The News Wire


	The News Wire

9/23/21- A collection with a kiss: On this day, the rumored Castlevania Advance Collection comes to the Nintendo Switch eShop. The collection includes Castlevania: Circle of the Moon, Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow and Castlevania: Dracula X. PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions are expected to be announced soon.
9/23/21- Bloodlines at your service: In late October, Castlevania: Bloodlines comes to the Nintendo Switch Online service via a self-contained Sega Genesis application.
9/15/19- Get your credits ready: Publisher Hamster will soon be bringing VS. Castlevania--the slightly rejiggered arcade port of the original Castlevania--to the Nintendo Switch as an "Arcade Archives" title.
7/26/19- The shadows still loom: The PlayStation Blog has announced that the three games in the Lords of Shadow trilogy (Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2) are coming to the PlayStation 4 via Sony's PlayStation Now service.
6/11/19- Rondo, too, goes mini: Mini-console madness continues as Konami brings the PC-Engine mini (called the "TurboGrafx-16 mini" in North America and the "PC Engine CoreGrafx mini" in Europe) to market. Most relevant to us is that Dracula X: Chi no Rondo is included as one of its Japan-only exclusive. The company has yet to set a release date for the product.
3/30/19- Smaller but no less grand: For the first time, well, ever, Castlevania: Bloodlines is seeing re-release. It will be one of 40 titles available for digital play on Sega's newest plug-and-play offering: the Sega Genesis Mini, which is set to be released on September 19th, 2019.
3/19/19- A collection of collections: Konami has announced that three separate digital-only collection packs are coming to all current consoles (PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC). Of relevance are Castlevania Anniversary Collection (early summer release), which features eight classic series titles, and Konami Anniversary Collection: Arcade Classics (April 18th), which includes Haunted Castle. The third pack is the Contra Anniversary Collection (also early summer).
10/3/18- The greatest one-two punch: The directly-related god-tier series entries Dracula X: Chi no Rondo and Castlevania: Symphony of the night are coming to PlayStation 4 in a compilation pack titled Castlevania Requiem: Symphony of the Night & Rondo of Blood. It'll see release (digital-only, it seems) on October 26th, 2018, for the price of $19.99.
8/8/18- Castlevania invades Smash: August 8th's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate-specific Nintendo Direct reveals the inclusion of Castlevania-related content: Two playable characters (Simon Belmont and his echo fighter--Richter Belmont); a single assist trophy (the Symphony version of Alucard); a whopping 34 music tracks; and a castle-keep-themed stage whose active elements include whippable candelabras, the appearance of familiar series enemies, and the as-of-yet-unexplained intrusion of Count Dracula.
5/10/18- Staying in touch: Konami announces Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls, a touchscreen-controlled action game for iOS and Android. It can be played both solo and with multiple players. In either instance, the goal remains the same: complete stage-based challenges, collect loot, and level up your character.
5/26/17- Let' get animated: The first teaser trailer for the Castlevania Netflix series has been released. Its closing moments confirm the series' July 7th debut.
4/21/17- The explosive dream mix: Konami has announced that it's bringing three of its famous mascot characters to Super Bomberman R via a future update. Castlevania icon Simon Belmont will angrily lead the pack into action.
2/8/17- Movin' on up: After many false starts, Castlevania is finally coming to film. Frederator Studios will be bringing an animated series based on Castlevania to Netflix sometime in 2017.
12/21/16- Richter's troubled Christmas: The man in blue's unloved SNES adventure joins its much-championed big brother on the New 3DS Virtual Console. All the same, it's not available for play on older 3DS models.
7/7/16- Haunting Sony's soul: Meanwhile, Simon's unconventionally terrifying arcade venture, Haunted Castle, will be coming to PlayStation 4's Arcade Archives sometime in the future. The porting will be handled by Hamster--the same development group that brought the game to the PS2 via its Oretachi series.
7/7/16- What's old is new again: The 16-bit classic Super Castlevania IV hits the New 3DS Virtual Console on September 8th. Naturally, it won't be available for play on older 3DS models.
10/2/14- The Fall of Castlevania: Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance, the second series title released for the Game Boy Advance, is coming to the Wii U Virtual Console on October 16th.
8/22/14- The broken circle of life: Castlevania: Circle of the Moon, which was released for the Game Boy Advance early in its life-cycle, is coming to the Wii U Virtual Console but of course not the 3DS version due to certain emulation issues.
4/22/14- Richter's alternate quest: The SNES revision of Chi no Rondo, Castlevania: Dracula X, is coming to the Japanese version of the Wii U Virtual Console. It'll likely see release in other territories later this year.
4/14/14- Account system needed: Making its second and third appearances on Virtual Console services, Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse is coming to the separate 3DS and Wii U eShops. It will be available for Wii U in Japan on the 16th, with the European 3DS version arriving a day later; no other dates, including North American releases, have been set.
3/28/14- It's an advanced game, boy: Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, which was the series' second Game Boy Advance title, is coming to the Wii U version of the Virtual Console--this according to the Australian Classification Board.
3/2/14- IGA rides into the sunet: Former series director Koji Igarashi, responsible for more than a decade's-worth of Castlevania titles, has left Konami to pursue other opportunity. There's no word on what this means for the series' future.
