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By Mike Whalen and Giancarlo Varanini
Designed by Katie Bush
What is it about the Castlevania series that has enthralled audiences for more than 14 years? Why has the series been able to escape the criticism of being nothing but a compilation of rehashes? There's no question that the Castlevania series continues to be one of the most popular in video game history, ranking high among other classics such as Sonic, Mario, and Mega Man. While much of its popularity can more than likely be credited to the subject matter (vampires in general seem to be quite popular in modern society), much of what makes the series so appealing is that it has continuously evolved and changed with each successive release, creating a gaming experience that's both familiar and entirely new--a mix that's essential for keeping old fans happy and attracting entirely new audiences.
Though most fans probably experienced Castlevania for the first time in 1987--when the first Castlevania was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)--Castlevania's history actually precedes that game. In 1986, Konami released a new game called Vampire Killer for the MSX, which features a small red tunic-clad hero with a whip, and he can walk, jump, and occasionally fire a special weapon--all standard actions for a video game hero of the time. Unbeknownst to Konami, this unassuming character would become the foundation for more than 18 games spread out over 12 different platforms, something that any other series would be hard-pressed to match. With each of those 18 games, Konami added at the very least one new feature or element to make it stand out from others, but none of these features were so drastic that they completely altered the Castlevania experience (with Simon's Quest and the Nintendo 64 games being possible exceptions).
The first Castlevania for the NES saw the introduction of more complex levels and gameplay, thanks to the NES hardware, which allowed Konami to create complicated levels and enemies. Super Castlevania IV introduced the dynamic whip system, which lets you take direct control of Simon's whip and aim it in multiple directions, a feature that Castlevania fans had been waiting for since day one. Later games like Symphony of the Night--which uses the basic Metroid recipe but with Castlevania ingredients--are so different from the early games, but they still carry all the identifying characteristics of a Castlevania game. Though their dedication to the series may have floundered at various points on the timeline, their ultimate return to a two-dimensional Castlevania shows that Konami has never really lost sight of what has made the series entertaining for all these years.
The history of Castlevania is an interesting one, to say the least. In this feature, we examine every Castlevania game, from Vampire Killer up to Circle of the Moon and everything in between, including some of the lesser-known Castlevania games, such as Akumajo Dracula for the X68000, Haunted Castle for the Arcades, and the highly acclaimed Dracula X: The Rondo of Blood. We even take a look at other related games, or games that take obvious influence from the Castlevania series, like Kid Dracula.
Special thanks to Michael Boyajian, Kurt Kalata, Christie McKinnon at Konami, and anyone else whose name has fallen in the bad memory file.
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