Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse is a 1989 NES action-platformer by Konami and a direct prequel to the original Castlevania, set one hundred years earlier in 1476 Wallachia. You control Trevor Belmont — Simon Belmont’s ancestor — wielding the ancestral Vampire Killer whip through six branching stages on the way to Dracula’s castle. Unlike the first game, the routes split at several points, meaning two playthroughs can look very different, and each path holds a different ally to recruit.
How to play
Attack with Z (whip), jump with X, and collect hearts to power sub-weapons. To throw a sub-weapon — holy water, throwing axe, cross boomerang, or pocket watch — press Up and Z together. Three companions can join Trevor over the course of the game; you carry one at a time and swap between them with Shift. Grant DaNasty clings to walls and ceilings to reach spots Trevor cannot. Sypha Belnades trades the whip for elemental magic. Alucard, Dracula’s half-human son, hurls diagonal fireballs and can transform into a bat to fly over hazardous stretches.
| Arrow keys | Move / enter stairs |
| X | Jump |
| Z | Whip attack |
| Up + Z | Use sub-weapon |
| Shift | Switch character (Select) |
| Enter | Pause (Start) |
Tips
- Crouch and whip (Down + Z) keeps Trevor’s head below most projectiles while still connecting with enemies at chest height — a habit worth building early.
- Holy water is the strongest sub-weapon against bosses: the flame pools on the floor and strikes repeatedly as the boss walks through it.
- Alucard’s bat form lets you fly over several punishing platform sequences that would otherwise cost multiple lives, making him the most forgiving companion for a first clear.
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