| Castlevania | |
|---|---|
 Logo of theCastlevania series, introduced with 2003'sLament of Innocence | |
| Genres | |
| Developers |
|
| Publisher | Konami |
| Creator | Hitoshi Akamatsu[1] |
| Platforms | List
|
| First release | Castlevania September 26, 1986 (1986-09-26) |
| Latest release | Castlevania Dominus Collection August 27, 2024 (2024-08-27) |
Castlevania (/ˌkæsəlˈveɪniə/), known inJapan asAkumajō Dracula,[a][2] is agothic horroraction-adventurevideo game series andmedia franchise created byKonami. The series is largely set in the castle ofCount Dracula, the arch-enemy ofthe Belmont clan of vampire hunters.[3]
Debuting with the1986 video game onNintendo'sFamicom Disk System,[4] the first entry and the majority of its sequels areside-scrollingaction platformers. The 1997 game,Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, originally released for thePlayStation, returned to thenonlinear gameplay first seen inCastlevania II: Simon's Quest, which also introducedrole-playing elements and exploration.[5] Several installments later adoptedSymphony of the Night's gameplay, which along withSuper Metroid, have popularized theMetroidvania genre.[6] 2010 saw the release ofCastlevania: Lords of Shadow, a 3Daction-adventure game developed byMercurySteam andKojima Productions that served as areboot of the series.[7][8]
TheCastlevania series has been released on various platforms; from early systems to modern consoles, as well as handheld devices such as mobile phones.[9][10] The franchise has since expanded into several spin-off video games andother media; includingcomic books[11] and a critically acclaimedanimated television series.[12][13]
Spanning almost four decades,Castlevania is one of Konami'smost successful and prominent franchises;[14] several of its entries are ranked among thebest video games ever made.[15] Retrospectives have attributed the series's success to its unique blend of action, adventure, and horror elements;[16] and it has been praised for its challenging gameplay mechanics, atmospheric settings, and iconic music.[15]
MostCastlevania titles have been released in Japan, North America, Europe and Australia on variousvideo game consoles,personal computers (PC) andmobile phones, with additionalremakes and re-releases.[17]
The first console title,Castlevania, was released on theFamicom Disk System in 1986 and in North America in 1987 on theNintendo Entertainment System (NES).[4] A2D sidescrolling action game where the player progresses through sixstages, many principal features of theCastlevania series originated with it.[18] It has been ported to many platforms, such as theNES Classic Edition.[19] Also released in 1986 wasVampire Killer for theMSX home computer, which played significantly differently from the originalCastlevania, where players had to search for the exit before they could proceed to the next stage.[20] Following that year, in 1987,Castlevania II: Simon's Quest further departed from the standard platforming genre of the firstCastlevania for a game more similar to the nonlinear gameplay ofMetroid, with several role-playing elements such as a world map which the player is free to explore and revisit.[21][22]
Haunted Castle (1988), the franchise's first arcade title, returned to the linear platforming gameplay of the original.[23] This continued with the first handheldGame Boy entry,Castlevania: The Adventure[24] and the NES sequel,Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, both released in 1989.Dracula's Curse added features to the original gameplay, includingalternate stages and multipleplayable characters.[25]The Adventure saw a Game Boy sequel,Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge, in 1992 and a remake,Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth, developed byM2 for theWiiWare service in 2009.[17]
