No way...
Graphics: Great. The NES quality 3-D helps announce that your climbing a tower. Though the colors are dingy and the game feels rather Gothic.
Sound: No. No, please. It sounds like Atari 2600 except for the music, if you could even call that music... The opening tune is okay, but the trill when you start a level is, well... horribly annoying.
Game-play: Well, well, well... what a tangled web Bits Studios and Triffix have weaved. You have to climb up the tower in time and avoid various traps, creatures and various annoyances. Enemies include eyeballs, regular balls and floating atom-like things. You can eliminate some balls by kicking a rock at them. Eyes are invincible. The atoms can be "dodged" if you run at them, which is not always easy considering limited space. There are some unique mechanics though, such as falling and not having to die if there is a floor beneath you farther down, and falling down stairs half-way up them. Not needed. The time-limit also restricts you as it runs out quite quickly. Good luck getting past the first level; the Tower of Eyes.
Value: None. You cant beat the first level unless you try for a long time. Say, three weeks or so, and then there's level two...
Controls: Press A while standing still to kick a... rock? Press A while moving to jump. It's a small jump. VERY small.
The graphics are good, but thats about it. Castelian could have easily have been made for the 2600. This game can join E.T. and Superman 64 in the "Should have been better" list. The only formulas from other games it uses are the bad ones. Oh well.
Those who love platformers, towers, or pig/dragon/rat/dinosaurs (AKA the main character) will like Castelian.
There is also a Gameboy version, so you can be bored on the go!