intendo ' s ▁goal ▁for ▁the ▁title ▁was ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁non - linear ▁advent ure ▁game ▁to ▁set ▁it ▁apart ▁from ▁other ▁games ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁requiring ▁the ▁player ▁to ▁re trace ▁their ▁steps ▁while ▁providing ▁permanent ▁power - ups ▁in ▁contrast ▁to ▁how ▁other ▁advent ure ▁games ▁only ▁offered ▁power - ups ▁with ▁temporary ▁effects . ▁The ▁series ▁was ▁popular , ▁and ▁future ▁titles ▁ref ined ▁the ▁expl oration ▁approach ▁while ▁adding ▁more ▁story ▁elements ▁to ▁the ▁title ▁such ▁as ▁with ▁Super ▁Met roid ▁( 1 9 9 4 , ▁Super ▁N intendo ▁Entertainment ▁System ). ▁ ▁During ▁this ▁time , ▁the ▁g oth ic ▁horror - th emed ▁platform er ▁series ▁Cast lev ania ▁was ▁gain ing ▁popular ity . ▁The ▁original ▁Cast lev ania ▁( 1 9 8 6 , ▁N ES ) ▁featured ▁discrete ▁levels ▁that ▁the ▁player ▁completed ▁in ▁a ▁sequ ential ▁manner . ▁It ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁V amp ire ▁K iller ▁( 1 9 8 6 , ▁MS X ) ▁and ▁Cast lev ania ▁II : ▁Simon ' s ▁Qu est ▁( 1 9 8 7 , ▁N ES ) ▁which ▁experiment ed ▁with ▁non - linear ▁advent ure ▁game play , ▁before ▁the ▁series ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁more ▁linear ▁style ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁Cast lev ania . ▁Series ▁lead ▁Ko ji ▁I gar ashi ▁found ▁that ▁as ▁they ▁continued ▁to ▁produce ▁sequ els ▁to ▁c ater ▁to ▁fans ▁of ▁the ▁series , ▁experienced ▁players ▁would ▁race ▁through ▁the ▁levels , ▁while ▁new ▁players