# What is the best Castlevania game of all time?

> From the brutal NES original to the genre-defining Metroidvania landmark and beyond, the series spans decades of gothic adventure with very different play styles. Which entry earns its place on the throne?

*By YPB Team · Published April 11, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-is-the-best-castlevania-game-of-all-time*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Castlevania (1986)**
   The original NES gothic action-platformer where Simon Belmont battles Dracula with a whip.
2. **Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse**
   A branching NES prequel featuring multiple playable characters including Alucard.
3. **Super Castlevania IV**
   A SNES classic that reimagined the original with enhanced graphics and eight-directional whipping.
4. **Castlevania: Rondo of Blood**
   A PC Engine masterpiece featuring Richter Belmont with multiple routes and Maria as a secret character.
5. **Castlevania: Symphony of the Night**
   The groundbreaking 1997 Metroidvania featuring Alucard exploring an inverted castle.
6. **Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow**
   A 2003 GBA entry featuring Soma Cruz absorbing monster souls set in the year 2035.
7. **Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow**
   A 2005 DS sequel to Aria of Sorrow featuring touchscreen magic seal mechanics.
8. **Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia**
   A challenging 2008 DS entry starring Shanoa who wields magical glyphs instead of a whip.
9. **Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin**
   A 2006 DS game featuring a dual-character system set during World War II.
10. **Castlevania: Circle of the Moon**
   A GBA launch title starring Nathan Graves with a card-based DSS magic system.
11. **Castlevania: Lords of Shadow**
   A 2010 3D reboot featuring Gabriel Belmont voiced by Robert Carlyle in a God of War-style format.
12. **Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance**
   A 2002 GBA entry featuring Juste Belmont exploring twin overlapping castles.

Tags: games, franchises, horror, castlevania