5.  Dracula X – Super NES

Click here to check out my review of Dracula X!

Dracula X has the fine distinction of being one of the most valuable and rarest SNES cartridges in existence that saw commercial production.  That’s right, Castlevania’s 2nd and final release on the Super Nintendo is right up there with the ranks of Earthbound, MegaMan 7 and X3, and E.V.O.  Coming in at around $125-$130 minimum, Dracula X typically stays in the hands of serious SNES and Castlevania collectors.  Although hard to come by, it does at least carry more notability than several other contenders on the list.

Unlike our last 2 entries, Dracula X isn’t as widely derided.  In fact, it would seem that even today the jury is still out with regards to the quality of the informally titled “Castlevania 5.”  From the beginning it’s had 2 things working against it.  As a followup to Super Castlevania IV it had some very big shoes to fill.  As a port of the critically acclaimed Rondo of Blood (unavailable in North America), it drew a considerable amount of derision from Castlevania elitists content to point out its every shortcoming.  However, when judged on its own merits, Dracula X garners a significant amount of praise and some even argue that it is a faithful interpretation of Rondo of Blood and favorably discuss the comparisons.  Purists will even go so far as to call it the last “good” Castlevania, speaking to its status as a valuable collectible.  Dracula X continues to polarize fans and critics alike.

If you’re lucky, maybe you snagged this title back in 1995 or even a few years later when retailers everywhere were dumping their SNES stock in droves.  However, with its limited availability and high price tag these days, I’m betting most people probably haven’t experienced it for themselves.  Far from unknown, most fans are at least likely to be aware of Dracula X even if it remains just out of reach.  Is it worth the price tag?  Probably not when it comes to gameplay value, but after all, games can only fetch as much as gamers and collectors are willing to pay.

How can you play it today?

Emulation will be the preferred option for many; Castlevania: Dracula X is damn expensive and will probably continue to slowly climb for some time to come.

On the other hand, if you do absolutely have to have it, it is regularly available.  Complete sets with manual, box, etc. may add $100 or more to the bill, so unless you can’t live without it, you’ll save a ton of money by not buying cardboard and paper.  For the especially patient, it may behoove you to lurk on eBay for awhile and quietly monitor the situation.  You can see what people are asking for, if they’re selling or not, and how many different copies come and go.  This will actually give you some good information with which to make “best offers” with or where to set your maximum bids on any auctions you participate in.

To obtain my copy, I checked the lowest prices on Amazon, placed my maximum bid on a copy on eBay for roughly $10 less, and won the item at a further $10 below my max.  With a little bit of observation you can at least feel like you’re getting a deal; I won over the other eBay bidders yet still came out $20 less than Amazon’s lowest seller.  In any event, this game will cost, so be prepared.

Cube’s Recommendation:  EMULATE for the casual fan; BUY IT for the purists.

Written by The Cubist

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