Castlevania

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Castlevania
Castlevania logo.png
The current logo of the Castlevania range
Original title 悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ
transcription Akumajō Dorakyura
developer Konami
Publisher Konami
First title Castlevania (1986)
Last title Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (2014)
Platform (s) various
Genre (s) Action adventure

Castlevania ( Japanese 悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ , Akumajō Dorakyura , Eng . "Devil's Castle Dracula") is a video game series by the Japanese manufacturer Konami .

The first game of that name appeared on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1987 . It was based on the game Vampire Killer , which was released in 1986 for MSX2 home computers. Since then, many sequels and prequels have appeared for various platforms. These include Amiga, MSX, NES, Game Boy , SNES , PC Engine , X68000 , Sega Mega Drive , Sega Saturn , PlayStation , Nintendo 64 , Game Boy Advance , Nintendo DS , mobile phone ( J2ME , Android , iPhone ), PlayStation Portable , PlayStation 2 , Xbox , Nintendo Wii , Nintendo 3DS , Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 .

A Castlevania game for the Dreamcast was planned under the title Castlevania Resurrection , but was never released because the sales figures of Dreamcast no longer justified a production at that time.

An implementation of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night for Tigers Game.com was also planned, but this was also not completed.

At Castlevania, the player controls a vampire hunter , mostly a member of the Belmont family who is armed with a holy whip and various secondary weapons such as holy water and a crucifix . He fights his way through hordes of diabolical creatures in Dracula's castle, such as werewolves , skeletons , goblins , zombies or bats , until he finally faces Count Dracula himself in the final duel . The games can mainly be classified into the genre action and jump 'n' run , with the titles published after Symphony of the Night (Japanese Gekka no Yasōkyoku ) clearly showing elements of role-playing games . In addition to killing monsters and boss opponents, the game mechanics also include collecting rare items or pieces of equipment . Often the player receives experience points for each monster defeated , which among other things, when reaching certain values, increase his attacks and reduce the damage caused by enemy attacks ( level-up system ). The main characteristic of the series is the background music, which, in addition to modern and rock pieces, deliberately imitates the Baroque and Rococo styles , as well as the opponents based on the myths of numerous peoples.

In individual games in the series, such as B. Castlevania 64 , the original castle of the historic Draculas family was built in as a replica.

In July 2017, the first season of an animated series of the same name was released via Netflix . The second season was released in October 2018.