3/2/14- The master returns: No--Koji Igarashi isn't quite reclaiming control of the series, but he'll be appearing at this year's Game Developers Conference (GDC) on March 21st to host a one-hour session on the history and influence of the fan-named "Metroidvania" genre.
2/23/14- A matter of perspective: Current series director David Cox believes that there's no future in two-dimensional Castlevania titles. However, since his current team is finished with the series, there's really no word on what the future holds.
1/16/14- Is Simon down for a two-Count?: The Belmont warrior's adventures are so vast in scope, they can't be contained on only one system. That is, the North American and PAL re-releases of Castlevania II: Simon's Quest arrive on both the Wii U and 3DS versions of the Virtual Console.
11/26/13- Virtually ridiculous: The famed NES classic Castlevania makes its third appearance on a service called "Virtual Console." It's this time the Wii U Virtual Console, on which it'll debut on December 4th. The North American version will be released on the 19th.
10/27/13- A convergence of shadows: Two Lords of Shadow-titled games will next month be brought together in the compilation Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Collection. The pack includes the original game and its DLC chapters plus the soon-to-be-released Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate HD.
10/25/13- Make your Halloween super: The SNES classic Super Castlevania IV is this time making its way to the Wii U version of the Virtual Console. You can watch the trailer by clicking the link.
10/24/13- Test your fate on the big screen: The demo for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Mirror of Fate HD is now available on Xbox Live for the Xbox 360. The PSN version will arrive next week, a full month ahead of the game's re-release.
9/27/13- Mirror of Fate Soundtrack: Konami will soon release the official soundtrack for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate. It will be distributed through the Sumthing Else Music Works website. Hit up the link to learn more.
7/29/13- Try before you die: The original Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is coming to the PC and Steam in late August. However, you can give it a whirl by taking advantage of a demo set to be released on July 30th.
7/24/13- Digging his own grave: Lords of Shadow 2 director Dave Cox talks to Destructoid and "digs into" his company's creation. Topics include the combat system, playing as an aged Dracula, lessons learned from Mirror of Fate, and the supporting cast. Also on the menu: What's going on with Koji Igarashi?
6/1/13- No sleep for Simon: Castlevania II: Simon's Quest is coming to the Virtual Console. Again. It's this time for the 3DS, whose Japanese counterpart already has Simon's Quest in its eShop.
3/8/13- The Future of Lords: MTV Multiplayer welcomes Dave Cox, whose latest Mirror of Fate interview covers the 3DS platform, continuity with the original series, the multi-era storytelling, and the future of its characters. Also discussed: Lords of Shadow 2 and MercurySteam's future with the series.
3/6/13- The postmortem: Official Nintendo Magazine does the honors, chatting with Davey boy about honoring the series, the pitfalls of modern game design, how Mirror of Fate fills a void, the balance between narrative and hands-off exploration, and more.
2/11/13- Back on the trail: The busy producer talks to The Daily Mail, this time concerning topics for Mirror of Fate's plot, its graphical performance, its link to the console games, its length, and its bestiary.
2/7/13- Interview #1,304,962: Pure Nintendo grabs hold of the busy producer and asks about Mirror of Fate's platform choice, how stereoscopic 3D shapes the experience, how the combat system came about, the exploration and general flow of the game, and the "note-taking" feature.
2/6/13- The view from up north: Dave's travels take him to Canada (or, at least, a Canada-based website), where he talks Mirror of Fate. Topics this time include the game's "reboot" status, whether or not classic gameplay elements are present, and the benefits of the genre.
2/6/13- Another day, another interview: Dave stops by CVG to discuss Mirror's appearance on a "traditional" platform, its place in the Lords of Shadow lore, fans' affinity for the previous 2D games, how Nintendo helped the effort, the effect of the 3D, and other random topics.
2/5/13- And yet there's more: It's this time Revista Club Nintendo, which gives stage to Mirror of Fate's developers to intricately discuss the game's storyline and why they rebooted the series.
2/5/13- The final word, in the flesh: GotGame gets in on the action, its video interview with Dave touching on Mirror's storyline (and Lords of Shadow's in general), the game's length, the control scheme, how the 3DS' features are utilized, the challenge-level, and more.
2/4/13- Davey boy is put on the spot: The rounds continue with GameSpot.com, where Cox drops knowledge about Mirror's "core concepts," how it balances the old and new, possible storyline surprises, and how it connects to Lords of Shadow 2.
2/4/13- More Mirror of Fate talk: GamerTalkLive's 14-minute interview with Dave Cox covers the following subjects: The platform choice, how the 3D effect shapes the experience, the combat system, the exploration aspect, Dracula's Curse's influence, the characters, and more.
2/4/13- Objects in Mirror get closer: Gamer Living provides a quickie interview with Dave Cox. Discussed are Mirror of Fate's platform of residence, how the generational gameplay is handled, the importance of the 3D effect, and the game's relation to its console brethren.
1/29/13- Eager IGA? More like Igor: Pocket Gamer interviews Dave Cox, who distances his team's work from the former Koji Igarashi's. Discussed are the game's story, the Belmont lineage and the family's recent troubles, the inclusion of Alucard and its implication, and the 3D implementation.
