Manual Story Description

N/A (click "manual scan" at page's bottom)

Objective/Overview

Vampire Killer is essentially the first series' title as far as its lineage in the western world. Your objective is to clear six screen-by-screen stages, each of which is made up of three separate areas. Hidden in the individual areas are white keys, which you must find if you hope to move on; after locating a key, and solving the puzzle usually entailed, you can enter into the next area and so on until you reach the final area of a stage, a boss room, where you'll face the stage's guardian.

While its style of play is wholly original, you will recognize elements anachronistically ripped directly out of the future Simon's Quest for the NES. For easiest reference, it's best to think of Vampire Killer as a hybrid of two future series' styles, an amalgamation of themes seen in Castlevania and Simon's Quest.

Once completed, the credits will roll, and you'll restart the game on the first stage for perhaps another go-around; though, this time, the challenge-level will now increase due to a larger selection of minor enemies, which is a trend that future games would follow. For more information, click on "review" at the bottom of the page.

Japanese/European Differences

Since the MSX2 and its predecessor were predominantly Japanese computer systems, Vampire Killer never showed up in the western world in any meaningful form. However, in contrast to limited U.S. release, MSX computers found their way to many parts of Europe as did our title in question, which was released under the localized name "Vampire Killer." This is the version that we recognize as most common due to its in-game use of the English language.

Soundtrack and Credits

Soundtrack
Opening and Ending Themes: 1 - Prologue | 2 - Ending
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

Links
Music Files: MP3
Soundtrack Release: Akumajou Dracula MIDI Collection and Castlevania Best Music Collections Box
Game Credits: Available

Other Characters

Lesser Enemies: Skeleton, Zombie, Vampire Bat, Fishman, Slime, Knight, Medusa Head, Hunchback, Skull Head, Skeledragon, Red Skeleton, 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 Possessed Picture
Supporting Cast: Merchants

Character Lists

Lesser Enemies | Bosses | Dracula Forms | Supporting Cast