Super Castlevania IV is actually considered a “soft” remake of the original. Better controls and new features were added to make the game less frustrating and more enjoyable to play.
The dancing ghosts that Simon fights at the end of stage 6 are named Paula Abghoul and Fred Askare. These names are a parody of Paula Abdul and Fred Astaire who are both known for their dancing skills.
Some of the things that were changed from the Japanese version of the game include topless statues, rivers of blood, a picture of Jesus Christ on the password screen, and a cross on Dracula’s tombstone.
And speaking of Dracula’s tombstone, in the Japanese version of the game the word “Dracura” can be seen on it. This is thought to be a translation error, or perhaps just a case of some good old Nintendo “Engrish”.
Konami did not allow the people who made Super Castlevania IV to use their real names in the credits of the game, meaning all end-credit names are fictional.
According to the game’s story, it takes place in the year 1691. It also mentions that the Belmonts (a clan of vampire fighters), fight Dracula every 100 years. Super Castlevania IV was the 4th game in the series and released in 1991, exactly 400 years from the story…
If you would like to see and learn more about Super Castlevania IV check out our YouTube channel for a full play through:
