The Castlevania games hold a special place in the hearts of many gamers, featuring many entries and multiple timelines, meaning that while many regard it as one of the best videogame franchises of all time, it can also be one of the most confusing. If you’re new to the series, we can forgive the daunting feeling you’re likely trying to hide. It’s okay, we know it’s hard to work out where to start, so allow us to tell you how to play the Castlevania games in order.
Before we dive into both the release and chronological order of this iconic series, allow us to walk you through the Pokemon games in order, Zelda games in order, Kingdom Hearts games in order, and Resident Evil games in order – all of these longstanding franchises boast more entries than we can count.
What are the Castlevania timelines?
There are two distinct Castlevania timelines, the main one and the Lords of Shadow. It’s easy to work out which ones belong to the latter, as it features three games with ‘Lords of Shadow’ in the title. The Main timeline, however, might be a tad confusing as not every Castlevania game is canon.
To keep things simple, we’ll run through each game in the franchise in release date order and then give concise lists of the two timelines in chronological order.
Here are the Castlevania games in release date order:
- Castlevania (1986)
- Vampire Killer
- Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
- Haunted Castle
- Castlevania: The Adventure
- Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
- Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge
- Super Castlevania IV
- Castlevania Chronicles
- Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
- Castlevania: Bloodlines
- Castlevania: Dracula X
- Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
- Castlevania Legends
- Castlevania (1999)
- Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness
- Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
- Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
- Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
- Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
- Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
- Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
- Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
- Castlevania: Order of Shadows
- Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
- Castlevania: Judgement
- Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth
- Castlevania: The Arcade
- Castlevania: Encore of the Night
- Castlevania: Harmony of Despair
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Mirror of Fate
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
- Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls
Castlevania (1986)
Known as Akumajō Dracula in Japan, the first-ever Castlevania game came out in 1986 for the NES, though it didn’t reach Western audiences until May 1987 when it came out in North America, followed by a European release in 1988. You take control of Simon Belmont, who’s on a quest to kill Dracula, as the vampire is running rampant again 100 years after Simon’s ancestor killed him – it’s no easy task. Castlevania is known for its brutal difficulty, though that’s part of what makes it a stellar platform game.
Vampire Killer (1986)
Vampire Killer is a parallel version of Castlevania, featuring the exact same characters, story, locations, and even the soundtrack. So you might wonder why it’s a different game with a different name; the reason is that the levels themselves differ, with the 18 stages adopting a labyrinth-style layout. It’s not as easy as working your way to the end of the stage, you need to look all over the place for the key that holds your freedom.
Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest (1987)
Okay, so Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest is arguably one of the best games in the series. The game first came out in 1987 for the NES, and, as the name suggests, you once again play as Simon Belmont as he attempts to undo the curse Dracula placed upon him seven years prior during the concluding events of the first game.
Haunted Castle (1987)
In a turn of events, Haunted Castle released to a Western audience first in 1987, with a Japanese release following in 1988. Haunted Castle is an arcade game, but it isn’t a direct port of the original Castlevania, as it follows a slightly different story, asking you to save Simon’s wife, Selena. Yes, it’s Dracula that you need to save her from, so, in that regard, the premise is in a similar ballpark to the original Castlevania.
Castlevania: The Adventure (1989)
It’s time to move away from the NES and Arcade machines with the release of Castlevania: The Adventure in 1989, which is the first Game Boy game in the series. It serves as a prequel, taking place 100 years before the first Castlevania game, meaning you play as Simon’s ancestor, Christopher Belmont, as he tries to defeat Dracula.
Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse (1989)
Castlevania III: Dracula’s Revenge came out just a couple of months after Castlevania: The Adventure, taking place one hundred years before. You play as Trevor Belmont, the ancestor of Simon Belmont, though you don’t need to go on this adventure alone as Trevor has three possible companions with him. You can even obtain multiple different endings depending on the decisions you make throughout your adventure.
Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge (1991)
Belmont’s Revenge is a direct sequel to Castlevania: The Adventure that first released in 1991, making it the second Castlevania game to appear on the Game Boy. It takes place 15 years after The Adventure, and it sees you take control of Christopher Belmont as he goes after Dracula once more, who has taken his son, Soleil.
Super Castlevania IV (1991)
As the name suggests, Super Castlevania IV is a 1991 Castlevania game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Once again, you control the repeated protagonist, Simon Belmont. The game features all of the side-scrolling and platforming goodness you expect while offering 11 levels full of tough enemies.
Castlevania Chronicles (1993)
Castlevania Chronicles first came out in 1993 on the X68000, though it later had a PlayStation release in 2001, that’s arguably the more popular/played version of the game. It features two different game modes, original and arrange. The original mode is a remake of the 1986 original Castlevania, while the arrange mode modernizes the game, making a few quality-of-life changes. It also introduces a cinematic opening, re-balances gameplay, and more.
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (1993)
Rondo of Blood introduces yet another Belmont, Richter. Konami released the game for the PC Engine Super CD-Rom in 1993, and the story follows Richter as he goes on an adventure to save his girlfriend, Anette. Yes, Dracula is responsible for her disappearance, but the iconic vampire just can’t get enough of messing with the Belmont family. Some might call this stalking, though we imagine Dracs just calls it a Friday night.
Castlevania: Bloodlines (1994)
Castlevania: Bloodlines, also known as Castlevania: The New Generation and Vampire Killer, in PAL regions and Japan, respectively, first hit the scene in 1994 on the Sega Genesis. In a delightful change of pace, you don’t play as a Belmont who’s hellbent on killing Dracula. Instead, you play as John, the son of Quincey Morris (from Bram Stoker’s Dracula), and his pal Eric Lacerade as they go on a journey to stop Elizabeth Bartley, a vampire who’s trying to kick off WWI in an attempt to bring back her uncle. Come on, do we really need to say who it is?
Castlevania: Dracula X (1995)
Dracula X, known as Castlevania: Vampire’s Kiss and Akumajou Dracula XX in Europe and Japan, respectively, is a 1995 SNES game that essentially serves as a souped-up version of Rondo of Blood, featuring an extremely similar story and gameplay, though it ramps the difficulty up to 11 and introduces some new gameplay elements, such as levels. Perhaps the most standout thing about this game is that you can play as Maria Renard. You just have to rescue her first.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (1997)
Arguably one of the best games ever made, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is a favorite among fans of the Castlevania games – one look at our Castlevania: Symphony of the Night review for iOS hammers that home – and it’s a game we encourage anyone to try if they get a kick out of hard games. We do have to admit that if you want to experience the original in all its glory, you need to be willing to part with some serious cash, as the 1997 PlayStation game is one of the rarest in the platform’s library. Why is a beloved game so rare? Well, it’s because it sold poorly at launch; it didn’t meet expectations at all. Instead, it garnered a cult following.
One of the reasons for its popularity is the story, as you get to play as the son of Dracula, Alucard, exploring Dracula’s Castle. It serves as a direct sequel to Rondo of Blood.
Castlevania Legends (1997)
Here, we have the third Castlevania game to appear on the Game Boy. An interesting tidbit is that you play as Sonia Belmont, with fans long believing that Castlevania Legends is a prequel to the entire series, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. This game isn’t even canon, so it’s missable in terms of understanding the world and story. In a change of pace from other entries, Legends isn’t brutally challenging, which might be nice for some and loathsome for others.
Despite not being canon, Legends has a very interesting premise, treating Sonia as the first vampire hunter to pursue Dracula.
Castlevania (1999)
1999’s Castlevania is also known as Castlevania 64 which should tell you which platform it originates from. While it shares the same name as the 1986 original, this isn’t a port or reimagining of that game. Instead, it features two completely different protagonists, Carrie Fernandez and Reindhart Schneider, the latter of which is the heir to the Belmont Clan (of course, the Belmonts need to feature here somehow). As is a recurring theme with the Castlevania games, it’s been a century since Dracula last ran rampant, but his return means it’s time to dig into the weapons draw once more.
Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness (1999)
Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness is an expanded version of Castlevania 64, featuring more villains, better graphics, and different variations of the levels you encounter in the original.
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (2001)
Now we’re at the point where Castlevania was ready to head to the Game Boy Advance. As you likely expect at this point, this game centers on the Belmont Clan and Dracula, meaning you need to embrace your inner vampire hunter once more. Originally, this game hit the GBA in 2001, but you can also enjoy it on Nintendo Switch thanks to the 2021 Castlevania Advance Collection.
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (2002)
Continuing with the GBA games, Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance came out in 2002. Once again, it’s time to take up arms with a different Belmont; for this outing, it’s Simon’s grandson, Juste. It takes place 50 years after Simon lifts his curse, and it follows Juste as he goes on a journey to save his best friend. Like Circle of the Moon, you can play this game on Nintendo Switch as part of the Castlevania Advance Collection.
