Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge

The curse of the Belmont family has struck again in the second Castlevania adventure for the Game Boy.

This game takes place 15 years after the first monochrome adventure. Christopher’s son has disappeared, and 4 mysterious castles have risen out of the fog.

He must travel to each castle and conquer the demons he finds there in order to rescue his son. Perhaps Dracula is not as dead as we thought. Play Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge online!

Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge gameplay

Refined from its predecessor, Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge features smoother control and more well thought-out level design.

In this go round, Christopher covers slightly more ground with his jumps, and it seems as if it’s easier for the player to land successful jumps. Moreover, the levels seem to have been designed with jumps that are more reasonable for a man of Christopher’s athleticism (or lack thereof) to land.

Christopher also walks faster, and while “lumbering” is still an apt adjective for him (or any 8-bit Belmont for that matter), the game feels far more akin to a traditional NES Castlevania title than did its predecessor. Christopher is still slow to climb the ropes used for vertical progress (as did its predecessor, this game lacks stairs), but can now slide quickly down those ropes if the player holds down the “A” button while climbing down. This is not only a convenience but also a necessary mechanic for avoiding moving spike walls while on a rope.

Christopher retains the twice-upgradeable whip (normal to chain to chain-fireball), but no longer loses his upgrade when hit by any enemy (though there are specific enemy attacks may downgrade his whip a level). The chain whip is twice as powerful as the normal whip; each fireball does the same damage as a normal whip strike.

Sub-weapons make an appearance here as well. They are limited to the Axe and Holy Water, but already these are useful additions to Christopher’s arsenal and give the player a few more options to tinker with, further separating Belmont’s Revenge from the previous game in the series.

Accordingly, hearts do the traditional Castlevania job of serving as ammunition for these sub-weapons. Coins make their return here from the previous game, with the Castlevania staple of pot roast serving as the standard health-replenishment item. 1-ups can also be found on occasion. Hearts, coins, and sub-weapons are found in candles, with pot roast and 1-ups being hidden in destructible walls throughout the game’s levels.