chronology

Game list

Western game titles Japanese game titles Console / platform Publishing year
Castlevania Akumajō Dorakyura
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ)
Famicom Disk System , Commodore 64 , NES , Game Boy Advance , MS-DOS , Nintendo Wii ( Virtual Console ) 1986
Vampire Killer
(Europe and Brazil only)
Akumajō Dorakyura
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ)
MSX2 1986
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest Dorakyura II: Noroi no Fūin
(ド ラ キ ュ ラ II 呪 い の 封印)
Famicom Disk System, NES, Microsoft Windows, Wii (Virtual Console) 1987
Haunted Castle (arcade machine) Akumajō Dorakyura
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ)
Arcade game 1988
Castlevania: The Adventure Dorakyura Densetsu
(ド ラ キ ュ ラ 伝 説)
Game Boy 1989
Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse Akumajō Densetsu
(悪 魔 城 伝 説)
NES, Microsoft Windows, Wii (Virtual Console) 1990
Super Castlevania IV Akumajō Dorakyura
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ)
Super NES , Wii (Virtual Console) 1991
Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge Dorakyura Densetsu II
(ド ラ キ ュ ラ 伝 説 II)
Game Boy 1991
Castlevania X68000
(Unofficial title; game not released in America / Europe)
Akumajō Dorakyura
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ)
Sharp X68000 1993
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
(first released as a Wii VC game in America / Europe)
Akumajō Dorakyura X: Chi no Rondo
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ X 血 の 輪 廻 (ロ ン ド))
PC Engine , Wii (Virtual Console) 1993
Castlevania: The New Generation (Europe & Australia)
Castlevania: Bloodlines (USA)
Vampire Killer
(バ ン パ イ ア キ ラ ーBanpaia Kira )
Sega Mega Drive 1994
Castlevania: Vampire's Kiss (Europe & Australia)
Castlevania: Dracula X (USA)
Akumajō Dorakyura XX
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ XX)
Super NES 1995
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Akumajō Dorakyura X: Gekka no Yasōkyoku
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ X 月 下 の 夜想曲)
PlayStation , Sega Saturn , PlayStation Network , Xbox Live Arcade 1997
(2007)
Castlevania Legends Akumajō Dorakyura: Shikkoku Taru Zensōkyoku
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ュ ラ 漆 黒 た る 前奏曲)
Game Boy 1998
Castlevania
(called Castlevania 64 for distinction)
Akumajō Dorakyura Mokushiroku
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ 黙 示 録)
Nintendo 64 1999
Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness Akumajō Dorakyura Mokushiroku Gaiden
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ ラ 黙 示 録 外 伝)
Nintendo 64 1999
Castlevania (Europe & Australia)
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (USA)
Akumajō Dorakyura: Circle of the Moon
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ Circle of the Moon)
Game Boy Advance 2001
Castlevania Chronicles
(Port of Castlevania X68000 )
Akumajō Nendaiki: Akumajō Dorakyura
(悪 魔 城 年代 記 悪 魔 城 ド ド ラ キ ュ ラ)
PlayStation 2001
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance Castlevania: Byakuya no Concerto
(キ ャ ッ ス ル ヴ ァ ニ ア 白夜 の 協奏曲Kyassuruvania: Byakuya no Concerto (Kōsōkyoku) )
Game Boy Advance 2002
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow Castlevania: Akatsuki no Minuet
(キ ャ ッ ス ル ヴ ァ ニ ア 暁 月 の 円 舞曲Kyassuruvania: Akatsuki no Minuet (Enbukyoku) )
Game Boy Advance, mobile phone 2003
Castlevania (Europe & Australia)
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence (USA)
Castlevania
(キ ャ ッ ス ル ヴ ァ ニ アKyassuruvania )
PlayStation 2 2003
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow Akumajō Dorakyura: Sōgetsu no Jūjika
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ 蒼 月 の 十字架)
Nintendo DS , mobile phone 2005
Castlevania: Curse of Darkness Akumajō Dorakyura: Yami no Juin
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ 闇 の 呪 印)
PlayStation 2, Xbox 2005
Castlevania: Double Pack
( Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance and Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow on one module)
Game Boy Advance 2006
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin Akumajō Dorakyura: Gallery of Labyrinth
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ ギ ャ ラ リ ー ・ オ ブ ・ ラ ビ リ ン スAkumajō Dorakyura: Gyarari obu Rabirinsu )
Nintendo DS 2006
Castlevania: Order of Shadows (North America) Cellphone 2007
Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles
(includes Castlevania: Rondo of Blood and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night as bonus games)
Akumajō Dorakyura: X Chronicle
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ X ク ロ ニ ク ルAkumajō Dorakyura: Ekkusu Kuronikuru )
PlayStation Portable 2007
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia Akumajō Dorakyura: Ubawareta Kokuin
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ 奪 わ れ た 刻印)
Nintendo DS 2008
Castlevania Judgment Akumajō Dorakyura: Judgment
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ ジ ャ ッ ジ メ ン トAkumajō Dorakyura: Jajjimento )
Nintendo Wii 2008
Akumajō Dorakyura: The Medal
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ THE MEDAL)
Automat 2008
Akumajō Dorakyura, Akumajō Dorakyura II & Akumajō Dorakyura III
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ, 悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ II & 悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ III)
Automat 2009
2010
2012
Castlevania: The Arcade Akumajō Dorakyura: The Arcade
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ THE ARCADE)
Automat 2009
Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth Dorakyura Densetsu: ReBirth
(ド ラ キ ュ ラ 伝 説 ReBirth)
Wii ( WiiWare ) 2009
Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night Apple iOS , Windows Phone 2010
Castlevania: Harmony of Despair Akumajō Dorakyura: Harmony of Despair
(悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラ Harmony of Despair)
Xbox Live Arcade , PlayStation Network 2010
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
(キ ャ ッ ス ル ヴ ァ ニ ア ロ ー ド オ ブ シ ャ ド ウKyassuruvania: Rōdo obu Shadō )
Xbox 360 , PlayStation 3 , Microsoft Windows 2010
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate Castlevania: Lords of Shadow: Sadame no Makyō
(キ ャ ッ ス ル ヴ ァ ニ ア ロ ー ド オ ブ シ ャ ド ウ 宿命 の 魔鏡Kyassuruvania: Rōdo obu Shadō: Sadame no Makyō )
Nintendo 3DS 2013
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 Xbox 360 , PlayStation 3 , Microsoft Windows 2014
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate HD Castlevania: Lords of Shadow: Sadame no Makyō HD
(キ ャ ッ ス ル ヴ ァ ニ ア ロ ー ド オ ブ シ ャ ド ウ 宿命 の 魔鏡Kyassuruvania: Rōdo obu Shadō: Sadame no Makyō HD )
Xbox 360 , PlayStation 3 , Microsoft Windows 2014

Related titles

In addition to the official games, there are also Konami productions that contain Castlevania elements.

Game title Console / platform Publishing year annotation
Konami Wai Wai World
(コ ナ ミ ワ イ ワ イ ワ ー ル ド Konami Waiwai Wārudo )
NES , mobile phone (2006) 1988 Published in Japan only
Wai Wai World 2: SOS !! Paseri Jō
(ワ イ ワ イ ワ ー ル ド 2 SOS !! パ セ リ 城)
NES, Wii U Virtual Console 1991, 2015 Published in Japan only
Akumajō Special: Boku Dracula-kun
(悪 魔 城 す ぺ し ゃ る ぼ く ド ラ キ ュ ラ く ん Akumajō Supesharu: Boku Dorakyura-kun )
NES, mobile phone (2006) 1991 Published in Japan only
Kid Dracula Game Boy 1993 Published in Japan as Akumajō Special: Boku Dracula-kun
Wai Wai Bingo Arcade 1993 Published in Japan only
Wai Wai jockey Arcade 1995 Published in Japan only
Sexy Parodius Arcade , PlayStation , Sega Saturn , PSP 1996 Published in Japan only
Wai Wai Poker Arcade 1997 Published in Japan only
Konami Krazy Racers Game Boy Advance 2001 In Japan as Konami Wai Wai Racing Advance (コ ナ ミ ワ イ ワ イ レ ー シ ン グ ア ド バ ン スKonami Waiwai Rēshingu Adobansu )
Dream Mix TV Fighter PlayStation, Nintendo GameCube 2003 Published in Japan only
Wai Wai Sokoban Cellphone 2006 Published in Japan only
New International Track & Field Nintendo DS 2008 Includes Simon Belmont as a playable character

