Castlevania (NES) [60FPS]: Stage 6 & Ending (Whip Only, No Damage)

A playthrough of the 6th and final stage from Castlevania (NES) using only the whip and without taking damage. Aside from Sub-weapons, Invisibility Potions and Rosaries are also avoided.
-- More info below --
Despite being the last stage in the game, it’s actually rather short and easy. The first section consists of a bridge you have to traverse while dealing with five Phantom Bats. Thankfully, you don’t have to actually fight them, because you can simply go past them with proper platforming. The way all five Phantom Bats fly around is random however, but there are a few sets of patterns that they seem to randomly pick one from at the start of the stage. So if you memorize their various patterns and recognize the one they’re using, you should be able to get past them easily.
Afterwards, you’ll enter a short clock tower-esque section. Getting past the Skeletons is easy, but when you get to the Eagles and Hunchbacks, it gets a bit tricky. Luckily, I managed to find a strategy that is almost 100% foolproof. The strategy is as follows:
1: After the last Skeleton, just keep walking left and immediately drop down onto the gear.
2: Stay in place while facing left and take out the two Hunchbacks when they get near you.
3: Turn around and take out the Eagle that comes from the right (This wasn’t necessary during this run, but it usually is).
4: Make a beeline for the stairs on the left.
The only way I’ve had this strategy fail, is if one of the Hunchbacks that got dropped in the wall manages to jump out on the left side instead of the top.
Once you go down the stairs, you have to deal with one last section with Eagles and Hunchbacks. I have a strategy for this section that is, once again, almost 100% foolproof. The strategy is as follows:
1: After getting off the stairs, take out the Hunchback(s) on the gear to your right.
2: Once the Eagles that dropped those Hunchbacks are out of the way, drop down to the lower ground and start climbing the stairs.
3: About halfway on the stairs, turn around to take out the Eagle that’s coming your way and start climbing the stairs again.
4: Near the end of the stairs, descend a little so the next Eagle will fly over you.
5: Get to the top and take the stairs to the next room.
The only way this strategy will fail, is if a Hunchback gets under you and does a high jump. If he doesn't, then you should be good.
After exiting the tower, you’ve reached the final boss of the game, Dracula. He teleports around the room and shoots three fireballs. His body is completely invulnerable, with his head being his only weak spot. In order to land hits on him and avoid his fireballs, you simply have to jump towards him when he opens his cape (you’ll jump over the fireballs this way) and hit him with your whip. The real difficulty of this fight comes from Dracula’s teleportation. If he materializes right where you’re standing, you’ll take contact damage. That said, there are tricks you can use to influence where Dracula will teleport to. These are the two I use:
1: When you land on the ground after hitting Dracula with your whip, start walking away from him. When Dracula disappears, keep walking for about 2 seconds and then immediately turn around. If done right, Dracula will teleport right behind you and you’ll barely avoid him. Occasionally, after you immediately turn around, Dracula might throw you for a loop and teleport in front of you instead, but you can still avoid this if you react in time.
2: If walking away from Dracula isn’t possible (if you're in the corner, for example), then walk through Dracula instead. Just keep walking and Dracula should eventually teleport behind you.
After you fully deplete Dracula’s health bar, he’ll transform into his final form: a giant, grotesque monster that, once again, can only be damaged by hitting his head. He attacks by shooting three fireballs (telegraphed by him when he raises his arms) and jumping around, which is either a high or low jump. If you want to get to the other side of Dracula, then you’ll have to walk under him when he does a high jump. Now let me get one thing straight: the height at which Dracula jumps, is NOT completely random. If you duck in front of Dracula right after he lands from his previous jump, he’ll do a high jump. This is 100% guaranteed and pretty much a necessity if you want to get through this fight with just the whip. Other than that, you only have to make sure you don’t get hit by Dracula’s fireballs. This is easily done by jumping when he raises his arms. Since his fireballs home in on your current position, this will cause the fireballs to go over you once you’re back on the ground. If you whip him in the face right when he’s about to shoot his fireballs, you can even destroy them right away. With this knowledge, the fight against Dracula’s final form should be a cakewalk.
After finally killing Dracula, you can grab the Magic Crystal, finish the stage and the end credits will roll.
Hope you enjoy!

[@jonathanwpressman]

The way you handled the clock tower was great. If I'm off my game I will eat a continue with those flea men.

[@Joki_]

I know what you mean, haha. I had the same thing happen to me when I replayed the game again recently and couldn't remember the strategy I used there.

[@CelestialHunter-]

Amazing job 👏 you’re a true vampire hunter =)

[@rpgnerd7610]

Thats insane, I always felt Sub weapons were needed with how hard the stages wete