Nothing can ever beat wondering around massive 2D corridors of petrified evil, and of tormented spirits tossed for an eternity into the dark underworld of torture.
Belmont and his legendary whip (Vampire Killer) slapping away at the neverending hordes of Lucifer's lower ranking demons. Exploring a seemingly neverending cavern of a castle owned by the mythical Dark Lord himself, Dracula (Bram Stoker's version of Vlad Tepes combined with some evil Japanese insanity!)
This game is amazing on many diferent scales... think Metroid turned Fantasy Goth and you'll have Castlevania!