Castlevania II: Simon's Quest/Walkthrough: Difference between revisions

<center>[[Image:Castlevania SQ world-map.png]]</center>

When you begin to play Castlevania II, you have the option of starting a new game, or continuing a previous game by entering a password. You will receive a new password whenever you lose all of your lives and your game is over.

While the game does not have explicitly defined chapters or stages, it can be logically broken up into six sections; one for each of the mansions. You start the game in the [[Castlevania II: Simon's Quest/Berkeley Mansion|Town of Jova]], with nothing but your leather whip and 50 hearts.

In addition to providing ammunition for some of your special weapons, hearts are the currency of the land. They are found by killing the various enemies that inhabit the mansions, woods, lakes, swamps, and mountains of the land. The merchants are typically found inside buildings, although a few wander the streets. You can hold a maximum of 256 hearts at any time, so don't get hung up on grinding for money beyond that point.

It should be noted that the information provided by villagers is rarely accurate, which may mislead you or cause you to question the validity of what you've been told. Many of the villagers simply enjoy gossip and spreading rumors, while other fear reprisal from Dracula if they are caught assisting you. Still, there are a few brave souls who will dare to defy the Count, and impart useful information. The trouble is, it's difficult to tell who those people are.

As with most RPGs, and games with RPG elements, you gain experience points. Unlike most RPGs, you do not gain experience by killing monsters, but rather by collecting the hearts which some of the defeated monsters drop. You earn one less experience point than the number of hearts you collect. Once you have enough experience points, you gain a level and become stronger. However, once you gain a level, easier enemies no longer give you experience, forcing you to forge ahead to more challenging areas in order to continue improving. In ''Simon's Quest'', your level affects the amount of health you have and how much damage you receive from enemies. As you travel into stronger areas, enemies will do progressively more damage to you, so it's important to maintain as high a level as possible. Leveling up does not increase your strength, which can only be upgraded by purchasing or collecting better weapons. You start with a level of 0 and can go no higher than level 6, at which point no enemies will give you experience.

[[Image:Castlevania SQ-church.gif|right]]

You can heal yourself, free of charge, at a town's church. Step inside and talk to the priest to be restored. It should be noted that churches are only open during the [[#Day/Night|day]], so if it is nighttime and you are severely wounded, simply find and corner to hide in until daybreak.

[[Image:Castlevania SQ-day night comparison.gif|thumb|250px|right|Day vs. Night]]

As time goes by, the game will toggle between day and night. The land itself does not change, but enemies become stronger. Generally speaking, the game is more difficult at night. At night, all shops and churches are closed, and no villagers are on the streets. Towns are no longer safe from monsters as bats and zombies roam about. Enemies take twice as many hits to die at night.  They may drop larger hearts (e.g. enemies which drop small hearts by day will drop half hearts at night. Some enemies which drop half hearts may drop large hearts, but not all do.)

On the clock, day time is from 06:00 to 17:59. Night time is from 18:00 to 05:59. To check the current time, you can press {{nes|Start}}. It will slowly count up as time passes, except when you are inside a building or mansion. If you need it to be day you can hide at the edge of a screen and simply wait for the sun. As long as all enemies are defeated and you don't move, no new ones should appear.

Time does not advance while you are indoors. This includes any building in a town as well as any of the mansions. The strength of the enemies in a mansion, like other parts of the game, depends on the day cycle outside, but since time does not advance within, the condition remains for the duration of your visit.