Gaming
 

Castlevania (video game)

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Castlevania
Game logo
Japanese logo
Developer(s) Konami
Publisher(s) Konami
Nintendo (GBA)
Release date(s) Japan September 22, 1986
United States of America May 1, 1987
Europe December 19, 1988
Genre(s) Platform game
Mode(s) Single player
Rating(s) ESRB: Everyone
PEGI: 3+
CERO: All ages
Platform(s) Famicom Disk System, Nintendo Entertainment System, Commodore 64, Commodore Amiga, MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows, Game Boy Advance, AT&T Wireless mMode Network, Wii
Media 1-megabit cartridge (NES)


Castlevania known in Japan as Akumajō Dracula (悪魔城ドラキュラ Demon Castle Dracula), is a video game developed and published by Konami for the Famicom Disk System in 1986. A year later, it was ported to cartridge format and released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America. It is the first game in the Castlevania franchise, but the seventh chronological installment, based on Koji Igarashi's ideal timeline.


Contents

[edit] Story

It is the year 1691...The land of Transylvania has been at peace for 100 years now, and the peasants and villagers have begun to purge their minds of the memories of the times when the lands were dominated by chaos and shadows, and when the undead walked the earth...However, there are those that remember that the evil Count Dracula returns every 100 years to plague the land, bringing with him the forces of Hell...Thus, one evening, the Prince of Darkness rises and returns to "Castlevania," his ancestral home, and calls forth his minions to purge the world of human flesh.

The people cry out for a hero — someone to defend them from the evil desires of the count. Thankfully, they don't have to look very far, for within the land of Transylvania the Belmont line still lives, as Simon Belmont, great-grandson of Christopher Belmont, takes up the legendary whip called the Vampire Killer, and sets forth on his journey through the darkened countryside to the dark lord's castle...

Upon arrival, the young man fights his way through legions of zombies, gigantic bats, and even faces Death himself, but in the end, he makes it to the Count and in a battle to end all battles, he comes out the victor...

The price? The evil master places a curse of death upon Simon, which will lead him into a long and dangerous journey in the very near future...

[edit] Character Gallery

See also Castlevania I Artwork

Simon Belmont - The hero of the game (playable)

Phantom Bat - Boss of Stage 1

Medusa - Boss of Stage 2

Mummy - Boss of Stage 3

Frankenstein and Igor - Bosses of Stage 4

Death - Boss of Stage 5

Dracula - Final boss

[edit] Gameplay

Castlevania is a typical platform game of the 8-bit era: the game consists of six levels, which are played through in a strictly linear progression. The player controls Simon Belmont, whose primary mode of attack is via his whip, which can be upgraded by obtaining special items throughout the course of the game which extend its length. In addition, various "sub-weapons" can be obtained which provide different means of attack. By breaking candelabras and certain other items located throughout the castle, Simon collects hearts, which can then be used to activate whatever sub-weapon he possesses at that point. Simon can only carry one sub-weapon at a time.

Additionally, there is no way to save the game, and no passwords to save progress (though a save feature was added for the Classic NES reissue on the Game Boy Advance.)

Each of Castlevania's levels conclude with a boss fight: these bosses are generally taken from horror literature or legend, and include frankenstein's monster, Medusa, and the Grim Reaper.

[edit] Stage Gallery

Castlevania Stage 1

Castlevania Stage 2

Castlevania Stage 3

Castlevania Stage 4

Castlevania Stage 5

Castlevania Stage 6

[edit] Releases

Castlevania has been ported to a variety of different video game consoles, handheld game consoles, home computer systems, and mobile phones. The NES release of the game was adapted for video arcades both as a part of Nintendo's Play Choice 10 series and (with the addition of a two-player competitive play mode) the Nintendo Vs. Series.

In 1990, versions of the title were released for the IBM PC Compatible, the Commodore 64 (both developed by Unlimited Software), and the Commodore Amiga (developed by Novotrade). In 2002, Konami released the first three Castlevania games for Microsoft Windows as the Castlevania and Contra: Konami Collector's Series.

In 2004, Castlevania was released for the Game Boy Advance as part of the Classic NES Series.

On April 30, 2007, Castlevania was released on the Wii Virtual Console in North America.

[edit] Mobile phone

Also in 2002, Konami Mobile released a mobile phone version of the game for Motorola phones (developed by Upstart Games). That version was upgraded in 2004 with improved graphics, and was subsequently released in Europe for the Samsung A600 and the Sanyo 8100, and for AT&T Wireless's mMode network in North America. A third mobile phone version was produced in late 2004, with even better graphics, but has only been released in Japan as of early 2005.

[edit] Enhanced Remakes

The game has been adapted or remade for a number of different platforms, including the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (as Super Castlevania IV), the MSX (as Vampire Killer), and the Sharp X68000 (which was later ported to the Sony PlayStation and released as Castlevania Chronicles), as well an arcade game remake called Haunted Castle. While all of these adaptations share a variety of elements with the original game, including title (in the original Japanese, all were simply called Demon Castle Dracula), basic storyline, main character, and monsters, several major elements have been added or altered, and because of this they should be considered as distinct entries in the series.

[edit] Release details

Platform Release date Region Developer Media
MSX2 February, 1986 Japan/Europe Konami Cartridge
Famicom Disk System September 22, 1986 Japan Konami Floppy disk
NES/Famicom May 1, 1987 North America Konami Cartridge
December 19, 1988 Europe
February 5, 1993 Japan
Commodore 64 1990 North America Unlimited Software Floppy disk
MS-DOS 1990
Microsoft Windows November 16, 2002 North America Konami CD-ROM
AT&T Wireless mMode July 7, 2004 North America Upstart Games Paid download
Game Boy Advance
(Classic NES Series) 		August 10, 2004 Japan Konami Cartridge
October 25, 2004 North America
January 7, 2005 Europe


Platform System requirements
MS-DOS Intel 8088 or higher, DOS 3.0 to 3.3, 384KB RAM
Microsoft Windows Intel Pentium, Windows 95, 16MB RAM, 10MB free hard drive space, 2X CD-ROM drive, DirectX 8.0


[edit] Packaging artwork

Famicom Disk System (Japan)

Nintendo Entertainment System (North America)

Nintendo Family Computer (Japan)

Game Boy Advance (North America)

Game Boy Advance (Europe)

[edit] See Also

[edit] Related Products

[edit] Related Games

[edit] Other Related Products

[edit] External links

[edit] References

This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original content was at Castlevania (video game). The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with the Castlevania Wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
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