Developed by Konami and released for the NES in 1987, Castlevania is a pioneering action-platformer that helped define a genre. You take control of vampire hunter Simon Belmont as he battles through six grueling stages of Dracula’s demonic castle. Armed with the legendary Vampire Killer whip, your objective is to fight through hordes of classic movie monstersโincluding mummies, Frankenstein’s monster, and the Grim Reaperโto ultimately confront the Count himself.
How to play
The objective is to survive the treacherous castle levels, managing your health while collecting hearts to power your sub-weapons like the holy water, throwing axe, and cross boomerang. Since this is an NES title, browser controls map the D-pad to the arrow keys for movement. Press Z to jump (the A button) and X to attack with your whip (the B button). Use Enter for Start to pause, and Shift for Select. To use your equipped sub-weapon, press up on the arrow keys while attacking.
Tips
- Whipping candles drops hearts and items, but keep an eye out for structural wall blocks that look slightly different. Breaking them can reveal hidden meat to restore your health.
- The holy water is incredibly powerful. Throwing it can freeze enemies in placeโincluding most bossesโallowing you to quickly whip them to death while they are stunned.
- Your jump arc is entirely committed once you leave the ground, meaning you cannot change direction in mid-air. Plan your leaps carefully, especially around flying Medusa heads and bottomless pits.
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