The one that started it all, Castlevania sees players controlling Simon Belmont as he marches through Dracula’s castle to defeat the menagerie of monsters hiding within. These games are known to be on the short side, but with a degree of challenge that rewards mastery. Beginning from humble roots on the NES, the Classicvanias established early on the franchise’s eye for visual flair and memorable enemy encounters. “Classic” Castlevania is known for its linear levels and simple control schemes, as well as a consistently punishing difficulty. Our goal with this series of articles that we’ll run this week is to help you get across Castlevania if it’s all new to you and the plethora of choices leave you uncertain on where to start.

If you’re just getting into the Castlevania series, there are lots of places to start – but like every long-running franchise, the series has evolved over time. Despite spanning over three decades of history, its games remain remarkably well preserved, with old and new titles available on modern consoles reproduced with faithful emulation. In the lead-up to October’s spooky season, we’ll be looking at Konami’s Castlevania series – its Hammer Horror theming and challenging platforming make it one of the most recognisable side-scrolling franchises ever. We’re interested in accessibility and availability, as well as where the best entry point might be for someone new to the franchise. For anyone interested in gaming’s history, it’s often daunting to tackle some of the longer running series.

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