The franchise's first 16-bit home console game,Super Castlevania IV, was released for theSuper Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in 1991.[12] ACastlevania title for theX68000home computer was released in Japan in 1993 and would not be available in English untilCastlevania Chronicles (2001) for thePlayStation.[16] During the same year,Castlevania: Rondo of Blood was released for thePC Engine and was not localized in English until it was included withCastlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles (2007) for thePlayStation Portable.[17] The firstCastlevania produced for aCD-ROM,Rondo of Blood featuredRed Book audio and fully voiced dialogue.[26] The game's content would be reused inCastlevania: Dracula X, a game for the SNES in 1995.[16]Castlevania: Bloodlines (1994) was the firstCastlevania entry produced for aSega console, theGenesis. It would not be re-released until 2019 as part of theCastlevania Anniversary Collection.[27][28]
In 1997,Castlevania: Symphony of the Night andCastlevania Legends were launched for the PlayStation and Game Boy, respectively.[17]Symphony of the Night introduced a major change to the gameplay, incorporating role-playing elements and a nonlinear map that the player could freely explore, which was previously seen inSimon's Quest and Nintendo'sMetroid series.[21][29] Elements ofSymphony of the Night would influence the gameplay of future titles, beginning with theGame Boy Advance entriesCircle of the Moon,Harmony of Dissonance, andAria of Sorrow, which were released from 2001 to 2003.[17]Aria of Sorrow received a 2005 sequel,Dawn of Sorrow for theNintendo DS, which was followed byPortrait of Ruin (2006) andOrder of Ecclesia (2008).[17]
Under the development ofKonami's Kobe branch, the first game in the series to employ3D graphics wasCastlevania forNintendo 64 in 1999, and it received an expansion calledCastlevania: Legacy of Darkness later that year.[26] In 2003, the next 3DCastlevania title,Lament of Innocence debuted for thePlayStation 2 with combat-orientedhack and slash gameplay that drew comparisons toDevil May Cry and retroactively,God of War.[30][31] It was followed two years later byCastlevania: Curse of Darkness.[17]
Areboot of the franchise launched withCastlevania: Lords of Shadow in 2010, amulti-platform 3D action title developed byMercurySteam and co-produced byHideo Kojima.[7] It was followed by two sequels,Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate forNintendo 3DS in 2013, andLords of Shadow 2 in 2014.[17] At the time,Lords of Shadow 2 was the last mainline game in the franchise before Konami shifted focus tomobile games andgambling in the 2010s.[32]
Rumors began circulating in 2021 that, following internal restructuring at Konami to refocus on PC and console games, a "reimagining" of the series was in development.[33][34] In 2024, a remake ofHaunted Castle was included in the compilationCastlevania Dominus Collection. TitledHaunted Castle Revisited, it was developed by M2, who previously worked onThe Adventure ReBirth.[35] A brand new game calledCastlevania:Belmont's Curse, in development with Evil Empire andMotion Twin, will be released sometime in 2026.[36]
Castlevania has spawned numerous spin-offs, the first being the 1990 platformer,Kid Dracula for theFamicom, a parody which stars the eponymous character.[37] It was released for the first time in English for theCastlevania Anniversary Collection (2019).[28] The game received a sequel for the Game Boy, also titledKid Dracula.[12]
Castlevania's firstfighting game,Castlevania Judgment debuted for the Wii in 2008 and was developed byEighting.[17]Castlevania: Harmony of Despair, released in 2010, was an online, multiplayer title in-which players could play as pastCastlevania characters and explore stages.[38]
Various titles have also been developed exclusively for the mobile phone market.Castlevania: Order of Shadows by Konami Mobile was made available in 2007.[39]Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls was released on September 19, 2019, foriOS throughApple Arcade.[40]
Arcade andslot machines based on the series have been produced.Castlevania: The Arcade (2009), a light gun shooter utilizing an LED remote, has been released in Japan and Europe.[41] The Japanese-exclusivePachislot Akumajō Dracula series is a line ofpachislot titles released between 2009 and 2017.[42] The first three are based on the video gameDracula's Curse, while a fourth game based on theLords of Shadow reboot,Pachislot Akumajō Dracula: Lords of Shadow, was made available in 2017.[43]
