Castlevania is one of the most iconic names in video games, so to honor the long-running, vampire-ridden series, we decided to put together a guide to the best Castlevania games of all time.
Unfortunately, Castlevania’s early days are messy, with a handful of slightly altered ports released for different platforms and regions. For this guide, we’re skippingVampire KillerandHaunted Castle, as well as theCastlevaniaport for the Sharp X68000, which was later released for the PlayStation and eventually the PlayStation Network asCastlevania Chronicles. All of the aforementioned titles are ports or reimaginings of the originalCastlevania. Although they differ in a handful of ways, they’re not distinct enough to warrant their own spots. Still, if you’re a fan of the original game,Vampire KillerandHaunted Castleprovide a unique spin.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
Castlevania: Bloodlines
Super Castlevania IV
Castlevania
Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness
Castlevania Legends
Castlevania: The Adventure
Rounding out our list is Castlevania’s first foray onto the Game Boy:Castlevania: The Adventure.The Adventurewould have been a great game if consoles properly supported its design. Gameboy sets the bar pretty low on visuals, and this game is no exception. The real dealbreaker, however, is thatThe Adventureis nearly unbeatable, and its impossible level of difficulty just makes for frustrating gameplay.
