Editing Castlevania (universe)

{{ArticleIcons|ultimate=y}}{{Title|''Castlevania'' (universe)}}

|caption = [[File:CastlevaniaSymbol.svg|50px|class=invert-dark]]

|publisher = [[Konami]]<br>Hamster Corporation<br>Nintendo

|developer = Konami<br>Eighting<br>MercurySteam<br>Kojima Productions<br>Hamster Corporation<br>M2<br>Distinctive Software<br>Novotrade International

|genres = Action-adventure<br>Metroidvania

|latestinstallment = ''Castlevania Dominus Collection'' (2024)

The '''''Castlevania'' universe''' ({{ja|悪魔城ドラキュラ|Akumajō Dorakyura}}, ''Demon Castle Dracula'') refers to the ''{{b|Super Smash Bros.|series}}'' series' collection of characters, stages, and properties that hail from the famous dark-fantasy series created by [[Konami]], inspired by Bram Stoker's novel ''Dracula''. The series is the second of Konami's to see representation through characters and stages, following {{uv|Metal Gear}}. Its logo is a silhouette of [[Dracula's Castle]] (often referred to as the titular Castlevania), which most protagonists of the series venture through on a quest to slay Dracula. Additionally, ''Castlevania'', along with the {{uv|Metroid}} series, were responsible for kickstarting the existence of a subgenre of exploration-based adventure games known as "Metroidvania".

After the Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System proved itself as a wildly successful video game console that gave particular rise to the 2D platformer genre, [[Konami]] employee Hitoshi Akamatsu decided to create a more ambitious take on the genre. This game was approached "from a film director's eye" in a deliberate attempt to make a game more cinematic than what came before.<ref>[https://shmuplations.com/castlevania/ Castlevania – Developer Commentary]</ref> The developers took inspiration from many public domain horror figures such as Bram Stoker's ''Dracula'', Mary Shelley's ''Frankenstein'', and the Greek myth of Medusa, as well as the {{iw|wikipedia|Universal Pictures}} monster movies of the early-to-mid twentieth century. This game would release {{iw|wikipedia|Famicom Disk System}} as ''Akumajō Dracula'' ("Demon Castle Dracula") on September 26, 1986. The before being released internationally on the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] as ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania|1986 video game}}''. The name change was due to the localization team believing the game would not be able to release with the word "Demon" in the title, which coincides with the more blatant religious references in the game being censored or removed. The game follows vampire hunter [[Simon Belmont]] of the Belmont clan, a bloodline devoted to defeating Dracula whenever he is resurrected; armed with his bloodline's legendary whip, Vampire Killer, he embarks on a journey through [[Dracula]]'s [[Dracula's Castle|Castle]] to defeat the Count himself. The time period of the game was later revealed to take place in the year 1691, starting the trend of the series directly and implicitly referencing real historical events. The game received praise for its unique gothic atmosphere, excellent soundtrack, and difficult gameplay, particularly its intentionally stiff movement and reliance on items making the game more methodical and precise that set it apart from the competition.

The game has also received many remakes and re-releases. A sister release for the {{iw|wikipedia|MSX2}} titled ''{{iw|wikipedia|Vampire Killer}}'' was developed concurrently with the console version and contains some exclusive content. The 1988 arcade game ''Haunted Castle'' was a very loose retelling of the events with more new content. The Sharp {{iw|wikipedia|X68000}} received a more faithful port of the game in 1993, which itself was re-released alongside a remake of its own as ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania Chronicles}}'' for PlayStation in 2001. Another reimagining was released for Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991 as ''{{iw|wikipedia|Super Castlevania IV}}''. Another arcade version released as ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania: The Arcade}}'' in 2009, this time as an on-rails adventure game.  

A sequel was put into production after the financial success of the seminal entry, which released on August 28, 1987 for Famicom Disk System as ''Dracula II'', which retroactively received a subtitle when it released internationally as ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania II: Simon's Quest}}''. Set several years after the first game, Simon needs to retrieve the body parts of Dracula in order to revive and kill him again to reverse a curse put upon him. Something of note is that the move to the NES meant scrapping the save feature of the disks to a password system, which saved memory and made the game load faster, which left room for enhanced graphics and a completely remastered soundtrack, ironically making the NES version the superior version to play. The game is a radical departure from the previous entry in that it is a non-linear adventure game with a greater emphasis on puzzle solving and time management. The team admitted that games like {{uv|Metroid}} and ''{{iw|wikipedia|The Maze of Galious}}'' were major inspirations, laying the foundation for what the series would eventually become. These changes were controversial upon release for being so radically different and not necessarily for the better, and the game is still contentious to this day. However, this game is still influential, with other franchises like {{uvm3|Getsu Fuma Den}} taking inspiration from this game in particular and building the experience around the framework to much more positive reception.

