Re-release Information

(1) 1990: The game sees three different re-releases for three separate computer systems: The Commodore 64, the Amiga Home Computer, and the IBM PC (for information as to their availability, click here)
(2) 1993: It's re-released in Japan, ported from the Disk System to the regular Famicom
(3) 2002: Re-released in Japan, under its Japanese name, for play on cell phones
(4) 2002: Re-released as part of Konami Collector's Series: Castlevania and Contra for the PC
(5) 2003: An upgraded version of its previous Japanese cell phone game is released
(6) 2004: Yet another upgrade to its Japanese cell phone game is released
(7) 2004: A cell phone version arrives for play in Europe, and it emulates the Japanese second iteration
(8) 2004: Re-released in Japan as Vol. 29 of the "Famicom Mini" series for the Game Boy Advance
(9) 2004: Re-released as part of the "Classic NES" series for the Game Boy Advance. The actual title is Classic NES: Castlevania. In Europe, it's titled Classic NES 12: Castlevania
(10) 2005: Re-released in the U.S. for play on cell phones. Like its European counterpart, it emulates the Japanese second iteration
(11) 2006: The originally PC-only title Konami Collector's Series: Castlevania and Contra comes to GameTap, the multi-system game-download service, with included an individual re-release of Castlevania
(12) 2007: Castlevania becomes digitally downloadable on Wii's Virtual Console via its Shop Channel

Manual Story Description

                                                             GOOD EEEEVENING
       Step into the shadows of the deadliest dwelling on earth. You've arrived at Castlevania, and you're here on business:
       To destroy forever the Curse of the Evil Count.
       Unfortunately, everybody's home this evening. Bats, ghosts, every kind of creature you can imagine. You'll find 'em all over the place, if they don't find you first.
       Because you've got to get through six monstrous floors before you even meet up with the Master of the House. Your Magic Whip will help, and you'll probably find a weapons or two along the way.
       But once you make it to the tower, you can count on a Duel to the Death. The Count has waited 100 years for a rematch. He's ready. Are you?

Objective/Overview

Castlevania was the first series' title available to the western world, and, in retrospect, it still reigns as one of the supreme efforts of its time. Its origin is directly correlated to Vampire Killer, the Konami-made adventure for the MSX2 Home Computer. There are many arguments as to which came first in Japan--Vampire Killer or Akumajou Dracula--but it's of no consequence here because of the one-year gap between western localization.

The objective of the game is for the hero, the whip-toting Simon Belmont, to fight his way through six torturous stages filled with evil monsters and devious traps and resided over by the dreaded boss characters--the last of which is the ultimate evil of this game's universe, the vampire Count Dracula. By clearing the game and waiting through the credits, you you can resume play in a sort-of "second quest," a more difficult mission highlighted by an increased amount of sometimes speedy minor enemies.

The gameplay is similar in mechanics for all of the alternate versions (mainly those played on computers), however watered-down each may be. The difficulty of each is increased due to very poor control schemes, maddening design, and other computer limitations. In the early 90's, the Castlevania showed up in arcades as part of Nintendo's Player's Choice series; a future arcade port, VS. Castlevania, featured two-player (taking turns, not co-op) action for the quarter-spending masses. Click on "review" at the bottom of this page for more information.

Japanese/European Differences

Two Japanese versions exist with minor differences: First, there's the original Akumajou Dracula made for the Famicom Disk System in 1986; this version has a name-entry option (featuring the game's one unique music track) that allows you to save your game into a slot and thus the game's memory--something inexplicably missing from the U.S. version, if you ask me. Also, it features some different layouts in terms of candelabras, as seen in the anomaly depicted in the animated screenshot, and thus the power-up system controlled therein. For instance: Simon can collect morning-star symbols much earlier than normal, where he usually has to attain five hearts beforehand.

Then there's the catridge-based version that Konami released years later in 1993. In this version, you can select a "normal" or "easy" difficulty. There are two other minor differences here: (1) Strangely, when you complete a stage, the heart meter drains more rapidly for only a smaller boost to your point-total, and (2) it has added to its presentation a Konami-logo pre-title screen.

Overall, both iterations are less difficult to conquer than the NES version. Also, as it is in the case of all the Japanese titles, the hero's last name is "Belmondo" rather than "Belmont." (Thanks to Danny for some of this information.)

Soundtrack and Credits

Soundtrack
Opening and Ending Themes: 1 - Prologue | 2 - Voyager
Stage Themes: 1 - Vampire Killer | 2 - Stalker | 3 - Wicked Child | 4 - Walking on the Edge | 5 - Heart of Fire | 6 - Out of time | 7 - Nothing to Lose
Battle Themes: 1 - Poison Mind | 2 - Black Night
Miscellaneous Themes: 1 - Death | 2 - Game Over | 3 - Name Entry (FDS version only)

Links
Music Files: MP3 (American and Japanese) and MIDI
Soundtrack Release: Dracula Perfect Selection, Akumajou Dracula Best, Dracula Battle Perfect Selection, Akumajou Dracula MIDI Collection and Castlevania Best Music Collections Box
Game Credits: Available

Other Characters

Lesser Enemies: Skeleton, Zombie, Vampire Bat, Fishman, Knight, Medusa Head, Hunchback, Skeledragon, Red Skeleton, Ghost, Eagle, Raven, Leopard, Pillar of Bones and Axe Knight
Bosses: Phantom Bat, Medusa, The Mummies, Frankenstein and Igor, and The Grim Reaper
Dracula Forms: Dracula and Dracula's Ghost

Character Lists

Lesser Enemies | Bosses | Dracula Forms