1/29/13- The train nears the station: Approximately a month before the game's release, Nintendomination.com shares the latest Mirror of Fate trailer, which shows off the style of combat, the platforming aspects, and the exploration-based gameplay.
11/30/12- Mirror of Fate pre-order bonus: If you pre-order Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate before its March, 2013, release, you can grab yourself a nice bonus: A decal featuring Trevor, Simon and Alucard plus a transparent 3DS case.
11/1/12- Lament's new beginning: While this news is two months late, you should know that Castlevania: Lament of Innocence has seen its first PlayStation Network re-release in Japan. It's available for all current members of the "PlayStation family" (PS3, PSP and Vita).
10/31/12- Yamane keeps us composed: 1UP.com's Jeremy Parish presents a two-part interview with the former series composer Michiru Yamane. Topics include her career before games, her earliest gaming works, the art of creating video-game music, and, naturally, her time with Castlevania.
10/10/12- Can't keep an old man down: Nintendo's Japanese website informs us that Akumajou Dracula, the original Famicom classic, is coming to the 3DS' Virtual Console next week.
9/17/12- The Castlevania movie, take 27: We've for years been hearing rumblings of Castlevania coming to the silver screen, with cancellation the only reality. However, this source says that a series-based film is actually already in the works.
8/16/12- Shadows of Gamescom: Via Youtube, Konami rep Richard Jones discusses Mirror of Fate. Subjects discussed include the game's origin, the combat system, the weapons, the magic system, the characters, and more. The video includes clips of the game in action.
8/13/12- Mirror of Fate delayed: The upcoming Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate, which was assumed to have seen an October release, has been pushed back to early 2013. No particular reason has been given for the delay.
7/24/12- Fate of the New Trilogy: Game Informer interviews David Cox, Lords of Shadow director, about Mirror of Fate's "changing eras" mechanic and its general development; about Lords of Shadow 2, they discuss its time-placement, its gameplay elements, the success of its predecessor, and more.
7/15/12- Reliving the slower times: Though I'm late in mentioning this, it should be noted that Castlevania the Adventure has been re-released on the 3DS version of the Virtual Console.
7/3/12- There's life for Castlevania: Nintendo Life interviews the Lords of Shadow producer about the series' separate canon; Mirror of Fate's similarities (or lack thereof) to the IGA-produced titles; Mirror of Fate's unique mechanics; IGA, himself; and the likelihood of Lords of Shadow 2 appearing on Wii U.
6/19/12- Exploring Lords of Shadow: David Cox joins Siliconera to discuss Mirror of Fate's castle design, its level of exploration, and new characters. The conversation includes Lords of Shadows 2 talk--mainly playing as Dracula--and some random related topics.
6/15/12- Third slot's the charm: Konami takes another crack at conquering Japan's arcade scene with yet another entry in its Pachi-Slot: Akumajou Dracula series--the third of its kind.
6/14/12- Chatting with the big boys: IGN tracks down David Cox and Enric Alvarez to discuss Mirror of Fate. Topics include the incorporation of old-school series elements, game mechanics, its connection to the console titles, how the 3DS features will be used, and more.
6/4/12- Take a look in the mirror: Youtube user ZachoTheCrazyHobo brings us the G4TV-presented official trailer for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate.
6/1/12- No longer in the shadows: The recently rumored Lords of Shadow 2 is officially confirmed via a trailer, which shows Gabriel Belmont dealing with the fallout from the game's predecessor.
5/21/12- Take this news on faith: This Dutch website brings us news of a game that was planned to be an E3 surprise. Castlevania: Mirror of Faith, said to be coming exclusively to the Nintendo 3DS, is developer Mercury Steam's second go at Castlevania.
3/7/12- A legend (legion?) is reborn: The first of the series' portable games, Castlevania: The Adventure for Game Boy, is making its way to the Japanese version of the 3DS' Virtual Console. A worldwide release will surely follow.
11/4/11- Koji's Excellent Adventure: The thought-exiled Koji Igarashi chats with Siliconera about the Belmont-related cameo in Otomeius Excellent--an Xbox 360-exclusive title just recently released.
6/1/11- PSN down? Don't despair: Previously an Xbox Live Arcade exclusive, the download-only title Castlevania: Harmony of Despair, Siliconera says, will soon be coming to the PlayStation Network.
3/23/11- Download to your drive's content: Those who own Lords of Shadow for the PS3 can now log on to the PlayStation Network and download Castlevania Reverie--the much-anticipated DLC content. Xbox 360 owners will have to wait a little longer.
3/11/11- Bored? Try Despair: In continuing to increase the longevity of its digitally distributed Dracula-hunting mashup, Konami will be offering even more downloadable content--two new episodes titled Resurrection and Reverie. (Thanks to Gamefaqs for this info.)
3/9/11- Slotted for obscurity: Added late last year, the PachiSlot 2 website features information, play tips, character bios, screenshots, music clips and artwork.
9/16/10- Dark knight in Tokyo: The official Japanese website for Lords of Shadow now hosts the new trailer shown at the Tokyo Game Show. The video is Youtube-embedded, so you can also see it here.
