* {{nes|Neutral|Dpad}}: Use the control pad to guide Simon through the world of Castlevania. Press left or right to make him walk in either direction. Press down to make Simon squat. Press up or down while standing at the base of staircases to make Simon climb or descend the steps. When the Status Screen is shown, use the direction pad to move the selection arrows.
* {{nes|A}}: Press the A button to make Simon jump. Simon can jump straight up, or he can jump to the left or right by holding the control pad in either direction while pressing A.
* {{nes|B}}: Press the B button to make Simon swing his whip and attack enemies. Simon can swing his whip while standing, jumping in the air, or while squatting by holding down on the control pad. The B button is also used to talk to friendly villagers, and to confirm your selection when asked a yes or no question.
** {{nes|Up|Dpad}}{{plus}}{{nes|B}}: Hold the control pad up while pressing the B button to make use of the currently selected [[Castlevania II: Simon's Quest/Items#Weapons|special weapon]]. Note that some special weapons require hearts to use, and will not work if Simon is out of hearts.
* {{nes|Start}}: Press Start to go from the title screen to the main menu, and to choose a selection on the main menu. During the game, press Start to pause the action and call up the Status Screen.
* {{nes|Select}}: Press Select on the main menu to choose between starting a new game or entering a password to continue. During the game, press Select to pause the action without calling up the Status Screen.
Unlike the [[Castlevania|first game]], which was strictly a side-scrolling action game, in ''Simon's Quest'', you will spend most of your time exploring, rather than fighting. In fact, the [[Castlevania II: Simon's Quest/Enemies|enemies and bosses]] are almost an afterthought and many can be ignored. You might travel Castlevania II: Simon's Quest/Locations|the world]] to the five mansions where Dracula's body parts are kept. Along the way you will pass through several towns where you can buy new weapons, relics needed to progress, and get clues from the villagers.
== Simon ==
[[File:Simons Quest Simon.png|left]]
You control Simon Belmont throughout his quest to free himself from Dracula's curse. In order to do so, Simon must visit five mansions that are scattered throughout the land, each of which contain one of the remains of Dracula's body. While doing so, time will pass, day will become night, and night will become day. The more days that pass, the more difficult it will be for Simon to completely remove the curse. Simon is a master with the chosen weapon of most Vampire Killers, the whip. He can strike enemies with startling speed and efficiency, but the whip he starts out with is weak. He can upgrade to stronger whips by finding those who would sell them to him. Other weapons can be found throughout the land, some purchased, and some discovered.
Your "money" is hearts, which are found by killing the numerous enemies that inhabit the mansions, woods, lakes, swamps, and mountains of the land. Often the merchants are found inside buildings, but occasionally they wander the streets. You can hold a maximum of 256 hearts at any one point, so don't spend too much time grinding for money as it will do you no good.
Simon starts the game with three lives, and he has a health meter which can be seen at all times in the upper left hand corner of the screen. The more damage Simon takes, the more health he loses. Simon's health meter can be extended by accruing enough experience points to reach certain levels. If Simon's health meter is depleted, he will lose one life. If Simon loses all of his lives, the game will be over, and you will be given the opportunity to record a password which you can write down and enter at a later time, or to continue your game from where you left off. However, if you continue, you will be stripped of all the hearts you had saved, and experience points you had earned since the last level increase.
It should be noted that the towns are filled with liars and crooks, adding an new twist to the "talk to everyone for instructions on where to go" aspect of RPGs. In most games you can just take it for granted that everyone is telling you the truth. Not in this game. Villagers will lie and mislead you and merchants will sell you costly but useless items. Of course, many will tell you the truth, so you can't simply disregard what everyone says either.
=== Combat ===
Your basic method of attacking is with the legendary whip known as the Vampire Killer. In addition you have several [[Castlevania II: Simon's Quest/Items#Weapons|weapons]], such as daggers and holy water. All of the weapons are useful at certain points in the game, and some enemies are easier to defeat with a specific weapon. You have unlimited usage of most items, so you don't have to worry about running out of hearts like you do in most ''Castlevania'' games.
=== Leveling ===
As with most RPGs, and games with RPG elements, you gain experience points by defeating enemies. Once you have enough experience points, you gain a level and become stronger. In ''Simon's Quest'', your level only affects the amount of health you have, and is a fairly trivial part of the game. Leveling up does not increase your strength or defense. To boost your strength you have to purchase better weapons from the shops.
