Availability:Akumaju Dracula Densetsu ('Vania 3)

[RyoGeo]

Ok, so I feel like a total n00b, but I had no idea that the Japanese release of Castlevania 3 had a funky, neato, cool super sound chip in it to play an extra bitchin' version of the soundtrack. With Castlevania 3 being probably my all time favorite NES game, I am now all a twitter with "must have!"

So, with that, I go to eBay just to check out the landscape whereupon I see just a couple auctions. One is out of Hong Kong (WARNING, WARNING) and the other two are in the $50 range and claim the cart to be "rare." Yeah . . . Castlevania 3 . . . "rare." Right.

So, with that, I come to the board that knows. What should I expect to pay for one of these carts? I don't need the collector grade box, etc., but I would like to have a cart that is not trashed and at least has the label intact and reasonably preserved. Anyone have an idea on what I might end up paying for one of these if I exercise a bit of patience?

Also, I know that the US version of Vania 3 does not play in the NEX. Is that likewise for the Famicom version? I am assuming so, but it never hurts to ask.

Oh, and one other thing. Are the tunes via the super, neato, chip all bitchin and cool, or is all this fuss really not even worth it?

Thanks!

[blue lander]

I've never heard the music myself, but I don't think the Famicom version will even play the extra channels on a NES unless you mod it.

[mills]

gotta use famicom hardware.

[mario2butts]

If you plug the japanese version of Castlevania 3 into a US NES (with 60-72 pin converter), you won't get the extra sound channels. To hear the extra sound you need a real Famicom. There's a more in-depth explanation in a thread in the Technical and Restoration Society section. I dont know if jap CV3 works on the NEX, but since the US version doesn't, the japanese version probably doesn't either.

EDIT: Here's that thread

[j_factor]

Anyone know if the extra sound channels will come through on a Super 8?

[mills]

Anyone know if the extra sound channels will come through on a Super 8?

You need famicom hardware.


There is no other way around it.


Everyone, stop asking if such and such method will work.


You need Famicom hardware.

[j_factor]

You need famicom hardware.


There is no other way around it.


Everyone, stop asking if such and such method will work.


You need Famicom hardware.

Is that an actual, confirmed "no", or just an assumption? Because the Super 8 is supposedly based on Famicom (as opposed to NES) hardware.

[Kamino]

YOU NEED FAMICOM HARDWARE.
I asked THE nes expert, kevtris. as well as the #nesdev community.
YOU NEED FAMICOM HARDWARE.

[mills]

it's true, I think the question "can I play akumajo densetsu on my NES with the extra sound channels?" has been asked at least half a dozen times in the past couple months.






no










no you cant










you need a famicom.

[RyoGeo]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm actually glad that the answer is so definitively clear.

[ccovell]

You could play it on your NES through an adaptor and channel the music to the expansion port with a bit of hacking (don't ask me how),

or

open up the cart, attach some alligator clips to the VRC6's audio output, and send it to your stereo system,

So it is possible, but the above posts are just there to tell you that some level of hacking is necessary, so the simplest solution is to use a Famicom system.

p.s. The name of the game is "Akumajou Densetsu". ("Akumajou Dracula" and "Dracula Densetsu" are different games (on other systems.))

[XxHennersXx]

also, you should pay around 30 for the game. As for sellers in hong kong, not everything from there is bootleg you know. I got my copy from a hong kong seller. If it's toysonlinehk, he's legit.

[RyoGeo]

Ah, more great info that is very much appreciated.

I have to say that I am embarrassed at screwing up the name. I must renew my gamer street cred card, evidently.

[Ed Oscuro]

Somewhere between $40-$55 shipped for a box + manual + game (no extras like the little Konami game catalog, registration card) in good condition. I'm looking to sell mine off sometime so I can 'trade up,' though, so maybe that's a high estimate. I haven't ever seen the game go for $30 (and shipping from Japan will run $10 at least), however, if it had all three parts.

[XYXZYZ]

What if you desoldered the chips and junk from a Playchoice board and modded your NES with it? Will Playchoice hardware play the extra sound channels? What if you were to go in there and modify the 72 pin connector with pins from another 72 pin connectors, making it a however many pin connector the Famicom has, and manually wire in the signal from those pins to a sound processing circuit you make yourself with transistors from an old Colecovision? Surely that would be easier than getting a Famicom. Because to do that, you'd have to like, use the mail and stuff.

[RyoGeo]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and just presume that if I want to get the full force Akumaju Densetsu experience that I may just get me some legit Fami hardware. Just a thought though. I haven't decided for sure.

. . . I do have that old Coleco Vision in the storage area though.

[j_factor]

it's true, I think the question "can I play akumajo densetsu on my NES with the extra sound channels?" has been asked at least half a dozen times in the past couple months.

That was clearly not the question that I asked.

[ubersaurus]

I paid about 15 bucks for mine in Japan, but that was not the norm...most places had it for closer to 25-40 bucks, depending on the condition of the cart and what it came with.

I would expect to pay around 40-50 after shipping and all that.

You'd also may as well invest in an AV famicom, since those don't require the use of the weird Japanese RF channels.

[PingvinBlueJeans]

What if you desoldered the chips and junk from a Playchoice board and modded your NES with it? Will Playchoice hardware play the extra sound channels? What if you were to go in there and modify the 72 pin connector with pins from another 72 pin connectors, making it a however many pin connector the Famicom has, and manually wire in the signal from those pins to a sound processing circuit you make yourself with transistors from an old Colecovision? Surely that would be easier than getting a Famicom. Because to do that, you'd have to like, use the mail and stuff.

I'm gonna try that one.

[XxHennersXx]

Somewhere between $40-$55 shipped for a box + manual + game (no extras like the little Konami game catalog, registration card) in good condition. I'm looking to sell mine off sometime so I can 'trade up,' though, so maybe that's a high estimate. I haven't ever seen the game go for $30 (and shipping from Japan will run $10 at least), however, if it had all three parts.

there is a loose one on ebay right now for $30