8/11/10- Don't wait till night: Gamerzines reports that Lords of Shadow will have its own pre-order bonus--a collector-edition package that includes an artbook, a soundtrack, and a special cover. The information also hints at a release window.
7/24/10- New Ecclesial Order: Amazon.com is now offering a special bonus for your purchase of Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (while supplies last)--access to the game's official soundtrack via a code that will allow you to download the files to your computer. Credit to GoNintendo.com and reader Skoeao for this information.
6/27/10- Pachi-Slot 2 soundtrack: Not wasting any time, Konami, via its online store, makes available pre-orders for the official soundtrack to Pachi-Slot: Akumajou Dracula 2.
6/27/10- Slotted for a return: The sudden appearance of an official website for Pachi-Slot: Akumajou Dracula 2 confirms that the series will again be returning to arcades in slot-machine form.
6/21/10- Scattered thoughts: 1UP.com talks with Dave Cox about Lords of Shadow--specifically its genre designation, its "reboot" status, and its fighting controls. They also tracked down Koji Igarashi, who reveals that more Castlevania titles are in the works, hinting that the new 3DS may be a possible destination for one such project.
6/17/10- Japanese Lords of Shadow site opens: Following its showing at E3, Lords of Shadow is provided an official website featuring a new trailer, screenshots, storyline and character information, and a unique theme to set the mood for your perusing.
6/16/10- IGA's Despair: Koji Igarashi is revealed to be the designer of Harmony of Despair, a multiplayer-focused 2D title that brings together heroes from multiple games.
6/11/10- The future of music: Though musical maestro Michiru Yamane has left Konami, she speaks of the possibility of continuing to work on Castlevania music as a freelancer. Other items in this 1UP.com interview include career happenings, her creative methodology, and other music-related notes.
6/10/10- An "epic" interview: GamesTM talks with Lords of Shadow producer Dave Cox in a two-part interview. Items discussed include Konami of Europe's rise, Hideo Kojima's influence, cultural differences, Shadow's non-canonical placement, and more series-specific chatter.
5/28/10- Ambiguousness of Truth: Castlevania: Harmony of Despair, the rumored Xbox Live Arcade title, is proven to exist via the Australian Classification Board website.
5/22/10- Why touching is good: Encore of the Night's lead programmer and designer, Daniel Gutierrez, discusses the creation, formula, and prospects of the new title plus his history, his role in the production of Order of Shadows, and more.
5/13/10- Alucard's puzzling adventure: Konami is set to release Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night, a "puzzle-RPG" game for Apple's iPhone. The block-dropping madness will pit characters from Symphony of the Night against each other in immortal combat.
3/15/02- Virtual Console gets bloodied: After a two-year wait, the PC-Engine classic and series standout Dracula X: Chi no Rondo finally arrives on Wii's North American Virtual Console catalogue.
1/25/10- Michiru Yamane leaves Konami: A company Twitter account, outlet of a Lords of Shadow developer, reveals the sad news that famed series composer Michiru Yamane has left Konami to pursue other ventures.
1/8/10 - Sounds from the womb: Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth may still be breathing its first breath, but the title is already ripe for exploitation via its tunes, which will appear on one of Konami's latest specialty soundtracks.
12/18/09 - Ultimate series soundtrack: OSV, via Konamistyle.com, reports that in the works is a 18-disc soundtrack, featuring tunes from all of the series' games. One such disc is said to contain specially composed arrangements as opposed to straight tracks.
10/27/09 - Original series musician speaks: Kinuyo Yamashita, who is credited with the music for both the Famicom and MSX versions of Akumajou Dracula, talks about the creation of video-game tunes, hitting upon the Castlevania series.
10/26/09 - First Rebirth video: Courtesy of "Nintendo Week" (a weekly Wii Nintendo Channel feature), GoNintendo has posted a first-look video of Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth.
10/21/09 - Adventure Rebirth dated: Konami's Japanese website sets the release date as Oct. 27th and shows some basic information. It gives no word on when other territories will see digital release.
10/16/09 - Koji Igarashi: Born Again: Kotaku contacts Konami to discover that the famed IGA is involved with the latest game.
10/13/09 - First Rebirth information: GoNintendo is home to the first magazine scans revealing Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth's gameplay and graphical styles.
9/30/09 - Lords of Shadow Extended Trailer: Shown offscreen at the Tokyo Game Show was yet another Lords of Shadow trailer, which features a combination of storyline intros, credits, action scenes, and an extension of video bits seen previously.
9/13/09 - Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth: Following the WiiWare release of Contra Rebirth, a new entry in that long-running series, Konami, as discovered via the ESRB approval process, will be giving the same treatment to Castlevania (apparently to the much-maligned Game Boy title).
9/11/09 - More from the shadows: Lords of Shadow producer Dave Cox discusses the game's genre and fighting mechanics, the monsters, the story, the "magic system," what inspired its design, and Koji Igarashi's non-involvement.
9/5/09 - Dawn of Sorrow goes mobile: The classic DS title Dawn of Sorrow, arguably the best of the trilogy, is being ported to mobile phones. Here are two videos of the game in action, courtesy of Youtube.