Description, plot and technique

Castlevania (1986) (Vampire Killer, Haunted Castle, Castlevania X68000, Castlevania Chronicles, Super Castlevania IV)

Super Castlevania IV logo (SNES box)

This game appeared under different names on many different systems, but all had the same storyline. The game first appeared for MSX- 2 systems and under the name Vampire Killer (1986). This was followed by implementations: for the NES with the new name Castlevania (1987), in the arcade as Haunted Castle (1988), on the SNES as Super Castlevania IV (1991), only in Japan on the Sharp X68000 as Akumajō Dracula (1993) , on the Sony Playstation as Castlevania Chronicles (2001), on the Gameboy Advance under the NES Classics as Castlevania (2004) and in the same year as a mobile game on the cell phone. In Japan all versions are called Akumajō Dracula (悪 魔 城 ド ラ キ ュ ラAkumajō Dorakyura ).

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The year 1691

After another hundred years, Dracula wakes up once more and makes new plans to destroy the Belmonts. But he arouses the interest of Simon Belmont, Christopher Belmont's great-grandson. After a tough training session with his father and grandfather, Simon sets out to destroy the Count. He sends him back to a hundred-year sleep - but not without being affected himself, because Dracula casts a killing curse on Simon and thus erases the Belmont's bloodline.

technology

Nintendo Entertainment System: Castlevania is a typical platform game of the 8-bit era. It consists of six levels that are fought through linearly and before each of which a monster borrowed from secular myths and legends (e.g. Frankenstein's monster , Medusa or death itself) has to be defeated. Simon's main weapon is the legendary Belmont whip, which can be improved with numerous upgrades distributed throughout the castle . In addition, hearts (to be found in destructible candlesticks, for example) can be picked up and used to deploy the second weapon, of which Simon can only carry one at a time.

Sharp X68000: In Akumajō Dracula , the number of 'Stages' was increased to eight, and there was also a second weapon, the medicinal herb. The game became even more interesting through numerous interactions, a large part of the surrounding objects could be manipulated with the whip. The music was a bit low in bit rate for 1993, but by Castlevania standards it had an almost pathetic sound.

For the time, the graphics were very detailed, the soundtrack conveyed the atmosphere that suited the game. The simple gameplay delighted many players, as Castlevania combined the genre of platforming with rudimentary role-playing elements such as the ability to upgrade your own weapon or cast spells. However, there was also criticism of the game, especially of the controls: After jumping, it is no longer possible to change the direction of movement without contact with the ground, and it is also impossible to jump from stairs. The combat system has also been criticized: every hit by an opponent causes the protagonist to retreat, which can be fatal in the vicinity of abysses.

Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (1988)

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The year 1698

After Simon Belmont had finally defeated Dracula, he thought that would also have ended his torment. But during his last fight he hadn't noticed that the count had cast a curse on Simon shortly before his destruction. This curse would slowly spread through Simon's body, wiping him out and the Belmont clan. The village elder tells Simon that he has to bring Count Dracula back to life and then burn him to break his curse. So Simon sets out to pick up Dracula's body parts that are scattered everywhere. The count knew this plan would delay a resurrection, but it was apparently worth it. He assigned his followers to hide all his body parts and protect them with their lives. Now he only had to wait 100 years and long for the death of the Belmont clan. But Simon managed to find and collect all the body parts. After bringing the Count to life, he burned him. With that, the curse was lifted from him.

technology

With Simon's Quest , adventure elements were introduced into the Castlevania series for the first time. It is no longer linearly played through one level after the other, but the hero moves in an extensive world, solves puzzles and has to find objects without which he cannot progress in other places. Thus, the sequel breaks the linear side-scrolling gameplay of the first part, which characterized the predecessor. An additional role-playing element is added to the game by upgrading the character, based on the number of opponents defeated. Simon's Quest was also one of the first games to offer a day / night cycle. In the dark, the opponents were then twice as strong.

Castlevania: The Adventure (1989)

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The year 1576

After sleeping for 100 years to regenerate, Dracula wakes up again and hopes that the 100 years have finally been enough to wipe out the Belmont clan. To his horror lives Christopher Belmont, who faces Dracula and challenges him to fight. Without the slightest chance against the power of this offspring of the Belmont family, the count retreats back into his hiding place to wait for the Belmonts to weaken so that he can strike again.

technology

As one of the earlier UK titles, the game suffered from blurring when moving, which Konami tried to compensate for by reducing the speed of movement.

Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (1990)

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The year 1476

Count Dracula is brought to life by his followers and wants to shroud the world in darkness again and to wipe out the Belmont clan once and for all. This time Trevor Belmont fights the Count side by side with three other playable actors. The three are Grant DaNasty, Sypha Belnades and Alucard, the son of Count Dracula. Together they defeated the count again and the Belmont clan regained the trust of the people in Transylvania and made it their home again.

technology

For the first time in the Castlevania series, the player is given the opportunity to play the adventure with multiple characters. Each of the three additional characters has their own abilities that offer an incentive to play the game again with a different character. The course of the game can be determined by yourself, depending on the route taken. The scope of over a dozen levels is remarkable for the time. The Japanese module of the game ( Akumajō Densetsu ) for the Famicom contained the VRC6 Multi Memory Controller developed by Konami, a coprocessor which, in addition to bank switching, expanded the audio channels of the system by two more finely delimited pulse waves and a sawtooth wave , from which the soundtrack of this version clearly benefits . Since the NTSC and PAL versions of the NES do not allow any additional audio channels on one module, the MMC5 chip developed by Nintendo was installed in these versions.

Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge (1991)

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The year 1591

15 years after the events of Castlevania Adventure, Count Dracula kidnaps Christopher Belmont's son, Soleiyu Belmont. Christopher immediately takes up the chase and eventually finds his kidnapped son. To his horror, he finds out that his son's thoughts have been manipulated by evil forces. After that he continues his fight against Count Dracula with bitter hatred and this time manages to defeat him.

technology

The stages were four "castles" and Dracula's castle. Before you could enter this, you had to go through the said four stages, whereby each castle was given its own theme (depending on the level and opponent design), namely crystal, clouds (or air), plants and rock. Many fans consider the soundtrack to be the best among the Gameboy parts.

Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (1993) (Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles, Akumajō Dracula X: Chi no Rondo)

This title was originally released as a CD version for the PC Engine Super CD version (Turbografx-16). In 2007 the new version Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles appeared for the PlayStation Portable . However, it cannot be compared with the content of the same, but playfully very different Castlevania: Dracula X for the SNES.

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The year 1792

By sacrificing a virgin, the count is born again. But this time he first observes the new Belmont, Judge Belmont, and finds out that he has a girlfriend named Anette Renard. Count Dracula kidnaps Anette Renard, her little sister Maria and some villagers. Judge Belmont immediately sets out to save them all. After Judge Belmont rescued Maria, she swears to become a vampire hunter too and to accompany him on his campaign against Count Dracula. Together they manage to banish the Prince of Darkness again in his regeneration and to free Anette Renard with the villagers.

technology

Klaus-Dieter Klebsch speaks the new intro of the PSP version in German in all versions, while the German-language intro in the original PC engine was set to music by Hans Günther Claude. The game only fades in Japanese subtitles, while the rest of the cutscenes use Japanese language output.

Castlevania: The New Generation (1994) (Castlevania: Bloodlines, Vampire Killer)

This Castlevania part is known as The New Generation (Europe), Bloodlines (USA) or Vampire Killer (Japan). This is an exclusive episode for the Sega Mega Drive.

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The year 1914

At the beginning of the 20th century, a witch manages to bring Elizabeth Bartley to life. Elizabeth is the niece of Count Dracula, who of course has the same thing in mind as her uncle. She wants to throw the world into chaos for all eternity and let darkness rule. Since she cannot cope with her project without support, she tries to bring Count Dracula back to life. Since she needs tons of souls to put her dark machinations into practice, she triggers the First World War. Of course, John Morris and Eric Lecarde do not want to stand idly by and plunge into the fight against the beings of darkness to save the world again.

technology

In terms of play, Bloodlines ties in parts with Castlevania III, as it is again possible to play different characters who have different abilities and have to take different paths at several points in the game; John Morris can swing himself over abysses with the whip, Eric Lecardes spear allows a high jump from a standing position. The possibility of carrying out a more powerful attack with the second weapon ("Item crash") was taken from Rondo of Blood.

The music comes from Michiru Yamane for the first time .

Castlevania: Vampire's Kiss (1995) (Castlevania: Dracula X, Akumajō Dracula XX)

Released in 1995 as a successor to the game Castlevania: Rondo of Blood ( Akumajō Dracula X: Chi no Rondo ) for the Super NES.

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The year 1792

By sacrificing a virgin, the count is born again. But this time he first observes the new Belmont, Judge Belmont, and finds out that he has a girlfriend named Anette Renard. Count Dracula kidnaps Anette Renard, her little sister Maria and some villagers. Judge Belmont immediately sets out to save them all. After Judge Belmont rescued Maria, she swears to become a vampire hunter too and to accompany him on his campaign against Count Dracula. Together they manage to banish the Prince of Darkness again in his regeneration and to free Anette Renard with the villagers.

technology

In 1995 Dracula X appeared in the USA and as Vampire's Kiss in Europe, but could not come close to the class of the PC engine original. In contrast to the PC-Engine predecessor, the voice output was completely omitted except for Richter's screams and moans (one reason is that the predecessor appeared on CD, but this title was on module). The levels have been completely redesigned (which is why the name was named "XX" in Japan, as an alleged sequel), but kept much more linear and unspectacular compared to the original. Technically, the title convinces with a grandiose, orchestral soundtrack, as well as sharply drawn figures and excellent animations, but the simple backgrounds are disappointing. The number of levels has been reduced to 7 (including two hidden levels) and the convincing anime intros of the original have also been cut to a minimum.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (1997) (Akumajō Dracula X: Gekka no Yasōkyoku)

