Castlevania
Encyclopedia
Castlevania, known as in Japan, is a video game series created and developed by Konami
. The series debuted in Japan
on September 26, 1986, with the release of for the Family Computer Disk System (FDS), followed by an alternate version for the MSX 2
platform on October 30. Although the MSX 2 port (localized in Europe
and Brazil
as Vampire Killer
) was released first outside of Japan, the series did not receive wide attention outside of Japan until the FDS version was ported
to cartridge format for the Nintendo Entertainment System
and localized
for North America
n and Europe
an releases of Castlevania in 1987. The series soon became one of Konami's flagship series.
The Castlevania titles have been released on various platforms, from early systems like the Nintendo Entertainment System
to modern consoles. It has also been released for Pocket PCs
and mobile phones.
The very first console title, Castlevania
, released for the NES
in 1986 by Konami
, was a typical platform game in which the player takes the role of Simon Belmont, a descendant of the Belmont clan, a family of vampire hunters. He travels to Dracula's demonic castle
, Castlevania and fights his way through the castle destroying Dracula himself and the castle. Belmont's main weapon is a whip called "Vampire Killer", while the secondary weapons are powered by Hearts, collected by attacking candles and killing monsters. Secondary weapons available are Daggers, Holy Water, Flying Axe and the Boomerang-esque Flying Cross. Hidden items such as power-ups and food (health replenishment) items are also found by attacking candles within the levels, a feature inspired by Nintendo
's Super Mario Bros.
with countless hidden items across the game's levels.
Vampire Killer
, released in 1986 for the MSX
computer, took a departure from the traditional platform gameplay of Castlevania, instead introducing an open-ended
form of gameplay. The game's non-linear design had a similar structure to Metroid released that same year. Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
, released in 1987, featured non-linear gameplay more open-ended than that of Vampire Killer and Metroid, with several exclusive elements such as a world map
the player was free to explore and revisit. The player could also purchase supplies, equipment and weapon upgrades in several different towns, making it more like an action role-playing game
. It also introduced a persistent world
with its own day-night cycle that affects when certain NPCs appear in certain locations and offered three possible multiple endings
depending on the time it took to complete the game. Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
, released for the NES in 1989, while having more in common with the original NES Castlevania, added new features, including non-linear elements such as alternate branching paths with different stages and alternate endings depending on the player's choices, as well as multiple player character
s.
A major turning point in the gameplay mechanics of the series was Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
, released in 1997 for the Sony Playstation and later for the Sega Saturn
in 1998. Expanding on the open-ended style of gameplay previously used in Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, Symphony of the Night's style of gameplay has been termed "Metroidvania" or "Castleroid" due to its similarities with the side-scrolling games of the Metroid series
. It also used console RPG elements, such as collectible weapons, armor and hidden orbs. Many subsequent Castlevania games have since followed this template.
Ayami Kojima
's art was introduced in Symphony of the Night, and has been featured in a few other titles. Years later, the first two Castlevania games for the Nintendo DS
returned to the anime
style used in the original Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
, among other titles, in hopes of broadening the player demographic by not discouraging slightly younger Nintendo DS
owners to be put off by Kojima's art. Dawn of Sorrow
was the first game to do this, and the second DS release Portrait of Ruin
followed with the same style.
The first games in the series to employ 3D graphics
were Castlevania and Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness
for the Nintendo 64
. In 2003, the next 3D Castlevania title featured combat-oriented hack and slash
gameplay that drew comparisons to the 2001 title Devil May Cry
, though Lament of Innocence introduced several unique features to set itself apart from Capcom
's title. The game has also drawn comparisons to the 2002 release Rygar: The Legendary Adventure
and 2005 release God of War
, both of which used similar chained-blade weapons, while the latter also used similarly flashy and smooth attacks that could change direction in the middle of a combo. In 2007, Koji Igarashi
stated that if The Dracula X Chronicles does well, the series may return to the more traditional style of the original games.
The success of the Castlevania series has resulted in Guinness World Records
awarding the series 7 world records in the Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008
. These records include "Most Games in an Action Adventure Series", "Largest Number of Platforms for One Series", and "Longest Castlevania Title" for the 1999 release Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness.
, The Mummy
, Medusa
, The Grim Reaper and Dracula himself. The earlier games paid homage to these films. The staff roll of the original Castlevania mentioned famous people associated with the horror genre, such as "Christopher Bee" and "Vram Stoker". Later games also include many monsters from mythological
sources.
. Almost every hundred years, Dracula is resurrected and generally the Belmonts must defeat him. Though most games in the series involve the Belmonts or their descendants, some protagonists, such as Soma Cruz
, are completely unrelated. The series is loosely based on Bram Stoker
's novel Dracula
. The novel is included in the official timeline of the series, with Castlevania: Bloodlines
taking place shortly afterwards. The connection even goes so far as to claim that Quincey Morris
, a character from the novel, is in fact a Belmont descendant.
The most iconic weapon of the series is a whip called Vampire Killer. It is the legendary weapon used by the Belmonts in the fights against Count Dracula
, although it is sometimes passed through other families as well. Other names and terms used for it are the "Mystic Whip," and the "Whip of Alchemy." The story of its origin is shown in Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
, where it is created by Rinaldo Gandolfi for Leon Belmont, through the use of alchemy
. This whip is later fused with the soul of Leon's betrothed, Sara Trantoul, to create the Vampire Killer. A similar, but different whip is used by the main character, Nathan Graves, in Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
, the "Hunter's Whip" can be augmented with magic to enhance its capabilities and the wielder depending on what is equipped. There are extra weapons available, such as fire, knives, and axes.
According to the Portrait of Ruin, only those possessing the "Belmont Warlord Chromosomes" are able to use the whip's full potential without paying a price, for the whip simply drains the life of users who are not of the Belmont lineage. This was learned by John Morris, for after his battle with Dracula, he noticed that his injuries never healed. Unable to fully utilize the Vampire Killer whip's powers without harming his own life, he soon succumbed and died. However, his son, Jonathan Morris, was able to receive the whip's full power for a short time through a ritual that was performed by the Lecarde sisters. The ritual required Jonathan to defeat the whip's memory of the previous owner, which was an entity
bearing the likeness of Richter Belmont. After Jonathan defeated a vampire by the name of Brauner who was utilizing Dracula's power, the whip was soon returned to the Belmont family.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is a reboot of the franchise. However, very few details of the plot are known since its announcement. "...we knew we would have to drop the existing timeline and story. This would be a new story that would not tie-in directly to anything that has come before, so that new players could just jump straight in." It's not part of the so-called timeline. This is an original, standalone product. We didn't want to follow the timeline because we felt it would put us in a bit of a box in terms of what we could do creatively... A lot of people don't understand the timeline. Even the fans - a lot of them don't really understand it...So this is a rebirth, definitely. It doesn't follow a timeline. It's not, people use the word canon, it's not canon. It's an original game."
