Castlevania II

A 1987 Konami NES title and the first entry in the Castlevania series to incorporate RPG elements. After vampire hunter Simon Belmont defeats Dracula, he finds himself cursed by the Count's dying act. To break the spell, Simon must travel across the land to collect Dracula's five scattered body parts and incinerate them within the ruins of his castle. The game introduces a day/night cycle, town NPCs with dialogue, equipment upgrades, and hidden passages spread across both castle interiors and exterior regions. The signature whip combat is wrapped in an atmosphere of mystery and exploration, and multiple endings reward thorough play. The title is regarded as a forerunner of the side-scrolling exploration genre.