John and Eric take on Dracula

As one of the couple games in the series available for Nintendo Switch Online, Castlevania: Bloodlines is an impeccable entry so let's get to it.

Castlevania: Bloodlines is a classic Sega Genesis game that's available with a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription. 🎮

Watch out, John; that skeleton seems to have gone through military training

The first thing that sets Castlevania: Bloodlines apart is that you can play through it as 1 of 2 characters right from the get-go: whip-wielder John Morris or expert spearman Eric Lecarde. These weapons handle somewhat differently in that the spear has a further reach and can attack at more angles, especially when grounded and Eric can pull off a couple of very cool special moves via a high-jump that you charge by holding ↓ as well as a defensive spear twirl that you deploy by holding the attack button and turning ← or → but you need at least 1 power-up to enable it. Meanwhile, John is a more traditional Castlevania character and is a bit stronger and can swing in certain spots using his whip. Clearly, Eric is the more interesting of the 2 but John provides a classic feel that you certainly can't go wrong with. 🏰 v1d30chumz xzyzteywxtywze

Castlevania: Bloodlines gameplay video →

Castlevania: Bloodlines is a great-looking and sounding game with awesome music and some truly stand-out stage designs. The characters, enemies, subweapons, and almost everything looks very different than in most Castlevania games and this uniqueness really goes a long way to create a constantly interesting game world. Speaking of which, the stages and bosses are so radically different to what you'd expect and whether you're fighting a flying monstrosity on top of a tower or trying to gauge where you are in a segment that distorts the screen via magnifying certain parts, you'll regularly be surprised by what the campaign throws at you. 🦇

One interesting component of Castlevania: Bloodlines is that there are only 3 subweapons but they are definitely quite cool. Using the holy water, axe, or boomerang to make the most of your current situation is always exciting as they can help you with ground, air, or in-between targets, respectively. To make these subweapons even cooler, you can unleash more simultaneously by holding ↑ while pressing the button but doing so costs more gems. There's also a special attack for each character if you power-up enough and collect a special item which can really help you whenever you're in a sticky situation. Mastering all of these mechanics is a great deal of fun, especially as you challenge the unique bosses and discover some clever secrets along the way. It's awesome that this classic is part of Nintendo Switch Online! 🧛‍♀️

With such low health, Eric hopes that free turkeys are in his fates

I had a blast re-playing Castlevania: Bloodlines and writing all about it so try it out and let me know what you think of this retro classic! 😸

You may also be interested in these: Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Review, Castlevania Dominus Collection Review, Super Castlevania IV Passwords, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - Equipment Checklist, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - A Step-by-Step Guide, Castlevania Advance Collection Review, Castlevania: Bloodlines - A Genesis Treasure, Castlevania vs. Mega Man, Top 10 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Secrets, and Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night vs. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

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