Game Boy
were released under the title Dracula Densetsu and the game known in North America as Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
was originally released in Japan as Akumajō Densetsu. Castlevania: Bloodlines
was also released as Vampire Killer in Japan. Starting with the release of Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
for the Game Boy Advance
, the Japanese games adopted the name for a brief period. According to series producer Koji Igarashi
the developers chose to adopt the Castlevania title as a way to involve scenarios that do not solely revolve around Dracula himself. After some demand from fans in Japan, Konami returned to the Akumajō Dracula title with the Japanese release of Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
.
The series is also known for the differences between the Japanese and English language
versions. Particularly in earlier installments, the localization process usually removes a heavy share of violence, nudity and religious imagery. Removal of such material is prevalent in Nintendo and Super Nintendo titles Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse and Super Castlevania IV
, because of Nintendo of America's strict censorship policies at the time. Castlevania: Bloodlines, for the Sega Genesis, was renamed Castlevania: The New Generation for European and Australian releases to avoid the reference to blood used in the American title. In addition, blood was re-colored and the gore removed throughout the European and Australian versions. Although censorship policies vary from country to country in Europe, Germany's strict "decency standards" inevitably affected the content released throughout the entire continent.
, of Konami
's Kukeiha Club
of composers, shortly after graduating from college, along with Satoe Terashima. Mrs. Yamashita was credited under the pseudonym James Banana for her work on the Disk System version of the game.
Most of Castlevania's music changes from game to game, but some themes recur often. These include Vampire Killer, composed by Mrs. Terashima, , first composed by Kenichi Matsubara, and Beginning by Masahiro Ikariko, Kazuhiko Uehara and T-San,. These three tracks first appeared in Castlevania, Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
and Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
respectively. Several songs, including both Vampire Killer and Bloody Tears were also featured in the soundtracks of other Konami games, including Wai Wai World, Contra: Hard Corps
, and Konami Krazy Racers
. 柴田直人プロジェクト (Naoto Shibata PROJECT)'s version of Bloody Tears is often incorrectly attributed to Cradle of Filth
on various peer-to-peer
networks, but can actually be found on Perfect Selection: Dracula Battle
, an album featuring hard rock renditions of several classic Castlevania themes. Rap group Army of the Pharaohs
also used a sample of the song as a background for their song, also called Bloody Tears.. The ending theme in Castlevania 2 has also been recorded by Australian rock group Toehider.
UK singer-songwriter Lily Allen
sampled pieces of music and sound effects from the original Castlevania game in the song Cheryl Tweedy, which was included on some versions of her debut album Alright, Still
.
and the most panned being Judgment
, with aggregate scores of 93 and 49, respectively, on Metacritic
and 93.38% and 52.71%, respectively, on GameRankings.
Many of the games have appeared on lists of "best games ever". Symphony of the Night appeared at #16 on IGN
"Top 100 games" and was one of the first to be introducted on the GameSpot
"The Greatest Games of All Time". Both acclaimed the game to successfully making a game in 2D while the industry was moving to 3D. Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
was named the 9th best 8-bit game by GameTrailers
. Super Castlevania IV
was named the 11th best game of the SNES by ScrewAttack
on their "Top 20 SNES Games". The series as a whole was also named one the 4th best franchises in game ever by IGN, behind only Final Fantasy
, The Legend of Zelda
and Mario
, and citing Symphony of the Night, Aria of Sorrow and Super Castlevania IV as highlights. Aria of Sorrow was also named the 2nd best game on the Game Boy Advance
and one of the must buy for the system, according to the same website.
Three games appeared on Nintendo Power
"Top 200 Games", namely Castlevania
, Aria of Sorrow and Circle of the Moon
, at #23, #22 and #108 respectively.
. He was a member of the N-Team, a group of mostly video game characters who defended Videoland against the antagonist Mother Brain from Metroid
. Dracula, referred to only as 'the count', also appeared as a villain in Captain N. Alucard appeared in one episode, though he was portrayed as a rebellious skateboarding teenager. Several other Castlevania monsters had minor roles, including Frankenstein's Monster, the Mummy, the Wolf Man, and the Skull Knight. Simon is portrayed as egotistical on the show and his physical appearance differs from his design in the video game series.
Action figure
and collectible manufacturer company NECA
officially licensed Castlevania to produce a line of models of characters due for distribution in October 2007. The first series includes Simon Belmont, Dracula, Alucard
, and the Succubus from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
. Hollywood stuntman Daniel Weinstein served as the model for the Simon Belmont figure.
In 2005 IDW Publishing
released a comic book adaptation Castlevania: The Belmont Legacy written by Marc Andreyko
with art by E. J. Su
. It was based on the Castlevania The Adventure.
In 2008, a graphic novel adaption of "Curse of Darkness" was released by Tokyopop in English.
, with production slated to begin in mid-2006. Later in the month, Dimension Films
entered negotiations with Crystal Sky for North American distribution of Castlevania. The film adaptation was estimated to have a budget of $50 million. In July 2006, producer Jeremy Bolt explained that Castlevania will "integrate a Dracula origin story... with the story of the Belmonts". Bolt also said that the film would refer back to early versions of the games. Director Anderson reiterated Bolt's description, adding that Dracula and Simon Belmont would be key characters in the film. Anderson also indicated that the "very lush, Romantic, Gothic look" of the 3D incarnations of the Castlevania series would be used in the film. He also expressed his hope in using the games' composer, Michiru Yamane
, to score the film's soundtrack.
In November 2006, Rogue Pictures
replaced Dimension Films, who reneged over script differences, in handling North American distribution of Castlevania, with Crystal Sky Pictures handling international distribution. Paul W.S. Anderson described Castlevania to take place in many time periods, but primarily in 15th century Transylvania
. The director and producer Jeremy Bolt had scouted locations in Hungary
and Romania
, with plans to build castle interiors in Budapest
. Principal photography was slated to begin in spring 2007.
In January 2007, director Anderson said the studio was still finalizing the film's budget, and filming would begin in fall or winter in Transylvania
and Hungary
. According to the director, the filming was postponed because production had desired snow on the ground for the film's forest scenes. Anderson described the locations: "It was like discovering Mordor as a real location — epic, dramatic, and above all scary. These locations haven't been shot properly in a mainstream movie, so that is always extra exciting... to put something on camera that hasn't been seen before". The director also revealed that post-production and effects work for Castlevania would be done in London
.
