Castlevania (universe)

Castlevania (universe)
Developer(s)	Konami
Publisher(s)	Konami
Designer(s)	Koji Igarashi
Genre(s)	Action-Adventure
Console of origin	NES
First installment	Castlevania (1986)
Latest installment	Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (2014)

The Castlevania universe (悪魔城ドラキュラ, Akumajō Dracula, meaning "Demon Castle Dracula") refers to the Super Smash Bros. series' collection of characters, stages, and properties that hail from the eponymous Castlevania series by Konami. Originating on the NES and MSX in 1986, the Castlevania franchise has spawned a multitude of video games across many platforms, as well as a variety of associated media. The series is a third-party franchise that was included in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Franchise description

One of Konami's longest running video game franchises, the Castlevania series tells many stories of generations of vampire hunters as they combat the forces of evil led by the demonic vampire lord, Count Vlad Tepes Dracula. While most games put the players in the role of a member of the Belmont clan of vampire hunters, others star either unrelated parties seeking Dracula's end for their own reasons, with a select few even involving Dracula's own son.

The series began in 1986, with the release of the first game, Castlevania/Akumajō Dracula for the Nintendo Entertainment System, a linear platformer that put players in the role of Simon Belmont, a vampire hunter wielding the sacred whip called "Vampire Killer" setting out to vanquish the evil Dracula. The game paid homage to classic horror movies such as those by Hammer Film Productions, particularly in terms of monsters featured and even a credits line that boasts actor names parodying famous Hammer actors like Christopher Lee and Bela Lugosi. The NES version was made in tandem with a version of the game for the MSX2 computer, localised in Europe as Vampire Killer. While that game had a similar story, it played considerably differently to its more famous NES cousin.

The first game has been remade and its story retold in many fashions, most notably in the Suerp Nintendo game Super Castlevania IV which, despite its English manual attempting to brand it a sequel, was merely a retelling of Simon's story. Others include a remaster of the game for the obscure Sharp X68000 console, which was later released in English alongside an arranged version for the Sony Playstation as Castlevania Chronicles.

The game's 1988 sequel, Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, went in a vastly different direction. While still involving platforming, the game instead played like an adventure game where Simon had to gather items and clues from nervous and occasionally untrustworthy villagers in order to find Dracula's remains and destroy them so as to undo a curse Dracula put upon Simon during their battle. Indeed, the game can even be considered a prototypical Metroidvania type game. Simon's Quest has attracted some degree of hatred, thanks in no small part to a famous review by video game reviewer and comedian, the Angry Video Game Nerd, but is still considered decent by most in spite of its flaws.

Because audiences were put off by the vast change seen in Simon's Quest, the next game, Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, returned to the linear platformer style of the first game. Plotwise, it was instead a prequel, starring Simon's ancestor, Trevor Belmont. Trevor is hired by the people of Wallachia, Romania, to fight Dracula's dark army. The game also introduced the ability to swap characters during gameplay. Trevor could enlist the services of three different allies: Grant Danasty, an acrobatic pirate and knife fighter who can climb walls, Sypha Belnades, a skilled witch who hid her gender and abilities to avoid the anti-witch persecution of the era, and Alucard, Dracula's own dhampir (half-human half-vampire) son who fights his own father in the name of his mother. Trevor could only have one ally at a time, but their abilities gave the ame considerable replay value.

1991 saw the release of Super Castlevania IV and the series' jump to the 16-bit console era. This game reintroduced Simon and made him more versatile than ever, including the ability to lash his whip in eight different directions and latch it onto certain objects. the game's graphics also used the SNES' Mode 7 technology to great effect including rotating and cylindrical backgrounds and bosses that changed size mid battle. It is considered the high point of the series.

the PC Engine installment, Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, saw release in 1993, but remained Japan only for many years due to the PC Engine's Western version, the Turbografx 16, waning in popularity there. This game introduced Richter Belmont to the series. While he lacked his ancestor Simon's multi directional whip attacks, Richter could perform a deft backflip move as well as the Item Crash ability, where Richter unleashed a powerful attack depending on the subweapon equipped at the time. During the game, Richter could rescue four captive girls, one of which, a young girl named Maria Renard, was the game's second playable character and possessed her own abilities including a double jump, a guardian spirit with rapid punch ability and could call upon the four Celestial beasts of Chinese mythology.

