Castlevania, Known in Japan as Akumajō Dracula (悪魔城ドラキュラ Akumajō Dorakyura?, lit. "Devil's Castle Dracula"), is an action-platformer video game developed and published by Konami for the Family Computer Disk System video game console in Japan in September 1986. It was ported to cartridge format and released in North America for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in May 1987 and in Europe in 1988. It was also re-issued for the Family Computer in cartridge format in 1993.
Players control Simon Belmont, who has entered Castlevania to defeat the vampire Count Dracula. It is the first game in Konami's Castlevania video game series, and was developed in tandem with the MSX2 game Vampire Killer, which was released a month later and follows the same premise, but features different gameplay mechanics. Castlevania was succeeded by two NES sequels and prequels, Castlevania II: Simon's Quest and Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse. Super Castlevania IV, which follows the same setting, was released in 1991 for the Super Nintendo. A remake of the game for the Sharp X68000 home computer was eventually re-released for the PlayStation as Castlevania Chronicles in 2001.
Castlevania was positively received and financially successful. It is considered an NES classic by PC World, while Nintendo Power and Game Informer ranked it in their list of best video games ever made.
Plot[]
In the year 1691, Transylvania enjoyed a century of peace thanks to the legendary hero, Christopher Belmont, a vampire hunter who vanquished Count Dracula one hundred years earlier with a holy whip named the Vampire Killer. The people of a Transylvanian village were enjoying their fortune with an Easter celebration in honor of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but every one hundred years, the power of Jesus weakened, and the hearts of men turned black as they yearned for chaos and destruction. During this time, they sought to revive Count Dracula so he may spread chaos and ruination throughout the world. While the Easter celebration carried on with a grand carnival, evil men gathered in a monastery at the edge of the village and conducted a black mass to resurrect Count Dracula.
The men succeeded in bringing their master back in 1691. A bolt of lightning enveloped the monastery where they held the rite, signaling the resurrection of Count Dracula. When the Count returned, his castle, which had fallen one hundred years prior, reappeared in Transylvania, and his legions of loyal minions reformed.
Simon Belmont, the descendant of Christopher Belmont, knew that as a member of the Belmont Clan and the current wielder of the Vampire Killer whip, it was his duty to bring peace and stability back to Transylvania by destroying Dracula. The Count was said to grow in strength with each resurrection, but Simon pressed on. He took the very same whip Christopher used to kill Dracula one hundred years before and entered the castle alone. Simon proved himself a mighty vampire hunter by withstanding the monsters and traps of Dracula's castle, and in the end, destroying Count Dracula himself.
Though Simon prevailed in ridding the world of the scourge of Dracula, he was terribly wounded by Count Dracula in the process.
Gameplay[]
Castlevania consists of six linear stages with a boss at the end of each stage. The stages represent areas of Dracula's decrepit castle, and the enemies are typically taken from horror literature, lore and films. Castlevania is an action-adventure platformer that emphasizes precision and timing. Players begin the game with four lives and five Hearts. Throughout these stages are pits and other traps that cause instant defeat. Many enemies will try to take advantage of these, as Simon is knocked backward when he takes a hit. As players progress further into the game, the enemies will deal greater damage, eventually to the point where Simon will be defeated after taking four hits.
Simon's primary weapon is his whip, the Vampire Killer. The Vampire Killer can be upgraded to boost attack strength and length. Upgrades and items are found by striking candelabras or by killing enemies. Aside from the whip, Simon uses sub-weapons that have varying affects, such as the Boomerang (Cross), which Simon throws straight ahead and crosses the length of the screen before returning and going past to the point where it was thrown, and the Stopwatch, which halts enemy movement for a short period of time. These sub-weapons cost Hearts to use. Simon can only carry one sub-weapon at a time. Players are rewarded with points for killing enemies and clearing a stage. The amount of points gained at the end of a stage depends on how quickly it was completed. Extra lives can be earned through gaining enough points.
After beating the game, players return to the first stage while retaining their weapons and score. This time, however, they face stronger enemies. Players often refer to this as a "second quest" or "hard mode".
Trivia[]
- Simon Belmont appears as playable character as Konami Wai Wai World, Konami Wai Wai Sokoban, New Interational Track & Field.
- Simon Belmont and Dracula appears as Belmont Bomber and Dracula Bomber in Super Bomberman R.
- In Pro Yakyū Spirits A, Simon Belmont appears in the event 2020 OB Dai 3-dan (2020OB第1弾) as part of Kessei! Pro Spirits Ouen-Dan (結成！プロスピ応援団) from November 11 to 26.
- Simon Belmont appears as the crossover fighting game Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
- The Creature and Count Dracula makes cameo in chapter 10 of the manga Famicom Tanteidan.
- Simon Belmont, The Creature, Giant Bat, Death and Count Dracula appears in chapter 11 of the manga Famicom Wolf.