Castlevania characters and elements havecrossed over in other Konami titles such as theKonami Wai Wai World series,Contra: Hard Corps, andBomberman R,. They have also appeared in third party releases such asSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate,[44]Dead Cells, andVampire Survivors.[45][46]
Castlevania, released for the NES in 1986, is a platform game in which the player takes the role of the character Simon Belmont, navigating through six levels of Dracula's castle. Each level is divided into six blocks of three stages each.[47][48] He can navigate the castle's terrain by jumping across platforms and walking up staircases, enabling him to progress to new stages.[49] Simon has a health meter, which decreases upon contact with enemies or hazards. Loss of all health, falling off-screen, or running out of time results in losing a life, with the game ending when all lives are depleted, though players can continue from the last checkpoint.[49][48] Collecting points throughout the levels can increase the player's score and earn them additional lives. Each level culminates in a boss battle against one of Dracula's monsters, each with their own life meter that needs to be depleted using Simon's attacks.[49] Simon wields the Vampire Killer whip, which can be improved by collecting upgrades hidden in candles. These upgrades extend the whip's length and power, allowing Simon to attack enemies from a greater distance with increased damage.[48] Alongside the whip, Simon can use secondary weapons like throwing knives, holy water, and the boomerang-like cross, which consume hearts collected throughout the levels.[47][49]
WhileCastlevania's gameplay set the standard for most titles,Castlevania II: Simon's Quest in 1987 briefly introduced role-playing elements, a departure from the strict platforming format of its predecessor.[47][50] Unlike the linear progression of the first game,Simon's Quest allows players to explore a freely accessible world map, revisit areas, and engage with a dynamic environment that includes day and night cycles affecting enemy strength and the availability of non-playable characters.[50] Players can interact with villagers who provide hints and visit merchants to buy items using hearts collected from defeated enemies.[48] This installment also introducesexperience points where Simon can increase his level and health capacity by gathering hearts.[47][48] 1997'sCastlevania: Symphony of the Night significantly expanded upon the gameplay introduced inSimon's Quest, setting a new formula for the series and influencing subsequentMetroidvania titles.[51]Symphony of the Night also features non-linear exploration, requiring players to gather specific items and abilities to access different areas of Dracula's castle.[51][47] This installment expanded the role-playing elements by including a more complex attribute and leveling system where the protagonist, Alucard, increases his in-game statistics by gaining experience points from defeated enemies.[47] Alucard's ability to transform into a bat, wolf, or mist also allows him to explore previously inaccessible areas, and he can also use a wider range of equipment.[51]
The first 3D installment in the franchise,Castlevania (1999) on the Nintendo 64 adopted gameplay elements distinctly different from its 2D predecessors.[26][47] Unlike earlier titles, this version implemented a basic targeting and lock-on system for combat for the two playable characters, Reinhardt and Carrie.[26] The new environment itself played a crucial role in the gameplay, with challenges based on precision in jumping across 3D platforms and navigating through hazardous areas, some of which included rotating and crumbling platforms.[47]Castlevania for the Nintendo 64 also incorporated elements of survival horror, such as a sequence where the player must run from a pursuing enemy in a hedge maze.[52] Unlike the earlier 3D installment which involved navigating through various levels with a degree of platforming challenge, 2003'sLament of Innocence focused on a central hub system. This hub allowed access to five main areas from the start, with progress tied to defeating bosses to unlock the final area.[53] The combat system also allows the player to execute a series of fluid and dynamic combos using the primary weapon, the Whip of Alchemy.