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{{Short description|1987 video game}}
{{Refimprove|date=July 2008}}
{{Infobox video game {{Infobox video game
|title=Haunted Castle |title=Haunted Castle
|image=] |image=Haunted Castle flyer.jpg
|image_size=222px
|caption=Japanese arcade flyer
|caption=
|developer=] |developer=]
|publisher=Konami |publisher=Konami
|designer=]<ref>{{cite book|last1=Szczepaniak|first1=John|title=The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers|volume=1|date=4 August 2014|publisher=SMG Szczepaniak|isbn=978-0992926021|pages=231–232, 235, 242–245}}</ref>
|composer=Kenichi Matsubara<ref>{{cite AV media notes |url=http://vgmdb.net/album/2575 |title=Konami Game Music Collection Vol.1 |year=1988 |publisher=]}}</ref> |composer=Kenichi Matsubara<ref>{{cite AV media notes |url=http://vgmdb.net/album/2575 |title=Konami Game Music Collection Vol.1 |year=1988 |publisher=] |access-date=2010-09-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090613054302/http://vgmdb.net/album/2575 |archive-date=2009-06-13 |url-status=live }}</ref><br>Masahiro Ikariko<br>"T"
|series='']'' |series='']''
|platforms=], ] |platforms=]
|release={{vgrelease|NA|December 26, 1987<ref>{{cite web|title=Haunted Castle - Official Konami page (EN) |access-date=July 24, 2020 |url=https://www.konami.com/games/castlevania/eu/en/page/history_1988_ac}}</ref>|EU|December 26, 1987<ref>{{cite web|title=Haunted Castle - Official Konami page (EU) |access-date=July 24, 2020 |url=https://www.konami.com/games/castlevania/us/en-us/page/history_1988_ac}}</ref>|JP|February 22, 1988<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.konami.com/games/castlevania/jp/ja/page/history_1988_ac#history-detail-top |title=Haunted Castle - Official Konami page (JP) |access-date=July 24, 2020 |language=ja}}</ref>}}
|release='''Arcade'''<br>{{vgrelease|JP=February 1988<ref></ref>|NA=September 22, 1988|EU=November, 1998}}'''PlayStation 2'''<br>{{vgrelease|JP=May 25, 2006}}
|genre=] |genre= ], ]
|modes=] |modes=]
|cabinet=Upright
|sound=]
|display=], 256 x 224, horizontal orientation
}} }}


'''''Haunted Castle''''', known as {{nihongo|''Akumajō Dracula''|悪魔城ドラキュラ||officially translated ''Devil's Castle Dracula''}}<ref>{{cite video game |title=Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles |developer=] |publisher=Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. |date=23 October 2007 |quote='''Japanese:''' 悪魔城の城主、邪心の神、ドラキュラ伯爵の復活であった。 '''Konami translation by Ken Ogasawara:''' Dracula, lord of darkness, master of the devil's castle, walks among us.}}</ref> in Japan, is the first ] in the ''Castlevania'' series, released by ] in 1988. It was later re-released on the ] exclusively in ], as part of the ''Oretachi Game Center Zoku'' collection. The game follows the vampire hunter Simon Belmont as he goes to rescue his wife Selena from Dracula. '''''Haunted Castle'''''{{efn|Known in Japan as {{nihongo|'''''Akumajō Dracula'''''|悪魔城ドラキュラ|Akumajō Dorakyura|''Demon Castle Dracula''}}<ref>{{cite video game |title=Castlevania: Harmony of Despair |developer=] |publisher=Konami|date=2010-08-04|quote='''Japanese:''' 歴代の「悪魔城ドラキュラ」シリーズから選ばれた登場キャラクターを操作して、仲間たちと悪魔城に乗り込み、宿敵ドラキュラ伯爵に立ち向かおう。 '''English translation:''' Take control of past protagonists from the Castlevania series to brave the Demon Castle alongside friends and defeat the ancient enemy Count Dracula.}}</ref>}} is a 1987 ]-] developed and released by ] for ]. It is the second arcade game in the '']'' franchise, following '']'', an arcade port of the original ] released in North America. Unlike the previous arcade title in the franchise, ''Haunted Castle'' is not a direct port of an existing console game, but a newly-developed arcade game running on custom ]-based board. The game has the player controlling ], who embarks on a journey to save his wife Selena from the clutches of ].