A spinoff released for Game Boy in 1989 titled ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania: The Adventure}}''. This game stars Christopher Belmont, ancestor to Simon in the late 1500s, who goes on a quest to defeat Dracula like the rest of his family. This game was widely panned upon release for its slow pace, tedious and confusing level design, and unnecessary changes like a timer and altered item utility. The game received a sequel in 1991 titled ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge}}'', where Christopher returns to save his son Soleil from being captured and used by Dracula to take over the world. The game was a noted improvement over the previous entry for a faster pace, more fair level design, and overall being more in line with other games in the franchise. The first game received a remake in 2009 exclusive to the WiiWare service titled ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth}}'', and was considered a significant improvement over the original with better graphics and smoother gameplay.

A third NES entry released in 1989 titled ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse}}''. Set in 1476, vampire hunter Trevor Belmont recruits Grant Danasty, Sypha Belnades, and Dracula's own half-human son [[Alucard]] to stop the count from destroying humanity. The Japanese version is notable for using a custom sound chip that utilizes 8 music channels instead of the standard 5 channels. The chip was not used in the international version, so the soundtrack had to be paired down to fit on the system. This again saved on memory, which was filled with new content like hidden game modes and rebalanced characters. This game was seen as a return to form for the series and set the standard for the 2D platformer side of the ''Castlevania'' series.

 

 

The next mainline entry would be released in 1993 for the PC Engine Super CD-ROM² as ''Akumajō Dracula X: Chi no Rondo''. Set in 1791, Dracula returns and kidnaps four maidens in order to take over the world, most of which are directly connected to vampire hunter [[Richter Belmont]], who must liberate these women and defeat Dracula. The game utilized the new CD format for higher quality audio, full voice acting, and cutscenes to tell the plot. While different playable characters were not new to the series, this entry was the first to have an alternate campaign with Maria Renard, a young girl and magician in training who is a distant relative to the Belmonts, who even has an alternate joke ending. This game was reviewed as an excellent entry to the series with many innovations that would later be core to the series, though it would take many years to properly release outside of Japan. It received a loose remake for SNES titled ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania: Dracula X}}'' in 1995 that was widely seen as a step down from the original. The game received a 2.5D remake for PlayStation Portable in 2007 as ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles}}'', and the original version would finally release overseas on the [[Wii]] [[Virtual Console]] in 2010, where it was officially titled  ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania: Rondo of Blood}}''.

 

 

The next entry is a direct continuation of  ''Rondo of Blood '', released in 1997 for PlayStation and Sega Saturn as  ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania: Symphony of the Night}}''. This game was primarily overseen by up-and-coming employee {{iw|wikipedia|Koji Igarashi}}, who joined Konami in 1990 and had worked on several PC projects. Development began in 1994 for the Sega 32X add-on for the Genesis, going under the tentative title of ''Castlevania: The Bloodletting ''.  After the add-on's commercial failure and the dawning of a new console generation, Konami decided to cancel this project and transitioned the remains into what would become the final product three years later. The plot sees Richter Belmont disappear in the years following his battle with Dracula, whose castle suddenly reappears. With no Belmont to face this issue, Alucard reawakens and returns as an emergency back-up plan to deal with the crisis himself. Gameplay is a drastic departure from what came before, taking inspiration from  ''Simon's Quest'' and refining the experience into an action RPG based around exploring the castle and backtracking after acquiring new abilities to overcome previously impossible obstacles. The game was a massive success for Konami in a world where a 2D game like itself was seen as archaic and stuck in the past. Praise was given to its genius level design and worldbuilding, providing more insight into the histories of Alucard, Dracula, and their tying into the history of the Belmonts. This game would even solidify a genre of gaming alongside its direct inspiration, Metroid, colloquially dubbed “Metroidvania” by fans.

 

Also in 1997, another Game Boy title released titled  ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania Legends}}''. Gameplay is mostly similar to previous entries, though this was not seen as a good thing and the game felt antiquated upon release. The plot involves Sonia Belmont, matriarch of the entire Belmont clan at the time, in the family's first conflict with Dracula. However, this plot was later declared non-canon along with Sonia. She was planned to reappear in the Dreamcast game ''Castlevania: Resurrection'' before it was canceled.

