Though the Castlevania series is long-enduring and chronicles the exploits of a wide variety of heroes, it's no question that Simon Belmont is its most famous protagonist and the closest thing it has to a mascot. Be it do to the nostalgic sensibilities derived from his association with Castlevania--the 1987 NES classic and the series' first entry--or the large amount of titles in which he has starred, Simon Belmont is very likely the first name to come to mind whenever a longtime follower hears the word Castlevania. The ubiquitous Simon's credits also include Castlevania's direct sequel Simon's Quest; four iterations/remakes of his original adventure; a special appearance in Harmony of Dissonance, in which he participates as the 8-bit hero ripped directly from his NES lodging; and a large number of cameo appearances in Konami's mascot mashups and other collaborations, where he's bestowed the honor of representing the entire series. Simon is clearly one of Konami's go-to guys.

The Castlevania Judgment version of Simon is an eclectic mix of his gruff Simon's Quest-boxart look and Castlevania Chronicles' red-haired wonder, which in modern times is his dominant form. Armed with the Vampire Killer whip and an iron will, Simon (perhaps taking a cue from Mario, a similarly transcendent company mascot) is the well-balanced character who doesn't excel in any given category but is otherwise solid all around. Simon thanks to the whip's length has nice physical range, which affords him the option of hanging back and attacking at a distance; though his whip-strikes lack in brute power, this allows him to nick at foes by stringing together normal strikes and combos without getting too close and thus vulnerable to counterattack. All things considered, Simon is the perfect character for beginners.