[53][47] This system enables players to chain attacks into continuous strikes, enhancing combat engagement and effectiveness against enemies.[53] The 2010 reboot,Lords of Shadow introduced a more diverse range of up to forty unlockable combos with the game's whip, the Combat Cross, integrating both direct and area attacks.[54] Additionally, it functions as a tool for exploration, aiding in scaling walls, rappelling, and swinging across gaps, which deepens the platforming elements central to the franchise.[54] Moreover,Lords of Shadow features massive boss battles against titans, where players must use the Combat Cross to navigate and disable them.[54]
TheCastlevania franchise heavily references the horror films produced byUniversal Pictures andHammer Film Productions.[3] Creator of the series, Hitoshi Akamatsu, wanted players to feel like they were in a classic horror film.[63]Zombies,werewolves,Frankenstein's monster, andCount Dracula make recurring appearances.[3]Alucard, introduced inCastlevania III: Dracula's Curse, is a reference to the character of the same name from the 1943 film,Son of Dracula.[64] The games includefolklore andmythological monsters such asMedusa,[65] as well as direct references toliterary horror.[66]Castlevania: Bloodlines explicitly incorporates the events ofBram Stoker'sDracula into the series,[62] and the recurring characterCarmilla is based on the 1872 novelCarmilla byJoseph Sheridan Le Fanu.[67]
Castlevania mainly takes place in the castle ofCount Dracula,[3] who resurrects every hundred years to take over the world.[68] With the exception of some games, the players assume the role of theBelmonts, a clan of vampire hunters who have defeated Dracula for centuries with the Vampire Killer.[16] The Vampire Killer is a legendary whip that is passed down to their successors and can only be used by them.[16] InCastlevania: Bloodlines, the whip has been inherited by John Morris, the son ofQuincey Morris, who is a distant descendant of the Belmonts.[62] Other recurring characters throughout the series include thedhampir Alucard, who sides with Trevor Belmont against his father Dracula inDracula's Curse.[69] Trevor is joined bySypha Belnades, a vampire hunter who fights using magic and marries Trevor by the end of the game.[70] Descendants of the Belnades clan, such asCarrie Fernandez[71] andYoko Belnades, would make appearances as playable characters in later titles.[72]
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is areboot of the franchise, with its first game set in Southern Europe during the Middle Ages.[73] The main character, Gabriel Belmont, is a member of the Brotherhood of Light, an elite group of holy knights who defend people from supernatural creatures.[74] With a retractable chain whip called the Combat Cross, Gabriel fights a malevolent force known as the Lords of Shadow in order to obtain the God Mask, which he believes can bring back his deceased wife.[7] InCastlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate, Gabriel stars as Dracula, the main antagonist of Simon and Trevor Belmont.[75] The sequel,Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is set during modern times, where Dracula is looking for a way to put an end to his immortality.[76]
In 2002, the gamesLegends,Circle of the Moon,Castlevania (1999), andLegacy of Darkness were retconned from the official chronology byKoji Igarashi, a move which had been met with some criticism by fans.[77] Igarashi noted thatLegends conflicted with the plotline of the series, and that the reason forCircle of the Moon's removal was not due to his non-involvement with the game, but instead the intention of the game's development team forCircle of the Moon to be a stand-alone title.[78] The American 20th Anniversary Pre-order Bundle forPortrait of Ruin in 2006 featured a poster with a timeline that re-included the games other thanLegends.[56] In 2007, Konami still excluded them from the canon on the official Japanese website.[55] Igarashi has said that he considered the titles a "subseries".[79]
Being aware of the horror movies from long ago (long before the slasher flicks), I wanted the players to feel like they were in a classic horror movie.