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (2003)
While many Castlevania games take you back hundreds of years, or at least to the past in some way, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, the third GBA installment, takes you to the year 2035. That’s right, it’s time to go to the future. One of the standout things about Aria of Sorrow is that it was the first Castlevania title to employ the tactical soul feature. Character-wise, you play as Soma Cruz, a teenager with untold power thanks to being a possible reincarnation of Dracula – seriously, dude, just die already. You’re worse than Sephiroth. Alongside Harmony of Dissonance and Circle of the Moon, you can play Aria of Sorrow through the Castlevania Advance Collection if you don’t have access to the original.
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence (2003)
This is the game that takes you all the way to the beginning of the franchise, as Castlevania: Lament of Innocence is chronologically the first game, but we’ll get onto the chronological order in a bit. The game takes place in 1094. Since you’re going back hundreds of years more than you ever have before, it should come as no surprise that you play as a new character, and this time, it’s Leon Belmont. Like several descendants to come, he enters Dracula’s domain in search of a loved one – his bride, to be exact. Konami released Lament of Innocence on the PS2 in 2003.
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (2005)
Dawn of Sorrow represents another first for the series as it’s the first Castlevania DS game, releasing in 2005. To completely follow what’s going on here, you might want to play Aria of Sorrow, as Dawn of Sorrow is a direct sequel (guess the clue is in the name for that one, huh?). In this game, Soma overcomes all adversity in his first outing, preventing Dracula from returning through him while keeping those cool occult powers. Unfortunately, a cult is determined to see the return of the dark lord, and the only way to achieve this is by killing Soma.
Castlevania: Curse of Darkness (2005)
Though available on PlayStation 2 and Xbox throughout the West, Castlevania: Curse of Darkness only came out on the PS2 in Japan upon its release in 2005. Curse of Darkness is the fourth 3D Castlevania game, doing away with the traditional side-scrolling action the series is renowned for. Things are a bit different storywise for Curse of Darkness.
Taking place three years after the events of Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, you play as Hector, a former minion of Dracula (a devil forge master, to be exact). However, while he leads a peaceful life for a while, even getting a fiancée, his life is turned upside down when a former rival from Dracula’s Castle orchestrates her murder. Naturally, Hector wants revenge, and thus, you return to his former home.
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (2006)
We return to the Nintendo DS with Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, a 2006 title. It continues on from Castlevania: Bloodlines, taking place during WWII. One of the most important things about this game is that it features cooperative multiplayer, making it the first Castlevania game to do so. While you get to revisit Dracula’s Castle for what might feel like the hundredth time, you also get to explore a new world thanks to the various paintings you find, as they’re portals constructed by Brauner, the antagonist of Portrait of Ruin.
Castlevania: Order of Shadows (2007)
Here we are, it’s the first Castlevania mobile game, releasing via the Java Platform in September 2007. As with other entries in the franchise, namely Symphony of the Night, Castlevania: Order of Shadows features various RPG features, and, yet again, it’s time to play as a different Belmont. Desmond is the protagonist this time, though his sisters Zoe and Dolores are also present – the trio is on a quest to find a cult known as The Order, a delightful group who wants to bring back Dracula…again.
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (2008)
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia marks the third entry for the Nintendo DS, and while you might think you know what to expect, it might surprise you. You don’t play as a Belmont; the entire Belmont Clan is gone. This game takes place in the 1800s, long after the events of Symphony of the Night, meaning it’s time to meet a new protagonist from another organization ready and willing to fight off the forces of evil. On this occasion, you play as Shanoa, though she’s still a certified badass like everyone who came before her.
Castlevania: Judgement (2008)
Let’s step away from platforming and RPG elements, it’s about time Castlevania tackled something new. Clearly, that’s the thought process for Castlevania: Judgement, a fighting game for the Nintendo Wii. You can pick from 14 characters, 13 of which come from various Castlevania games, while the final character, Aeon, is original to Judgement. In case you’re curious, the roster includes the likes of Simon Belmont, Eric Lecarde, Dracula, Death, Shanoa, Alucard, and Trevor Belmont.

Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth (2009)
As the name indicates, Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth is a remake of the 1989 Game Boy game Castlevania: The Adventure. Konami released the game on the Nintendo Wii in 2009. While we already touched on the story above, it doesn’t hurt to reiterate that you play as Christopher Belmont, yet another person who has a bone to pick with Dracula.
Castlevania: The Arcade (2009)
Castlevania: The Arcade is, you guessed it, an arcade game. It first came out in 2009 in Japan, and while a European release was on the cards, it never got further than appearing in a few test locations throughout 2008. It’s a real shame, as you get to use a whip remote, much like you use guns for the likes of Time Crisis and House of the Dead.
Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night (2010)
While I agree that Symphony of the Night deserves an encore, I didn’t expect it to come in the form of a mobile puzzle game. Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night essentially retells the story of the 1997 classic but with more puzzles. Unfortunately, as is the case with most Castlevania mobile games, you can’t get Encore of the Night anymore.
Castlevania: Harmony of Despair (2010)
In 2010, Castlevania: Harmony of Despair arrived on Xbox 360 with a PS3 release the following year. It’s a 2D multiplayer game that features an array of previous protagonists for you to play as, including Alucard, Soma Cruz, and Shanoa. It doesn’t have a role in a timeline, but I have no doubt it proved to be a good time for friends on a Friday night.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (2010)
Okay, here we go. Personally, I’m a huge fan of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow as are many other fans, though it’s vital to point out that this game, and the subsequent Lords of Shadow games, are a reboot for the videogame series, meaning it has a different mythos for you to explore. That, my friends, is why there are two timelines to enjoy as a Castlevania fan.
In Lords of Shadow, you find yourself in the shoes of Gabriel Belmont, a man on a mission to defeat the Lords of Shadow and resurrect his wife (okay, saving/reviving a loved one isn’t really new). It’s an action-adventure game with some platforming and puzzles thrown in for good measure.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate (2013)
The year is 2013, and it’s high time a Castlevania game appeared on the Nintendo 3DS. It turns out MercurySteam and Konami agreed, releasing Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate for the platform. The game serves as a direct sequel to the previous game and when you look at the history of Castlevania, it shouldn’t surprise you one bit to discover that Dracula is back. However, it returns to the series routes, taking you on a side-scrolling action adventure featuring Gabriel, his son Trevor, grandson Simon, and even Alucard.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (2014)
After all these years, after all these games, it’s time for you to actually be Dracula. As the name indicates, Lords of Shadow 2 is a sequel to the 2010 game. Rather than having a Belmont chase down Dracula, it turns out that a Belmont is Dracula thanks to Gabriel, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a big bad for you to fight. Think about it, who is even bigger and badder than Dracula? Yes, your mum. I’m kidding, it’s Satan.

Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls (2019)
Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls is an Apple Arcade exclusive that soft-launched in 2019, with a worldwide launch to follow in 2021. Honestly, we find this game to be a little underwhelming (just check out our Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls review to see why). The game draws on all the events you can think of from previous games, ushering you on yet another quest to stop the resurrection of Dracula.
How do I play Castlevania in chronological order?
Now that you know what each game is, it’s time to take a look at which ones matter as we explain how to play Castlevania in chronological order:
Main timeline:
- Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
- Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse
- Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
- Castlevania: The Adventure/ The Adventure ReBirth
- Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge
- Castlevania/Super Castlevania IV/Castlevania Chronicles
- Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest
- Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
- Castlevania: Rondo of Blood/Dracula X/Dracula X Chronicles
- Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
- Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
- Castlevania: Bloodlines
- Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
- Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
- Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
Lords of Shadow timeline:
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
Which Castlevania game is the anime based on?
If you’re a fan of the Netflix anime series Castlevania but aren’t too familiar with the games, particularly the older ones, you might not be too sure which ones inspire the events of the TV show. Well, the show is influenced by a couple of the Castlevania games. The events that transpire in the first two seasons are from Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, though some characters from Castlevania: Curse of Darkness appear in season two, and Alucard’s backstory is essentially that of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
As for the second Netflix anime series for the franchise, Castlevania: Nocturne, it’s Castlevania: Rondo of Blood and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night that inspire the show.
Is Alucard Dracula’s son?
Yes, Alucard is the son of Dracula, a fact that’s revealed in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, with further details surrounding the character emerging in Aria of Sorrow and Dawn of Sorrow.
What is the best Castlevania game?
Now that is a loaded question. Ask ten people, and you might get ten different answers. Equally, if you ask another ten, they may all give you the same answer. It’s incredibly subjective, but in our humble opinion, the best Castlevania game is Symphony of the Night, which boasts a very respectable 89 on Metacritic. This game has everything going for it: fantastic characters, an engaging story, and fun gameplay.
That’s a lot of information about a lot of Castlevania games, but hey, at least now you not only know when each one came out, but you know how to play Castlevania in order, too, regardless of whether it’s the main timeline or the Lords of Shadow timeline. Konami’s franchise is a classic and has a much-deserved place in history, it’s one of the godfathers of the Metroidvania genre for a reason. However, should the monumental challenge they pose not be for you, you can always chill out with the best games like Stardew Valley.