 

Despite the franchise still doing well by sticking to its 2D roots, Konami wanted to break the franchise into 3D gameplay. This resulted in the title simply known as  ''Castlevania'' in 1999 for [[Nintendo 64]]. The game is a departure from the series due to its design based on 3D exploration and combat. The team behind this game had little experience in 3D game design, which shows in the final product with clunky controls, awkward level design and a cumbersome camera that made the game frustrating to play. Sales were decent, but the game left a permanent mark on the franchise. The game received a sequel only a few months later titled ''Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness''. The game is mostly the same as its predecessor, but with some quality-of-life improvements and reintroduction of some cut content. Though these marginal improvements were not enough to save face and the game sold even worse, now considered a rare collector's item. Both titles have also been struck from canon after the fact.

 

While those games were being made, a different team were working on a successor to ''Symphony of the Night'', this time for the new Game Boy Advance as the style of game they were making was suitable for the pick up and play nature and small scale of a handheld console. This game released in 2001 as ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania: Circle of the Moon}}''.  The game refined what audiences liked about the previous game and added some new ideas like cards that create unique attacks when paired together that are effective against certain enemies. The game was well received as the Metroidvania formula on a handheld and sold well for a launch title, though this game was also struck from canon as new games contradicted with its plot.

 

The groundwork created with ''Circle of the Moon'' was iterated at a fairly frequent rate on handheld consoles. The first was released in 2002 titled ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance}}'', again for Game Boy Advance and developed by the actual team behind ''Symphony of the Night''. Taking place in 1748, Juste Belmont, grandson of Simon Belmont, travel to a mysterious castle to save his friends and stop the revival of Dracula. New additions include being able to travel between two different versions of the castle to progress as well as multiple endings depending on actions taken during the game. This game was more divisive upon release. While its gameplay and level design was as tightly designed as ever, it being one of the easiest games in the series up to that point, overall smaller scale and less ambitious ideas held its potential back, as well as its soundtrack being uncharacteristically generic and forgettable. The game still sold well off the hype of the previous entries.

 

These criticisms would be addressed in 2003 with the next release ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow}}'', again for Game Boy Advance. Taking place in 2035, the game stars young man Soma Cruz as he makes his way through Dracula's castle alongside friends new and old as he tries to stop Dracula's revival and figure out who he really is. This game in particular is seen as a high point of the series, with additions like more weapon variety and different abilities acquired from defeated enemies would again inspire other games in the future. This game would get a direct sequel in 2005 for {{uv|Nintendo DS}} titled ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow}}''. Set one year after the previous game, the past of Soma Cruz starts catching up with him and now he has to deal with the many threats and enemies drawn to him as a result. This game again received high marks as a great game, particularly with the inventive ways it utilized both screens.

 

On home consoles, another team was tinkering with the Nintendo 64 games and wanted to improve their formula for future entries. The first attempt at this initiative released as ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania: Lament of Innocence}}'' in 2003 for PlayStation 2. Set in 1094, the game stars Leon Belmont, patriarch of the entire Belmont clan, and his involvement in the origin of Dracula that was hinted at in previous games. The developers would admit to regretting this plot, as it gives a hard limit on the amount of times Dracula can resurrect, and thus the amount of games that can be made without going into the far future. Audiences recognized the significant improvements to the 3D ''Castlevania'' formula, with snappier gameplay and introducing elements found in the Metroidvania titles for cohesion and variety. That being said, the game was seen as repetitive and tedious with few attempts at being inventive with its concept, and the game has aged poorly in this regard.

 

A second attempt at this formula was in 2005 as ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania: Curse of Darkness}}'' for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Taking place three years after the event of ''Dracula's Curse'', the game sees the return of Trevor Belmont and his cohorts deal with new threats in the wake of them defeating Dracula. While the battle system was considered a marked improvement over its predecessors, the game overall felt samey and did not do much to stand out.

 

Back on the Nintendo DS, a wholly original title in the series released in 2006 titled ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin}}''. Taking place in 1944 and serving as a continuation of ''Castlevania: Bloodlines'', the game sees John Morris's descendant Jonathan team up with Charlotte Aulin to travel a Europe ravaged by the second World War to stop a revived Dracula. This game was also the first in the series to have online capabilities, notably using [[Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection]] to interact and play with others cooperatively. The game was overall received as an excellent entry in the series, although some elements like the two characters were divisive at the time.