Castlevania was directed and programmed by Hitoshi Akamatsu for theFamily Computer Disk System in 1986.[80][1] The game's staff roll features names taken from horror film icons, with Akamatsu being credited as 'Trans Fishers', a reference to film directorTerence Fisher.[81] This is possibly because Konami did not allow the use of real names at the time in order to prevent other companies from hiring people who worked for them.[81][82] An admirer of cinema, Akamatsu approached projects with a "film director's eye", and said the visuals and music forCastlevania were "made by people who consciously wanted to do something cinematic."[1] The protagonist Simon Belmont uses a whip because Akamatsu liked the mechanics of a weapon able to repel enemies, and also because Akamatsu was a fan ofRaiders of the Lost Ark.[1] After the success ofCastlevania, it was released in cartridge format for theNintendo Entertainment System (NES) as one of its first major platform games.[12] The international titleCastlevania was the result of Konami of America senior vice president Emil Heidkamp's discomfort withAkumajō Dracula, which he believed translated as "Dracula Satanic Castle".[83] Because of Nintendo of America's censorship policies at the time, most instances of blood, nudity and religious imagery were removed or edited in earlyCastlevania games.[84][85]
Akamatsu directedCastlevania II: Simon's Quest in 1987, which adopted gameplay similar to Nintendo'sMetroid. When asked ifMetroid had any inspiration, Akamatsu instead citedMaze of Galious, another Konami title which featured exploration and puzzle solving.[1] His last game in the series,Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (1989), returned to the standard platforming genre ofCastlevania.[12] Since Konami'sTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games sold many copies, their development was prioritized above other titles, leading the developers forDracula's Curse to make a game that would outdo them.[1]Simon's Quest andDracula'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.[1]
In 1993, threeCastlevania games were in parallel development, which includedAkumajō Dracula,Rondo of Blood, andBloodlines.[86] Directed and produced by Toru Hagihara,[86]Rondo of Blood was the first installment made for a CD-ROM and the first to be fully voiced.[16] Hagihara would go on to direct a sequel,Symphony of the Night (1997) for the PlayStation, with Koji Igarashi joining him as the assistant director and story writer.[87] Joining the staff was artist Ayami Kojima, who was hired to introduce a new look forCastlevania. She would be the character designer for several futureCastlevania titles.[88] Igarashi said it began development as "something of a side story series". From the outset, the game was supposed to take the franchise in a new direction.[79] The gameplay took a departure from the original platforming entries, instead adopting nonlinear exploration and role-playing game elements, which were last seen inSimon's Quest. The critical reaction toSimon's Quest and its gameplay allowed them to pitchSymphony of the Night to Konami.[5] Igarashi was eventually asked to finish the game as the assistant director after Hagihara was promoted to head of the division.[89] On release,Symphony of the Night was well-received and became a sleeper hit, but its commercial performance was mediocre, particularly in the United States where it was meagerly publicized.[26]
The firstCastlevania game to feature 3D computer graphics began development in 1997 on theNintendo 64 byKonami Computer Entertainment Kobe (KCEK) asDracula 3D.[90] Like most of its predecessors, it was an action-adventure and platforming game. It was eventually released asCastlevania in 1999 and received an expanded version titledCastlevania: Legacy of Darkness during the same year.[26] KCEK's lastCastlevania game was the acclaimedCircle of the Moon,[91] released as a launch title for theGame Boy Advance in 2001.[92]Circle of the Moon was the first entry to featureMetroidvania gameplay sinceSymphony of the Night.[26] Igarashi, who was not involved with the game, was critical ofCircle of the Moon.[93] In 2002, he retconnedCastlevania Legends (1997) and the games developed by KCEK from the series' chronology due to story conflicts, which was met with some resistance from fans.[94] After KCEK was dissolved during 2002, the Game Boy Advance received a second installment,Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance, now produced by Igarashi and developed byKonami Computer Entertainment Tokyo (KCET).