A remake of ''Haunted Castle'', ''Haunted Castle Revisited'', was released in 2024 as part of the ''Castlevania Dominus Collection'' compilation.
⚫ == Gameplay ==
⚫ ''Haunted Castle'' is a typical ] with six levels, which are played through in a linear progression. The player controls the main character, whose primary mode of attack is via his whip. He must fight various enemies which consist partially of skeletons, zombies, fishmen, and hunchbacks. By destroying certain enemies, he can switch his weapon to a more powerful spiked ] or sword. In addition, various "sub-weapons" can be obtained which provide different means of attack which consist of bombs, boomerangs, stopwatches, crosses, and torches. ''Hearts'' are collected to use each of these "sub-weapons." The player can only carry one sub-weapon at a time.


⚫ ==Gameplay==
⚫ Each of ''Haunted Castle'''s six levels conclude with a ]. Like in other games of the series, these bosses are generally taken from ] literature or legend, and include ], ], and of course, Dracula.
]
⚫ ''Haunted Castle'' is a ] with six stages, which are played through in a linear progression. The player controls the main character ], whose primary weapon is a ]. He must fight various enemies which consist partially of skeletons, zombies, mermen, and hunchbacks. By destroying certain enemies, he can upgrade his primary weapon first to a more powerful spiked ], then to a sword. In addition, various "sub-weapons" can be obtained which provide different means of attack which consist of bombs (powerful ground attack), boomerangs (straight attack), stopwatches (freezes enemies), crosses (powerful straight attack), and torches (continuous ground attack). Hearts are collected to use the sub-weapons. The player can only carry one sub-weapon at a time.


⚫ Each of ''Haunted Castle''{{'}}s six levels conclude with a ]. Like in other games of the series, these bosses are generally taken from ] literature or legend, and include ], ], and ] himself.
⚫ ==Development==
⚫ A small Japanese game publisher called ] ported the Japanese version of ''Haunted Castle'' to the ] in May 2006 as part of the '']'' series. This game port was not released outside of Japan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://castlevaniadungeon.net/games/hc.html |title=Haunted Castle |author= |date= |work= |publisher= |accessdate=11 July 2011}}</ref>


Multiple board versions exist, all of which have varying levels of difficulty. Version M is considered the most challenging, Version K and Version J are regarded as being easier to play.<ref name="Castlevania Dungeon"> https://castlevaniadungeon.net/games/hcfaq.txt </ref>

⚫ ==Development==
===Audio=== ===Audio===
{{unreferenced section|date=August 2020}}
The soundtrack was composed by Kenichi Matsubara, who previously did the soundtrack to ]. There are a several notable music tracks in ''Haunted Castle'' that have been reused in other ''Castlevania'' games. The well-recognized "]" (first heard in the previously released ''Castlevania II'') is used in this game as the theme for Stage 3. Another arcade piece, the Stage 1 theme "Cross Your Heart", was recently reused in '']'' under the title "Crucifix Held Close". It is also part of the "Akumajo Dracula Medley" that appears in Konami's '']'' (originally appearing in the Japanese arcade and PlayStation 2 music game series ''Keyboardmania''), along with "Bloody Tears". "Clockwork's Beat", which plays during Stage 5, was remixed in '']'' under the name "Underground Melodies" (actually the name of ''Haunted Castle''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> Stage 4 theme). Finally, "Don't Wait Until Night", played during Stage 6, which borrows hints of "The Silence of Daylight" (the town music from ''Castlevania II''),{{Citation needed|date=November 2007}}, was remixed in '']'' for Julius' theme "Heart of Fire", though this particular song is actually a medley of the ''Haunted Castle'' tune and "Heart of Fire" from Stage 5 of the original '']''. The soundtrack was composed in part by Kenichi Matsubara, who previously worked on the soundtrack of '']''. There are several music tracks in ''Haunted Castle'' that have been reused in other ''Castlevania'' games. "]", first heard in the previously released ''Castlevania II'', is used as the theme for Stage 3. Another arcade piece, the Stage 1 theme "Cross Your Heart", was reused in '']'' under the title "Crucifix Held Close" and as an unlockable song in '']''. It is part of the "Akumajo Dracula Medley" that appears in Konami's '']'' (originally appearing in the Japanese arcade and PlayStation 2 music game series ''Keyboardmania''), along with "Bloody Tears". "Clockwork's Beat", which plays during Stage 5, was remixed in '']'' under the name "Underground Melodies" (actually the name of ''Haunted Castle''{{'}}s Stage 4 theme). Finally, "Don't Wait Until Night", played during Stage 6, which borrows hints of "The Silence of Daylight" (the town music from ''Castlevania II''),{{Citation needed|date=November 2007}}, was remixed in '']'' for Julius' theme "Heart of Fire", though this particular song is actually a medley of the ''Haunted Castle'' tune and "Heart of Fire" from Stage 5 of the original '']''.

