10 Best Castlevania Games Ever Made

Since Konami released the original Castlevania in 1986, the publisher has gone on to release well over 30 games in the series. Even beyond that, Castlevania has grown with the times, transitioning from 2D sidescrolling action to 3D hack-and-slash with Lords of Shadow. It also helped popularize the Metroidvania genre, which has become one of the most popular genres for modern indie developers. But which of the many games in the series are the best? Let’s dig into the ten best games in Castlevania’s history.

10) Castlevania

The granddaddy of the franchise has to be recognized. Later entries would greatly improve on the original, but the first Castlevania was still a massive hit on release and is more than playable today.

The action platformer introduced players to Simon Belmont and his iconic whip, while letting them fight off classic horror villains like Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster, and the Grim Reaper. It lacks the complexity of games like Symphony of the Night, but the first Castlevania still has the classic gameplay that made the series so popular.

9) Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

Dawn of Sorrow was the first Castlevania game on the Nintendo DS, and it certainly showed the franchise would succeed on the platform. That’s not too surprising given how great the Game Boy Advance games were, but Dawn of Sorrow made excellent use of the second screen by giving players a permanent map. It wasn’t the first game to do so, but anyone who has played a Castlevania game knows how crucial that addition was.

It’s also a direct follow-up to Aria of Sorrow, which I’ll get to much later on this list. As a direct sequel to a beloved game, Dawn of Sorrow hits the mark in nearly every way, delivering excellent gameplay, eye-catching visuals, and an exceptional soundtrack.

8) Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse

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Let’s be real, Castlevania 2: Simon’s Quest was a weird game. We probably don’t get to Symphony of the Night without it, but the world (and hardware) wasn’t quite ready for its blend of role-playing and action-adventure elements. For fans of classic Castlevania, Dracula’s Curse was a return to form.

It’s the true sequel to Castlevania, and builds on it in a few interesting ways. Dracula’s Curse added branching paths and multiple playable characters, giving the game extra replay value. Add in the best-in-class action-platforming gameplay the series is known for, and you have another great Castlevania game.

7) Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia

Order of Ecclesia was the end of an era in many ways. Not only is it the last game on the DS, but it’s the final 2D Castlevania game from legendary developer Koji Igarashi. As the man behind many of the most beloved Castlevania games of all time, this was a fitting send-off.

And don’t let it be said that Iga didn’t go out in style. Ecclesia introduced a new Glyph System for combat. Each enemy you defeat can drop a symbol that can be attached to your character to give her new abilities. Speaking of Ecclesia‘s hero, Shanoa is the first lead female protagonist. You can feel a lot of Ecclesia in Iga’s spiritual successor, Bloodstained, which is something of a culmination of everything he worked on here.

6) Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin

As you can see, the DS might be the best Castlevania machine on the planet without counting emulation. Konami pumped out banger after banger on the portable system, proving the series still had plenty of juice.

Some players didn’t love Portrait of Ruin because it can feel like an also-ran at times, but I’m not one of them. The way Konami uses portraits to send you to unique worlds was a delight, and the online co-op took it over the top.

5) Castlevania: Rondo of Blood

Rondo of Blood‘s release can get a little confusing, but with the release of Castlevania Requiem, it’s become much easier to navigate. This is a classic Castlevania game and easily one of the best. It takes the branching paths introduced in Dracula’s Curse and polishes them to a sheen for great replayability.

It’s been surpassed by its direct sequel, Symphony of the Night, but Rondo of Blood is absolutely worth playing today. Don’t be like many and miss this one.

4) Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

I told you we’d talk about Aria of Sorrow eventually. The last of the GBA games is by far the best, putting players into the shoes of Soma Cruz. While Castlevania purists might’ve been annoyed at how much it deviates from the standard series setting, it quickly proved to be a smart move.

Aria of Sorrow is often favorably compared to Symphony of the Night, and it deserves the praise. The Tactical Soul system is a series standout that’s been built upon with things like Ecclesia‘s Glyph System. And the futuristic storyline helps it stand out from the crowd.

3) Super Castlevania IV

Playing Super Castlevania IV in 1991 was mind-blowing. Konami took full advantage of the SNES, giving players some of the most inventive level design they’d seen to that point. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Super Castlevania IV does so much right in nearly perfecting the original Castlevania formula, from the gothic organs blaring through boss battles to the slight freeze-frame on enemy hits that replicate the feeling of rumble technology without actually having it in the controller. It isn’t a perfect game, but it’s one of the best games of all time.

2) Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

I assure you, this is not a joke. Bloodstained is one of the most joyous gaming experiences you can have because Igarashi and his team aren’t afraid to let you break it.

Sure, lots of the best parts of Bloodstained are ripped from Symphony of the Night, but when Miriam gets to her full power, you’re essentially flying through levels. There just aren’t many more games that feel better to run around.

On top of that, Bloodstained is filled with great boss battles, captivating environments, and a winding plot filled with proper nouns. And to developer ArtPlay’s credit, Bloodstained was still dropping DLC content in 2024, a full five years after its original launch. It’s technically not a Castlevania game, but it would feel wrong keeping it off the list given its quality.

1) Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

It’s the boring choice, but it’s the right one. Symphony of the Night has spawned countless imitators (including the previous entry on this list) for a very good reason: this game rules. It’s widely regarded as not only the best Castlevania game, but one of the best video games of all time.

SOTN took the exploration, nonlinear design, and RPG elements from Simon’s Quest and blew them out to a ridiculous degree. Playing as Alucard, you’ll earn new weapons, unlock shapeshifting, and eventually start summoning familiars. Impressively, it launched at a moment when 2D gaming was seemingly on the way out, but proved that players were still more than ready to turn out when the game was great.

The game is just as fun to play today as it was in 1997, and its influence is still being felt industry-wide. As one of the pioneers of Metroidvania gameplay, Symphony of the Night might still be the best game in the genre nearly 30 years later.