[95] Starting withHarmony of Dissonance, the Japanese games adoptedCastlevania as the title for a brief period. According to Igarashi, the developers did this since Count Dracula is not always the main antagonist.[96] This continued withCastlevania: Lament of Innocence (2003), a 3D title developed as a new starting point for the series.[97] Konami eventually returned to the titleAkumajō Dracula with the Japanese release of 2005'sCastlevania: Dawn of Sorrow for theNintendo DS.Dawn of Sorrow andPortrait of Ruin (2006) introduced a new art style in hopes of broadening the player demographic and preventing younger Nintendo DS owners from being put off by Ayami Kojima's art. This discontinued withCastlevania: Order of Ecclesia in 2008.[98]
Due to concern over the poor sales of the recentCastlevania games,[99] a number of prototypes in development competed to become the nextCastlevania installment, which included a game by Igarashi announced atTokyo Game Show 2008 andCastlevania: Lords of Shadow by Spanish studioMercurySteam.[100] Konami told MercurySteam the game would be an originalintellectual property (IP) when it was first greenlit as aCastlevania title.[101] Konami eventually asked them to cease work onLords of Shadow while it was still in its early stages, until producer David Cox showed the Japanese senior management the game and was offered help by video game designerHideo Kojima.[102] According to Igarashi, development on his project had not been going smoothly, and Konami had canceled it and choseLords of Shadow as the pitch for the nextCastlevania entry.[100] Produced by Dave Cox andHideo Kojima,Lords of Shadow was a multi-platform 3D action-adventure reboot of the series.[103] Kojima offered his input on the project and also oversaw the game's localization in Japan.[104] It was the firstCastlevania to feature celebrity voice talent, starringRobert Carlyle in the lead role andPatrick Stewart.[105] The art style departed from the previous games in favor of one inspired byGuillermo del Toro's work.[106][107]Lords of Shadow was met with positive reception in 2010 and a commercial success, becoming the best sellingCastlevania game to date.[108] It was followed by two sequels,Mirror of Fate (2013) andCastlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (2014).Lords of Shadow 2 was not as well received as its predecessor.[109] Following its release, an anonymous source claiming to be employees from MercurySteam alleged that development on the game had been troubled.[110]
After having been moved to Konami's social division in 2011, Igarashi felt he was unable to release any new games when Konami shifted its focus towards mobile game development.[111] He left in March 2014 to independently createBloodstained: Ritual of the Night, a spiritual successor toCastlevania.[112] Dave Cox followed Igarashi's resignation a few months later.[113] RecentCastlevania titles released under Konami's recent business model include mobile games, as well as pachinko and slot machines based on the IP.[114][42] This continued until 2021 when rumors circulated that internal restructuring at Konami would refocus on PC and console games, with a "reimagining" of the series being developed.[33] A remake ofHaunted Castle was included in the 2024 compilationCastlevania Dominus Collection, titledHaunted Castle Revisited.Haunted Castle Reivisted was developed by M2, who previously worked onThe Adventure ReBirth.[35] For the series' 40th anniversary, Konami in development with Evil Empire and Motion Twin announcedCastlevania:Belmont's Curse, the first brand new game since 2014.[36]
Castlevania's music features a wide range of compositions, with themes reused throughout the series. It has been critically acclaimed[115][116] and released on many albums, initially under theKing Records label.[117] In addition to original soundtracks, it has also inspired remix albums, which include orchestra, rap and heavy metal arrangements.[117] In 2010,Castlevania – The Concert was performed inStockholm,Sweden by longtimeCastlevania composer,Michiru Yamane, and the Stockholm Youth Symphonic Orchestra.[118]
