Like many NES games, Simon gains a brief period of invincibility after taking damage. This can be exploited to your advantage in certain situations.
- Damage Boosting: In areas with unavoidable damage (e.g., falling into water, touching a spike), you can intentionally take a small hit to gain invincibility and pass through a more dangerous section without taking further damage. This is particularly useful for navigating through enemy-dense areas or past environmental hazards.
- Laurel Usage: Laurels provide a much longer period of invincibility. Save them for critical moments, such as boss fights or when you need to push through a particularly difficult gauntlet of enemies without taking damage. They are invaluable for getting free hits on Dracula.
Mastering the timing of invincibility frames can significantly reduce the amount of damage Simon takes throughout his journey. It's a classic NES technique that is very applicable in Castlevania II.