Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse/Stage 4A

Block 4-0A
Note that items are now in lanterns in this stage, rather than the typical candles. Collect hearts at the start, and notice the blue platform. You can jump on it if you want to get used to this mechanic, and go to the other side. The platform tilts in the direction you're on. Keep this in mind. Now, go down the stairs. As you descend, you may notice a lantern far to the right. Only Grant (or Alucard in batform in a second playthrough) can reach it.

Down here, you'll come across dhurons, sword-wielding enemies carrying their own head. Watch out for their stabbing attack. They repeat a pattern of walking back-and-forth near your position and poking. You can just try to attack them with a single whip swing while they're moving to avoid damage and defeat them. An invincibility jar will help you out as you go up the small set of stairs to the platform. Descend the stairs to the next screen.

The dhuron here will block the next set of stairs down. To ensure safe passage, just move down the steps one at a time, until the enemy backs off enough that you feel safe attacking and moving on. Another lantern is out of reach, unless you have Grant.

Block 4-0B
Take note of the platforms here which stand out with a different color from the rest. These will begin to wear away, as indicated visually and with a noise, when you stand on them. This includes standing on them for too long and walking back-and-forth, so try to keep moving forward. Otherwise, they will fall, most likely leading to instant death for you unless you can jump in time. The upper set of crumbling platforms to the right has a lantern right above them. For Trevor, it's just a knife, but a sub-item may prove useful if you have another character with you, so it may be a good idea to switch and get what's there. Beware of ghosts that try to knock you into pits. The wall at the far right of this room, past the red skeleton, has meat if you've taken damage. If the red skeleton is in your way on the upper path, wait until it moves far enough on one side and attack it or hit it with an axe if you have them. You must head left on the upper platform, then take the stairs up.

Ghosts and bone-throwing skeletons will come at you in inconvenient locations near pits, so be cautious as you make your way up and to the left to the door in this room.

Block 4-0C
In here, you'll be greeted by platforms moving down. Make sure you can reach the left ledge from the leftmost platform before jumping. If you don't feel confident now, just wait because they constantly cycle. Further left, you'll come across two more platforms. Look out, though, because this leads to two more moving platforms. The third moves up, and you must jump off of it to the leftmost one, which like the rest is moving down. Finally, you'll be back to stationary ground upon passing this one. After this, watch out for the ghost, and head up.

Ignore the lantern to the left unless you have Grant or Alucard. Head right to face the Stage 4A sub-boss: Echidna. Upon defeating the sub-boss, you'll automatically move on to 4-0D.

Block 4-0D
Move right, dealing with the dhurons in your path. As soon as you head up to the upper section, jump the pit to the right and hit the wall to get some meat if you need it. Now head left along this upper section, then up a screen.

In here, you'll come across the tilting blue platforms as mentioned at the beginning of the level. The best thing is to try and jump to the right while they're about in the middle of their tilt so that you can safely make it across. Otherwise, if you're too close to either edge, you might slide off and die immediately. For the second one, just wait a bit on the left side, then jump to the right as you did previously, and you should now be on safe ground. Continue right.

Block 4-0E
Notice the ravens, as well as the unfortunate placement of the pits below them. If you have the axe, getting rid of them should be a simple procedure. If that's not the case, you'll have to be more careful. Try to move somewhat close to one side of them, then wait for them to swoop. If there is enough distance, you should be able to jump and hit them. They will usually move quickly, wait a bit, then move again towards you. If one hits you and you didn't die, then they'll be gone so you don't have to worry about that one. At any rate, head on down to the next screen.

There are more ravens near the start and a dhuron to the right, but as long as you keep moving right and have a decent amount of health, instant death shoudn't be an issue. Just be careful because if you don't dispatch the ravens quickly, their flight patterns can be a bit hard to get a read on. Head down.

A bone-throwing skeleton and a ghost are here. You'll want to fall to the left set of two blocks, and quickly get rid of the ghost first by jumping and hitting it. After that, the skeleton will put up little resistance. You can collect things from the lanterns, then move up to the next part.

Be prepared when you head right, because a boss fight with Evil Flame is coming up, which is basically two fights in one. You'll be fighting Mummies, as well as a rematch with the Cyclops. Defeat them and get the Crystal, at which point the next stage will start: Curse Tower.

Items checklist

 * 1) Dagger/Fire spellbook
 * 2) Potion
 * 3) Stopwatch
 * 4) * DOOR 1
 * 5) Cross-boomerang/Water spellbook
 * 6) Food (inside wall)
 * 7) * DOOR 2
 * 8) Holy water/Ice spellbook
 * 9) * SUB-BOSS: Echidna
 * 10) * DOOR 3
 * 11) Cross-boomerang/Water spellbook
 * 12) Axe/Fire spellbook
 * 13) Dagger/Fire spellbook
 * 14) * DOOR 4
 * 15) Axe/Fire spellbook
 * 16) Double-shot (inside wall)