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[Castlevania: Resurrection] [Castlevania: The Bloodletting] [Game.com - Symphony of the Night]

 

Castlevania: Bloodletting

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	General Information
	Was to Be Released: 1996 - 1997		Heroes: Richter Belmont & Maria
	System For: Sega 32X		Alternate Names: None
	Mock-Up Title - Logo
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The Lowdown

When the complete history of video games is written, one day, the early 90's will be remembered as a time when the 16-bit console wars began to surface and heat up rapidly. While NEC's PC-Engine (whose later adaptation was known in the west as the Turbo-Grafx 16) had already been running wild in Japan even as far back as 1987, the industry was preparing for a host of new challengers in the form of the Sega Genesis, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), the SNK Neo-Geo, and a couple of other bit players. What the history lesson is likely to ignore, either out of overt obliviousness or obtuse separation (read: the failure to see the true connection), is that the 16-bit wars represented something more--a most peculiar bridge to the next generation of hardware.

What makes the 16-bit generation the most unique period in console evolution is that its participants didn't remain inert in preparation for the industry's eventual leap into the shores of 32-bit, which was still, by all accounts, well off technologically; instead, some companies were intent on dabbling further into its potential by bandwaggoning onto a trend started by the PC-Engine. That is, NEC was the first company to expand upon its success with 16-bit consoles by introducing a separate version of its PC-Engine that utilized CD-ROM technology. The add-on plus its media afforded the system's developers more storage space, a significantly increased amount of RAM, and, most importantly to some, the ability to create CD-quality soundtracks and FMV movies for their now-broader-scope games. Eventually, by 1992, NEC combined these technologies together into one package, creating what we know as the Duo or Turbo-Duo.

The 32X was a Sega Genesis add-on - click for larger image

SNK responded with the Neo-Geo CD and later the Neo-Geo CDZ while Sega introduced the Sega 32X as an add-on for its Genesis console. Surely, each company thought, a CD-enhanced console was the key to leapfrogging over its competitors to take the 16-bit crown. The only company that didn't share this philosophy, which is not surprising in retrospect, was Nintendo. Sega, which was its chief adversary, especially wanted to capitalize on Nintendo's anti-CD stance, more so when it became clear that the war had now boiled down to the SNES versus the Genesis.

Many problems, however, arose for all those who conformed. For one, people weren't really ready for a pseudo-32-bit era because (a) it was too confusing in nature and (b) the price tags for CD-enhanced consoles and their games were just absurd. The Neo-Geo alone retailed for sometimes upwards of $300 while the Sega 32X cost about $170 not even considering that it was dependent on the Genesis, which itself still retailed at over $100. And even though an inspiring concept that brought forth a lot of promise--which entails the capacity for perfect arcade ports, longer games, sweeping soundtracks, and potential for interactive storytelling using FMV video--such quality in the available game libraries was few and far between, and developers never truly realized the systems' potential.

More troublesome for Sega was that its parent company in Japan was already at work creating the Saturn, a true CD-based 32-bit machine. People began to precipitate the misconception that Sega was in conflict with its own interests by having two similar systems on the market when the company instead meant for the 32X to be more a natural, if not opaque, progression toward the next generation. Accepted history suggests the former is correct, and it's one of those things of which the now-Sammy-owned Sega will never hear the end.

All of the CD-enhanced 16-bit consoles met the same fate, and, to this day, only Nintendo remains as a true console supplier. What's strange is that, at least the first time through, Nintendo was correct in its rejection of CD-based technology for consoles; the second time around, however, tells a mighty different story. (Read my trigames.net article for more on this.)

So in the end, even in failure, the era of CD-enhanced 16-bit consoles served its purpose in introducing the idea of optical media as the sole means for storing console games. Surely Sony, Microsoft and even later Nintendo were paying close attention and now owe the PC-Engine, with its conventions, a debt of gratitude for daring to be different in an environment where the consumer persistently demands change and then turns on you when you do.

