Castlevania (universe)

The Castlevania universe' (, Demon Castle Dracula) refers to the ' 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. 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.

Franchise description
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. 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 monster movies of the early-to-mid twentieth century. This game would release as Akumajō Dracula ("Demon Castle Dracula") on September 26, 1986. The before being released internationally on the Nintendo Entertainment System as . 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 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 titled  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 received a more faithful port of the game in 1993, which itself was re-released alongside a remake of its own as  for PlayStation in 2001. Another reimagining was released for Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991 as . Another arcade version released as  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 . 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 and  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 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 . 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 , 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 WiiWare titled , and was considered a significant improvement over the original with better graphics and smoother gameplay.

A third NES entry released in 1989 titled . Set in 1476, vampire hunter Trevor Belmont recruits Grant Dinasty, Sypha Belnades, and Dracula's own son Alucard to stop the count from destroying humanity. Alucard's willingness to fight his own father are not revealed until later in the series. 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.

A parody of the series was made in 1990 for Famicom titled Kid Dracula, which is a cutesy take on the classic formula with Dracula as a child going on whacky adventures. The game received a remake for Game Boy in 1993 and has made cameos in a few games since.

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 several maidens hor a plan 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 received 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  in 1995 that was widely seen as a step down from the original. The game received a full remake for PlayStation Portable in 2007 as ', and the original release would finally release overseas on the Wii Virtual Console in 2010 where it was officially titled '.

In 1994, an entry for Sega Genesis released as . Taking place in 1917, John Morris, descendant of both the Belmonts and Quincy Morris from Bram Stoker's Dracula novel, as well as friend Eric Lecarde, team up to foil an attempt to resurrect Dracula. The game was designed around the hardware of the Genesis, with a faster pace and more visual effects than previous entries. The game is also more violent and bloody due to Sega's more lax content restrictions.

The next entry is a direct continuation of Rondo of Blood , released in 1997 for PlayStation and Sega Saturn as   . Development for this game began in 1994 for the Sega 32x add-on for the Genesis, going under the tentative title of Castlevania: The Bloodletting . After the commercial failure of the add-on and the dawning of the new console generation, Konami decided to cancel this project and transitioned the remains into what would become the final product 3 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 awakens 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 world-building, 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  . 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: Ressurrection  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 collectors’ 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 . 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 , 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 , 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 titled . 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  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  for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Taking place 3 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 . Taking place in 1944 and serving as a direct continuation of Bloodlines, the game sees Jonathan Morris and Charlotte Aulin travel a Europe ravaged by the second World War to track down and stop a revived Dracula. This game was also the first in the series to have online capabilities, notably using Nintendo Wi-Fi 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 . Set in the 1800s, Dracula returns but there is no Belmont, which was previously explained as Richter handed the duty to the Morris clan. 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 , an arena-based fighting game that notably had character designer and famous Mangaka Takeshi Obata. The game was poorly received at launch due to its awkward controls, shallow gameplay, incoherent plot and unappealing designs. In hindsight, many fans consider this game the breaking point for the series.

Into the new decade, Konami were looking to completely rebrand 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  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.

Development team Mercury Steam 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 Mercury Steam as primary developer before Hideo Kojima stepped in to personally oversee the project. The game released as  for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2010, with a PC version in 2013. Being a total reboot of the series, the game has 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 didn’t stop the game from selling incredibly well, technically still being the best-selling game in the franchise.

This game received as spin-off of the Nintendo 3DS titled , which combined gameplay elements of the first game into a 2D Metroidvania style of game. This entry would be remade in high definition for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC less than a year later.

A proper sequel would be released in 2014 as  for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. This game sees the return of Gabriel Belmont as he deals with the fallout of the events of the previous game and all the new threats as a result. Development was even rockier this time around, as Hideo Kojima was embattled with Konami over his own game and did not oversee Mercury Steam, allowing Konami to meddle with the project much more than before. This game was received much worse than the first, with complaints being a confusing story and gameplay now trying too hard to be different, and this entry sold significantly worse and spelled the end of this particular series.

The Castlevania franchise is currently in a dormant phase, with the last proper video game releasing first releasing in 2019 for IOS as the free-to-play game Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls that was shutdown in 2020 and then remade in 2021 as a paid release. 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, and a few installments in the  franchise. Outside of games, Simon Belmont makes a starring role in the tv show Captain N: The Game Master. The franchise also received an animated series covering the events of Castlevania III and  with Trevor Belmont as the protagonist, released on Netflix in 2017 and with its second season premiering in October 2018, a third in March 2020, and a final season in May 2021. , another animated series focusing this time on Richter Belmont and Maria Renard during the French Revolution, was announced later in 2022 then aired on Netflix in 2023, with a second season in production.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
This game marked the much-anticipated debut of the highly-requested Castlevania universe, with the addition of two fighters, an Assist Trophy, a new stage with a handful of cameos, 34 total music tracks, and a boss character. This was the first new third-party universe to be featured in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and the only one not introduced through DLC.

