On This Day 38 Years Ago, One NES Game Helped Spawn an Iconic Video Game Genre

Back in 1987, I was simply blown away when Konami unveiled this groundbreaking title in Japan on August 28th. The United States had to wait another year, until November 24th, 1988, to get our hands on it. This game, “Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest”, left an indelible mark on the industry due to its innovative side-scrolling action that seamlessly blended platforming, exploration, RPG elements, and nonlinear progression. Hand in hand with Nintendo’s Metroid, which was released the year before, “Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest” paved the way for a formula that continues to inspire developers even today.








