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Akumajou Dracula (known as Castlevania in the US) is a side-scrolling platformer released by Konami for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1993. The game is based on the popular horror franchise of the same name and follows protagonist Simon Belmont's quest to rid Transylvania of Count Dracula.

The game's story begins with a narration that explains how Simon Belmont, a descendant of legendary vampire hunter Christopher Belmont, must journey to Dracula's castle and defeat the vampire lord once and for all. As players take control of Simon, they will find themselves navigating through a variety of stages filled with monsters, traps, and puzzles. Along the way, there are various weapons and items to collect that can help make progress easier. These include sub-weapons such as throwing axes, holy water, and boomerangs; special upgrades like double or triple jumps; and powerups that grant temporary invincibility or other stat boosts.

The main goal in each stage is to reach its end while avoiding enemies and obstacles. When Simon collides with an enemy or an enemy projectile, he will lose hearts which represent his health meter. If this health meter reaches zero, it's game over; however, continuing from where you left off is possible by using one of your continues at any point before you run out of them. There are also secret rooms scattered throughout each stage which contain extra hearts or special powerups like full invincibility or extra lives.

Akumajou Dracula features eight levels in total - four before facing Count Dracula himself and four after defeating him - culminating with a battle against Death himself at the game's finale. While progressing through these levels can be challenging due to their various hazards, conquering them will reward players with items like new weapons or upgrades that make later stages much more manageable. Additionally, completing certain criteria within each level unlocks bonus content like artwork galleries and soundtracks which can be accessed from the main menu afterwards.

Overall Akumajou Dracula stands as one of the most beloved titles in the Castlevania franchise thanks to its engaging gameplay loop and memorable soundtrack composed by Kinuyo Yamashita (known for her work on other classic Konami titles such as Gradius II). Its legacy remains strong today among fans of retro gaming who still enjoy tackling its difficult levels even after all these years.