===Releases===
⚫ A ] port of ''Haunted Castle'' was released by game publisher ] in May 2006 as part of the '']'' series. This port was only released in Japan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://castlevaniadungeon.net/games/hc.html|title=Haunted Castle|work=The Castlevania Dungeon|access-date=11 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090718214704/http://www.castlevaniadungeon.net/Games/hc.html|archive-date=18 July 2009|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In September 2017, Hamster released the game for the ] as part of their '']'' line of digital releases.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.famitsu.com/news/201611/25121454.html |publisher=Famitsu |title=PS4『アーケードアーカイブス 悪魔城ドラキュラ』12月1日配信決定！|date=25 November 2016 |access-date=July 24, 2020 |language=ja}}</ref> This version includes the option to play the Japanese, North American and European versions of the game.<ref name="releaseHamster">{{Cite web |url=https://store.playstation.com/#!/en-us/games/arcade-archives-haunted-castle/cid=UP0571-CUSA09306_00-HAMPRDC000000001 |title=Latest &#124; Official PlayStation™Store US |access-date=2017-10-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512225848/https://store.playstation.com/#!/en-us/games/arcade-archives-haunted-castle/cid=UP0571-CUSA09306_00-HAMPRDC000000001 |archive-date=2016-05-12 |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Haunted Castle'' is also included in Konami's ''Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection'', released digitally on April 19, 2019 for the PlayStation 4, ], ] and ] (via ]).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/03/the_absolute_worst_castlevania_is_coming_to_arcade_archives_on_switch|title=The Absolute Worst Castlevania Is Coming To Arcade Archives On Switch|date=March 31, 2021|website=Nintendo Life}}</ref> Unlike the stand-alone ''Arcade Archive'' release, this version varies depending on the region.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.konami.com/games/50th/ac/arcade/us/en/ |title=Anniversary Collection Arcade Classics |access-date=2019-03-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321095058/https://www.konami.com/games/50th/ac/arcade/us/en/ |archive-date=2019-03-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

''Haunted Castle'' is included in the ''Castlevania Dominus Collection'', released in August 2024 for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch, and PC (via Steam). The collection includes a reimagining by ], ''Haunted Castle Revisited'', which features updated graphics and sound, rebalanced difficulty, and many other changes.<ref>{{cite web | last=McFerran | first=Damien | title=Review: Haunted Castle Revisited (Switch) | website=Time Extension | date=August 30, 2024 | url=https://www.timeextension.com/reviews/switch-eshop/haunted-castle-revisited | access-date=August 31, 2024}}</ref>

== Reception ==
{{Video game reviews
|rev1 = ''Micom BASIC Magazine''
|rev1Score = {{Rating|1.5|6}}<ref name="MBASICM71hc">{{cite magazine|last=Miki|first=Koji|url=https://archive.org/stream/micomBASIC_1988-05#page/n249/mode/1up|title=Super Soft Corner: 特集 AOU アミューズメント・エキスポ レポート - '88AOU出展ビデオゲームを完全レポート — 悪魔城ドラキュラ（コナミ）|magazine=Micom BASIC Magazine|issue=71|publisher=The Dempa Shimbunsha Corporation|date=May 1988|page=270|lang=ja}}</ref>
|award1Pub = '']'' (1998)
|award1 = Best Graphic Award 10th<br />Best VGM Award 7th<ref name="GM112hc">{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/stream/vol.-112-2#page/n23/mode/2up|title=ザ・ベストゲーム2 - アーケードビデオゲーム26年の歴史: ゲーメスト大賞11年史|work=]|volume=5|edition=4th|publisher=]|date=17 January 1998|pages=22–23|language=ja|isbn=9784881994290}}</ref>
}}