The game was first released for the PlayStation, and in 1997 in Japan as a revised version for the Sega Saturn. In 2007 it was ported to the PSP (PlayStation Portable) by unlocking it in the game "Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles" with improved graphics, more modern music and sound effects (English voice output included). The PS1 classic was released on PlayStation Network on October 10, 2012. A version with improved graphics and the soundtrack "Admiration of Clan" on the credit screen (instead of "I am the Wind" in the original) was also released for Xbox Live Arcade, which previously appeared in the "Lament of Innocence" part.

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The year 1797

Five years after the events of Dracula X: Rondo of Blood , a dark priest named Shaft decides to bring Count Dracula back to life to benefit from his power. One evening, Judge Belmont disappears and the now grown-up Maria takes up the chase to find him again. These events seem to wake Alucard, the son of Count Dracula, who centuries ago had helped Trevor Belmont in the fight against his father, from his eternal slumber. Alucard will not rest until his mother's soul has found rest and he has stopped his father in his plan.

technology

A milestone in the Castlevania series to this day: With Symphony of the Night , the Castlevania series enters the action / adventure genre for the second time after Simon's Quest . The level-up system and a huge castle that can be freely explored are new. It is also possible to purchase items, including weapons and armor, with gold found in the course of the game or to obtain them from defeated opponents. For the first time in the series, entire dialogues are held between the actors during the game. Playable characters are also Richter Belmont, an Axtritter and Maria Renard (these only on the Sega Saturn).

Criticism was mainly expressed at the PAL adaptation of the Playstation version: Instead of a screen filling output, there were black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. The game itself only takes place on a little over 60% of the screen. The game speed is 17% slower than the Japanese and American versions (PAL runs at 50 Hz, NTSC at 60 Hz).

Castlevania: Legends (1998)

This title was released exclusively for the Game Boy.

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The year 1450

When Count Dracula considers the Belmont clan to be extinct, he rises from his hiding place and shrouds the world in darkness. Little did he know, however, that Sonia Belmont, a descendant of Leon Belmont, was still alive. In a fight she defeats Count Dracula, but pays a high price for it. The people of Transylvania feared their strength and banished the Belmonts from the country.

According to Koji Igarashi, this part is officially and temporally not part of the actual Castlevania story and is an independent offshoot of the Castlevania series.

Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (2001)

This title was released exclusively for the Game Boy Advance.

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The year 1830

In an old Austrian castle, a cult of chaos, led by Camilla (jp .: カ ミ ー ラ, Kamīra, alternatively カ ー ミ ラ Kāmira) tries to resurrect Dracula. The vampire hunter Morris Baldwin, accompanied by his son Hugh Baldwin and his adopted son Nathan Graves (the protagonist of Castlevania: 'CotM ), tries to stop the ceremony. He is captured at the last second by the resurrected Count - his two sons are thrown into the abyss by Dracula, but unexpectedly survive the fall and go separately in search of their master and (foster) father. Eventually Nathan and Hugh find Morris, who is about to be sacrificed by Dracula in a dark ritual. Hugh flees with Morris, and Nathan faces Dracula in his ultimate form in a final battle, eventually defeating him and sealing him again.

technology

The first part of the saga on the Gameboy Advance was mainly characterized by a strong focus on the role-playing elements. This in turn was extremely confusing and equipped with too many details, including the “dual setup card system”, which offered the player the opportunity to develop his skills or to gain new ones, but always using up “mana” or “magic energy” ". The control needs some training time, but is then intuitive.

Castlevania: Lament of Innocence (2003)

This title has so far been released exclusively for the PlayStation 2.

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The year 1094

It's the Age of the Crusades and this part is about a nobleman named Leon Belmont. One day Leon Belmont learns from his best friend Mathias Cronquist that his fiancée Sarah was kidnapped by a vampire named Walter Bernhardt who lived in the forest of eternal night. When the church forbids Leon from breaking off his crusade so that he can save his fiancée, he discards his sword and title of nobility to come to the aid of his fiancée. On his way to the castle of the vampire, Leon crosses the path of a mysterious old man named Rinaldo in the forest of eternal night. He equips the unarmed Leon Belmont with a mystical whip that is associated with alchemical powers. The actual saga begins with Leon Belmont, the founder of the vampire hunter clan of the Belmonts, in the eternal fight against Count Dracula, the prince of darkness.

technology

For the first time in the series, this version features the best three-dimensional graphics that has ever been seen in a Castlevania game. The general pace of the game is faster than in the predecessor and it is noticeable that the developers differ a lot from genre colleagues such as B. have copied Devil May Cry or Rygar . A new feature in this part was the real-time menu, i. H. Except for maps, statistics and other information, healing potions or items of equipment had to be selected in real time with the right analog stick. These actions could not be carried out in the pause menu. These facts have therefore increased the level of difficulty a little, when in hectic boss battles you had to evade, run away and at the same time select healing potions in the menu. The fan base also found it negative that role-play elements such as those from Symphony of the Night were dispensed with and only energy and heart upgrades were used instead.

