Castlevania

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Castlevania
Box art for the NES version
Developer(s)	Konami
Publisher(s)	Konami Nintendo (GBA)
Composer(s)	Kinuyo Yamashita
Series	Castlevania
Platform(s)	Family Computer Disk System, Nintendo Entertainment System, Commodore 64, Commodore Amiga, PC MS-DOS, PC Microsoft Windows, Game Boy Advance, AT&T Wireless mMode Network, Virtual Console, PC-Engine, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis
Release date(s)	JP September 26, 1986 (FDS) NA May 1, 1987 EU December 19, 1988 JP February 5, 1993 (NES/Famicom/FC)
Genre(s)	Platformer
Mode(s)	Single-player
Rating(s)	ESRB: E (GBA, Wii) PEGI: 3+ CERO: A (All ages)
Media	1-megabit cartridge (NES)
System requirements	PC MS-DOS Intel 8088 or higher, DOS 3.0 to 3.3, 384KB RAM PC Microsoft Windows Intel Pentium, Windows 95, 16MB RAM, 10MB free hard drive space, 2X CD-ROM drive, DirectX 8.0
Input methods	Gamepad or keyboard

Castlevania, known in Japan as Akumajō Dracula (悪魔城ドラキュラ^?, Devil's Castle Dracula), is a console video game developed and published by Konami for the Family Computer Disk System in Japan in September 1986. A year later, in May 1987 it was ported to cartridge format and released in North America for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) followed by a European release in 1988. It was re-released for the Family Computer (FC) in cartridge format in Japan in 1993. It is the first game in Konami's Castlevania video game series.

Gameplay

Screenshot of Castlevania on the NES.

Castlevania is a typical platform game of the 8-bit era: the game is composed of six levels, which are played in a strictly linear progression. The player controls Simon Belmont throughout the game. The A Button allows Simon Belmont to jump just like other platformer games, such as Super Mario Bros. His primary mode of attack is via his whip by pressing the B Button, 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 candelabra 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. The player can use a sub-weapon, by holding "up" on the D-Pad, Then push the B Button on the controller to use it.

Each of Castlevania's six levels conclude with a boss fight: these bosses are generally taken from horror literature or legend, and include a vampire bat, Medusa, mummies, Frankenstein's Monster and Igor, and the Grim Reaper. This boss in particular is also infamous for being very difficult.

Plot

In the year 1691, Transylvania has been at peace for one hundred years thanks to the efforts of Christopher Belmont destroying the vampire Dracula. Dracula, however has been resurrected again, and Simon Belmont goes to defeat him with the Vampire Killer.

Simon enters Castlevania, Dracula's immense castle, and proceeds up to its master's keep, along the way fending off all sorts of nasty creatures and dangerous traps.

In the ending, Simon successfully defeats Dracula, leading to the events of the video game Castlevania II: Simon's Quest.

Development

This section requires expansion.

Versions and rereleases

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).

A ROM version of the game was released for the Japanese Family Computer in 1993. The port omitted the name registration screen from the original Family Computer Disk System version and included an "Easy" mode.^[1]

In 2002, Konami released the first three NES Castlevania games for PC Microsoft Windows as the Castlevania and Contra: Konami Collector's Series. This was later added to GameTap in 2006.

In 2004, Castlevania was released for the Game Boy Advance as part of the Classic NES Series. The mock ending credits of the game, which are mostly puns on the names of veteran horror movie stars, were removed in this version.

In 2007, it was released through the Wii Virtual Console.

In 2002, Upstart Games ported a mobile phone version of the game from the original Japanese mobile game. That version was upgraded in 2004 with improved graphics, and was subsequently released in Europe for multiple handsets. 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.

The same storyline and setting has been reused for different games in the series on different platforms, including the MSX (known as Vampire Killer in Europe), the Super NES (as Super Castlevania IV), and the X68000 (which was later ported to the PlayStation and released as Castlevania Chronicles), as well as an arcade game remake called Haunted Castle. While all of these games share a variety of elements with Castlevania, including title (in the original Japanese, all were simply called Akumajō Dracula), they are totally different games.

Audio

This section requires expansion.

Track listing

Reception

Castlevania was rated the 23rd best game made on a Nintendo System in Nintendo Power's Top 200 Games list.^[2] The re-release of the game on the Virtual Console for the Nintendo Wii was rated a 7.5 by IGN, saying that the graphics show their age after 20 years, but the soundtrack is famously creepy and the game is still atmospheric and challenging.^[3]

References

External links

• Castlevania guide at StrategyWiki
• Castlevania at MobyGames
• The Castlevania Dungeon (Castlevania entry)
• MrP's CastleVania Realm (Castlevania entry)
• Akumajō Dracula (Famicom Disk) at Video Game Den