In June 2007, Anderson conceded directing duties to Sylvain White
in order to take on the project Death Race
, a remake of Death Race 2000
. White, who played the Castlevania video game in the early 1990s, was attracted to the prospect of filming a vampire film. White explained: "Most of the vampire films have been present or set in the future, from Blade
to Underworld
, and I was attracted by the chance to make a dark, epic period movie that almost has an anime feel to it". The new director, who negotiated a salary of seven figures, will rewrite the script with Anderson's assistance. The premise will follow Trevor Belmont and his younger brother Christopher as they are ordered into service to the church, to take the cursed castle of Dracula and live up to the legend set by their ancestor Leon. Production of Castlevania was slated to begin in late fall 2007 in South Africa
and Romania. Castlevania was planned for a late 2008 release. In October 2007, Anderson said that he hoped to have a script within two or three weeks before the onset of the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike. Producer Jeremy Bolt said that production was intended to begin in spring 2008.
In December 2007, Rogue Pictures halted active development
of Castlevania due to the writers' strike and, later, the sale of the studio to Relativity Media
and possibility of a screen actors' guild strike. Despite the shelving, White remains committed to direct the film. "We still want to make the movie, but I can't say we're going into production in January or anything like that. It's a project that everybody likes. I love the videogame. I think the script is really strong. Everyone is really enthusiastic about it, but we're still in the process of deciding when the movie gets shot," Anderson explained.
On May 27, 2009, the Castlevania film was reported as officially canceled. However, on July 22, horror website Bloody Disgusting broke the news that Saw
co-creator James Wan
had been signed to pen a new draft, as well as to direct. A few months later it was reported that Paul W. S. Anderson is still circling the project.
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
. The series debuted in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on September 26, 1986, with the release of for the Family Computer Disk System (FDS), followed by an alternate version for the MSX 2
MSX
MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
platform on October 30. Although the MSX 2 port (localized in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
as Vampire Killer
Vampire Killer
Vampire Killer, known as in Japan, is a platform-adventure game produced by Konami and released in for the MSX2 computer platform in Japan, Europe, and Brazil. It was never released in North America. It was in development around the same time as the Nintendo Entertainment System game...
) was released first outside of Japan, the series did not receive wide attention outside of Japan until the FDS version was ported
Porting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
to cartridge format for the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
and localized
Internationalization and localization
In computing, internationalization and localization are means of adapting computer software to different languages, regional differences and technical requirements of a target market...
for North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an releases of Castlevania in 1987. The series soon became one of Konami's flagship series.
The Castlevania titles have been released on various platforms, from early systems like the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
to modern consoles. It has also been released for Pocket PCs
Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile is a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft that was used in smartphones and Pocket PCs, but by 2011 was rarely supplied on new phones. The last version is "Windows Mobile 6.5.5"; it is superseded by Windows Phone, which does not run Windows Mobile software.Windows Mobile is...
and mobile phones.
Games
| 1986 – | – Castlevania Castlevania (video game) Castlevania, known as in Japan, is a console video game developed and published by Konami for the Family Computer Disk System in Japan in September 1986. A year later, in May 1987 it was ported to cartridge format and released in North America for the Nintendo Entertainment System followed by a... – Vampire Killer Vampire Killer Vampire Killer, known as in Japan, is a platform-adventure game produced by Konami and released in for the MSX2 computer platform in Japan, Europe, and Brazil. It was never released in North America. It was in development around the same time as the Nintendo Entertainment System game... |
|
| 1987 – | – Castlevania II: Simon's Quest Castlevania II: Simon's Quest Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure role-playing platform game produced by Konami. It was originally released for the Family Computer Disk System in Japan 1987 and for the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in 1988. It is the second Castlevania... |
|
| 1988 – | – Haunted Castle Haunted Castle (arcade game) Haunted Castle, known as in Japan, is the first arcade game in the Castlevania series, released by Konami in 1988. It was later re-released on the PlayStation 2 exclusively in Japan, as part of the Oretachi Game Center Zoku collection.... |
|
| 1989 – | – Castlevania: The Adventure Castlevania: The Adventure Castlevania: The Adventure, known as in Japan, is a platform game released for the Game Boy in . It is the first Castlevania title for the system. Castlevania: The Adventure was re-released as part of the Konami GB Collection compilations in Japan and Europe... – Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse -Reception and legacy:Nintendo Power listed it as the ninth best Nintendo Entertainment System video game, praising it for its strong improvements over previous entries in the series.A 1991 Captain N episode was based on this game.... |
|
| 1990 – | ||
| 1991 – | – Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge, known as in Japan, is a platform game released for the Game Boy in . It is the second Castlevania title for the Game Boy and serves as a sequel to the previous title, Castlevania: The Adventure... – Super Castlevania IV Super Castlevania IV Super Castlevania IV, known as in Japan, is a platform game developed and published by Konami and the first Castlevania game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The game was originally released in 1991 and later re-released on the Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console in 2006... – Kid Dracula Kid Dracula Kid Dracula is a comical gothic-themed platform game series, and a spinoff to Castlevania. The first Family Computer game was released in Japan only. Konami released a title for the Game Boy by in in both regions. It is simultaneously a remake and a sequel of the Famicom version... |
|
| 1992 – | ||
| 1993 – | – Akumajō Dracula Castlevania Chronicles Castlevania Chronicles, known in Japan as , is a platform video game developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo and released for the PlayStation video game console in 2001... – Castlevania: Rondo of Blood Castlevania: Rondo of Blood Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, known in Japan as is a platform video game developed by Konami for the PC Engine. The tenth installment of the Castlevania video game series and a 2D side-scroller, it acts as a middleground between the earlier, typically linear Castlevania games and the later... |
|
| 1994 – | – Castlevania: Bloodlines Castlevania: Bloodlines Castlevania: Bloodlines is the only Castlevania video game released on the Mega Drive/Genesis. It was developed and published by Konami, and was first released in North America, on March 17, 1994. Its Japanese title is . This version featured a considerable amount of violence, with the American... |
|
| 1995 – | – Castlevania: Dracula X | |
| 1996 – | ||
| 1997 – | – Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Konami in 1997. It is the 14th installment of the Castlevania series, the first installment released for the PlayStation, and a direct sequel to Castlevania: Rondo of Blood.Symphony of the... – Castlevania Legends Castlevania Legends Castlevania Legends is the third and final Castlevania title released for the original Game Boy. It was released in Japan on November 27, 1997 and in North America on March 11, 1998... |
|
| 1998 – | ||
| 1999 – | – Castlevania (Nintendo 64) – Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness is a video game that was developed and published by Konami for the Nintendo 64. It was first released in North America on November 30, 1999 and is a sequel to the first Castlevania game on the Nintendo 64, but also contains a remake of the original game with improved... |
|
| 2000 – | ||
| 2001 – | – Castlevania: Circle of the Moon Castlevania: Circle of the Moon Castlevania: Circle of the Moon, known simply as Castlevania in the PAL region and as in Japan, is a video game created by Konami only for the Game Boy Advance... – Castlevania Chronicles Castlevania Chronicles Castlevania Chronicles, known in Japan as , is a platform video game developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo and released for the PlayStation video game console in 2001... |
|