=== Healing ===
[[Image:Castlevania SQ-church.gif|right]]
You can heal yourself, free of charge, at a town's church. Simply go in 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.
Should you die, you lose a life and start back at the entrance to the screen, with full health. You do lose all of your experience points, however your level will not get reset. If you lose all of your lives, the game is over, but you can continue by using a [[Castlevania II: Simon's Quest/Passwords|password]].
{{-}}
=== Day/Night ===
[[Image:Castlevania SQ-day night comparison.gif|thumb|250px|right|Day vs. Night]]
Every couple of minuets the game will toggle between day and night. The land itself does not change, however there are significant differences. Generally speaking, the game is much more difficult 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 and do twice as much damage to you
* Enemies drop half-hearts (worth 4 hearts) instead of small hearts (worth 2 hearts)
Basically, night is the time for fighting enemies for hearts, while day is the time for traveling and exploring the mansions. Often times, 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.
{{-}}
{{-}}
=== Levels ===
Throughout the game, you can increase Simon's experience points by collecting hearts. For every heart that you collect, you earn one less in experience than the value of the heart. For example, a half heart is worth 4 hearts, and it also provides you with 3 experience points. Even if your heart collection is maxed out at 256, you will continue to earn experience points by collecting hearts. When you reach the required number of experience points, your level will rise, and your experience resets to zero. With each experience level, you decrease the amount of damage that you take from attacks. With every other level increase, you also extend your health meter. However, once you advance to a certain level, you will not gain any more experience points until you travel to a more difficult region. If you notice that you are not gaining experience points by collecting hearts, you need to travel elsewhere to raise your level. The table below will roughly summarize which regions allow you to reach particular levels.
{| {{prettytable|text center=1}}
! Level || Experience needed || Health meter || Damage taken || Region
|-
| 0 || - || 48 (12 bars) || 100% || -
|-
| 1 || 100 || 48 (12 bars) || 75% || Between Jova Town and Berkeley Mansion
|-
| 2 || 150 || 64 (16 bars) || 50% || Beyond Berkeley Mansion up to Rover Mansion
|-
| 3 || 200 || 64 (16 bars) || 25% || West of the ferryman to Deborah Cliff
|-
| 4 || 250 || 80 (20 bars) || 12.5% || The area surrounding Bodley Mansion
|-
| 5 || 300 || 80 (20 bars) || 6.67% || Between Jova Town and the ferryman river, Dora Woods
|-
| 6 || 350 || 96 (24 bars) || 6.25% || The area surrounding Laruba Mansion
|}
== Status screen ==
== Status screen ==
The status screen can be viewed at any time during the game by pressing {{nes|Start}}. This will also pause the game (along with the game clock).
The status screen can be viewed at any time during the game by pressing {{nes|Start}}. This will also serve to pause the game (which also pauses the game clock and the [[#Day/Night|day/night]] cycle).
[[File:Castlevania SQ status screen.png|right|185px]]
{| {{prettytable|float=left}}
[[Image:Castlevania SQ-status screen.gif|right]]
|-
! First block
'''First block'''
| Simon's status:
*'''T''': Total gameplay time
*'''T''': Total gameplay time
*'''E''': Experience points, resets to zero when you level up or lose all of your lives
*'''E''': Experience points
*'''L''': Your current level, determines how much life you have
*'''L''': Your current level
*'''[[Image:Castlevania SQ_heart (small).gif|15px|Heart]]''' Current number of hearts, maximum of 256
*'''[[File:Castlevania SQ item-heart small.png|15px|Heart]]''' Heart count, maximum of 256
|-
! Second block
| Simon's current [[Castlevania II: Simon's Quest/Items#Whips|whips]] and [[Castlevania II: Simon's Quest/Items#Relics|relics]]. These items are always active.
|-
! Third block
| [[Castlevania II: Simon's Quest/Items#Parts|Dracula parts]] and [[Castlevania II: Simon's Quest/Items#Crystals|crystal]]. Only one of these items may be activated.
|-
! Fourth block
| [[Castlevania II: Simon's Quest/Items#Weapons|weapons]] and [[Castlevania II: Simon's Quest/Items#Consumable items|tools]]. Only one of these items may be used at a time.
