Castlevania: Anniversary Collection

The Castlevania: Anniversary Collection throws you back to the classic era of the franchise, featuring eight games that laid the foundation for the gothic action platforming we love.  Let’s break ‘em down.

First up, Castlevania is where it all began, a tough platformer with stiff controls that demand precision. The game’s iconic soundtrack and gothic atmosphere still hold up, but man, those Medusa heads and instant death pits will test your patience. It’s a masterpiece of its time, but honestly unforgiving by modern standards.

But the Ultimate Castlevania hack is like giving the original a full remaster without changing its soul. The graphical overhaul is amazing, everything looks sharper, darker, and more gothic while staying true to the original designs. The new Simon skins are a neat touch, but the real star is the gameplay tweaks: starting with zero hearts forces you to git gud with the short whip, and the rebalanced subweapons and enemy damage make the game tough but fair.

Castlevania II: Simon's Quest

Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest tried something different with RPG elements and a day night cycle, but cryptic progression and awkward translation make it a love it or hate it entry. The moody vibes are great, but good luck figuring out where to go without a guide.

However, the retranslation patch fixes that by restoring the original Japanese text, but in proper English, and even adds back cut content like the extended ending. The in game map is a game changer, no more wandering cluelessly through Transylvania. Plus, quality of life tweaks like SRAM saves (no more passwords! ) and smoother day/night transitions make this the definitive way to play. The Improved Controls hack pairs perfectly with it, fixing Simon’s janky jumps and stair physics. Now, jumping feels closer to Symphony of the Night, and you won’t get knocked off stairs like a ragdoll. Together, these patches turn Simon’s Quest from a frustrating relic into a legitimately enjoyable adventure.

Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse

Then there’s Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, often considered the peak of the NES trilogy. With branching paths, multiple characters (Alucard debut!), and even tougher levels, it’s a brutal but rewarding ride. The expanded mechanics and replayability make it a standout and with the Castlevania III Redux hack smooths out its rough edges. Faster character swapping and door animations cut down on tedious pauses, while rebalanced characters make Alucard and Grant actually useful (Alucard’s fireballs don’t suck anymore! ). The removed falling blocks in Stage 7 are a mercy, no more cheap deaths. The Rondo of Blood-style subweapon drops (leave your old weapon when grabbing a new one) and bugfixes (goodbye, stair attack glitch!) make this the most polished way to experience the game. There’s even an easier mode if the original’s brutality is too much. If you’re replaying Castlevania III, this hack is mandatory.

Super Castlevania IV is a SNES reimagining of the first game, boasting smoother controls, 16-bit visuals, and an all-time great soundtrack. The multidirectional whipping feels liberating, but some fans argue it’s too easy compared to the NES titles, Konami famously toned down the religious imagery in the international release, swapping crosses for generic tombstones and turning blood into green slime. The uncensorship hack brings back the game’s original edge, crosses are restored in backgrounds, coffins, and gravestones, and the gross green goop in Stage 8 is now proper blood. Even the Japanese title screen’s blood drip and chain whip sound effects are back. The FastROM conversion by Vítor Vilela also reduces slowdown, making the game smoother. If you want this game as it was meant to be seen, dark, atmospheric, and uncensored, this is the patch to grab.

Think Super Castlevania IV is too easy? This remix cranks up the difficulty with enemy swaps, altered stage layouts, and even a double boss health mode to test your whip skills. The last two stages get completely reworked progression, and sub-weapons are rebalanced so they’re all actually useful. There’s even a new running mechanic (hold A to sprint, L to moonwalk, because why not?). If you’ve mastered the original and want a tougher, remixed experience, this delivers.

Also, this game used a password system, which is clearly archaic now. The simple SRAM patch lets you save after every level, so no more scribbling down codes. Just go to the options menu, highlight Sound, press left or right, and your progress is loaded. A small but massive quality of life upgrade for modern playthroughs.

Castlevania: The Adventure

Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge

The Game Boy entries, Castlevania: The Adventure and Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge are a weird duo. The Adventure is sluggish and frustrating, with terrible slowdown, but Belmont’s Revenge fixes almost everything, delivering tight gameplay and better level design. It’s one of the best portable Castlevania experiences pre-Symphony of the Night. 

Also these two were stuck in monochrome hell, but color patches breathe new life into them. Belmont’s Revenge especially benefits, its already great level design pops with added detail. The Adventure is still a slog, but at least it looks better now. These patches don’t fix the gameplay, but they make revisiting these portable classics way more appealing.

Castlevania: Bloodlines

Castlevania Bloodlines is the only SEGA game here, and it’s a banger. With two playable characters, globetrotting stages, and a killer soundtrack, it’s an underrated gem that deserves more love. The Enhanced Colors patch fixes Konami’s weird palette choices, enemies and stages now look richer and more detailed. The SRAM patch is a godsend, letting you save progress instead of relying on continues. The Revised Edition goes further, restoring cut story details (like Eric’s proper name, "Johnny") and unlocking Expert Mode from the start. Mixing these patches gives you the ultimate Bloodlines experience: better visuals, smoother progression, and deeper lore.

Kid Dracula

Finally, Kid Dracula is the oddball of the collection, a cutesy spin-off with Mega Man-like gameplay. It’s charming and fun, but don’t expect deep lore or serious Castlevania vibes. More of a bonus than a main attraction.

This cute spinoff gets a Super Game Boy makeover, adding a custom border and colorized graphics. The border art (ripped from Parodius) is a fun touch tho is not appreciable on the 3DS sadly, and the colors make the game feel less like a blurry GB relic. It’s purely cosmetic, but if you’re playing Kid Dracula, why not make it prettier?

Ultimate Castlevania

Castlevania II: Simon's Quest

 

 

Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse

Super Castlevania IV

Castlevania: The Adventure DX

Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge DX

 

 

Castlevania: Bloodlines

Kid Dracula