 

The Nintendo DS then received another entry in 2008 titled ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia}}''. Set in the 1800s after the events of ''Symphony of the Night'', the Belmont clan and the Vampire Killer whip have largely disappeared after the incident with Richter. With no other options, a magical vessel named Shanoa is tasked with defeating Dracula herself. While the game received praise like previous entries, a sentiment of the franchise becoming oversaturated was growing with games coming out at too quick a pace, reflected in dwindling sales.

 

Also in 2008, the [[Wii]] received a new entry titled ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania Judgement}}'', an arena-based fighting game that notably had ''Death Note'' writer and illustrator Takeshi Obata redesign the entire cast. The game was poorly received at launch due to its awkward controls, shallow gameplay, incoherent plot, and unappealing redesigns. In hindsight, many fans consider this game the breaking point for the series.

 

Going into the new decade, Konami were looking to completely reboot the ''Castlevania'' series, particularly after several shepherds of the franchise resigned from the company around this time. As a response to this exodus and bide time before a plan can be put into place, the game ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania: Harmony of Despair}}'' was released in 2010 for Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 later in 2011. The game is mainly an asset-flip of previous games where players can explore famous locations as a host of different characters with a focus on online multiplayer. Six characters were available at launch, with more levels and playable characters being available in subsequent DLC packs. This was also notably the final ''Castlevania'' title overseen by Koji Igarashi, who would leave the company to become independent in 2014.

 

The Spain-based developer MercurySteam would catch the attention of Konami, as they were greenlit to make a new game in the series. Development was shaky, as Konami wanted to pull MercurySteam as primary developer, before {{uv|Metal Gear}}'s creator Hideo Kojima stepped in to personally oversee the project and shield Mercury Steam from Konami's influence. The game released in 2010 as ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania: Lords of Shadow}}'' for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with a PC version in 2013. Being a total reboot of the series, the game is set in a new continuity with Gabriel Belmont facing various demonic threats while also trying to figure out who and what he really is. Gameplay drew inspiration from earlier 3D entries while refining those systems and taking inspirations from other games. The game was praised for its bold and different take on the franchise, though criticism was levied over its gameplay being derivative and chasing trends. This did not stop the game from selling incredibly well, becoming the best-selling game in the franchise to this day.

 

 

 

The ''Castlevania'' franchise is currently in a dormant phase, with publisher Konami largely pulling out of the home console game market. The last notable title was initially the 2019 free-to-play mobile game ''Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls'', which was shut down in 2020 and then relaunched the following year as a Apple Arcade exclusive. In 2024, Konami released a new ''Castlevania'' game, a remake of ''Haunted Castle'' called ''Haunted Castle Revisited'', as part of the ''Castlevania Dominus Collection'' by M2. It has received praise as an improvement over the original ''Haunted Castle''. Additionally, Konami has rereleased their ''Castlevania'' games via several compilations throughout the years. The ''Castlevania Classic Collection'' was released in 2019 as part of Konami's 50th anniversary and ''Kid Dracula'' was released outside of Japan for the first time. The ''Advance Collection'' was released in 2021 and the ''Dominus Collection'' in 2024. Konami has made several pachinko games that used the  ''Castlevania'' branding since 2015.

 

Outside of the core series, a few games have featured cameos such as ''Konami Wai Wai World'', ''DreamMix TV World Fighters'', the indie game ''Dead Cells'', a few installments in the {{uv|Bomberman}} franchise, and a dedicated DLC expansion in ''{{iw|wikipedia|Vampire Survivors}}''. Outside of games, Simon Belmont makes a starring role in the tv show  ''Captain N: The Game Master''. The franchise also received a [[wikipedia:Castlevania (TV series)|Netflix animated series]] adapting the events of ''Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse'', premiering in 2017 and concluding with the fourth season in 2021. A sequel series, ''{{iw|wikipedia|Castlevania: Nocturne}}'', focuses on Richter Belmont and Maria Renard during the French Revolution. It premiered its first season on Netflix in 2023, with a second season currently in production.

The ''Castlevania'' universe has media represented throughout the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series with a total of 28 games. The latest game represented in this universe is ''Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls'', released on September 20, 2019.

*With the playable appearances of Simon and {{SSBU|Richter}}, ''Castlevania'' is the first third-party franchise to have more than one playable fighter (the others are {{uv|Street Fighter}} and {{uv|Final Fantasy}}) and the only one to debut with more than one character.