Skip to main content

Castlevania Anniversary Collection offers some of the series’ rarest games

Konami is a legendary game studio that may not be held in the highest regard at the moment, but it has a collection of classic series throughout its 50 years. In celebration of its recent anniversary, the company is releasing collections of fan-favorites, including Castlevania Anniversary Collection. This week, the studio shared which titles are coming to the collection and we highlight the definitive entries that serve as the foundation for Castlevania’s success.

Castlevania Anniversary Collection was already known to feature Castlevania, Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge, and Super Castlevania IV. The last four titles revealed for the collection are Castlevania: Bloodlines, Kid Dracula, Castlevania: The Adventure, and Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest. Castlevania: The Adventure and Kid Dracula are games that collectors will cherish as part of their collections, but Castlevania II and Bloodlines are pivotal experiences that hardcore fans or those remotely interested in the series can’t afford to miss. Fans of Netflix’s hit Castlevania series can try out of the games responsible for bringing that story to life.

Castlevania: Bloodlines

Konami Castlevania Anniversary Collection Bloodlines
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This particular game is one of those gaming treasures that required a good chunk of change if you wanted it in your collection, until now. Castlevania: Bloodlines released on the Sega Genesis in 1994 and was the only entry in the franchise to release on that console. It’s a highly cherished story in the Castlevania world, being a rare occurrence where a Castlevania game cast players as someone outside of the Belmont family.

You play as John Morris and Eric Lecarde as they attempt to thwart the revival of Dracula. To give you an idea of the game’s rarity, there is a new copy of the game selling for $270 on eBay and the lowest price on Amazon is $72 for a used copy. Those sellers will have to wait a bit longer for hardcore collectors now that Castlevania: Bloodlines is available to the masses as part of Castlevania Anniversary Collection.

Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest

Konami Castlevania Anniversary Collection Simon's Quest
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The first Castlevania is undoubtedly a classic that birthed a long-running franchise but the experimenting that the developers did with the sequel were also important for the growth of the series. Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest released in 1987 for the NES and is less straightforward than the first game, putting additional focus on players exploring and figuring out the game themselves and it is supported by an iconic soundtrack.

Castlevania

Konami Castlevania Anniversary Collection
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Of course, the game where it all started is a definitive entry in the franchise. Turn on the 1986 classic Castlevania and step into the action-adventure that kicked off the story of the Belmont clan.

Super Castlevania IV

Konami Castlevania Anniversary Collection Super IV
Image used with permission by copyright holder

For all the historic relevance of the other games found in Castlevania Anniversary Collection, Super Castlevania IV is the absolute best of the bunch from top to bottom. Some of the best visuals and music lay the foundation for some of the best gameplay in the Castlevania series and round out a solid collection of games.

Editors' Recommendations

Charles Singletary Jr.
I'm a Birmingham, AL raised author, journalist, and gaming enthusiast currently residing in San Antonio, TX. My work has…
The best games on Meta Quest 3
A product shot of the Meta Quest 3 shown in dramatic lighting over a gradient background.

VR headsets have become a successful niche for gamers who want to fully immerse themselves in their gaming experiences. There are plenty of options out there in terms of which headset you could go with, including Sony's PSVR2 and Oculus, but the latest and greatest is the Meta Quest 3. This is the upgraded version of the already impressive Quest 2, and it not only boasts more powerful hardware, but also new features that can add even more immersion to games. This headset is fresh on the market, so if you picked one up and are looking for the best games to test it out, we've collected the best games for you to dive into.

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners

Read more
The best console emulators (NES, SNES, Genesis, and more) in 2023
Mario narrowly avoids a Chain Chimp in Super Mario 64.

The best emulators allow you to replay classic games from systems like the Super Nintendo and PlayStation 2 on modern hardware -- and usually with some enhancements to boot. Because emulators often meddle in a legal gray area, it can be hard to find emulators that run classic games consistently.

Thankfully, there's one go-to emulator for most platforms. In addition to RetroArch, which covers a large range of retro consoles, there are also several standalone emulators that can fake more recent hardware -- even the Nintendo Switch.
One to rule them all: RetroArch

Read more
The best Xbox Series X headsets
Controls on the SteelSeries Acris Nova Pro headset.

There’s nothing that can enhance your gaming experience quite like a good headset. In addition to bringing the game right to your ears, a good headset will offer spatial audio — allowing you to pinpoint sounds around you — a solid microphone, and excellent comfort, especially for long gaming sessions. Whether you're rocking the newest single-player experience or fighting for your life in multiplayer, our six best Xbox Series X headsets satisfy all these conditions and more.

Read more