Fighters

 * 66. SimonIcon(SSBU).png (Unlockable): The main character of several Castlevania titles, including the first, and often considered the original mascot of the series, Simon appears as an unlockable newcomer, being revealed during the August 2018 Smash Direct. In battle, he fights using his iconic whip, the Vampire Killer, which grants his normal attacks massive reach at the cost of speed. His attributes and sound effects have been faithfully transplanted from his original games into Smash, including his strut, stilted jumps and aerial mobility. His special moves incorporate classic sub-weapons, including the Axe, Cross, and Holy Water, functioning exactly as they did in the original titles. His Final Smash is an Item Crash called Grand Cross, which seals any captured opponents in a coffin before unleashing a flurry of light upon them.
 * 66ε. RichterIcon(SSBU).png (Unlockable): The protagonist of Rondo of Blood and one of the many descendants of Simon debuts as an unlockable Echo Fighter of Simon, revealed alongside him in the August 2018 Smash Direct. Like the other Echo Fighters, Richter’s voice clips, taunts, and victory animations are all his own. He performs identically to his base character, but with one notable difference, being the properties of their down special, Holy Water. Many of Simon’s attacks, such as down tilt, up special, and Grand Cross, are actually derived from Richter’s moveset from Symphony of the Night.

Boss

 * Dracula Phase 1 SSBU.pngDracula: Dracula, the recurring chief antagonist of the series, appears as a boss in and World of Light. His boss fight has two main phases, both with drastically different designs and attack patterns. His boss fight is the only one to feature two phases.

Stage

 * DraculasCastleIconSSBU.pngDracula's Castle (Starter): The series's titular castle appears, taking inspiration from its appearance as a final boss arena in various Castlevania games. Enemies and bosses from the series appear here as background characters, including:
 * Carmilla: A high ranking vampire in Dracula's court.
 * The Creature & Flea Man: Frankenstein's monster and a mutant beast (sometimes referred to as Igor).
 * Death: Dracula's confidant and right-hand man.
 * Medusa: A recurring monster often found within the gardens of Dracula's Castle.
 * Mummy: A recurring monster that is often either a powerful boss or common enemy type.
 * Werewolf: A recurring monster that is often either a powerful boss or common enemy type.

World of Light Sub-World

 * DraculaCastleCharacterLocations.jpg: Based on the titular castle from the series, Dracula's Castle appears as a sub-world in The Dark Realm. The map is based on its appearance in the original Castlevania, with the world's mechanic involving firing cannonballs at ghosts blocking the path. Cannonballs can bounce off of gold walls depending and their angle and the player can reset the room using an hourglass if they aren't satisfied with the result. Dracula appears as the boss of the sub-world., , , , , , and can be unlocked here, with Richter only appearing once the player defeats all ghosts.

Items

 * Death's Scythe: Recurring endgame boss Death's weapon, it can be used to instantly KO heavily damaged fighters when inputted like a smash attack.

Assist Trophy

 * Alucard: The main protagonist of Symphony of the Night, a minor ally within other installments, and Dracula's own son. When summoned, he wields the Crissaegrim, can transform into a bat, and can evade attacks by assuming mist form or backdashing. He can be KO’d.

Music
Castlevania received a total of 34 tracks and remixes, the third most (behind Tekken and Fatal Fury) of any debuting major franchise in Ultimate.

Original Tracks
Sakurai noted that Castlevania's music was especially popular among the music composers. As such, Castlevania received 13 remixes in Ultimate, more new remixes than any other universe except and.


 * ''': A remix of the theme of the first level in ', and a recurring theme in the franchise. Heard in Simon's character trailer.
 * : A remix of the second and third level themes in Castlevania.
 * : The theme of the Clock Tower stage, the final level of Castlevania.
 * ''': A medley of the themes that play during the day and night in '. This song was accidentally leaked by Nintendo ahead of its official announcement.
 * ': A remix of the theme of the first stage of ', an arcade remake of the original Castlevania''.
 * ''': A remix of the theme for the first stage of '.
 * : A remix of the theme that plays in the Sunken City of Poltergeists stage in Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse.
 * ''': A remix of the theme of the first stage from '. This remix borrows elements from other versions of the theme, such as ', ', "Bloodlines Bequeathed" from ' (N64), and "Blood Relations" from '. Heard in Richter's character trailer.
 * ''': A remix of the theme of the fourth stage of '.
 * : A remix of the theme of the Alchemy Laboratory from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
 * : A remix of the theme of the Reverse Caverns, Anti-Chapel, and Forbidden Library from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
 * ''': A remix of the theme of the Catacomb stage from '.
 * : A remix of Leon Belmont's theme from ', which plays on the second floor of the Pagoda of the Misty Moon; it also includes "Dracula's Theme" from '.

