10 Best Games Like Castlevania That You Should Know Update 04/2024

Games Like Castlevania

If you’re a fan of Konami’s Castlevania series, these games will give you a taste of what you’ve been missing.

Konami’s Castlevania series is one of the most well-known gothic-tinged adventure gaming franchises of all time. The series, which debuted on the NES decades ago, has managed to maintain its old school roots while maintaining a riveting and rich experience. The Metroidvania subgenre was born out of the success of the Metroid series, and that’s a good omen.

Games like these have been increasingly popular among the indie sector, with studios typically putting their own spin on the expansive action-adventure genre. However, there are only a few games that can match Castlevania’s gloomy, magnificent attitude, grind-it-out gameplay, exploration, and unique progression components in terms of authenticity. Here are 15 of the best games that genuinely capture the essence of this event in one fell swoop.

10 Unepic

Unepic

In spite of its typical nerd male protagonist, this 2011 game has a remarkable resemblance to Castlevania. As you make your way through a maze of passageways and rooms in this dungeon crawler, you’ll need to experiment with a variety of magic spells, weapons, and other stuff.

Unepic has a distinct retro vibe thanks to its arcade aesthetics and lack of a proper pause button. Never be misled by the simplistic graphics and sidescrolling perspective; this is an epic quest with amazing depth. Even if it has its flaws, this game will appeal to fans of Castlevania and Dungeons & Dragons alike.

9 Ori And The Will Of The Wisps

More so than its predecessor, Moon Studios provides a breathtaking journey that is lavishly aesthetic and cinematically produced. At the same time, Metroidvania’s retro flavor is mostly maintained in this strong sequel.

The core of Castlevania may be discerned despite the disparity between the free-flowing Ori and the clunky Simon Belmont. Open world exploration and a wide variety of items and upgrades are all part of the fun. However, it also has a sad plot, a sense of solitude, and some lush, dark forest locations that are reminiscent of its predecessor.

8 Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight

This game’s sword-wielding protagonist has a lot in common with Castlevania, and the massive dungeons that await your exploration are a nod to both of those games. This urgency and vulnerability may also be found in Team Cherry’s Hollow Knight. The knight must hack and cut through terrifying opponents.

The game uses the soulslike style mechanic of gathering resources, this time in the form of actual souls and the game’s in-game currency, Geo. The stakes are high because if you die before you’ve used up all of your hitpoints (masks), you’ll lose Geo and be short on vital Souls. The similarities to Belmont’s games are obvious due to the difficulty of the advancement system and the number of villains and bosses in the game.

7 Ghouls ‘N Ghosts

Fans of Konami’s classic are likely to enjoy this one, thanks to its strong horror themes, side-scrolling action, and brutal difficulty level.

Also from the 1980s, this game may be found on the Amiga, Arcade, and Sega Genesis systems. Still, if you’re able to get past the constant onslaught of hazards and sluggish controls, you’ll still have a great time. If you’re looking for RPG-like progression or adventure, Ghouls ‘n Ghosts isn’t for you. However, it retains the same darkly colored retro mood that was prevalent in the original.

6 Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove

Shovel Knight Treasure Trove

Yacht Club Games’ sidescroller series, which sprang out of nowhere a few years ago and has since grown into one of the most well-known indies of the previous decade. This bundle is the best way to play this retro-style adventure.

Three extra campaigns and a multiplayer fighting game are also included in the collection. Plague of Shadows, Specter of Torment, and King of Cards are all examples of this. With its retro look and mix of platforming and hack ‘n’ slash, this game evokes the Castlevania magic. This is a treasure trove of addictive content.

5 Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night

Koji Igarashi, one of Castlevania’s most famous figures, heads the studio behind this one, thus it’s a no-brainer to include it. However, this link goes deeper than just the developer. Bloodstained does, in fact, make use of both the game’s Gothic aesthetic and its core gameplay mechanics.

The new female protagonist and the setting of the Industrial Revolution make this one apart, but it’s hard to say for sure. A wide variety of weapons, talents, and powers, as well as a surprising amount of control and mechanics, are available in the game.

4 Dark Souls

Dark Souls

While FromSoftware’s breakthrough title may not look the part, it does feel a lot like battling as Belmont in a 3D environment. You’ll need a lot of patience and brains to make it through this 2011 adventure, which takes you through a lot of barren regions. In most cases, they’re full with dangerous adversaries, many of which will put up a good battle.

The stakes are high, and your hero is fragile, so you’ll need to use all of your cunning, patience, and resourcefulness, much as in Castlevania.

3 Child Of Light

Ubisoft’s lesser-known RPG, despite its unconventionality, has risen to prominence as a majestic and engaging RPG. As a lone princess, you’ll have to fight your way through Lemuria’s many facets as you explore the land.

For the most part, this one is akin to more advanced Castlevania games like Symphony of the Night. A well-balanced mix of depth and playability is maintained in this intriguing adventure.

2 Cave Story

Cave Story

This one combines the complexity of Symphony of the Night with the charm and simplicity of 8-bit period video games. While scurrying through vast caverns in search of rabbit mutants, this indie thriller from Studio Pixel is pure arcade mayhem. Isn’t it a good idea?

While Castlevania has a darker, more sinister feel, Cave Story has a brighter, more whimsical one. A similar sense of awe and anxiety pervades the entire seven-hour trek.

1 Bloodstained: Curse Of The Moon

A few people may be surprised to see two Bloodstained games on the same list. Nonetheless, given the uniqueness of each case, it seems appropriate. And if you’re a fan of the original Castlevania games, you need look no further.

Inti Creates’ ode to old Konami excellence hits all the right notes. As far as gameplay mechanics go, it’s very much like old-school Castlevania, with tight controls and fierce enemies. This concept is driven home by the option to play as both a whip-wielding Miriam and a vampire-like Gebel. Curse of the Moon, despite its 2018 release, has the air of a NES game that never was.