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (2005)

Castlevania logo : Dawn of Sorrow
Soma Cruz cosplayer

Castlevania: DoS has been released for the Nintendo DS and mobile phone.

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The year 2036

Castlevania: DoS takes place one year after the events of Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (2035): Soma Cruz, protagonist of DoS , is attacked by an enigmatic cult in order to kill him and raise Dracula, whose possible reincarnation is Soma, again. The sect led by Celia Fortner believes that there can only be absolute good when it is faced with absolute evil - the role of the antagonist is to be taken over by the reincarnation of Dracula. Soma confronts the cult in her base, a castle resembling Dracula's, and ultimately prevents the vampire from being reborn.

technology

DoS uses the touchscreen for a magic seal system: shortly before they die, bosses must be separated from their demonic source of power by a sealing spell, which is done by correctly tracing a figure on the touchscreen - otherwise the opponent will regenerate. Another characteristic of DoS is Soma's ability to absorb the souls of defeated opponents in order to acquire their abilities or to seal them in weapons to make them stronger in battle.

Castlevania: Curse of Darkness (2005)

The game was released for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox.

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The year 1479

Three years after Dracula was defeated, his curse still lingers on the land. One of Dracula's so-called "Devil Forgemasters" named Hector withdrew and now wanted to live in peace. His former best friend Isaac, also a "Devil Forgemaster", saw his friend's behavior as a betrayal of his count and therefore killed Hector's wife. Filled with hatred and vindictiveness, Hector returns to Dracula's castle ruins to avenge his wife. In his vengeance through Transylvania, Hector meets Trevor Belmont, who wants to break Dracula's curse. Once enemies, they later fight side by side to defeat Isaac.

technology

Due to the criticism of the fixed camera positions of the predecessor Lament of Innocence , the camera can now be panned freely to a limited extent, but it is not possible to zoom in or out. The role-playing elements of Symphony of the Night have also been reintroduced, giving the game a larger scope. The graphics level is similar to that of the predecessor Lament of Innocence . A new feature are summonable creatures, so-called "Innocent Devils", which offer the player additional skills and support in combat.

Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (2008)

The game was released for the Nintendo DS.

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Around 1850

The story can be incorporated around the year 1850. After the fall of the Belmont clan, many associations were formed to continue fighting Dracula. One of these groups is the Ecclesia. Its chief Barlowe achieved a breakthrough in the fight against Dracula: He discovered the three-part Dominus glyph, which should be able to defeat Dracula. Shanoa, a student, is supposed to ingest the glyphs in a ritual, but Albus, a colleague of hers, steals them. After Shanoa kills him and brings the glyphs back, Barlowe, who has since gone mad by the Dominus Glyph, reveals his true face - he is an admirer of Dracula and finally brings him back into the world. Albus, believed dead, turns out to be an ally and in the end sacrifices his soul to save Shanoa's life.

technology

The graphics are based on the Castlevania predecessors on the Nintendo DS and are completely 2D. Some enemies are taken over from older games, especially from "Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow" and "Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin".

The glyph system represents a completely new system. Glyphs can either be obtained after defeating enemies, similar to the souls from a previous version, or they can be taken from enemies while they want to use them.

For the first time, it is also possible here in a Castlevania on a handheld to train the protagonist up to level 255 after activating an additional mode.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (2010)

The game was released for the Xbox 360, the Playstation 3 and for the PC.

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The year 1075

The story is set around the year 1075. The protagonist is Gabriel Belmont. As a child he was exposed to the Brotherhood of Light outside the gate of a monastery. There they gave him the name Gabriel and raised him as one of their own.

The melancholy Gabriel was deeply affected by the death of his true love Marie.

Now he has been sent by the elders of the Brotherhood to find out why the world is falling into chaos.

technology

Lords of Shadow is again a Castlevania in 3D environments. The level sections are kept very linear. While fighting, the player collects experience points and can then invest them in new combos. In addition, two types of magic are available to the protagonist: light and shadow magic.

Castlevania: Harmony Of Despair (2010)

Castlevania Logo: Harmony Of Despair (2010).

In 2010 the 2D action adventure game Castlevania: Harmony of Despair was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

The 3D action adventure game Castlevania: Lords of Shadow was released in 2010 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate

The 2D action adventure game Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate was released in 2013 for Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, Windows and Xbox 360.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate HD

The 2D action adventure game Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate HD was released in 2013 for PlayStation 3, Windows and Xbox 360.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2

The 3D action adventure game Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 was released in 2014 for PlayStation 3, Windows and Xbox 360.

characters

The forces of evil

The Dracula Clan

  • Count Vlad Ţepeş Dracula (ド ラ キ ュ ラ, Dorakyura) | Mathias Cronquist (also Mathias Cronqvist)

A famous vampire who lives in Transylvania and, even if he is not the main antagonist in every game, he always remains the source of evil and the reason why the heroes fight in every single episode. He spends his existence trying to plunge the world into eternal darkness and subjugate humanity. His behavior, despite the status of the main villain, is mostly passive; rather, he first lets his servants take care of his adversaries. Prior to his undead life, he was known as Mathias Cronqvist , a tactician during the Crusades like his best friend Leon Belmont , but turned against God when his wife Elisabetha Cronqvist passed away. He staged the kidnapping of Leon's friend Sara Trantoul in order to use an artifact to gain Bernhardt's soul and thus immortality.