The music for the first installment,Castlevania, was composed byKinuyo Yamashita and Satoe Terashima.[119][120] The game's staff roll featured pseudonyms, with Yamashita credited as James Banana.[121] Yamashita said she did not know anything about video games at the time and composed forCastlevania shortly after graduating from college. Under strict hardware constraints,[122] she would first write the scores before entering it as data into a computer.[123] The hardware for the first 16-bit title,Super Castlevania IV, allowed for a more atmospheric environment in the game, and was composed by Masanori Adachi andTaro Kudo.[82]
Known primarily for her work on theCastlevania series,Michiru Yamane first composed music for theSega Genesis game,Castlevania: Bloodlines. Yamane was under pressure at the time because the series was already popular and known for its music.[115] She felt there was a link with the game's vampiric themes and the classical music she had grown up with, having studiedJohann Sebastian Bach in university, and worked to integrate her style with the rock themes of the previous games.[124] SinceCastlevania: Symphony of the Night, Yamane became involved with the development of the series with its former producer,Koji Igarashi.[125]Symphony of the Night's art director, Osamu Kasai, requested Yamane to join the team,[124] and she would draw inspiration fromAyami Kojima's concept artwork.[125] Unlike the FM synthesis thatBloodlines used, Yamane felt she had more freedom withSymphony of the Night as it was produced for aCD-ROM, which made it capable of much higher quality music and sound.[124] She continued to compose for the series, including theGame Boy Advance andNintendo DS games, which had note limitations like older home consoles, and also collaborated with other composers such asYuzo Koshiro.[124] Before becoming a freelance composer, the lastCastlevania game she scored wasCastlevania: Order of Ecclesia in 2008, which she worked on with Yasuhiro Ichihashi.[124]
For the 2010 reboot,Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, the game was scored by Óscar Araujo using a 120-piece orchestra.[126] His work onLords of Shadow earned him a nomination for breakout composer of the year by theInternational Film Music Critics Association,[127] and he won "Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media."[128] Araujo went on to compose the sequels,Mirror of Fate andLords of Shadow 2.[129]
| Game | GameRankings | Metacritic |
|---|---|---|
| Castlevania | 70.92% (GBA)[130] | — |
| The Adventure | 55.07%[131] | — |
| Belmont's Revenge | 83.50%[132] | — |
| Super Castlevania IV | 82.06%[133] | — |
| Bloodlines | 83.50%[134] | — |
| Dracula X | 71%[135] | — |
| Symphony of the Night | 93.03%[136] | 93[137] |
| Legends | 52.88%[138] | — |
| Castlevania (1999) | 72.71%[139] | 78[140] |
| Legacy of Darkness | 63.80%[141] | — |
| Circle of the Moon | 88.32%[142] | 91[91] |
| Chronicles | 73.53%[143] | 69[144] |
| Harmony of Dissonance | 85.12%[145] | 87[146] |
| Aria of Sorrow | 87.86%[147] | 91[148] |
| Lament of Innocence | 78.72%[149] | 79[150] |
| Dawn of Sorrow | 90.35%[151] | 89[152] |
| Curse of Darkness | 70.37% (PS2)[153] | 70 (PS2)[154] |
| Portrait of Ruin | 84.98%[155] | 85[156] |
| Order of Ecclesia | 85.67%[157] | 85[158] |
| The Adventure ReBirth | 81.10%[159] | 82[160] |
| Lords of Shadow | ||
| Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate | ||
| Lords of Shadow 2 |
TheCastlevania franchise had sold over 20 million copies worldwide as of 2006[update];[179] it had previously sold over3.7 million units by 1993.[180] The franchise has received mostly positive reviews, with the most acclaimed game beingSymphony of the Night for thePlayStation[137][136] and the most panned beingJudgment, with aggregate scores of 93 and 49, respectively, onMetacritic and 93.38% and 52.71%, respectively, onGameRankings.[181][182]
Many of the games have appeared on lists of video games considered to be the best.Symphony of the Night appeared at #16 onIGN "Top 100 games" and was one of the first to be introduced on theGameSpot "The Greatest Games of All Time". Both acclaimed the game to successfully making a game in 2D while the industry was moving to 3D.[94][183]Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse was named the 9th best 8-bit game byGameTrailers.[184]Super Castlevania IV was named the 11th best game of the SNES byScrewAttack on their "Top 20 SNES Games".[185] The series as a whole was named the 4th best franchise in games ever byIGN, behind onlyFinal Fantasy,The Legend of Zelda andMario, and citingSuper Castlevania IV andSymphony of the Night as highlights.[186]Aria of Sorrow was named the 2nd best game on theGame Boy Advance and one of the must buys for the system, according to the same website.[187][188]Castlevania,Super Castlevania IV, andAria of Sorrow appeared onNintendo Power's "Top 200 Games" list.[189][190] Trivia about the series has been mentioned in theGuinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008.[191][192]