| 2002 – | – Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Konami for the Game Boy Advance. Belonging to Konami's Castlevania video game series, it is the second installment of the series on the Game Boy Advance... |
|
| 2003 – | – Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Konami for the Game Boy Advance. It is part of Konami's Castlevania video game series, and the third installment of the series on the Game Boy Advance. The game was released in North America on... – Castlevania: Lament of Innocence Castlevania: Lament of Innocence Castlevania: Lament of Innocence, released as in Japan, Europe, and Australia, is an action-adventure video game developed by Konami for the PlayStation 2 console. Belonging to Konami's Castlevania video game series, it is the first installment of the series on the PlayStation 2 and the third to... |
|
| 2004 – | ||
| 2005 – | – Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Konami. It is part of Konami's Castlevania video game series and the first Castlevania game to be released on the Nintendo DS. The game is the sequel to Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow and... – Castlevania: Curse of Darkness Castlevania: Curse of Darkness Castlevania: Curse of Darkness, known in Japan as , is a console video game developed by Konami for the Xbox and PlayStation 2. Despite that it was released for Xbox and PlayStation 2, Japan was only able to see a PlayStation 2 release. However, An Xbox version was released in Asia under the... |
|
| 2006 – | – Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, known in Japan as , is an action video game developed and published by Konami. The game was released on November 16, 2006 in Japan, and in the US on December 5, 2006 for the Nintendo DS handheld game console... |
|
| 2007 – | – Castlevania: Order of Shadows Castlevania: Order of Shadows Castlevania: Order of Shadows is a mobile game developed for the Java Platform, Micro Edition, and released by Konami in September 2007.-Gameplay:... – Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles |
|
| 2008 – | – Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, known in Japan as , is the third Nintendo DS installment of the Castlevania franchise, developed by longtime Castlevania developer Koji Igarashi.-Gameplay:... – Castlevania Judgment Castlevania Judgment Initial reaction to the announcement that the game would be a fighting game was received by some with shock and skepticism. IGN's initial viewing of the pre-E3 build of the game made their reviewers conclude the game had promise... – Akumajō Dracula: The Medal – Pachislot Akumajō Dracula |
|
| 2009 – | – Castlevania: The Arcade Castlevania: The Arcade Castlevania: The Arcade, known in Japan as , is an arcade game in the Castlevania franchise by Konami. The game was first announced on July 23, 2008. The game was released in Japan on October 2, 2009 and in Europe on 2009.-Gameplay:... – Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth, known in Japan as , is a side-scrolling action platform game developed by M2, and released by Konami for the Wii in as a WiiWare title. It is currently available in Japan, North America, Europe, and Australia... |
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| 2010 – | – Pachislot Akumajō Dracula II – Castlevania: Harmony of Despair Castlevania: Harmony of Despair Castlevania: Harmony of Despair, known in Japan as , is a 2D action-adventure game. The game features a new map system that allows players to see the current quest map's entire setup, as well as up to six players at once over Xbox Live. The game was first leaked as an OFLCA Rating on May 27, 2010,... – Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night is a Castlevania puzzle game featuring Alucard and other cast members of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night made for iOS. It retells the story of the original Castlevania: Symphony of the Night... – Castlevania: Lords of Shadow |
The very first console title, Castlevania
Castlevania (video game)
Castlevania, known as in Japan, is a console video game developed and published by Konami for the Family Computer Disk System in Japan in September 1986. A year later, in May 1987 it was ported to cartridge format and released in North America for the Nintendo Entertainment System followed by a...
, released for the NES
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
in 1986 by Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
, was a typical platform game in which the player takes the role of Simon Belmont, a descendant of the Belmont clan, a family of vampire hunters. He travels to Dracula's demonic castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
, Castlevania and fights his way through the castle destroying Dracula himself and the castle. Belmont's main weapon is a whip called "Vampire Killer", while the secondary weapons are powered by Hearts, collected by attacking candles and killing monsters. Secondary weapons available are Daggers, Holy Water, Flying Axe and the Boomerang-esque Flying Cross. Hidden items such as power-ups and food (health replenishment) items are also found by attacking candles within the levels, a feature inspired by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros.
is a 1985 platform video game developed by Nintendo, published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros. In Super Mario Bros., the player controls Mario as he travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Toadstool from the antagonist...
with countless hidden items across the game's levels.
Vampire Killer
Vampire Killer
Vampire Killer, known as in Japan, is a platform-adventure game produced by Konami and released in for the MSX2 computer platform in Japan, Europe, and Brazil. It was never released in North America. It was in development around the same time as the Nintendo Entertainment System game...
, released in 1986 for the MSX
MSX
MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
computer, took a departure from the traditional platform gameplay of Castlevania, instead introducing an open-ended
Open world
An open world is a type of video game level design where a player can roam freely through a virtual world and is given considerable freedom in choosing how to approach objectives...
form of gameplay. The game's non-linear design had a similar structure to Metroid released that same year. Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure role-playing platform game produced by Konami. It was originally released for the Family Computer Disk System in Japan 1987 and for the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in 1988. It is the second Castlevania...
, released in 1987, featured non-linear gameplay more open-ended than that of Vampire Killer and Metroid, with several exclusive elements such as a world map
Overworld
An overworld is, in a broad sense, an area within a video game that interconnects all its levels or locations. They are mostly common in role-playing games, though this does not exclude other video game genres....
the player was free to explore and revisit. The player could also purchase supplies, equipment and weapon upgrades in several different towns, making it more like an action role-playing game
Action role-playing game
Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...
. It also introduced a persistent world
Persistent world
A persistent world is a virtual world that continues to exist even after a user exits the world and that user-made changes to its state are, to some extent, permanent...
with its own day-night cycle that affects when certain NPCs appear in certain locations and offered three possible multiple endings
Multiple endings
Multiple endings refer to a case in entertainment where the story could end in different ways, described as an alternate ending.-Literature:...
depending on the time it took to complete the game. Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
-Reception and legacy:Nintendo Power listed it as the ninth best Nintendo Entertainment System video game, praising it for its strong improvements over previous entries in the series.A 1991 Captain N episode was based on this game....
, released for the NES in 1989, while having more in common with the original NES Castlevania, added new features, including non-linear elements such as alternate branching paths with different stages and alternate endings depending on the player's choices, as well as multiple player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
s.
A major turning point in the gameplay mechanics of the series was Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Konami in 1997. It is the 14th installment of the Castlevania series, the first installment released for the PlayStation, and a direct sequel to Castlevania: Rondo of Blood.Symphony of the...
, released in 1997 for the Sony Playstation and later for the Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
in 1998. Expanding on the open-ended style of gameplay previously used in Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, Symphony of the Night's style of gameplay has been termed "Metroidvania" or "Castleroid" due to its similarities with the side-scrolling games of the Metroid series
Metroid
is an action-adventure video game, and the first entry in the Metroid series. It was co-developed by Nintendo's Research and Development 1 division and Intelligent Systems, and was released in Japan in August 1986, in North America in August 1987, and in Europe in January 1988...
