Castlevania

Castlevania is the game that started one of the longest running series in gaming. Every hundred years Count Dracula rises again, and Simon Belmont, heir to a family of vampire hunters, walks into his castle with the family whip. Six blocks of corridors, stairs, towers and dungeons lead up to Dracula himself. It is Konami’s NES game, and it plays right here in your browser with no download.

How to play

1. Press Play under the title picture, then Start (Enter) on the title screen.
2. Walk with the arrow keys, crack the whip with Z and jump with X. Press up or down at the foot of a staircase to climb it.
3. Whip the candles to find hearts, money bags and power-ups. Two whip power-ups turn your whip into a long chain.
4. Pick up a sub-weapon (dagger, axe, holy water, cross or stopwatch) and press up + Z to use it. Each use costs hearts.
5. Beat the boss at the end of each block, then grab the orb it leaves behind.

Controls

Computer: arrow keys move, Z cracks the whip, X jumps, up + Z throws the sub-weapon, Enter is Start and pauses. Move the mouse over the game to show the bar with pause, restart, sound, save state, load state and full screen buttons.

Phone and tablet: the NES pad appears under the game: the cross, B (cracks the whip), A (jumps) and Start.

A USB or Bluetooth gamepad also works.

Cheats

Press the magic wand button next to the full screen button above the game. A small panel opens over the game, and the game waits until you close it.

• Unlimited lives: you never run out of lives.
• Unlimited energy: your PLAYER bar stays full.
• Unlimited hearts: always 99 hearts for the sub-weapons.
• Infinite time: the timer stops.

Reloading the page turns the cheats off again.

Sub-weapons

• Dagger: flies straight ahead.
• Axe: flies in an arc, good against enemies above you.
• Holy water: bursts into flames on the floor; a favourite against bosses.
• Cross: flies out and comes back like a boomerang.
• Stopwatch: freezes most enemies for a moment.

About Castlevania

Konami released Akumajō Dracula for the Famicom Disk System in Japan in 1986 and Castlevania for the NES in North America in 1987. Its gothic castle, its music and its monsters from horror films made it a classic, and the series is still running today.

Frequently asked questions

Is Castlevania free to play here?

Yes. You can play it free in your browser on Yes This Game, with no download and no sign-up.

What are hearts for in Castlevania?

Hearts are the ammunition of the sub-weapons. They do not restore energy. The Unlimited hearts cheat keeps 99.

How do I climb the stairs?

Stand at the foot of the staircase and press up (or down at the top).

Can I play it on my phone?

Yes. On a phone or tablet an on-screen pad appears under the game.

Can I save my progress?

Yes. The bar under the game has save state and load state buttons that keep the game in your browser on this device.