Super Castlevania IV Stage 1

The Castle Gate is the first stage of Super Castlevania IV. It is made up of the drawbridge, gate, iron railings, barracks/fortress, and horse stables. This area represents the entry point to Dracula's domain and its outermost line of defense. The area past the drawbridge is on a large island which also encompasses part of Stage 2.
Some of the fortress's features invoke thoughts of the mansions in Castlevania II: Simon's Quest. However, this stage's layout is considerably different from those in that game.
==Sub-stages==
1-1: Draw Bridge/The Gate (also called Drawbridge / Iron Railings) - This area consists of two parts; the fortress's entrance, which includes a moat and drawbridge, and a courtyard with a fence that rises from the ground at the beginning.
1-2: The Fortress (also called the Guard Barracks) - The ruins of the fortress, reminiscent of the mansions from Castlevania II: Simon's Quest.
1-3: The Stables (also called the Horse Stables) - The ruins of the fortress's stables. A horseback skeleton boss Rowdain is fought here.
==Enemy Data==
==Gallery==
===Screenshots===
Super Castlevania IV (USA)-0.jpg|The fortress
Super Castlevania IV (USA)-1.jpg|The stables
Super Castlevania IV (USA)-2.jpg|More stables
===Maps===
Stage 1 Nintendo Power Super Castlevania Map.JPG|Nintendo Power map.
Super Castlevania IV Stage 1 Rip.png|Stage rip
Super Castlevania IV Block 1 Map.gif|In-game map
==Videos==
Super Castlevania 4 Stage 1
==Development history==
===Town concept===
This stage was originally intended to be a town stage, similar to Block 1 in Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse. The layout shares many similarities with that block, even though it was changed to no longer be a town. Concept art for this town was included in the The History of Castlevania: Book of the Crescent Moon that was included with the Castlevania Anniversary Collection.
Some of the ideas for the original town may have later been used in Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (Stage 1) and Castlevania: Dracula X (Stage 1), including the buildings being on fire. The Dracula X stage may have featured the inside of a building that was similar to the original concept for Stage 2 of Super Castlevania IV. The inside portion of Dracula X resembled the layout of the church found in Castlevania III, but was actually a burnt out regular building.
The village referenced in the Japanese manual that braced itself for Dracula's return may be a reference to this stage when it was originally planned to be a town:
In a small village in Transylvania, the ancient curse of Transylvania was once again continued.
"The undead rise from the underbrush, the powers of this world increasingly bring it toward the depths of a forest towering with evil eyes. Soon, the black darkness will completely consume humanity, from his grudge the magic power becomes extremely mighty."
The villagers did not take this as just a legend. Overlooking the village, in the castle built there, the demon Dracula is still said to be in an unknowable sleep. In the distance, the sound of whispering mist can be heard. Eventually, this village too will likely be engulfed in danger.
Super Castlevania IV Town Concept.JPG|Town on a concept map. The building on the lower level may have been Stage 1, while the tall building may have been Stage 2.
Super Castlevania IV Stage 1 Concept.JPG|Stage 1 Abandoned Buildings - Outside concept.
Super Castlevania IV Stage 2 Concept.JPG|Stage 2 inside building concept.
==Other appearances==
If one were to plot a course through all five mansions in Castlevania II: Simon's Quest using the most direct route from the starting point to Dracula's Castle, the fortress in this stage could correspond with Rover Mansion. Note that while Berkeley Mansion is the first mansion accessible in the game, it is also close to Dracula's Castle, and would be plotted at the end of the route instead of the beginning in this scenario. Rover Mansion is depicted as being on an island on Yuba Lake. The water surrounding the fortress that is crossed when the drawbridge is lowered would correspond with Yuba Lake. In this game, the island that Rover Mansion is on is much bigger and encompasses part of Stage 2. The island is exited on the other side when crossing over the bridge that leads to Medusa's lair, as seen in the stage maps.
The layout of this stage is similar in some regards to that of the Town of Warakiya from Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, which itself may be the same as Jova from Simon's Quest, but in the relative position of Aljiba, possibly indicating that moving forward, the two can be considered the same. The start of both games have ruins in the background with a platform with stairs extending to the ground level on both sides. Dracula's Curse has an elaborate entrance, while Super Castlevania IV has a drawbridge. Dracula's Curse then has a ruined building with a chapel that corresponds both the town of Jova and the fortress in Super Castlevania IV. The stables of Super Castlevania IV with the Medusa Heads and trick floors may correspond with an extended section of Dracula's Curse that features the same layout. After a town scene (which is missing from Super Castlevania IV, although it's possible the stables could represent some kind of recently active human settlement), Dracula's Curse then continues with a cemetery, which would correspond with Camilla's Cemetery in Simon's Quest and the beginning of the next stage of Super Castlevania IV.
==External links==
*Nintendo Power Super Castlevania IV Guide hints: Scans of pages 76 and 77 hosted on the Castlevania Dungeon.
*YouTube - Second quest
*YouTube - Prototype tool-assisted playthrough - Stage 1 @ 0:49
Category:Courtyards
Category:Ruins
Category:Super Castlevania IV Locations