. It also used console RPG elements, such as collectible weapons, armor and hidden orbs. Many subsequent Castlevania games have since followed this template.
Ayami Kojima
Ayami Kojima
is a Japanese game and concept artist who is best known for her work on the Castlevania series of video games with Konami. She is self-taught and enjoys reading shōnen manga...
's art was introduced in Symphony of the Night, and has been featured in a few other titles. Years later, the first two Castlevania games for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
returned to the anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
style used in the original Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, known in Japan as is a platform video game developed by Konami for the PC Engine. The tenth installment of the Castlevania video game series and a 2D side-scroller, it acts as a middleground between the earlier, typically linear Castlevania games and the later...
, among other titles, in hopes of broadening the player demographic by not discouraging slightly younger Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
owners to be put off by Kojima's art. Dawn of Sorrow
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Konami. It is part of Konami's Castlevania video game series and the first Castlevania game to be released on the Nintendo DS. The game is the sequel to Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow and...
was the first game to do this, and the second DS release Portrait of Ruin
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, known in Japan as , is an action video game developed and published by Konami. The game was released on November 16, 2006 in Japan, and in the US on December 5, 2006 for the Nintendo DS handheld game console...
followed with the same style.
The first games in the series to employ 3D graphics
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
were Castlevania and Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness
Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness
Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness is a video game that was developed and published by Konami for the Nintendo 64. It was first released in North America on November 30, 1999 and is a sequel to the first Castlevania game on the Nintendo 64, but also contains a remake of the original game with improved...
for the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
. In 2003, the next 3D Castlevania title featured combat-oriented hack and slash
Hack and slash
Hack and slash or hack and slay, abbreviated H&S or HnS, refers to a type of gameplay that emphasizes combat. "Hack and slash" was originally used to describe an aspect of pen-and-paper role-playing games , carrying over from there to MUDs, MMORPGs, and video games in general...
gameplay that drew comparisons to the 2001 title Devil May Cry
Devil May Cry
is an action game developed and published by Capcom, released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2. Although it is the first game in the series of the same name, the events in Devil May Cry are second in the series storyline's chronological order, taking place after Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening and...
, though Lament of Innocence introduced several unique features to set itself apart from Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
's title. The game has also drawn comparisons to the 2002 release Rygar: The Legendary Adventure
Rygar: The Legendary Adventure
Rygar: The Legendary Adventure, known in Japan as , is a console game for the PlayStation 2 first released in November 2002. It is an update of the original Rygar released for arcade machines and various consoles. The new features are a transition to 3D graphics and portions of the environment are...
and 2005 release God of War
God of War (video game)
God of War is an action adventure video game for the PlayStation 2 first released by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division in March 2005...
, both of which used similar chained-blade weapons, while the latter also used similarly flashy and smooth attacks that could change direction in the middle of a combo. In 2007, Koji Igarashi
Koji Igarashi
, also known simply by the nickname IGA, is a Konami employee and one of the producers of the Castlevania video game series. He is best known as the assistant director of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, his first major involvement in the Castlevania series , also known simply by the nickname...
stated that if The Dracula X Chronicles does well, the series may return to the more traditional style of the original games.
The success of the Castlevania series has resulted in Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
awarding the series 7 world records in the Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008
Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition
Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition is a Guinness World Records book dedicated to video games. The first edition was released in February 2008 in association with the video games world records' tracking organization Twin Galaxies. The second edition was released in 2009...
. These records include "Most Games in an Action Adventure Series", "Largest Number of Platforms for One Series", and "Longest Castlevania Title" for the 1999 release Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness.
Gameplay
The earliest games borrowed source material from motifs in iconic horror cinema and other monsters from the Universal Horror and Hammer era of films. Examples include werewolves, Frankenstein's MonsterFrankenstein's monster
Frankenstein's monster is a fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus. The creature is often erroneously referred to as "Frankenstein", but in the novel the creature has no name...
, The Mummy
The Mummy (1932 film)
The Mummy is a 1932 horror film from Universal Studios directed by Karl Freund and starring Boris Karloff as a revived ancient Egyptian priest. The movie also features Zita Johann, David Manners and Edward Van Sloan...
, Medusa
Medusa
In Greek mythology Medusa , " guardian, protectress") was a Gorgon, a chthonic monster, and a daughter of Phorcys and Ceto. The author Hyginus, interposes a generation and gives Medusa another chthonic pair as parents. Gazing directly upon her would turn onlookers to stone...
, The Grim Reaper and Dracula himself. The earlier games paid homage to these films. The staff roll of the original Castlevania mentioned famous people associated with the horror genre, such as "Christopher Bee" and "Vram Stoker". Later games also include many monsters from mythological
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
sources.
Plot
Most of the Castlevania video game franchise has been about the vampire hunting family of the Belmonts and DraculaDracula (Castlevania)
, whose real name is Mathias Cronqvist , is a fictional character from the multi-platform Castlevania video game series...
. Almost every hundred years, Dracula is resurrected and generally the Belmonts must defeat him. Though most games in the series involve the Belmonts or their descendants, some protagonists, such as Soma Cruz
Soma Cruz
Soma Cruz, known in Japan as , is a fictional character and the protagonist of Konami's action-adventure games Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow and Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, part of Konami's Castlevania video game series. He was designed by Ayami Kojima as part of producer Koji Igarashi's desire to...
, are completely unrelated. The series is loosely based on Bram Stoker
Bram Stoker
Abraham "Bram" Stoker was an Irish novelist and short story writer, best known today for his 1897 Gothic novel Dracula...
's novel Dracula
Dracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
. The novel is included in the official timeline of the series, with Castlevania: Bloodlines
Castlevania: Bloodlines
Castlevania: Bloodlines is the only Castlevania video game released on the Mega Drive/Genesis. It was developed and published by Konami, and was first released in North America, on March 17, 1994. Its Japanese title is . This version featured a considerable amount of violence, with the American...
taking place shortly afterwards. The connection even goes so far as to claim that Quincey Morris
Quincey Morris
Quincey P. Morris is a fictional character in Bram Stoker's horror novel Dracula.-In the novel:He is a rich young American from Texas, and one of the three suitors for the hand of Lucy Westenra. Quincey is friends with the two other suitors, Arthur Holmwood and Dr. John Seward, as well as Jonathan...
, a character from the novel, is in fact a Belmont descendant.
The most iconic weapon of the series is a whip called Vampire Killer. It is the legendary weapon used by the Belmonts in the fights against Count Dracula
Count Dracula
Count Dracula is a fictional character, the titular antagonist of Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula and archetypal vampire. Some aspects of his character have been inspired by the 15th century Romanian general and Wallachian Prince Vlad III the Impaler...
