As a sequel, this game is fantastic because it addresses nearly every major complaint I had about Castlevania: The Adventure. The most notable improvement is that this actually feels like a video game instead of something you'd get with a Happy Meal. The game runs much better, has greatly improved level design, and you no longer lose your whip upgrades when you get hit.

Judging the game on its own merits and not just in the context of its predecessor, it's not quite as impressive. The entire first half of the game is almost trivially easy, although it does pick up slightly towards the end. The level design is pretty decent, but I don't find most of the bosses to be particularly fun or interesting fights.

Overall, it's an alright experience. If you're a fan of the series, I'd say it's worth checking out at least once. That being said, I don't think it really holds up to some other entries in the series, and it's not something I'm in a rush to replay.