Akamatsu also directed "Castlevania II: Simon's Quest" in 1987, which adopted gameplay similar to Nintendo's "Metroid". When asked if "Metroid" had any inspiration, Akamatsu instead cited "Maze of Galious", another Konami title which featured exploration and puzzle solving. His last game in the series, "Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse" (1989), returned to the standard platforming genre of "Castlevania". Since Konami's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" games sold many copies, their development was prioritized above other titles, leading the developers for "Dracula's Curse" to make a game that would outdo them. "Simon's Quest" and "Dracula's Curse" were not a commercial success, and Akamatsu was demoted to working in one of Konami's game centers before he chose to resign.