Simon Belmont was one of the stars in the animated seriesCaptain N: The Game Master.[193] Simon is portrayed as egotistical on the show and his physical appearance differs from his design in the video game series.[194] He was a member of the N-Team, a group of mostly video game characters who defended Videoland against the antagonist Mother Brain fromMetroid.[194] Dracula, referred to only as "the Count", appeared as a villain inCaptain N. Alucard also appeared in one episode, though he was portrayed as a rebellious skateboarding teenager.[194]
Several novels and comic book adaptations have been made.Worlds of Power, a 1990s series of books with stories based on Nintendo games, featured a novel aboutSimon's Quest written byChristopher Howell, and the series was produced bySeth Godin.[195] It departs from the original plot and introduces characters not seen in the game, including junior high school student Timothy Bradley, a video gamer who crosses over into the world ofSimon's Quest and assists Simon Belmont.[196] In 2005,IDW Publishing released the graphic novelCastlevania: The Belmont Legacy, based onCastlevania: The Adventure, written byMarc Andreyko with art byE. J. Su.[11] Illustrated by Kou Sasakura, a two-volume manga adaptation titledCastlevania: Curse of Darkness, based on the PlayStation 2 installment, was published in Japan from 2005 to 2006.[197] It was released in English in 2008.[198] 2003'sLament of Innocence was adapted into acellphone comic book, released exclusively in Japan from 2007 to 2008 for 40 episodes.[199]
The franchise has its own toy line manufactured byNECA which consists of six figures of Simon Belmont, Alucard, Dracula, Succubus and a Pixel Simon mini figure which was exclusively available as a promotional item atComic-Con 2007.[200][201]
The streaming serviceNetflix released an American animated series titledCastlevania as part of its original programming between 2017 and 2021, consisting of four seasons and 32 episodes.[202] The first two seasons adapt elements fromCastlevania III: Dracula's Curse and followTrevor Belmont,Alucard andSypha Belnades as they defend the nation ofWallachia fromDracula while later seasons include elements from other games such asCastlevania: Curse of Darkness andCastlevania: Symphony of the Night. The series was created byWarren Ellis; in developing the series, Ellis relied heavily on a script he had written for an animated Castlevania film from 2007 that never entered production.[203] The art style of the series isinfluenced by anime and the artwork ofAyami Kojima, with animation provided by Frederator Studios and Powerhouse Animation Studios.[204][205]
A sequel to the original show,Castlevania: Nocturne, was released on Netflix on September 28, 2023.[206] It focuses on Richter Belmont, a descendent of Trevor Belmont and Sypha Belnades, and Maria Renard in France during the French Revolution, 300 years after the original series. The series adapts elements fromCastlevania: Rondo of Blood. The second season premiered on January 16, 2025.[207][208] Original series creator Warren Ellis was not involved in the new series after sexual misconduct allegations surfaced in 2020.[209]
ACastlevania television series was considered in the late 1980s as part of theSuper Mario Bros. Power Hour, a one-hour animation block of Nintendo-focused video game adaptations. Concept art was produced for the project byDIC Animation City. Only the Mario andThe Legend of Zelda segments for the block were ultimately produced, airing in 1989 as part ofThe Super Mario Bros. Super Show!.[210]
ACastlevania film was planned in the late 2000s. However, in December 2007, Rogue Pictureshalted active development ofCastlevania due to the writers' strike and, later, the sale of the studio toRelativity Media and possibility of a screen actors' guild strike.[211] On May 27, 2009, theCastlevania film was reported as officially canceled.[212]
Japanese: 歴代の「悪魔城ドラキュラ」シリーズから選ばれた登場キャラクターを操作して、仲間たちと悪魔城に乗り込み、宿敵ドラキュラ伯爵に立ち向かおう。English translation: Take control of past protagonists from the Castlevania series to brave the Demon Castle alongside friends and defeat the ancient enemy Count Dracula.
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