http://www.longplays.org Played by: Tsunao The game may look weird since I am playing on a special PSP (read: custom firmware) and RemoteJoyLite. That explains why the file screen has some parts cut and the menu has "empty" spaces on the left and top from cropping. It isn't that bad. Everything is left as normal: volume, screensize, brightness level. Volume might be low...Iunno. One of the greatest PSX games back in the days (or so I think). The game is responsible for the word "Metroidvania" and the opening cutscene is quite memorable (dialogue STILL burned in my head.). Konami decided to try the Metroidvania thing one more time (Castlevania II: Simon's Quest did it first. Yes, it has leveling and exploration.) SotN succeeded (I think) and most of the later Castlevania games were converted to the Metroidvania formula. Game Info thingy: 200.6% map rate playthrough on Luck Mode. Activated by entering "X-X!V''Q". Don't need a clear save for Luck Mode, or so I was told. I downloaded a clear data so I can maybe get a few items (Ring of Varda comes to mind) There were a few deaths here and there, but those are edited out. I spend most of the time spamming Summon Spirit to get some decent damage going. Later, I go alucart mode for moar Luck. At the Colosseum, I did a grind for not one, but TWO, Ring of Varda. The ring breaks the game in half due to insane stats. Boss fights go VERY fast with the rings on. I do take the rings off when throwing down with Galamoth, Shaft, and Batman. Later, I do a glitch to get the Duplicator. It gives a lot of stat penalties, but usable items become infinite (/spam Flame Stars). As for navigating: backdash aplenty, then Wing Smash shenanigans, and then a bit o' Wolf Charge. As for attacking: jump-attacking, just like I have been doing in the other Metroidvania games I did. However, there is no backdash cancelling in this one. =/ I tried to do a grind for the Marsil (from the Fire Demon), but it didn't want to yield it (shame, because it is my favorite weapon.) I also tried to get the Masamune (can't remember if that is right) from the Black Panther, but it was stingy. Schmoo didn't give me the game breaking Crissaegrim, so I gave up on it. However, I got the super, ultra-rare Runesword from the Dodo with NO effort. I'm like "=O". Trick of the trade: Skip Death; keep starting equipment - apparently, this only works on Luck Mode. Right before the room where the Death conversation takes place, there is a Warg near the entrance. Get on the right, wait for it to attack, and jump into it to go flying. I fail at explaining, but I demonstrate it. Bad thing is that you can't get a certain room. I'm playing "normal" anyway, so I let the equipment get taken away. Trick of the trade: Sword Brothers: Librarian glitch - getting money in this game is a chore! To do this, activate Sword Brothers and go up to the Librarian before the spell finishes. Go into the Sell Gem and sell all but one gem. Go into the menu and equip the last gem. While still on the Sell Gem menu, sell it and go into the status menu. The gems should be 255. Sell for major profit. I do this to get the Duplicator so I can break the game even more. Trick of the trade: 200.6% Map Rate - to get hard-to-get spaces in Reverse Caverns, change into Wolf. As for the few final rooms, use Library Card during the Shaft fight.