, although it is sometimes passed through other families as well. Other names and terms used for it are the "Mystic Whip," and the "Whip of Alchemy." The story of its origin is shown in Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence, released as in Japan, Europe, and Australia, is an action-adventure video game developed by Konami for the PlayStation 2 console. Belonging to Konami's Castlevania video game series, it is the first installment of the series on the PlayStation 2 and the third to...
, where it is created by Rinaldo Gandolfi for Leon Belmont, through the use of alchemy
Alchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
. This whip is later fused with the soul of Leon's betrothed, Sara Trantoul, to create the Vampire Killer. A similar, but different whip is used by the main character, Nathan Graves, in Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon, known simply as Castlevania in the PAL region and as in Japan, is a video game created by Konami only for the Game Boy Advance...
, the "Hunter's Whip" can be augmented with magic to enhance its capabilities and the wielder depending on what is equipped. There are extra weapons available, such as fire, knives, and axes.
According to the Portrait of Ruin, only those possessing the "Belmont Warlord Chromosomes" are able to use the whip's full potential without paying a price, for the whip simply drains the life of users who are not of the Belmont lineage. This was learned by John Morris, for after his battle with Dracula, he noticed that his injuries never healed. Unable to fully utilize the Vampire Killer whip's powers without harming his own life, he soon succumbed and died. However, his son, Jonathan Morris, was able to receive the whip's full power for a short time through a ritual that was performed by the Lecarde sisters. The ritual required Jonathan to defeat the whip's memory of the previous owner, which was an entity
Entity
An entity is something that has a distinct, separate existence, although it need not be a material existence. In particular, abstractions and legal fictions are usually regarded as entities. In general, there is also no presumption that an entity is animate.An entity could be viewed as a set...
bearing the likeness of Richter Belmont. After Jonathan defeated a vampire by the name of Brauner who was utilizing Dracula's power, the whip was soon returned to the Belmont family.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is a reboot of the franchise. However, very few details of the plot are known since its announcement. "...we knew we would have to drop the existing timeline and story. This would be a new story that would not tie-in directly to anything that has come before, so that new players could just jump straight in." It's not part of the so-called timeline. This is an original, standalone product. We didn't want to follow the timeline because we felt it would put us in a bit of a box in terms of what we could do creatively... A lot of people don't understand the timeline. Even the fans - a lot of them don't really understand it...So this is a rebirth, definitely. It doesn't follow a timeline. It's not, people use the word canon, it's not canon. It's an original game."
Localization
In Japan, the series is known as . However, not every installment of the franchise had that title. For example, the first two installments for the NintendoNintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
were released under the title Dracula Densetsu and the game known in North America as Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
-Reception and legacy:Nintendo Power listed it as the ninth best Nintendo Entertainment System video game, praising it for its strong improvements over previous entries in the series.A 1991 Captain N episode was based on this game....
was originally released in Japan as Akumajō Densetsu. Castlevania: Bloodlines
Castlevania: Bloodlines
Castlevania: Bloodlines is the only Castlevania video game released on the Mega Drive/Genesis. It was developed and published by Konami, and was first released in North America, on March 17, 1994. Its Japanese title is . This version featured a considerable amount of violence, with the American...
was also released as Vampire Killer in Japan. Starting with the release of Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Konami for the Game Boy Advance. Belonging to Konami's Castlevania video game series, it is the second installment of the series on the Game Boy Advance...
for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
, the Japanese games adopted the name for a brief period. According to series producer Koji Igarashi
Koji Igarashi
, also known simply by the nickname IGA, is a Konami employee and one of the producers of the Castlevania video game series. He is best known as the assistant director of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, his first major involvement in the Castlevania series , also known simply by the nickname...
the developers chose to adopt the Castlevania title as a way to involve scenarios that do not solely revolve around Dracula himself. After some demand from fans in Japan, Konami returned to the Akumajō Dracula title with the Japanese release of Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Konami. It is part of Konami's Castlevania video game series and the first Castlevania game to be released on the Nintendo DS. The game is the sequel to Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow and...
.
The series is also known for the differences between the Japanese and English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
versions. Particularly in earlier installments, the localization process usually removes a heavy share of violence, nudity and religious imagery. Removal of such material is prevalent in Nintendo and Super Nintendo titles Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse and Super Castlevania IV
Super Castlevania IV
Super Castlevania IV, known as in Japan, is a platform game developed and published by Konami and the first Castlevania game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The game was originally released in 1991 and later re-released on the Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console in 2006...
, because of Nintendo of America's strict censorship policies at the time. Castlevania: Bloodlines, for the Sega Genesis, was renamed Castlevania: The New Generation for European and Australian releases to avoid the reference to blood used in the American title. In addition, blood was re-colored and the gore removed throughout the European and Australian versions. Although censorship policies vary from country to country in Europe, Germany's strict "decency standards" inevitably affected the content released throughout the entire continent.
Music
The music for the first Castlevania game was composed by Satoe Terashima and Kinuyo YamashitaKinuyo Yamashita
is a Japanese video game music composer and sound producer. Her best known soundtrack is Konami's Castlevania, which was also her debut work. She was credited under the pseudonym James Banana for her work on the Nintendo Entertainment System version of the game....
, of Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
's Kukeiha Club
KONAMI KuKeiHa CLUB
is Konami's sound team. It is often confused with 矩形波倶楽部 , Konami's in-house band that has released albums consisting of their studio performances. They are primarily responsible for the sound and music in the majority of Konami video games...
of composers, shortly after graduating from college, along with Satoe Terashima. Mrs. Yamashita was credited under the pseudonym James Banana for her work on the Disk System version of the game.
Most of Castlevania's music changes from game to game, but some themes recur often. These include Vampire Killer, composed by Mrs. Terashima, , first composed by Kenichi Matsubara, and Beginning by Masahiro Ikariko, Kazuhiko Uehara and T-San,. These three tracks first appeared in Castlevania, Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure role-playing platform game produced by Konami. It was originally released for the Family Computer Disk System in Japan 1987 and for the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in 1988. It is the second Castlevania...
and Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
-Reception and legacy:Nintendo Power listed it as the ninth best Nintendo Entertainment System video game, praising it for its strong improvements over previous entries in the series.A 1991 Captain N episode was based on this game....
respectively. Several songs, including both Vampire Killer and Bloody Tears were also featured in the soundtracks of other Konami games, including Wai Wai World, Contra: Hard Corps
Contra: Hard Corps
Contra: Hard Corps, released in Japan as and in Europe and Australia as Probotector, is a side-scrolling run and gun-style shoot-'em-up video game released by Konami for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive in...
, and Konami Krazy Racers
Konami Krazy Racers
Konami Krazy Racers is a kart racing video game published and developed by Konami for the Game Boy Advance handheld video game console and iOS. It was first released in Japan, and was later released in North America and some PAL regions. It was a launch game for the system...