Source Tracks
Tracks sourced directly from the Castlevania games.
 * ': Simon's theme, sourced from ', which itself is a remix of the first stage theme from Castlevania''.
 * ': A remix of Dracula's first phase boss theme from Castlevania'', sourced from '.
 * ': A remix of Dracula's second phase boss theme from Castlevania'', sourced from '.
 * : The theme played inside mansions, sourced from the Famicom Disk System version of Castlevania II: Simon's Quest.
 * ': A remix of Julius Belmont's theme from ', which itself is a remix of the final stage theme from Haunted Castle; it also contains "Heart of Fire" from the original Castlevania. Sourced from Castlevania: Harmony of Despair''.
 * : Sylpha's theme, sourced from Castlevania Judgment, which itself is a remix of the forest area theme from Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse.
 * : The theme played during the first stage and the final boss, sourced from Super Castlevania IV.
 * : A remix of the theme played during the first stage and the final boss from Super Castlevania IV, sourced from Castlevania: The Arcade.
 * : A remix of the theme of stage 4' from Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, sourced from Castlevania: Harmony of Despair.
 * : Dracula's theme, sourced from Castlevania Judgment, which itself is a remix of Dracula's boss theme from Castlevaia: Rondo of Blood.
 * : Alucard's theme, sourced from Castlevania Judgment, which itself is a remix of the theme of the first area of Dracula's Castle in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
 * : A remix of the Clock Tower theme from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, sourced from Castlevania: Harmony of Despair.
 * : A remix of the Castle Corridor from Castlevania: Aria of Shadow, sourced from Castlevania: Harmony of Despair.
 * ''': The theme of the first stage, sourced from '.
 * : A remix of a boss theme from Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, sourced from Castlevania: Harmony of Despair.
 * : A remix of a boss theme from Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, sourced from Castlevania: Harmony of Despair.
 * : The theme of Sandy Grave, sourced from Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin.
 * : The theme of the Great Stairway, sourced from Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin.
 * ': A remix of the theme played in the opening movie and in the entrance of Dracula's Castle from ', sourced from Castlevania: Harmony of Despair''.
 * : A remix theme played in certain parts of Dracula's Castle in Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, sourced from Castlevania: Harmony of Despair.
 * ': A remix of a theme from ', sourced from Castlevania: Harmony of Despair''.

Victory Theme

 * Victory! Castlevania Series: A remix of the stage clear theme from the original Castlevania.

Games with elements appearing in the Super Smash Bros. series
The Castlevania universe has media represented throughout the Super Smash Bros. series with a total of 27 games. The latest game represented in this universe is Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls, released on September 20, 2019.

Trivia

 * Castlevania is one of three universes with multiple playable characters in which none of them have made a non-playable appearance in the Smash series prior to their playable debuts. The other two are and.
 * It is also the only one with this distinction not to be introduced in the original Super Smash Bros.
 * With the playable appearances of Simon and, Castlevania is the first third-party franchise to have more than one playable fighter (the others are and ) and the only one to debut with more than one character.
 * It is also the first third party franchise to have a clone character (the other is ).
 * It is also notable for having both a character and their clone debut within the same installment, something that has not occurred since Melee with and.
 * Additionally, Castlevania,, , and are the only universes to have multiple playable characters in their debut Smash game.
 * Castlevania is the third of five third-party series represented in Smash which debuted on a Nintendo console, the others being, , , and.
 * Out of these franchises, they all debuted on the NES except for Banjo-Kazooie.
 * Castlevania is the only fighter-based third-party franchise to have an item: in this case, it has Death's Scythe.
 * This also makes it the only third-party franchise with both an Assist Trophy and an item.
 * Castlevania and are the only two universes with significant religious design elements to introduce a playable fighter.
 * Of the two, Castlevania is the only universe which has their fighters use religious-themed attacks.
 * Castlevania is the only new third party franchise to have a fighter introduced in Ultimate's base roster.
 * Castlevania is one of three universes with multiple characters to have all of them originate from different games, the other two being Animal Crossing and EarthBound.
 * However, if Banjo and Kazooie are counted as separate characters, then the Banjo-Kazooie universe also follows this distinction as Banjo made his debut in Diddy Kong Racing while Kazooie appeared in Banjo-Kazooie, though Kazooie is mentioned in Diddy Kong Racing's manual.
 * Currently, Castlevania is the latest third-party universe to gain a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. to feature more than one playable fighter.
 * However, if echo fighters are not counted, this title goes to.

External Link

 * Article on the Castlevania Wiki.

Castlevania (universo)