You've probably spent hours grinding for that one elusive soul in the Clock Tower. It’s frustrating. Honestly, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow is a masterpiece, but its drop rates can feel like a personal insult from the developers. Whether you're playing on an original GBA, the Castlevania Advance Collection, or an emulator, there are ways to bypass the slog.
Some people think "cheating" ruins the experience. I disagree. Once you’ve beaten the game fairly, breaking it wide open is basically a rite of passage. We're talking about secret name codes that change the rules of the game and internal glitches that the developers definitely didn't intend for you to find.
The Secret Name Codes You Need to Know
Most players just enter their own name and jump in. Big mistake. Well, not a mistake, but you're missing out on the built-in "cheats" that Konami tucked away. These aren't just for fun; they're essentially new game modes.
Play as Julius Belmont If you’ve already cleared the game with Soma Cruz (the "good" ending is required), start a new save file and enter JULIUS as your name. You won’t be playing as Soma anymore. You’ll be Julius. You don't get to collect souls or change equipment, but you do get the sub-weapons and that classic whip. It’s a completely different vibe.
Hard Mode and Beyond After getting the best ending, you can start a New Game+ in Hard Mode. This is where things get interesting. Enemies are tougher, sure, but the soul drop rates are actually slightly better (about seven-sixths more likely). If you want a real challenge, try these name codes on a fresh save:
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- NOSOUL: You can’t use any souls you collect. It’s basically "Soma's Bad Day."
- NOUSE: You can’t use any consumable items. No potions, no meat, no nothing.
Aria of Sorrow Cheats for Soul Farming and Gold
Let's be real: the Soul Eater Ring is the only thing that actually matters for soul hunting. The LCK (Luck) stat in this game is famously broken. It barely does anything for soul drop rates. You can stack all the Luck gear you want, and you'll still be killing the same Skeleton Knight 50 times.
The Infinite Money Glitch The Soul Eater Ring costs 300,000 gold. That’s an absurd amount of money. To get it without spending ten hours farming candles, you need the Mimic soul.
- Equip the Mimic soul (it gives you money when you take damage).
- Go to the Clock Tower save point—the one with the spikes right outside.
- Jump into the spikes.
- Watch your gold skyrocket.
- Heal at the save point and repeat.
If you want a more "active" way to farm, find the Tsuchinoko soul in the Dance Hall. It’s a rare spawn, but once you have it, shop prices drop by 20%. It makes that 300,000 price tag a lot more manageable.
GameShark and CodeBreaker: The "True" Cheats
If you're on an emulator or using a physical cheat device, you aren't limited by the game's internal logic. These are the raw aria of sorrow cheats that let you walk through walls or have infinite MP.
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Essential Master Code (Must be on)
000093DD 000A
100008B0 0007
Infinite HP & MP
If you just want to see the story without dying to Death for the tenth time:
- Infinite HP:
8201327A 270F - Infinite MP:
8201327C 270F
The "I Want Everything" Codes
Farming for souls is the core loop, but if you've done it once and just want to mess around with different builds, use these:
- All Souls:
4201331C FFFF(followed by00000032 0002) - All Items:
42013294 0101(followed by00000010 0002) - Max Gold:
82013290 423F&82013292 000F
Unlocking the Best Ending (The Non-Cheat Way)
A lot of people think they’ve beaten the game when they kill Graham Jones. They haven't. If the credits roll and you're standing in a hallway, you got the bad ending. To get the "True" ending and unlock the Chaotic Realm, you need three specific souls equipped when you fight Graham:
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- Flame Demon (Red Soul)
- Giant Bat (Blue Soul)
- Succubus (Yellow Soul)
These three souls represent Dracula’s classic powers. If you have them equipped during the final blow, the story continues. This is the only way to unlock the Boss Rush mode and eventually get the Chaos Ring, which gives you infinite MP. No codes required for that one, just a lot of patience.
Boss Rush Rewards
Speaking of Boss Rush, the rewards are tied to your completion time. If you’re looking for the best gear in the game, this is where it’s at. Use the Black Panther soul to dash between rooms and save time.
- Excalibur: Finish in under 6 minutes.
- Positron Rifle: Finish in under 5 minutes.
- Valmanway: Finish in under 4 minutes.
The Valmanway (or Crissaegrim, if you're a Symphony of the Night veteran) is completely broken. It lets you walk and attack at the same time with multiple hits. It’s the ultimate reward for mastering the game’s mechanics.
To maximize your efficiency in the game right now, prioritize getting the Tsuchinoko soul in the Dance Hall as early as possible. This one soul fundamentally changes the economy of your playthrough by making the Soul Eater Ring obtainable before the final act. If you're struggling with drop rates, ignore the Luck stat entirely and focus on "screen-wrapping"—exiting and re-entering a room with a high concentration of the enemy you're hunting to reset spawns instantly.