A Metroid-like exploration version of Black Tiger would seriously rock!
But maybe you'll need to work on the physics in that game such as being able to move as you fall and not drop like a lead stone. 
Oh yeah, it woudn't have the same game play, just similar platforming and climbing with variable projectiles in place of magic attacks like the modern Castlevanias. I'd also use a female lead character.

The jumping in BT is one of the secrets that must be figured out if you want to finish the game. When it first came out, even the best players one of our local arcades all got stuck at the same spot on the chapel stage where ninjas first appear. There's that one high jump you have to make that can only be done one way.

i'd never heard of black tiger until you mentioned it; looks awesome from what I've read.
there seem to be a lot of computer ports; are there other console ports that I somehow missed?
It was never consolized. All those 'computer' ports are for euro machines and were made by euro developers, like so many other classic arcade games.