Castlevania - NES

ESRB Rating:
Release Date: 9-26-1986
Moby Score (1-10): 7.9
Genre(s): Action, Side view, Platform, Fantasy, Horror, 2D scrolling, Regional differences
Media Type(s): Physical

Within this box your fate may be sealed.

Beyond the twisted iron gates of Castlevania there lurks an unearthly terror who stalks the night in search of revenge... and blood.

With darkness and fear slowly engulfing the town, village elders are calling on you, Simon Belmont - the one hero with the power to forever entomb that death defying demon - Count Dracula.

To survive you'll need the strength to wield weapons like the whip, dagger, hatchet and fire bomb. You'll also need a ferocious intellect to find the option that renders you invisible and the clock that suspends time, both of which are hidden in a maze of cobwebs and torture chambers.

But before you sharpen your stake, know that behind these purgatory walls are dungeons, tombs and haunted hallways filled with hundreds of creatures who have escaped from the grave. These gothic horrors include the Ax Man, the Skele-Dragon, the Mummy Man, the She Worm and that cursed "dead-head" - the Grim Reaper.

At every turn these occult obstacles will become more vicious. And, as you step deeper and deeper into the darkness, their point values will slowly pale in comparison to the value you'll place on staying alive.

So grab your cross of gold and prepare to confront the blood thirsty Count in a deadly adventure that will surely leave you drained.

For 1 player only.

Castlevania is a single-player side-scrolling action platform game. Every hundred years, Count Dracula returns to terrorize the land. Simon Belmont, heir to a famed line of vampire hunters, enters the Count’s sprawling castle to break the curse and end the rampage. The fortress is a maze of halls, towers, catacombs, and clockworks filled with classic monsters and traps that guard the path to Dracula’s throne room.

Players guide Simon through a sequence of themed stages, each concluding with a boss encounter. Movement emphasizes deliberate timing: jumps follow a fixed arc, stairs must be climbed to change vertical levels, and enemy hits cause knockback that can send Simon into pits or hazards. A visible timer limits each stage, and losing all health, falling, or running out of time costs a life. Checkpoints occur within stages, and limited continues allow progress to resume from the start of a section.

Simon’s primary weapon is the Vampire Killer whip, which strikes straight ahead. Hitting certain candles and lanterns drops upgrades that extend the whip’s length and power. Secondary “sub-weapons” expand combat options and consume hearts as ammunition. These include the dagger, axe, holy water, stopwatch, and a returning boomerang-style cross. Sub-weapons are switched by picking up a new one, encouraging players to choose tools that fit the next room’s enemies and layouts.

Resource and item management underpin the action. Hearts, earned from candles and enemies, fuel sub-weapon use but do not restore health. Roast meat hidden in breakable walls replenishes vitality. Additional pickups provide temporary enhancements such as the Double Shot and Triple Shot, which let Simon throw multiple sub-weapons in quick succession, and invincibility or increased points. Extra lives are awarded at score thresholds or by rare 1-Up items, while stage-specific hazards, such as moving platforms, collapsing bridges, and fire traps, test precision.

The game’s structure is linear, with a fixed sequence of areas that escalate in difficulty, although secrets and optional breakable walls reward exploration with healing items, hearts, or score bonuses. Enemy types vary by behavior and vulnerability. Each stage culminates in a boss patterned after horror archetypes.

Castlevania has appeared on multiple platforms and services. Home releases retain the core progression and mechanics, while some versions adjust difficulty or content. An arcade adaptation, VS. Castlevania, modifies enemy placements and stage balance for shorter, tougher sessions. Later compilations and downloads preserve the original play while adding conveniences such as suspend or save features outside the game’s native design.

*** Data by MobyGames.com ***

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