. 柴田直人プロジェクト (Naoto Shibata PROJECT)'s version of Bloody Tears is often incorrectly attributed to Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band, formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic black metal, and other extreme metal styles, while their lyrical themes and imagery are heavily...
on various peer-to-peer
Peer-to-peer
Peer-to-peer computing or networking is a distributed application architecture that partitions tasks or workloads among peers. Peers are equally privileged, equipotent participants in the application...
networks, but can actually be found on Perfect Selection: Dracula Battle
Perfect Selection: Dracula Battle
Perfect Selection: Dracula Battle is an album arranged by Naoto Shibata and performed by 柴田直人プロジェクト , a group of musicians he put together. This album features hard rock renditions of several classic Akumajō Dracula themes. It was released in Japan on July 21, 1994...
, an album featuring hard rock renditions of several classic Castlevania themes. Rap group Army of the Pharaohs
Army of the Pharaohs
Army of the Pharaohs is a hip hop supergroup originating from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, formed by Jedi Mind Tricks MC, Vinnie Paz in 1998.-Recording history:...
also used a sample of the song as a background for their song, also called Bloody Tears.. The ending theme in Castlevania 2 has also been recorded by Australian rock group Toehider.
UK singer-songwriter Lily Allen
Lily Allen
Lily Rose Beatrice Cooper , better known as Lily Allen, is an English recording artist and fashion designer. She is the daughter of actor and musician Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. In her teenage years, her musical tastes evolved from glam rock to alternative...
sampled pieces of music and sound effects from the original Castlevania game in the song Cheryl Tweedy, which was included on some versions of her debut album Alright, Still
Alright, Still
Alright, Still is the debut album by British pop singer-songwriter Lily Allen, released on 14 July 2006 by Regal Recordings . Recording the album began with sessions between Allen and production duo Future Cut, and Allen's work garnered publicity on the Internet as she posted demos to her MySpace...
.
Reception
The Castlevania franchise has received significant amount of critical acclaim, with the most acclaimed game being Symphony of the Night for the PlayStationPlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
and the most panned being Judgment
Castlevania Judgment
Initial reaction to the announcement that the game would be a fighting game was received by some with shock and skepticism. IGN's initial viewing of the pre-E3 build of the game made their reviewers conclude the game had promise...
, with aggregate scores of 93 and 49, respectively, on Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
and 93.38% and 52.71%, respectively, on GameRankings.
Many of the games have appeared on lists of "best games ever". Symphony of the Night appeared at #16 on IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
"Top 100 games" and was one of the first to be introducted on the GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
"The Greatest Games of All Time". Both acclaimed the game to successfully making a game in 2D while the industry was moving to 3D. Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
-Reception and legacy:Nintendo Power listed it as the ninth best Nintendo Entertainment System video game, praising it for its strong improvements over previous entries in the series.A 1991 Captain N episode was based on this game....
was named the 9th best 8-bit game by GameTrailers
GameTrailers
GameTrailers is a media website that specializes in video game related content. It provides free access to original programming , game trailers and recorded game play. Along with standard definition , many of the video clips are offered in a higher resolution .Users can upload videos, create...
. Super Castlevania IV
Super Castlevania IV
Super Castlevania IV, known as in Japan, is a platform game developed and published by Konami and the first Castlevania game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The game was originally released in 1991 and later re-released on the Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console in 2006...
was named the 11th best game of the SNES by ScrewAttack
ScrewAttack
ScrewAttack . is a video game-related website that showcases original entertainment for an audience of video game enthusiasts. Its content is also shown on GameTrailers and IGN...
on their "Top 20 SNES Games". The series as a whole was also named one the 4th best franchises in game ever by IGN, behind only Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
, The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda, originally released as in Japan, is a video game developed and published by Nintendo, and designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. Set in the fantasy land of Hyrule, the plot centers on a boy named Link, the playable protagonist, who aims to collect the eight fragments...
and Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
, and citing Symphony of the Night, Aria of Sorrow and Super Castlevania IV as highlights. Aria of Sorrow was also named the 2nd best game on the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
and one of the must buy for the system, according to the same website.
Three games appeared on Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
"Top 200 Games", namely Castlevania
Castlevania (video game)
Castlevania, known as in Japan, is a console video game developed and published by Konami for the Family Computer Disk System in Japan in September 1986. A year later, in May 1987 it was ported to cartridge format and released in North America for the Nintendo Entertainment System followed by a...
, Aria of Sorrow and Circle of the Moon
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon, known simply as Castlevania in the PAL region and as in Japan, is a video game created by Konami only for the Game Boy Advance...
, at #23, #22 and #108 respectively.
Merchandise and other media
Simon Belmont was one of the stars in the animated series Captain N: The Game MasterCaptain N: The Game Master
Captain N: The Game Master was an American animated television series that aired on television from 1989 to 1991 as part of the Saturday morning cartoon lineup on NBC. The show incorporated elements from many of the most popular Nintendo games of the time...
. He was a member of the N-Team, a group of mostly video game characters who defended Videoland against the antagonist Mother Brain from Metroid
Metroid
is an action-adventure video game, and the first entry in the Metroid series. It was co-developed by Nintendo's Research and Development 1 division and Intelligent Systems, and was released in Japan in August 1986, in North America in August 1987, and in Europe in January 1988...
. Dracula, referred to only as 'the count', also appeared as a villain in Captain N. Alucard appeared in one episode, though he was portrayed as a rebellious skateboarding teenager. Several other Castlevania monsters had minor roles, including Frankenstein's Monster, the Mummy, the Wolf Man, and the Skull Knight. Simon is portrayed as egotistical on the show and his physical appearance differs from his design in the video game series.
Action figure
Action figure
An action figure is a posable character figurine, made of plastic or other materials, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, video game, or television program. These action figures are usually marketed towards boys and male collectors...
and collectible manufacturer company NECA
National Entertainment Collectibles Association
The National Entertainment Collectibles Association or NECA is an American manufacturer of collectibles typically licensed from films, video-games, sports, music, and television based in New Jersey...
officially licensed Castlevania to produce a line of models of characters due for distribution in October 2007. The first series includes Simon Belmont, Dracula, Alucard
Alucard (Castlevania)
, better known as is a fictional character in Konami's Castlevania series of video games. His first appearance in the series was in the 1990 Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, but he is best known for his role in the critically acclaimed Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, released in 1997.His...
, and the Succubus from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Konami in 1997. It is the 14th installment of the Castlevania series, the first installment released for the PlayStation, and a direct sequel to Castlevania: Rondo of Blood.Symphony of the...
. Hollywood stuntman Daniel Weinstein served as the model for the Simon Belmont figure.