Rondo remained Japan-only for along time up until the late 2000s, where the game was remade for the Playstation Portable as Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles, which also included the original PC Engine game, dubbed into English (and marking the debut of Richter's current English voice actor, David Vincent, in the role.) The original game itself was later released for the Wii's Virtual Console service overseas as well.

it was in 1997 that the next Castlevania installment changed the series' style forever, with the release of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night for Sony Playstation. Ditching the series' then-standard linear platform progression, the player instead controlled Alucard (with Richter playable in the game's prologue and a special bonus mode, and Maria playable in certain versions) and explored Dracula's castle at their own pace, collecting items to help them along the way. The similarity of this game to the Metroid series thus coined the affectionate term "Metroidvania." Plotwise, the game retells the final battle of Rondo of Blood, and then puts players in control of Alucard as he attempts to destroy his father's castle again and help the matured Maria find the missing Richter Belmont.

Symphony is considered one of the best in the series thanks to the high quality multi-genre soundtrack and in no small part to Alucard himself as not only did he possess a fluid sprite and animation set but was hugely versatile, able to use a large number of swords, throwing weapons and magic attacks. This versatility is also why the game is considered one of the easiest installments as well. The game also marked the debut of series artist Ayami Kojima, famous for her artwork that combines the Japanese "bishounen" character style with art heavily similar to the European Baroque genre. The game's original English voice acting, however, was criticised heavily due to its perceived low quality, although players nowadays fondly remember it in a "so bad its good" manner, with the prologue argument between Richter and Dracula being immortalized in particular. The game was also an unlockable extra Dracula X Chronicles, albeit with a redubbed English voice track by the Rondo remake's cast (with Yuri Lowenthal voicing Alucard.) While the redub is admired by most, many players were disappointed at the replacement of the game's original, more theatrical dub.

Other Castlevania games would follow Symphony's example such as the Sorrow games for Game Boy Advance and DS as well as the N64 games, with only a few outliers such as the 3D fighting game Castlevania Judgment for the Wii and Harmony of Despair for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. An attempt was made by Konami and MercurySteam to reboot the series for the HD era with the Lords of Shadow series. While it boasted a number of famous actors in its cast list (including the likes of Robert Carlyle and Patrick Stewart,) it was considered an otherwise unimpressive attempt at cashing in on the popularity of Sony's God of War series, although the 3DS-based spinoff game Mirror of Fate is liked by some due to its 2.5D nature and its Metroidvania style of gameplay.

In terms of other media, Castlevania has had its most infamous representation in the cartoon series Captain N: The Game Master, where Simon Belmont is one of the main characters, albeit portrayed as a dimwitted braggart. Most recently in the mid-to-late 2010s received a Netflix-exclusive animated adaptation of Castlevania III by Warren Ellis, which has enjoyed a considerable following.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Characters

Fighter

• Simon: A vampire hunter that is the protagonist from the first game and other titles.
• Richter: Simon's descendent and star of several Castlevania games.

Stage Hazard

• Dracula: The antagonist from the series.
• Death: Dracula's most trusted servant and recurring boss that was introduced in the first Castlevania game.
• The Creature & Flea Man: Recurring bosses and enemies that debutted in the first Castlevania game.
• Mummy: A recurring boss and enemy that made its debut in the first Castlevania game.
• Medusa: A recurring boss that made its debut in the first Castlevania game.
• Carmilla: Recurring boss that first appeared in Castlevania II: Simon's Quest.
• Werewolf: A recurring boss and enemy.

Assist Trophy

• Alucard: Dracula's son.

Stage

• Dracula's Castle: A stage set inside Dracula's castle.

Games with elements from or in the Super Smash Bros. series

Castlevania (game)

This is the first game that stars Simon Belmont, and many bosses from the game appear as hazards in Dracula's Castle.

Castlevania II: Simon's Quest

The boss Carmilla has her appearance from this game.

Castlevania: Rondo of Blood

Richter Belmont's first appearance. Dracula's appearance and moves in Super Smash Bros. are from this game.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Alucard's second appearance, and the first as the main character. His appearance and moves in Super Smash Bros. appears to be from this game.