TheCastlevaniaseries has been a staple of gaming since its first game on the original NES. The series has undergone multiple iterations, making a leap from 2D platformer to 3D action with sprawling labyrinthine adventures thrown in between. There are several staples of a good Castlevania, but none are more important than the Castles themselves.
RELATED:Best Metroidvania Games Ever Made, Ranked
The Castles in Castlevania refer to Dracula’s castle. With each iteration of Dracula’s awakening, the castle changes. Some castles are sprawling mazes with only certain sections becoming available after learning certain abilities. Other games treat their castles as straightforward levels. Each game in the series has created a beautiful castle for our adventure, but these are the best castles in the entire series.
10Simon’s Quest: A Shell Of The Great Castle
The second game in the Castlevania series took a departure from the original. Rather than a classic level-based structure, Simon must search for Dracula’s dismembered parts throughout different villages in the game. Once Simon collects all these parts, he makes his way to the ruins of Dracula’s castle to burn them in hopes of curing the curse Dracula had put upon him.
The castle we visit in Simons’s Quest isn’t a large sprawling maze like many of the other games, but this is why the castle is so memorable. As we walk through the debris of Dracula’s castle, we can see hints of the castle from the original game. Seeing our destruction from the first game is what sets the castle in Simons’s Quest apart from other entries and why it deserves a spot on our list.
9Curse Of Darkness: A Beautiful 3D Castle
Curse of Darkness is one of the best 3D entries in the series, and the second Castlevania game released for PlayStation 2. The game took cues from its 2D Metroidvania counterparts and featured a sprawling world with different exploration options.
Much of the game takes place outside the castle, but the finale, which takes place in a new castle, is what lands this game a spot on our list. Curse of Darkness stayed true to the Castlevania aesthetic and showed us what a beautiful castle could look like in a fully rendered 3D world.
8Order Of Ecclesia: The Best Castle On Nintendo DS
The Nintendo DS saw three different Castlevania titles, but the castle featured in the second half of Order of Ecclesia is the best of the bunch. Order of Ecclesia also featuresone of the best Castlevania protagonistsas she attempts to take down Dracula during the Belmonts disappearance.
The Castle section of Order takes over roughly the entire second half of the game. The castle features many staples of other castles, but it’s the unique design that sets this location apart. The Mechanical Tower, Barracks, and Forsaken Cloister are all beautifully designed areas and are realized perfectly on Nintendo’s hardware. Order of Ecclesia is one of our favorite Castlevania games, due in no small part to the incredible castle.
7Lament Of Innocence: The Best Castle On PlayStation 2
Lament of Innocence acts as an origin story for the entire Castlevania series and has protagonist Leon Belmont searching a vampire’s castle for his lost love. The game is unique in being one of the first truly great Castlevania games in 3D.
RELATED:Best PlayStation 2 Games Ever Made, Officially Ranked
The Castle is made up of five different areas that are all open at the beginning of the game. The game allows you to tackle the areas in any order, but some areas are much more difficult than others. This gives the game a sort ofDark Souls-like experience as you navigate the castle. The exploration combined with a beautiful PS2 aesthetic is what makes this the best castle on thePlayStation 2.
6Aria Of Sorrow: A Gorgeous Castle Set In The Future
Aria of Sorrow has been championed by many as the best game in the series. It’s not hard to see why, and the praise is due in no small part to the wonderful castle you traverse through your journey.
The game takes place in the future and features a young protagonist who accidentally stumbles into Dracula’s castle. All the classic castle levels are present, but it’s the sunken ship and underground cemetery that truly stand out.
5Harmony Of Dissonance: Two Castles For The Price Of One
Harmony of Dissonance is the second Castlevania game released for theGameBoy Advanceand features the best castle to appear on the system. The story and mechanics of the game are mostly forgettable, but the twist revealed a third of the way through the game is what makes this castle special.
During the game, the protagonist realizes that parts of the castle are altered. This leads to the revelation that there are actually two different castles you’ve been traversing the entire time. Up until this point, traversal can be frustrating, but once it’s revealed, it’s a eureka moment for gamers and makes the frustrations early on all worth it.
Castlevania for theNintendo 64was the first game in the series to go 3D. This jump was not without its missteps, but it did end up giving us one of the best castles of the entire series. Castlevania 64 didn’t fail because of the level design. The biggest issues with the game were the terrible camera and controls.
What makes this even more frustrating is that we were finally journeying through a 3D Castlevania castle. It’s a shame the game couldn’t stick the landing with its gameplay, but we’ll still never forget the first time we walked into Castlevania 64’s castle.
3Rondo Of Blood: One Of the Toughest Castles In The Series
Rondo of Blood is one of the finest games in the series and one of the toughest. It is the last game in the series to use a more linear level-based structure, but that doesn’t take away from the fantastic castle players work their way through.
RELATED:Best Konami Franchises, Ranked
The linear nature of the castle works perfectly with Rondo of Blood, and the graphics of the game set the standard for future 2D Castlevania games. The ghost ship and torture chamber levels are standouts, and their DNA can be seen in the series decades after its release.
2Super Castlevania 4: An Old Story In A New Castle
Super Castlevania 4 tells the same story as the original game but adds all new music and a fantastic new castle. The game took full advantage of theSuper Nintendo’s hardware and proves to this day to be one of the most engaging settings of the entire series.
The original Castlevania had a great level design, but with the limitations of 8-bit hardware, the castle never felt fully realized. With Super Castlevania 4, not only did the developers bring the castle to life, but they also added unique macabre elements. Rivers and waterfalls that flow backward, dungeons filled with blood pools, and the epic ascent through the clock tower are what make this one of the best Castlevania castles.
1Symphony Of The Night: The Best Castle In The Series
Symphony of the Night totally re-imagined how a Castlevania game would play. The developers abandoned the basic level structure and instead turned to a large sprawling castle that the player slowly unlocks as they complete their journey. It remains not only one of the best games in the series but the best setting in Castlevania’s massive world.
The castle in Symphony of the Night took classic levels from the past and combined them all into one giant map. Combat is only half the fun as there is always something new to be discovered by back-tracking to previous locations. The true standout, and why this castle nabs the top spot on our list, is that once the game is finished, you then get to traverse the castle all over again upside down. It was an entirely new adventure hidden after the main game that few gamers will ever forget. Symphony of the Night remains a staple in gaming today, due in no small part to its fantastic castle.NEXT:Castlevania: Hardest Bosses In The Series, Ranked