 

The Game Explained

The Sega 32X (known as the Sega Genesis 32X in the U.S., the Sega Super 32X in Japan, and the Sega Mega 32X in Europe and other PAL countries), in theory, contributed very little to the world of Castlevania. If you're reading this, I'd bet, you've probably never even heard of a Castlevania: The Bloodletting or know of its tale. But the 32X is significant in this respect because Bloodletting's never having appeared in its library of games is perhaps one of the best things to ever happen to the series as a whole. To put it simply: By appearing on the system, it would have gone down in flames with the 32X and would have thus become another in a long line of lost titles. This is something Konami couldn't possibly afford after the series' virtual disappearance between the time of Super Castlevania 4 and Bloodlines. Instead, Bloodletting's significance is purely derived from what it eventually became. But more on that in a moment.

The preamble: As we know, the PC-Engine, both pre- and post-CD-enhancement, was extremely popular in Japan and gave Nintendo and its consoles a real run for their money during the period of 1987 to 1994. And as we can say with even more certainty, Konami was of course all over it. In 1993, Konami released for the CD-based PC-Engine one of the series' strongest pillars in the form of Dracula X: Rondo of Blood. Konami used the system's powerful hardware to create a game full of life and energy backed by one of the most stirring soundtracks ever created. Unfortunately, because of the demise of the Turbo-Duo in the mid-90's, the game never knew U.S. or PAL counterparts. Still, Konami knew it had a winner on its hands and was intent on sharing the game's world of ideas regardless of confusing legal issues that prevented the company from porting Rondo over to other 16-bit consoles.

News arrived to publications that a unique Castlevania title was coming to Sega's Genesis via its 32X add-on. Early screenshots revealed a game that very much looked to be in the vein of Rondo of Blood--that is, a stage-by-stage experience with that same sense of open-ended adventure and exploration. But it wasn't meant to be: For developers, creating new titles for the 32X was fast becoming a risky proposition what with the Saturn and the Sony Playstation on the way. Konami was one such concerned developer. Considering the lack of details available, it wouldn't be entirely fair to call the game "canceled." Rather, its resources were instead collected and parlayed into another project whose final product would appear on the Sony Playstation in 1997. You know it as Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

In reality, there isn't a whole lot we were told about Castlevania: The Bloodletting or what it was entirely destined to be. Newest contributor JPCVFAN, however, believes that the sprites below were released by Konami as proof of the game's existence, and they match those found in early Bloodletting screenshots. This is what he found:

The Heroes	The Antagonist

Thanks to JPCVFAN, we get direct word from Koji Igarashi that the heroes were meant to be Richter Belmont and Maria Renard while the antagonist was meant to be a "foreign rival" or, more likely, a rival whose characteristics are based on a superficial view of foreign culture. Obviously, the "rival" is akin to Charlie Vincent from Castlevania 64 or more likely Belloq from Raiders of the Lost Ark--an aggressive antihero who's looking to trump Richter by being the first to destroy Dracula and to do it by any means necessary.

Richter and Maria's different look is indicative of the series' ever-changing artistic style. After Richter donned appropriate-looking gear in Rondo, he would years later adapt to a more modern look. Apparently, it seems, sleeveless vests and T-shirts were becoming all the rage. Maria would undergo a similar makeover and attitude change and in the process discover hair dye.

There was no reason to throw away all of this work in converting Bloodletting and its gameplay into Symphony of the Night, and we can see that Konami kept its hero/antihero sprites in mind when creating some of Symphony's characters. For instance:

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The rival easily becomes Richter's template

You could say that the rival is actually a manipulated Rondo Richter sprite, but his template would be unique: Therein, the rival is more likely the one who would command moves such as the slide, the super jump and the air dash. In essence, the Symphony version of Richter became what the rival from Bloodletting was supposed to be. How about instance number two:

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Voila - the Richter sprite becomes Fake Trevor

You might as well use the Richter sprite for something, right? Well, why not come up with the idea of using Alucard's memories against him by having him fight his former ally? Then, without altering the dimensions, you turn the Richter sprite into a zombie Trevor and no one's the wiser.

Sadly, we don't know what became of Maria's sprite; it could have become anything from a Venus Weed to a Salome to--gasp!--even Alucard.

Is that you, Maria?

All Bloodletting sprites and ideas for converted characters were contributed by JPCVFAN. Thanks also to Sam Mills for providing some source material.

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