Dude, you're a legit Rock Star in this house. My wife and i have been sitting on the floor and sharing 1 controller with Prison City on the weekends. It's like getting another chance at '89, but appreciating it's value. I showed her Power Blade 1 & 2, Vice Project Doom , and the difference between Shatterhand & Solbrain. The gateway was THIS DEMO, and the crash course in classic-vania it lead to. Simon Quest is a DAY ONE BUY for us both.
That said, I can't thank you enough for the information. The closest i ever got to an answer for something like this was a gif in a long ago lost random blog post for something else entirely. Genuinely Thank You. We eagerly look forward to your successes.