  • Elizabeth Cronquist

Mathias Cronquist's wife.

  • Lisa Dracula

The second wife of Count Dracula and Alucard's mother. She was crucified by humans.

  • 1917 - Elizabeth Bartley (エ リ ザ ベ ー ト ・ バ ー ト リ ー, Erizabēto Bātorī)

Count Dracula's niece. Awakened three hundred years after her execution with the help of a witch, she initiated the First World War by assassinating the Crown Prince of Austria , Franz Ferdinand, in order to revive her uncle through the numerous deaths.

Other antagonists

  • Death (any game except The Adventure and Belmont's Revenge ) (死神, god of death)

The (mostly) boss, usually referred to as "Grim reaper", was often found one level before the actual, last boss.

  • 1094 - Walther Bernhardt ( Lament of Innocence ) (ヴ ァ ル タ ー ・ ベ ル ン ハ ル ト, Varutā Berunharuto)

The original vampire of the series, so to speak. It existed before Count Dracula appeared. For years he made fun of kidnapping the loved ones young warriors in order to let them participate in his so-called "game" afterwards. At some point Leon Belmont thwarted his plans. Through the soul of Walther Bernhardt, Mathias Cronqvist achieved immortality and became Dracula.

  • 1479 - Isaac (ア イ ザ ッ ク, Aizakku)
  • 1792–1797 - Shaft (Dracula X: Rondo of Blood & Castlevania: Symphony of the Night) (シ ャ フ ト, Shafuto)
  • 1830 - Camilla (Castlevania: Circle of the Moon) (カ ミ ー ラ, Kamīra, alternatively カ ー ミ ラ Kāmira)

A demon in human form, servant of Dracula and leader of the faithful who resurrected the Count in Austria in 1830. In addition to her appearance in Circle of the Moon , she also fought Richter (in Rondo of Blood ) and Simon Belmont (in Simon's Quest ), but played no significant role in the story.

  • 1844 - Ortega (Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness) (オ ル テ ガ, Orutega)
  • 1844–1852 - Gilles de Rais (Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness & Castlevania 64) (ジ ル ド レ, Jirudore)
  • 1844–1852 - Actrise / Actrice (Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness & Castlevania 64) (ア ク ト リ ー セ, Akutorīse)
  • 1917 - Drolta Tzuentes (Castlevania: Bloodlines) (ド ロ テ ア ・ ツ ェ ン テ ス, Dorotea Tsentesu)
  • 1944 - Brauner (Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin)
  • 2035 - Graham Jones (Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow)
  • 2036 - Celia Fortner (Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow)
  • 2036 - Dmitrii Blinov (Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow)
  • 2036 - Dario Bossi (Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow)

Monster in the service of the count

Many of the monsters that the player encounters in the course of the individual games are borrowed from classic horror literature and films or the mythology of various cultures; So it is not surprising that in addition to the main part of names of European origin, many also come from Latin American or Asian legends.

  • Medusa

Medusa is a gorgon who attacks the player with a sword and a look that can briefly turn the player to stone.

  • The Creature / The Creature / The Fiend

This is the monster that was created by Frankenstein.

  • Cerberus

The hellhound with three heads guards the underworld.

  • Scylla

Skylla was once a beautiful girl. When Glaukos fell in love with her, she was turned into a monster by the jealous sorceress Kirke. Her upper body is that of a girl, while her lower body is made up of sea snakes.

  • Werewolf / wolf person

A person who turns into a wolf when the moon is full.

  • Minotaur

This monster comes from the union of the Greek queen Pasiphae with the bull of Crete. He is a mixture of human and Taurus.

  • Beelzebub

A demon from Christianity that is primarily depicted like a giant fly.

  • Galamoth

A great Egyptian spirit. Many players consider him to be the toughest boss opponent in Symphony of the Night.

The forces of good

The Belmont clan

  • Leon Belmont
  • Sonia Belmont (ソ ニ ア ・ ベ ル モ ン ド, Sonia Berumondo)
  • Trevor Belmont
  • Christopher Belmont
  • Soleiyu Belmont (ソ レ イ ユ ・ ベ ル モ ン ド, Soreiyu Berumondo)
  • Simon Belmont
  • Gabriel Belmont
  • Juste Belmont
  • Judge Belmont
  • Anette Renard

Judge Belmont's girlfriend. Supporting character in Dracula X: Rondo of Blood and Castlevania: Dracula X.

  • Maria Renard (マ リ ア ・ ラ ー ネ ッ ド, Maria Rāneddo)

Anette Renard's little sister. Supporting characters in Dracula X: Rondo of Blood, Castlevania: Dracula X and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Playable in Dracula X: Rondo of Blood, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (Sega-Saturn version) and Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin.

  • Reinhardt Schneider (ラ イ ン ハ ル ト ・ シ ュ ナ イ ダ ー, Reinharuto Shunaidā)

The main hero in Castlevania 64 and supporting character in Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness.