: Use the control pad to guide Simon through the world of Castlevania. Press left or right to make him walk in either direction. Press down to make Simon squat. Press up or down while standing at the base of staircases to make Simon climb or descend the steps. When the Status Screen is shown, use the direction pad to move the selection arrows.
: Press the A button to make Simon jump. Simon can jump straight up, or he can jump to the left or right by holding the control pad in either direction while pressing A.
: Press the B button to make Simon swing his whip and attack enemies. Simon can swing his whip while standing, jumping in the air, or while squatting by holding down on the control pad. The B button is also used to talk to friendly villagers, and to confirm your selection when asked a yes or no question.
+: Hold the control pad up while pressing the B button to make use of the currently selected special weapon. Note that some special weapons require hearts to use, and will not work if Simon is out of hearts.
: Press Start to go from the title screen to the main menu, and to choose a selection on the main menu. During the game, press Start to pause the action and call up the Status Screen.
: Press Select on the main menu to choose between starting a new game or entering a password to continue. During the game, press Select to pause the action without calling up the Status Screen.
You control Simon Belmont throughout his quest to free himself from Dracula's curse. In order to do so, Simon must visit five mansions that are scattered throughout the land, each of which contain one of the remains of Dracula's body. While doing so, time will pass, day will become night, and night will become day. The more days that pass, the more difficult it will be for Simon to completely remove the curse. Simon is a master with the chosen weapon of most Vampire Killers, the whip. He can strike enemies with startling speed and efficiency, but the whip he starts out with is weak. He can upgrade to stronger whips by finding those who would sell them to him. Other weapons can be found throughout the land, some purchased, and some discovered.
Simon starts the game with three lives, and he has a health meter which can be seen at all times in the upper left hand corner of the screen. The more damage Simon takes, the more health he loses. Simon's health meter can be extended by accruing enough experience points to reach certain levels. If Simon's health meter is depleted, he will lose one life. If Simon loses all of his lives, the game will be over, and you will be given the opportunity to record a password which you can write down and enter at a later time, or to continue your game from where you left off. However, if you continue, you will be stripped of all the hearts you had saved, and experience points you had earned since the last level increase.
Throughout the game, you can increase Simon's experience points by collecting hearts. For every heart that you collect, you earn one less in experience than the value of the heart. For example, a half heart is worth 4 hearts, and it also provides you with 3 experience points. Even if your heart collection is maxed out at 256, you will continue to earn experience points by collecting hearts. When you reach the required number of experience points, your level will rise, and your experience resets to zero. With each experience level, you decrease the amount of damage that you take from attacks. With every other level increase, you also extend your health meter. However, once you advance to a certain level, you will not gain any more experience points until you travel to a more difficult region. If you notice that you are not gaining experience points by collecting hearts, you need to travel elsewhere to raise your level. The table below will roughly summarize which regions allow you to reach particular levels.
Level
Experience needed
Health meter
Damage taken
Region
0
-
48 (12 bars)
100%
-
1
100
48 (12 bars)
75%
Between Jova Town and Berkeley Mansion
2
150
64 (16 bars)
50%
Beyond Berkeley Mansion up to Rover Mansion
3
200
64 (16 bars)
25%
West of the ferryman to Deborah Cliff
4
250
80 (20 bars)
12.5%
The area surrounding Bodley Mansion
5
300
80 (20 bars)
6.67%
Between Jova Town and the ferryman river, Dora Woods
: Use the control pad to guide Simon through the world of Castlevania. Press left or right to make him walk in either direction. Press down to make Simon squat. Press up or down while standing at the base of staircases to make Simon climb or descend the steps. When the Status Screen is shown, use the direction pad to move the selection arrows.
: Press the A button to make Simon jump. Simon can jump straight up, or he can jump to the left or right by holding the control pad in either direction while pressing A.
: Press the B button to make Simon swing his whip and attack enemies. Simon can swing his whip while standing, jumping in the air, or while squatting by holding down on the control pad. The B button is also used to talk to friendly villagers, and to confirm your selection when asked a yes or no question.
+
: Press Start to go from the title screen to the main menu, and to choose a selection on the main menu. During the game, press Start to pause the action and call up the Status Screen.
: Press Select on the main menu to choose between starting a new game or entering a password to continue. During the game, press Select to pause the action without calling up the Status Screen.
. This will also pause the game (along with the game clock).