In Japan, ''Game Machine'' listed ''Haunted Castle'' on their April 1, 1988, issue as being the sixth most popular arcade game at the time.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)|magazine=]|issue=329|publisher=]|date=1 April 1988|page=25|lang=ja}}</ref>

Time Extension placed ''Haunted Castle'' last on its list of ranked ''Castlevania'' games. It was described that "It starts off well enough; the sprites are nice and large (a fact that makes it hard to avoid danger) and there are some amazing tunes here. However, the brutal difficulty level is clearly designed to suck in coins, and the controls feel stiff and awkward. Outside of saying you've played it, there's little reason to seek this one out. It's dreadful."<ref>{{cite web |last1=McFerran |first1=Damien |title=Best Castlevania Games - Every Castlevania Game Ranked |url=https://www.timeextension.com/guides/best-castlevania-games-every-castlevania-game-ranked |website=Time Extension |publisher=Hookshot Media |access-date=19 February 2023 |date=2 January 2023}}</ref>

{{-}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}


==References== ==References==
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{{Castlevania series}} {{Castlevania series}}
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Haunted Castle (Arcade Game)}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Haunted Castle (Arcade Game)}}
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Latest revision as of 09:12, 4 January 2025

1987 video game 1987 video game
Haunted Castle
Developer(s)Konami
Publisher(s)Konami
Designer(s)Masaaki Kukino
Composer(s)Kenichi Matsubara
Masahiro Ikariko
"T"
SeriesCastlevania
Platform(s)Arcade
Release
  • NA: December 26, 1987
  • EU: December 26, 1987
  • JP: February 22, 1988
Genre(s)Action, platform
Mode(s)Single-player

Haunted Castle is a 1987 action-platform game developed and released by Konami for arcades. It is the second arcade game in the Castlevania franchise, following Vs. Castlevania, an arcade port of the original 1986 NES video game released in North America. Unlike the previous arcade title in the franchise, Haunted Castle is not a direct port of an existing console game, but a newly-developed arcade game running on custom JAMMA-based board. The game has the player controlling Simon Belmont, who embarks on a journey to save his wife Selena from the clutches of Dracula.

A remake of Haunted Castle, Haunted Castle Revisited, was released in 2024 as part of the Castlevania Dominus Collection compilation.

Gameplay

Gameplay screenshot

Haunted Castle is a platform game with six stages, which are played through in a linear progression. The player controls the main character Simon Belmont, whose primary weapon is a whip. He must fight various enemies which consist partially of skeletons, zombies, mermen, and hunchbacks. By destroying certain enemies, he can upgrade his primary weapon first to a more powerful spiked morning star, then to a sword. In addition, various "sub-weapons" can be obtained which provide different means of attack which consist of bombs (powerful ground attack), boomerangs (straight attack), stopwatches (freezes enemies), crosses (powerful straight attack), and torches (continuous ground attack). Hearts are collected to use the sub-weapons. The player can only carry one sub-weapon at a time.

Each of Haunted Castle's six levels conclude with a boss fight. Like in other games of the series, these bosses are generally taken from horror literature or legend, and include Medusa, Frankenstein's monster, and Dracula himself.

Multiple board versions exist, all of which have varying levels of difficulty. Version M is considered the most challenging, Version K and Version J are regarded as being easier to play.

Development

Audio

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

The soundtrack was composed in part by Kenichi Matsubara, who previously worked on the soundtrack of Castlevania II: Simon's Quest. There are several music tracks in Haunted Castle that have been reused in other Castlevania games. "Bloody Tears", first heard in the previously released Castlevania II, is used as the theme for Stage 3. Another arcade piece, the Stage 1 theme "Cross Your Heart", was reused in Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin under the title "Crucifix Held Close" and as an unlockable song in Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles. It is part of the "Akumajo Dracula Medley" that appears in Konami's Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix 3 (originally appearing in the Japanese arcade and PlayStation 2 music game series Keyboardmania), along with "Bloody Tears". "Clockwork's Beat", which plays during Stage 5, was remixed in Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow under the name "Underground Melodies" (actually the name of Haunted Castle's Stage 4 theme). Finally, "Don't Wait Until Night", played during Stage 6, which borrows hints of "The Silence of Daylight" (the town music from Castlevania II),, was remixed in Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow for Julius' theme "Heart of Fire", though this particular song is actually a medley of the Haunted Castle tune and "Heart of Fire" from Stage 5 of the original Castlevania.