8/31/09 - Speaking from the shadows: Kotaku displays scans from On Screen magazine, which features a "Letter to the Fans" from Hideo Kojima. On the topic of Lords of Shadow: Discussed is basic information about the game's story and gameplay.
7/23/09 - Castlevania movie back on?: Bloodydisgusting.com reports that James Wan--one of the writers responsible for the Saw movies--will assist Paul W.S. Anderson in the creation of the thought-defunct Castlevania movie.
6/3/09 - Lords of Shadow E3 site: Konami prepares another (longer) trailer via an official E3 site. Patrick Stewart provides narration.
6/3/09 - Lords of Shadow trailer: Computer and Video Games shows us the new title's trailer.
6/3/09 - Castlevania returns to consoles: Konami at E3 reveals Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, which will "take the series in a new direction." Made by MercurySteam, a Spanish company, and directed by Konami's Hideo Kojima, Lords of Shadow is an action-heavy game said to be based in an open-world environment. The title will appear on both Xbox 360 and PS3.
4/4/09 - Pachi-Slot goes mobile: In preparation for the release of its newest Pachinko game, Konami releases for cell phones a simulator.
4/4/09 - Official Pachi-Slot site: Konami launches an official website for its newest arcade title.
3/21/09 - Judging by the music: GameSetWatch speaks with members of Noisycroak, the studio behind Castlevania Judgment's music, in a feature titled Sound Current: Traversing Castlevania's Musical Timeline with Noisycroak.
3/1/09 - New Pachinko game?: Following its foray into casinos with Castlevania: The Medal, Konami unveils a new product. (Check sidebar links for additional trailers.)
2/9/09 - Arcade-title site launches: Konami gives the public its first official look at Castlevania: The Arcade. Featured are an introductory video and the basics.
1/12/09 - Virtual Console is cursed: The best of the three NES entries and series standout Castlevania III: Dracula Curse arrives on the Wii's Virtual Console.

12/19/08 - Castlevania movie on ice: The on-again, off-again adventures of Paul W. S. Anderson and his making of the Castlevania movie take another detour. As it turns out, production on such a project hasn't even begun.
11/25/08 - Arcade action: Gametrailers presents one of the first hands-on playtests of the Castlevania arcade title.

11/7/08 - Koji Cubed: The bearded-one chats with C3 about the decision-making behind Judgment's platform, the challenges in its creation, the character-selection process, its many modes, DS connectivity, chances of a sequel, and more.
11/7/08 - The sound of Judgment: Konami's Japanese site reveals the release date for the official Castlevania Judgment soundtrack.
10/30/08 - Dracula's Curse goes virtual: European and Australian Wii owners can now download via the Virtual Console the NES classic Castlevania III: Dracula Curse--just in time for Halloween. Or as PAL territories call it: Friday.
10/22/08 - The Master speaks: Koji joins Kikizo for an interview about current titles. Topics discussed include Judgment's classification and art style, Ecclesia's heroine and its lack of touch-based control, the continuation of 2D Castlevania, and more.
10/21/08 - Ecclesia pre-order update: It seems the chaps at Konami released so limited a number of physical soundtrack CDs that some GameStop outlets are offering a questionable replacement.
10/16/08 - A look at Castlevania: The Arcade: Makers of an ongoing thread at Neogaf.com are putting together a collection of screenshots for Castlevania: The Arcade, which uses a motion-controlled whip peripheral.
10/10/08 - The new title's trailer: GameTrailers presents the 37-second video as shown at the Tokyo Game Show.
10/9/08 - Yet another new title announced: Joystiq, reporting on the Tokyo Game Show, confirms the existence of a new series title for Xbox 360 and PS3 said to be the direct sequel to 1997's Symphony of the Night.
10/9/08 - Aria of Sorrow to cell phones: Aria of Sorrow, once an exclusive to the Game Boy Advance, brings its brand of series greatness to cell phones (but, for now, only in Europe).
10/7/08 - Ecclesia gets its own bonus: Japanese players get their special pre-order bonus, and now North American players get thrown a bone: The game's soundtrack as composed by Michiru Yamane and Yasuhiro Ichihashi. The bonus is also available at Game Crazy.
10/7/08 - Order of Ecclesia site updates: The Japanese site's no-doubt final form (but still a work in progress) manifests with basic information, the story, the characters, gameplay mechanics, music and artwork.
9/24/08 - Judgment pre-order bonus: Pre-ordering Castlevania Judgment at GameSpot, either in-store or online, will net you a bonus item--a 5x7 "laser cel."
9/19/08 - New entrants join the fight: Character artwork discovered by GoNintendo reveals two new Judgment fighters: Death, who we know well as Dracula's right-hand man, and ... some other guy.
9/19/08 - Judgment site opens: Konami of Japan puts in place the hub for all things Judgment, including commentary, artwork, profiles and screenshots.
9/19/08 - Another character model: Thanks to the creative talent of Takeshi Obata, a new Simon Belmont character model (based on his Judgment artwork) will be joining those already produced by Nyko.
