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31/01/2011

10 GREAT CASTLEVANIA REMIXES / COVERS

I love the Castlevania franchise. That mixture of atmosphere, gameplay and whipping skeletons so hard their heads fall off just keeps me coming back for more with each new game. Sure it loses its way sometimes (yes, I mean you Castlevania: Judgement), but the one thing it always seems to get right is the music. From the first NES titles to the modern releases, the Castlevania series has produced some of the best soundtracks in videogaming history. With that in mind, here's a roundup of some of the best Castlevania remixes!

Virt: Once Upon a Time in Transylvania (Clockwork)



Let's start with a real masterpiece. Virt takes the "Clockwork" track and gives it a remix that's part spaghetti western, part speed-metal extravaganza and one hundred percent awesome. You should all visit his website and check out his other stuff, because the guy is good.

Sixto Sounds: Wicked Six (Wicked Child)



More metal, this time with an almost prog feel. Nice use of organs to give it that perfect vampire-killing vibe and some excellent soloing make this a great track.

Konami Kukeiha Club: Op. 13 (Slash)



In 1994, Konami released Perfect Selection: Dracula Battle, a CD of Castlevania track arranged by Naoto Shibata of Japanese metal band Anthem. It's a real classic, possibly the best arranged videogame music album ever released, and I could have easily filled this list by using tracks from it and it's companion Perfect Selection: Dracula Battle II. I struggled to decide on a track to use, but eventually I settled on Op. 13. There's a bit of confusion here, because while the track is listed on the album as "Op. 13", it is actually a remix of a different Castlevania track, "Slash". Whoops. Still, don't let that distract you: just play this track, preferably at high volume.

Midi Pro Power 6: Crystal Teardrops



An odd one, this: it's a remixed midi version of Symphony of the Night's "Crystal Teardrops" produced for an album called Midi Pro Power 6. I rather hesitated with this one, because despite it being a good remix, the limitations of the midi instruments really show. I went with it in the end because "Crystal Teardrops" is a fantastic song that doesn't get remixed nearly enough, and plus I have to fill my quota of slightly cheesy tracks.

Konami: Dracula's Castle (Castlevania: Judgement version)



Castlevania: Judgement was, let's face it, a disaster. While maybe you could make a good Castlevania beat-em-up, this certainly wasn't it, with dull combat and some of the worst "re-imagined" characters I've ever seen. However, C:J has one thing going for it in a big, big way, and that's the soundtrack. Jam-packed with remixed tracks from across the franchise, it's the best soundtrack on the Wii and possibly the best soundtrack of this generation of consoles. Again, I had trouble deciding on a favourite for the list, but I've gone for this version of "Dracula's Castle" from SotN. If this was a fair and just universe, this music would play whenever I walked anywhere.

Dhsu: A Clockwork Vampire (Clockwork / Vampire Killer)



Another version of "Clockwork", but this time a beautiful, pared-back piano version. A nice change of pace if you're not a fan of the heavier remixes, it really lets the quality of the composition shine through.

nintendude8VG: Bloody Tears SNES Remix (with Megaman X sounds)



Remixing tracks using old SNES soundfonts is a trend that I can get behind. Here's a great version of the legendary "Bloody Tears" recreated using the sounds from Megaman X2, and it'll having you pining for some king of Megaman / Castlevania crossover.

?: Divine Bloodlines Rock Remix



As the title suggests, a rockin' version of Richter's theme, with great guitars and synths. Perfect for storming the castle of an evil vampire lord. If anyone knows who arranged this, please let me know.

goat: Pools of Rust (Stream / Aqueduct Stage)



An overlooked theme gets an excellent guitar workout, with a nice piano break in the middle. goat's remixes are consistently very good, so of you enjoy this I recommend you look him up.

Powerglove: Vanquish the Horrible Night (Medley)



And to finish, here's some full-on heavy metal Castlevania madness courtesy of Powerglove. A great medley of tracks in this one, with something for everyone, assuming they like metal versions of Castlevania tracks. If you don't, why are you reading this?

So, that's ten great Castlevania remixes. I hope you enjoyed them, and that they made your cursed night a little less horrible.