Releases

A PlayStation 2 port of Haunted Castle was released by game publisher Hamster in May 2006 as part of the Oretachi Gēsen Zoku series. This port was only released in Japan.

In September 2017, Hamster released the game for the PlayStation 4 as part of their Arcade Archives line of digital releases. This version includes the option to play the Japanese, North American and European versions of the game. Haunted Castle is also included in Konami's Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection, released digitally on April 19, 2019 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC (via Steam). Unlike the stand-alone Arcade Archive release, this version varies depending on the region.

Haunted Castle is included in the Castlevania Dominus Collection, released in August 2024 for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch, and PC (via Steam). The collection includes a reimagining by M2, Haunted Castle Revisited, which features updated graphics and sound, rebalanced difficulty, and many other changes.

Reception

Reception
Review score
PublicationScore
Micom BASIC Magazine
Award
PublicationAward
Gamest Mook (1998)Best Graphic Award 10th
Best VGM Award 7th

In Japan, Game Machine listed Haunted Castle on their April 1, 1988, issue as being the sixth most popular arcade game at the time.

Time Extension placed Haunted Castle last on its list of ranked Castlevania games. It was described that "It starts off well enough; the sprites are nice and large (a fact that makes it hard to avoid danger) and there are some amazing tunes here. However, the brutal difficulty level is clearly designed to suck in coins, and the controls feel stiff and awkward. Outside of saying you've played it, there's little reason to seek this one out. It's dreadful."

Notes

  1. Known in Japan as Akumajō Dracula (悪魔城ドラキュラ, Akumajō Dorakyura, Demon Castle Dracula)

References

  1. "Haunted Castle - Official Konami page (EU)". Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  2. "Haunted Castle - Official Konami page (EN)". Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  3. "Haunted Castle - Official Konami page (JP)" (in Japanese). Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  4. Szczepaniak, John (4 August 2014). The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers. Vol. 1. SMG Szczepaniak. pp. 231–232, 235, 242–245. ISBN 978-0992926021.
  5. Konami Game Music Collection Vol.1 (Media notes). King Records Co., Ltd. 1988. Archived from the original on 2009-06-13. Retrieved 2010-09-28.
  6. Konami (2010-08-04). Castlevania: Harmony of Despair. Konami. Japanese: 歴代の「悪魔城ドラキュラ」シリーズから選ばれた登場キャラクターを操作して、仲間たちと悪魔城に乗り込み、宿敵ドラキュラ伯爵に立ち向かおう。 English translation: Take control of past protagonists from the Castlevania series to brave the Demon Castle alongside friends and defeat the ancient enemy Count Dracula.
  7. https://castlevaniadungeon.net/games/hcfaq.txt
  8. "Haunted Castle". The Castlevania Dungeon. Archived from the original on 18 July 2009. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
  9. "PS4『アーケードアーカイブス 悪魔城ドラキュラ』12月1日配信決定！" (in Japanese). Famitsu. 25 November 2016. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  10. "Latest | Official PlayStation™Store US". Archived from the original on 2016-05-12. Retrieved 2017-10-18.
  11. "The Absolute Worst Castlevania Is Coming To Arcade Archives On Switch". Nintendo Life. March 31, 2021.
  12. "Anniversary Collection Arcade Classics". Archived from the original on 2019-03-21. Retrieved 2019-03-23.
  13. McFerran, Damien (August 30, 2024). "Review: Haunted Castle Revisited (Switch)". Time Extension. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  14. Miki, Koji (May 1988). "Super Soft Corner: 特集 AOU アミューズメント・エキスポ レポート - '88AOU出展ビデオゲームを完全レポート — 悪魔城ドラキュラ（コナミ）". Micom BASIC Magazine (in Japanese). No. 71. The Dempa Shimbunsha Corporation. p. 270.
  15. ザ・ベストゲーム2 - アーケードビデオゲーム26年の歴史: ゲーメスト大賞11年史 (in Japanese). Vol. 5 (4th ed.). Shinseisha. 17 January 1998. pp. 22–23. ISBN 9784881994290. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  16. "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 329. Amusement Press, Inc. 1 April 1988. p. 25.
  17. McFerran, Damien (2 January 2023). "Best Castlevania Games - Every Castlevania Game Ranked". Time Extension. Hookshot Media. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
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