Item Name: Hidden Treasures

Most of the more desirable items in Castlevania games are hidden in walls. But in Castlevania, Akumajou Dracula X68000, and some instances in other titles, treasures can be uncovered by your very motion/loitering--by standing, crouching or jumping in very specific locations for certain amounts of time. The treasures uncovered--be they crowns, cash-rich chests, or special money bags--are the games' most valuable, as they provide a big-time boost to your point-total.

Item Name: Spell Book

Uncovering a magic book in Castlevania: Bloodlines allows you to add magic power to John's whip or Eric's spear, turning the respective weapons into flaming entities; they'll appear when you accrue a certain heart-total. In addition, John and Eric will gain superpowered sub-weapons--a blue crystal and spear head, respectively. These augmented weapons/sub-weapons will more easily down foes, but the power is fleeting--a single hit will cause its loss.

Item Name: Coins

Until Christopher Belmont and Adventure introduced coins, money bags had been the predominant source of currency. Coins replace them in the monochrome hero's endeavors. While they serve the similar function of increasing the player's point-total, their appearance opens the door for the alternate forms of currency seen in future games, like Symphony of the Night and its ilk, which slot them as inexpensive compared to money bags but still somewhat valuable.

Item Name: Life Vial

Life vials were introduced in Symphony of the Night as the means to increase Alucard's hit-point total while fully restoring it; life vials are either dropped by defeated bosses or found hidden somewhere throughout Dracula's huge haunt. They appear, also, in Circle of the Moon and its RPG-adventure predecessors. When the more-traditional Richter Belmont (or any other such unlockable hero) collects a life vial, it merely replenishes his or her life meter.

Item Name: Heart Container

The heart containers can also be seen in Symphony of the Night, Circle of the Moon, and their brethren. Though, this brand of stat-booster can only be found in hidden or not-easily-accessible rooms (though, Alucard can find a few heart containers hiding in candelabras). When a heart container is collected, the hero's heart-total will increase but not to a predetermined amount--it's instead variable, depending upon his or her level.

Item Name: Magic Vial

The magic vials are exclusive to Nathan Graves and Circle of the Moon and like the heart containers can only be found hidden in certain rooms--usually those blocked off by breakable castle structures. When a magic vial is taken into possession, Nathan's magic-point total will increase but, again, not to a predetermined amount; the reward is variable and dependent upon his current level. The greater his MP total, the less Nathan will have to expend to use his DSS powers.

Item Name: Attack Up

Lament of Innocence and Curse of Darkness, though both 3D-based adventures, adopt the formula of the previous portable side-scrollers, including the use of previously listed stat-boosters. They add one new: The Attack Up, which increases the attack strength of only their unlockable characters. That is, since Joachim and Trevor don't play by RPG rules, they require alternate means of powering up. The attaining of Attack Ups should be their side goal if they hope to take down the tougher enemies.

The very same Lament of Innocence and Curse of Darkness also hide within their haunts an additional stat-boosting item: The Defense Up, which will increase the defense and durability of only their unlockable characters. Since the stats for Joachim and Trevor otherwise remain static quest-long, this will be among the items they should be seeking if they hope to endure their respective campaigns.
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