Castlevania (1986) Revisited – Horror Game Review

Last Updated on May 18, 2022

With the new episode of our video series Playing with Fear, we’re looking back at one of the most popular horror video games ever released: the ’80s classic Castlevania! Originally released for the Family Computer Disk System console in Japan in September 1986, Castlevania was ported over to the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987 – and the franchise has been going strong ever since. Not only have there been multiple sequels, reboots, and spin-offs, but there was also a four season animated Castlevania series on the Netflix streaming service. To hear all about Castlevania, check out the video embedded above!

The original Castlevania had the following set-up:

Transylvania – a small, peaceful country in the heart of medieval Europe.

The people of Transylvania whisper the legend of Dracula to their children at bedtime, only half-believing it to be true. “The forces of good keep a watchful eye over the land, protecting all who live here. But even during the constant vigil, the forces of evil manage to prevail once every century. Each time this happens, human beings with evil hearts begin to chant unspeakable prayers. This is Dracula, the Prince of Darkness, resurrected upon the face of the Earth. And each time he is manifested, his powers grow stronger.” Once, long ago, Dracula was indeed revived in this manner. However, his ambitions to plunge the world into darkness and build a kingdom of evil were crushed by the hero Christopher Belmont.

Following Dracula’s demise at the hands of Christopher Belmont, the Transylvanian countryside slept peacefully for 100 years. Then one Easter night, the townspeople were celebrating the joyous holiday with a splendid carnival. But, in the ruins of the old monastery on the edge of town, the followers of darkness were holding a Black Mass to revive the evil Count and give him eternal life. They poured a sacrifice of human blood over his remains. As they did so, an ominous thundercloud enveloped the town. Suddenly, a single bolt of lightning pierced the monastery. In that instant, Dracula, the Prince of Darkness, returned to this world to begin a new reign of terror.

But all was not lost. The successor to the Belmont family bloodline, a young man by the name of Simon, was determined to rid the land of this terrible evil. Taking the mysterious whip left to him by his father, he ventured into Dracula’s castle to face the Count – alone.

Episodes in the Playing with Fear series take  

a look at the most impactful, successful, and scariest video games throughout the history of the medium and deciding if they’re still worth playing today.

Playing with Fear is Written and Narrated by Andrew Hatfield, Edited by Tyler Nichols, Produced by John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

Are you a fan of Castlevania? Share your thoughts on this game in the comments section below.

Some of the previous episodes of Playing with Fear can be seen below. To see more, and to take a look at the other video series we have to offer, head over to the JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel – and subscribe while you’re there!