembre 1998" (FR; 1998-xx-xx), page 81

[:File:ConsolesPlus_FR_079.pdf_p86-11] Consoles +, "Août 1998" (FR; 1998-0x-xx), page 86

[12] Famitsu, "1998-07-03" (JP; 1998-06-19), page 1

[:File:GamersRepublic_US_04.pdf_p86-13] Gamers' Republic, "September 1998" (US; 1998-08-18), page 86

[:File:Joypad_FR_078.pdf_p80-14] Joypad, "Septembre 1998" (FR; 1998-xx-xx), page 80

[:File:MAN.21AC_DE_1998-09.pdf_p52-15] MAN!AC, "09/98" (DE; 1998-08-05), page 52

[:File:MegaFun_DE_1998-09.pdf_p96-16] Mega Fun, "09/98" (DE; 1998-08-05), page 96

[:File:NextLevel_DE_1998-09.pdf_p71-17] neXt Level, "September 1998" (DE; 1998-08-21), page 71

[:File:SaturnFan_JP_1998-12_19980626.pdf_p142-18] Saturn Fan, "1998 No. 12" (JP; 1998-06-12), page 142

[:File:SaturnFan_JP_1998-16_19980828.pdf_p70-19] Saturn Fan, "1998 No. 16" (JP; 1998-08-07), page 70

[:File:SegaMagazin_DE_58.pdf_p16-20] Sega Magazin, "September 1998" (DE; 1998-08-05), page 16

[:File:SSM_UK_34.pdf_p64-21] Sega Saturn Magazine, "August 1998" (UK; 1998-07-15), page 64

[:File:SSM_JP_19980703_1998-20.pdf_p200-22] Sega Saturn Magazine, "1998-20 (1998-07-03)" (JP; 1998-06-19), page 200

[:File:SnGwSISDRZK_Book_JP.pdf_p11-23] Sega Saturn Magazine, "Readers rating final data" (JP; 2000-03), page 11

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Akumajo Dracula X: Gekka no Yasokyoku

From Sega Retro

Contents

Gameplay

Playable characters

Versions

Production credits

Magazine articles

Promotional material

Artwork

Physical scans

Technical information

ROM dump status

Track list

Extra content

References