9/19/08 - The train leaves the station: Whip-wielding Koji turns his attention to the G4 network, to which he speaks about Ecclesia's time-period and the game's events plus multiplayer aspects. Addressing Judgment, he discusses the game's accessibility, how it differs from other fighters, and the skepticism surrounding the title.
9/15/08 - The hype train begins: In preparation for the arrival of the title, Koji talks about Ecclesia's place in the timeline, its cast of characters, the Glyph system, graphical upgrades, the "Hard Mode," and Judgment connectivity; also discussed are the series' future and the importance of accessibility.
8/25/08 - Castlevania: The Medal?: Two new images shed a bit of light on the previously reported series arcade entry. The first is a poster, the second an actual arcade unit. Make of these two shots (provided by Belmontvlad) what you will.
8/25/08 - In praise of Symphony: GameObserver.com gives its opinion on the best side-scrolling games ever made, with Symphony of the Night making the cut. Where did it land? Click the link (provided by Sebastian) to find out.
7/27/08 - Castlevania returns to arcades?: Kotaku reports upon an apparent acrade release titled Castlevania: The Arcade, which was available for hands-on yet not ready for release. The product is described to be unique in its gameplay.
7/23/08 - The E3 talk-a-thon begins: Koji joins Destructoid's Jonathan Holmes for a discussion about his first "fighting" game and what to expect, Order of Ecclesia and what it brings to the table, 2D on consoles, and the chances of Igarashi appearing in a game.
7/23/08 - The Judgment: Continued: The Game Life blog inquires about the reasons for Judgment's existence and interviews Koji about such topics as the eschewing of a classic series title, broadening the series' appeal, the Wii audience, Mega Man 9 and more.
7/11/08 - Koji's Judgment Day: IGN chats with Koji Igarashi pre-E3 about Judgment and its Wii remote use, its basic gameplay, potential DS connectivity, the roster size, the modes, the Internet elements, and more.
7/1/08 - Castlevania Judgement confirmed: Konami reveals Castlevania Judgment, the series' first Nintendo Wii title and its first foray into the genre of "Fighting Game."
6/26/08 - Castlevania fighting game? GoNintendo.com, via a Nintendo Power reader, breaks the news that the famed Castlevania series is finally ready to conquer a new genre.
6/16/08 - More from the master: Koji chats with Gamasutra about keeping 2D alive, his thoughts on Dracula X Chronicles' reception, recognizing customer demand, the possibility of community elements, and some unrelated topics.
5/20/08 - Koji ain't done yappin': The revitalized director talks with GameTrailers about Ecclesia's originality, fans' requesting for a female lead, the "Glyph" system, why the 3D games haven't worked, and his thoughts on moving on to something else.
5/16/08 - Order of Ecclesia website launches: Though for now limited to just screenshots, the Japanese site is up for viewing.
5/16/08 - IGA talks Castlevania ... again: He chats this time with GameSpot in a video interview that covers his favorite weapon, Ecclesia's heroine, the Glyph system, the controls and accessibility, and when we should expect to see it.
5/15/08 - IGA talks Castlevania: Series director Koji Igarashi talks with IGN about Ecclesia's storyline placement, the game's formula and escaping the norm, the online mode plus the "Wii Connect" mystery, and the future of 2D (on portables and consoles).
5/15/08 - More on Ecclesia: Destructoid, reporting on "Konami Gamers' Night '08," provides more details on the game's hero, the new system and its application, the absence of the Belmonts, and more.
5/15/08 - Konami's official statement: Konami.com's press release talks Order of Ecclesia. Discussed are its new fighting system, explorable locations, the storyline, its multiplayer mode, endings, replay value, and its release date.
5/14/08 - Order of Ecclesia confirmed: Japanese magazine Famitsu confirms previously leaked screenshots to be the real deal--evidence of the newest DS title. Early information hints of true co-op play and some type of Wii connection. (Via NeoGaf.)
4/25/08 - Tapping into the series' history: GameTap TV takes a look at the Castlevania series, examining the titles in order of release and circumstances/activities surrounding each entry (or, at least, most of the entries).
4/21/08 - New logo adds an air of uncertainty: The last discovered trademark, Order of Ecclesia, was thought be the new DS title, but the discovery of a new trademark may point to bigger happenings.
4/14/08 - New DS title officially confirmed: The new game, titled Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, has been rated by the ESRB as we now await its unveiling.
3/28/08 - Rondo of Blood to Virtual Console: As shown on the schedule, the much-vaunted PC-Engine title will finally see console re-release with its entry into the Wii Virtual Console.
2/1/08 - Simon shows some new moves: The perennial vampire hunter is set to make a guest appearance in Konami's newly announced DS title: New International Track and Field. Follow the link (if you're registered with the site) to view his profile.
12/21/07 - Koji talks, we listen: Topics this time include development team sizes, stupid rumors, stage design, the possibility of outsourcing titles, problems in moving from 2D to 3D, and issues with storyline inconsistencies plus time-placement.
12/06/07 - Castlevania movie on hold: Paul W.S. Anderson's live-action film sees a delay due to issues with its script.
11/05/07 - Another title on the way: In reporting on an interview in Famitsu, IGN confirms the existence of yet another DS title in the works, as created by the people behind Portrait of Ruin.