In 2005 IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
released a comic book adaptation Castlevania: The Belmont Legacy written by Marc Andreyko
Marc Andreyko
Marc Andreyko is a comic book and screenplay writer, known for writing the 2000s ongoing series Manhunter for DC Comics...
with art by E. J. Su
E. J. Su
E.J. Su is an American comic book artist and penciller. He was born in Taiwan and moved to the United States at the age of 14. He is best known for his work on IDW Publishing's Transformers comic book....
. It was based on the Castlevania The Adventure.
In 2008, a graphic novel adaption of "Curse of Darkness" was released by Tokyopop in English.
Film
In November 2005, Crystal Sky Pictures acquired the rights to adapt the video game series into a motion picture. The company attached Paul W.S. Anderson to write and direct the film adaptationFilm adaptation
Film adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a feature film. It is a type of derivative work.A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a feature film, but film adaptation includes the use of non-fiction , autobiography, comic book, scripture, plays, and even...
, with production slated to begin in mid-2006. Later in the month, Dimension Films
Dimension Films
Dimension Films is a motion picture unit currently a part of The Weinstein Company. It was formerly used as Bob Weinstein's label within Miramax Films, to produce and release genre films...
entered negotiations with Crystal Sky for North American distribution of Castlevania. The film adaptation was estimated to have a budget of $50 million. In July 2006, producer Jeremy Bolt explained that Castlevania will "integrate a Dracula origin story... with the story of the Belmonts". Bolt also said that the film would refer back to early versions of the games. Director Anderson reiterated Bolt's description, adding that Dracula and Simon Belmont would be key characters in the film. Anderson also indicated that the "very lush, Romantic, Gothic look" of the 3D incarnations of the Castlevania series would be used in the film. He also expressed his hope in using the games' composer, Michiru Yamane
Michiru Yamane
is a Japanese video game composer and musician. She is known primarily for her work on the Castlevania series and other Konami games, including Suikoden. Her debut composition was Twinbee...
, to score the film's soundtrack.
In November 2006, Rogue Pictures
Rogue Pictures
Rogue is a subsidiary of Relativity Media. The company has about 25 titles in its library.- Background :In 1997, Rogue Pictures was formed as a division of PolyGram Pictures but the name was dropped in 2000 after Universal Pictures bought PolyGram...
replaced Dimension Films, who reneged over script differences, in handling North American distribution of Castlevania, with Crystal Sky Pictures handling international distribution. Paul W.S. Anderson described Castlevania to take place in many time periods, but primarily in 15th century Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
. The director and producer Jeremy Bolt had scouted locations in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, with plans to build castle interiors in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. Principal photography was slated to begin in spring 2007.
In January 2007, director Anderson said the studio was still finalizing the film's budget, and filming would begin in fall or winter in Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. According to the director, the filming was postponed because production had desired snow on the ground for the film's forest scenes. Anderson described the locations: "It was like discovering Mordor as a real location — epic, dramatic, and above all scary. These locations haven't been shot properly in a mainstream movie, so that is always extra exciting... to put something on camera that hasn't been seen before". The director also revealed that post-production and effects work for Castlevania would be done in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
In June 2007, Anderson conceded directing duties to Sylvain White
Sylvain White
Sylvain White is a film director.Son of an American professional basketball player and a French flight attendant, Sylvain White was born in France and grew up mostly in Paris. After attending La Sorbonne University for law, he earned a scholarship to Pomona College in California, where he...
in order to take on the project Death Race
Death Race (film)
Death Race is a 2008 action film produced, written and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson and starring Jason Statham. Though referred to as a remake of the 1975 film Death Race 2000 in reviews and marketing materials, director Paul W.S. Anderson stated in an interview and the DVD commentary that he...
, a remake of Death Race 2000
Death Race 2000
Death Race 2000 is a 1975 cult action film directed by Paul Bartel, and starring David Carradine, Simone Griffeth and Sylvester Stallone. The film takes place in a dystopian American society in the year 2000, where the murderous Transcontinental Road Race has become a form of national entertainment...
. White, who played the Castlevania video game in the early 1990s, was attracted to the prospect of filming a vampire film. White explained: "Most of the vampire films have been present or set in the future, from Blade
Blade (film)
Blade is a 1998 vampire superhero action horror starring Wesley Snipes and Stephen Dorff, loosely based on the Marvel Comics character Blade. The film was directed by Stephen Norrington and written by David S. Goyer. Blade grossed $70 million at the U.S. box office, and $131.2 million worldwide...
to Underworld
Underworld (2003 film)
Underworld is a 2003 action-horror film about the secret history of Vampires and Lycans . It is the first installment in the Underworld series. The main plot revolves around Selene , a vampire who is a Death Dealer hunting Lycans...
, and I was attracted by the chance to make a dark, epic period movie that almost has an anime feel to it". The new director, who negotiated a salary of seven figures, will rewrite the script with Anderson's assistance. The premise will follow Trevor Belmont and his younger brother Christopher as they are ordered into service to the church, to take the cursed castle of Dracula and live up to the legend set by their ancestor Leon. Production of Castlevania was slated to begin in late fall 2007 in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Romania. Castlevania was planned for a late 2008 release. In October 2007, Anderson said that he hoped to have a script within two or three weeks before the onset of the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike. Producer Jeremy Bolt said that production was intended to begin in spring 2008.
In December 2007, Rogue Pictures halted active development
Development hell
In the jargon of the media-industry, "development hell" is a period during which a film or other project is trapped in development...
of Castlevania due to the writers' strike and, later, the sale of the studio to Relativity Media
Relativity Media
Relativity Media is an American independent motion picture production and investment company based in West Hollywood, California.- Company :...
and possibility of a screen actors' guild strike. Despite the shelving, White remains committed to direct the film. "We still want to make the movie, but I can't say we're going into production in January or anything like that. It's a project that everybody likes. I love the videogame. I think the script is really strong. Everyone is really enthusiastic about it, but we're still in the process of deciding when the movie gets shot," Anderson explained.
On May 27, 2009, the Castlevania film was reported as officially canceled. However, on July 22, horror website Bloody Disgusting broke the news that Saw
Saw (film)
Saw is a 2004 American independent horror film directed by James Wan. The screenplay, written by Leigh Whannell, is based on a story by Wan and Whannell. The film stars Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Michael Emerson, Ken Leung, Whannell and Tobin Bell...
co-creator James Wan
James Wan
James Wan is a Malaysian-born Australian producer, screenwriter, and film director of Chinese heritage. He is widely known for directing the horror film Saw and creating Billy the puppet. He also directed Dead Silence, Death Sentence and Insidious.-Life and career:Wan was born in Kuching, Sarawak,...
had been signed to pen a new draft, as well as to direct. A few months later it was reported that Paul W. S. Anderson is still circling the project.
External links
- Akumajō Dracula series at Konami Tokyo
- Castlevania series at Konami USA
- CastleKeeper's Chronicles - The World of Castlevania