Castlevania remains one of the most popular video game franchises on the market. Although the series has released nearly 30 games since its inception in 1986, there have been seven official Castlevania spin-off games dating back to 1990.
The quality of the spin-off games is often differentiated by the technological advancement of the consoles they were originally designed for, which range from arcade and puzzle games to Nintendo Gameboy, PS4, iOS mobile, and more. Fans of the series would be wise to entertain the absolute best Castlevania spin-off games available.
Kid Dracula (1990)
Released in 1990 as the first official spin-off, Kid Dracula is also considered a cheeky video game parody of Castlevania. Designed for the younger crowd, the game follows Demon King, aka Kid Dracula, who is summoned from his slumber to take on a rival demon named Galamoth.
With a 25 Famitsu rating, Kid Dracula is a fun but inconsequential spin-off that may appeal to young inexperienced gamers, but it leaves a lot to be desired for hardcore Castlevania fanatics. For example, by defeating Galamoth, all the monsters in the land storm Kid Dracula's castle and offer to be friends rather than foes.
Castlevania: Order Of Shadows (2007)
Konami took Castlevania into the mobile gaming market in 2007 via Order of Shadows, a minor but relatively compelling spin-off that drew mixed reviews. With a style and format akin to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, the plot revolves around Desmond Belmont, the latest descendant of the Belmont family who uses a trademark whip, axes, and explosive vials of holy water to defeat his monstrous enemies.
While entertaining enough, the game has been docked for being way too easy to defeat and lacking replay value. The best quality the game has is being able to swap out the soundtrack and incorporate iconic music from the original 80s game.
Castlevania: The Arcade
Konami released Castlevania: The Arcade in Japan in 2009, a House of the Dead-style light gun shooter game that currently boasts an 83% approval rating from Google users. While the game is a lot of fun to play with friends in public, the title lacks the depth, cinematic graphics, and immersive appeal of the series' more advanced titles.
Using an LED whip remote, the classic arcade game allows two basic moves that include activating Alucard's whip, and the other allows access to an arsenal of knives, crosses, stakes, etc. But, with only two players allowed at once and only three characters to use, the game leaves a lot to be desired.
Kid Dracula (1993)
Released three years later for the Gameboy, Kid Dracula is an improved remake of the same title released by Konami in 1990. This time out, Kid Dracula is not only tasked with defeating Demon Galamoth—now Garamoth—but he must also thwart his evil monsters and minions rather than befriend them. As a result, the challenges are much tougher and the rewards much more satisfying.
With advanced graphics, smoother gameplay, and a more compelling central conflict, Kid Dracula marks a major upgrade over its rudimentary predecessor. Among eight levels, Kid Dracula faces Jason Voorhees, Mecha-Garamoth, Big Robot, and a mythical Chinese lion called Kirin.
Castlevania Judgment (2008)
The first franchise entry released for Nintendo Wii, Castlevania Judgment is a 3D beginner-friendly fighting game that garnered mixed reviews upon its release. The shocking overhaul of the gameplay from tried and true action-adventure shooter to hand-to-hand combat was the game's biggest critique.
Once fans got over the format, though, many applauded the countless features and 13-character options, each of which has its own detailed storyline. The goal is to defeat the Time Reaper, an evil entity sent by Galamoth to kill Dracula and alter history. Although it does not feel like a traditional Castlevania game, it has enough callbacks and characters to appeal to both franchise fans and fight-game enthusiasts.
Castlevania: Harmony Of Despair (2011)
Despite the ungodly retail price at the time of release, Harmony of Despair has emerged as one of the top-three Castlevania spin-off games. The advanced graphics and gameplay of the PS3 and Xbox 360 releases drew equivalent ratings, especially for their enthralling new multiplayer mode.
While many fans appreciated how faithful the adventure-platform game is to the previous entries, others criticized it for being too breezy, repetitive, and easy to defeat. Still, the brand new map system, real-time zooming feature, and host of downloadable content make it a must-play for Castlevania completists.
Castlevania Puzzle: Encore Of The Night (2010)
The best Castlevania spin-off game to date belongs to Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night, earning an 80 Metascore and a 4.5-star review from TouchArcade. In retelling the same storyline from one of the series best entries, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, the iOS game features a role-playing mode and upgraded sprites.
The plot follows Alucard out to destroy Dracula's castle and find the missing Richter Belmont along with Maria Renard. When Alucard learns Richter is secretly planning to revive Dracula, an all-out battle ensues. In addition to the frightening overhauled sprites, it's this compelling storyline that makes the iOS puzzle game such an exhilarating spin-off.