10/30/07 - More from the master: Koji, at it again, talks with the chatty Gamasutra about the GameStop expo, how Dracula X Chronicles will impact future games, 2D versus 3D, and the series' future and overall growth.
10/29/07 - Simon's Quest arrives on Wii: The now-somewhat-infamous (thanks to a former Youtuber) NES classic arrives on the Virtual Console just in time for Halloween.
10/25/07 - Koji kills the radio star: The busy creator takes the act to video and chats with GGL Wire about current portable exploits, his favorite 8-bit series title, living up to Symphony, the viability of 3D, MMO possibilities, and the console wars.
10/24/07 - Koji keeps on yappin': It's this time Destructoid, with whom Koji talks about taking the series to the next level, his favorite 2D games, series influences, DS happenings, the Castlevania movie, and the implementation of new concepts.
10/23/07 - More thoughts from Koji: The man this time talks with Joystiq about his position at Konami, the challenges of creating Dracula X Chronicles and maintaining the series' freshness, and the series' console future.
10/20/07 - Koji feeling Wired: The omnipresent Igarashi talks to the Wired Blog about the in-doubt Castlevania movie, games coming on the portable front, The Dracula X Chronicles, regrets on adding a timeline, and Dracula's odd furnishing habits.
10/9/07 - Japanese Dracula X pre-order bonus: Japan gets a much-tastier pre-order bonus bundle that includes an artbook, a poster, and a couple of unique hardware items.
9/22/07 - Dracula X pre-order bonus: Available from GameStop with any pre-order purchase of The Dracula Chronicles is a NECA-brand figurine--a "pixel-art Simon Belmont." To view the figure in advance, click this link.
9/11/07 - The Future of Castlevania: Game Informer talks with Koji Igarashi about the final stages of Dracula X Chronicles development, the planning of a new DS title, and the console future of the series.
9/5/07 - Test drive the new mobile game: Konami has set up a subsite that lets you sample a two-minute Flash version of its new cell phone title; available, too, is information about the game's release and the services you can use to download it to your cell phone.
9/5/07 - New Castlevania comes to cell phones? IGN chats with Tyrone Rodriguez, the lead designer on an unexpected series title for mobile phones.
8/22/07 - Another DS title in the works: During the 2007 Games Convention, Koji Igarashi reveals future plans. More to come.
7/19/07 - Symphony comes to PlayStation Network: The overworked classic rides again on PlayStation 3 and as an extension the PSP (mere months before it will playable on the portable via The Dracula X Chronicles).
7/17/07 - More Dracula X Chronicles in motion: GameSpot offers four videos worth of gameplay.
7/16/07 - Dracula X Chronicles in motion: IGN shows off two videos of the game in action.
4/30/07 - Castlevania debuts on Virtual Console: The classic NES title, one day short of its 20th anniversary, sees its Nintendo Wii digital re-release.
4/20/07 - Konami talks Castlevania: Group Manager Dennis Lee talks about his role in the series, the success of the two DS titles, Portrait-specific mechanics, The Dracula X Chronicles, and the series' console and digital future.
4/12/07 - EGM Afterthoughts: Castlevania: Koji looks back on Portrait of Ruin and talks to EGM about Jonathan's weird sub-weapons, the "Sisters Mode" ending, the inclusion of Old Axe Armor, Eric Lecarde, and level-design issues.
3/21/07 - NECA gets "Castlevania" license: Toy manufacturing company NECA procures the rights to publish action figures based on the upcoming Castlevania movie.
3/14/07 - Castlevania Mega Interview: Koji Igarashi discusses presentation issues surrounding The Dracula X Chronicles and its inspiration, the Symphony of the Night extra, the title's introduction to western audiences, and the future impact of its old-style design versus the one featured in modern titles (this plus other topics).
3/1/07 - Portait of Ruin Soundtrack: Japanese magazine Famitsu reports on the arrival of the Portrait's official soundtrack (in Japanese, of course). Google.com's translator is recommended.
2/22/07 - Castlevania to Virtual Console: The NES classic has been rated by the ESRB and will arrive at an unspecified date.
2/4/07 - Cowboy Koji talks to Game Informer: The series director discusses The Dracula X Chronicles and the decisions that led to its portable release plus its content, how it leads into Symphony of the Night, the character design, and its music; also discussed are possible changes to its Symphony extra, Virtual Console possibilities, more Wii talk, and the console future of the series.
2/2/07 - Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles comes to PSP: At its "Konami Gamer Day" event, the company announces a portable collection featuring a trio: The original-version of Dracula X: Rondo of Blood, its 2.5D remake, and Symphony of the Night as an extra.
1/25/07 - IGA to speak at GDC: Series director Koji Igarashi is scheduled to speak at the Game Developer's Conference, where he'll discuss industry-related issues and definitely Castlevania.
1/20/07 - Another series title heading to Virtual Console: IGN reveals on its Wii-k in Review podcast that Konami is bringing another classic to the system.
1/12/07 - "Big" Castlevania news coming?: Publication EGM claims that its next issue will reveal a series-related scoop for people who liked Symphony of the Night. (News via NeoGAF.)
