‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula’ on Game Boy | AUSRETROGAMER

By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

One of my favorite video games to play on my Nintendo Game Boy was 1992’s “Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” The game was based on the Francis Ford Coppola film that came out that year.

The game starts with several easy levels like “Scene 1: A Journey Through Transylvania.” The game is like the classic Nintendo game “Ghosts N’ Goblins.” Ghouls rise from the ground suddenly and you must leap over obstacles that will kill you. There are boxes with rewards that have question marks on them, like in the original “Super Mario Bros.,” which I always found strange. It’s one of the first games that I remember where you could walk through walls to get around.

One of the main ghouls that you must defeat, a large, black ghost that floats over you, sort of looks like the Marvel character Venom. The graphics of the ghosts at the time were exceptional. They’re like something out of a modern horror movie. The fun game doesn’t have much to do with the iconic film. The game’s sets are pretty generic and similar as you get further into the game. There are skeletons that just explode when you approach them; I don’t recall any exploding skeletons in the film.

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In “Scene 7: Return to Castle Dracula,” you finally see Count Dracula. It looks like Gary Oldman’s Dracula, too. The ending is cool, but I wish there was more Dracula throughout the game. They should’ve had Oldman’s narration throughout the game, to make players feel a stronger connected to the film.

I remember seeing “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” with friends when I was little. It’s still one of my favorite horror films. And it’s one of Gary Oldman’s best performances. The film has such a unique look. I loved the big battle that opens the film that used puppets and creative sets. You never know what’s practical and what are special effects. Coppola used mostly in-camera effects, but you can’t tell. The Oscar winning director is a master at using cinematic trickery.