  • John Morris

The main hero in Castlevania: Bloodlines. He is indirectly related to the Belmont clan through his father, Quincey Morris (who also appears in Bram Stroker's book "Dracula"), but it is unclear exactly how.

  • Jonathan Morris (ジ ョ ナ サ ン ・ モ リ ス, Jonasan Morisu)

The main hero in Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin. Son of John Morris

  • Julius Belmont

Other main characters

  • Adrian Fahrenheit "Alucard" Tepes, son of Dracula Tepes (ア ル カ ー ド, Arukādo)

The son of Count Dracula. He fights his father's evil machinations on behalf of his mother.

  • 1094 - Joachim Armster (ヨ ア ヒ ム ・ ア ル ム ス タ ー, Yoahimu Arumusutā) (Castlevania: Lament of Innocence)
  • 1094 - "Pumpkin" (Castlevania: Lament of Innocence)
  • 1476 - Grant DaNasty (Grant Dinesti) (Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse)

Grant, along with Alucard and Sypha Belnades, assisted Trevor Belmont in the fight against Count Dracula.

  • 1476 - Sypha Belnades (サ イ フ ァ ・ ヴ ェ ル ナ ン デ ス, Saifa Verunandesu, Sypha Fernandez) (Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse)

Sypha, together with Alucard and Grant DaNasty, assisted Trevor Belmont in the fight against Count Dracula.

  • 1479 - Hector (Castlevania: Curse of Darkness)
  • 1748 - Maxim Kischine (Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance)
  • 1830 - Nathan Graves (ネ イ サ ン ・ グ レ ー ブ ズ, Neisan Gurēbuzu) (Castlevania: Circle of the Moon)
  • 1844 - Cornell (コ ー ネ ル, Kōneru) (Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness)
  • 1852 - Henry Oldrey (ヘ ン リ ー ・ オ ル ド レ ー, Henrī Orudorē) (Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness)
  • 1852 - Carrie Fernandez (キ ャ リ ー ・ ヴ ェ ル ナ ン デ ス, Kyarī Verunandesu) (Castlevania 64 & Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness)

Descendant of Sypha Belnades

  • 1917 - Eric Lecarde (エ リ ッ ク ・ リ カ ー ド, Erikku Rikādo, Eric Ricardo) (Castlevania: Bloodlines)
  • 1944 - Charlotte Orlean (シ ャ ー ロ ッ ト ・ オ ー リ ン, Shārotto Ōrin, Charlotte Aulin) (Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin)
  • 2035–2036 - Yoko Belnades (Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow)

Descendant of Sypha Belnades and supporting character of Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (Castlevania: Minuet of Dawn)

  • 2035–2036 - Soma Cruz (来 須 蒼 真, Kurusu Sōma, Soma Kurusu) (Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow)

A possible reincarnation of the dark ruler Dracula

Supporting characters of the actual Castlevania saga

The following characters appear in the games, but are not playable and derive their justification for existence from the fact that they are crucial for the progress of the story:

  • The ferryman (based on Greek mythology)
  • 1094 - Rinaldo Gandolfi (Castlevania: Lament of Innocence)
  • 1094 - Sara Trantoul (Castlevania: Lament of Innocence)
  • 1094 - Elisabetha Cronqvist (Castlevania: Lament of Innocence)
  • 1479 - Julia Laforeze (Castlevania: Curse of Darkness)
  • 1479 - Saint Germain (Castlevania: Curse of Darkness)
  • 1748 - Lydie Erlanger (Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance)
  • 1792 - Annette Renard (Dracula X: Rondo of Blood)
  • 1792 - Iris (Dracula X: Rondo of Blood)
  • 1792 - Tera (Dracula X: Rondo of Blood)
  • 1797 - Lisa (Castlevania: Symphony of the Night)
  • 1797 - Master Librarian (Castlevania: Symphony of the Night)
  • 1830 - Hugh Baldwin (Castlevania: Circle of the Moon)
  • 1830 - Morris Baldwin (Castlevania: Circle of the Moon)
  • 1844 - Ada (Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness)
  • 1844-1852 - Renon (Castlevania 64 & Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness)
  • 1852 - Charles Vincent (Castlevania 64 & Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness)
  • 1852 - Malus (Castlevania 64 & Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness)
  • 1852 - Fernandez warrior (Castlevania 64 & Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness)
  • 1852 - Pink (Castlevania 64 & Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness)
  • 1944 - Vincent (Castlevania: Portrait Of Ruin)
  • 1944 - Wind (the ghost of Eric Lecarde) (Castlevania: Portrait Of Ruin)
  • 2035 - Genya Arikado (Human Identity by Alucard) (Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow & Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow)
  • 2035 - Mina Hakuba (Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow & Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow)
  • 2035 - Hammer (Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow & Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow)

Soundtrack to the games

Soundtracks of all Castlevania games have been released on CD to date, but only in Japan and the USA. In German-speaking countries, these CDs can only be purchased by import.

The soundtrack by Spanish composer Óscar Araujo was named "Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media" of 2010 by the International Film Critics Association.

Web links

Commons : Castlevania  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Vampire Killer in the generation-msx.nl database
  2. IFMCA Awards 2010