12/21/06 - Super Castlevania IV to Virtual Console: The SNES classic, which has already seen re-release in Japan, comes to the west (or "the Americas," as Reggie would say) just in time for Christmas.
12/19/06 - G-Wie-Gorilla talks with the same duo: Koji and Yamane discuss differences between 2D and 3D, Yamane's first concert and music, the story of Dracula, Koji's trip to Vlad Tepes' castle, pressure to produce, their favorite games/activities, and more.
12/16/06 - Kikizo talks to Koji and Michiru Yamane: The duo discusses the basics of Portrait and its WI-FI play, music composition and its importance, the issue of 2D on consoles, and the XBLA Symphony release.
12/12/06 - First evidence of the Castlevania movie?: QJ.net gets a hold of a supposed movie poster for Castlevania: Dracula Begins, the supposed new title for the film directed by Paul Anderson.
12/6/06 - Portrait of Ruin Music Samples: Now featured on the Japanese site for Portrait of Ruin, for those who may want a sneak preview, are MP3 music samples.
10/26/06 - Koji, Man of Interviews: Our beloved director talks to Game Life, this time about online games, more Wii possibilities, the Live Arcade re-release of Symphony, handhelds versus consoles, wireless play in Portrait, and more.
10/24/06 - Castlevania comes to GameTap: A GameTap media alert reveals that the previously PC-only release Konami Collector’s Series: Castlevania & Contra is coming its service. The media alert is hosted on-site, with it some select media.
10/24/06 - Updated pre-order bonuses: As mentioned in a previous news post, a pre-order at select places would net you Portrait of Ruin and a bonus CD. Well, now the package has been bolstered by the inclusion of other goodies including an art book, a stylus and game case, and a timeline poster.
10/23/06 - Koji Igarashi Video Interview: The ever-present game director talks to 1UP.com's Sam Kennedy about the series' 2D future, the upcoming Castlevania movie, and the possibility of a Wii entry.
9/24/06 - Yes--yet another Koji interview: IGA meets up with IGN and talks about what he's learned about the DS plus Portrait's voice-acting options, its WI-FI and wireless modes, the story's effect on design, and more.
9/24/06 - Yet another Koji interview: This one, from the very same 1Up.com, goes into detail about Portrait's development progress, its style of play, the WI-FI trading system plus shop features, storyline connections, and more.
9/21/06 - More chatting with Koji: The series' director talks to 1Up.com about Castlevania's 20th anniversary, the possibility of 2D on next-gen systems, the Xbox 360 version of Symphony, and future series viability.
9/20/06 - Portrait of Ruin Japanese site: Konami opens up a Potrait-themed sub-site on its Japanese webpage.
9/15/06 - Portrait of Ruin bonus CD: The retail chain GameStop announces that any order of Portrait of Ruin will for a limited time net the customer a "Castlevania 20th Anniversary Soundtrack."
9/14/06 - MSX games come to Virtual Console: Nintendo announces (at least for Japan) that MSX titles will be available for the Wii's Virtual Console; since on board for distributorship for the Virtual Console is Konami, among others, the re-release of MSX titles like Vampire Killer is possible if not a no-brainer.
9/7/06 - New Koji Igarashi interview: Nintendo of Europe interviews Crazy IGA about Portrait of Ruin, its style of gameplay, and its usage of local multiplayer and Nintendo WI-FI Connection. Also discussed, in ambiguous fashion, is the possibility of a series title coming to the Wii. (Interview via Neogaf.com.)
8/27/06 - Dracula's Curse comes to cell phones: Revealed on Konami's mobile sub-site is information for Akumajou Densetsu, which is available for Japanese cell phones.
8/27/06 - Wai Wai World comes to cell phones: Konami's Japan-only all-mascot action-adventure has made its way to cell phones.
8/27/06 - Kid Dracula comes to cell phones: Akumajou Dracula Special: Boku Dracula-kun arrives in Japan forplay on cell phones.
8/25/06 - Even more Portrait of Ruin fun: From the Leipzig Games Convention, via YouTube, comes this video showing off the game in action straight from the perspective of a DS user.
8/24/06 - Portrait of Ruin interview: GameSpot interviews Dennis Lee, the project manager for Portrait of Ruin. Topics discussed include castle/world exploration, the characters' unique abilities, the storyline, wireless multiplayer via modes, and the release date.
8/23/06 - New Portrait of Ruin trailer: A new trailer shows off character attacks, castle environments, new enemies (and the returning Rondo version of Frankenstein), and some small storyline snippets.
8/17/06 - New Portrait of Ruin media: Gamefront shows off new screenshots and some character artwork.
8/11/06 - Portrait of Ruin named and dated in Japan: IGN reveals the translated Japanese name and when the country should expect to see the game released.
8/4/06 - Symphony of the Night comes to Xbox 360: 1UP.com reports that Konami's PlayStation classic Castlevania: Symphony of the Night will find its way to Microsoft's "Xbox Live Arcade" sometime next year.
7/14/06 - Koji talks to Game Informer: Koji Igarashi discusses the series' 2D future, the upcoming Portrait of Ruin and its usage of the DS' functionality, and the series' status where next-generation systems are concerned.

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