Look, if you’re trying to figure out the order of Castlevania games, you've gotta decide right now if you want the date they hit shelves or the date Dracula actually gets whipped in the face. It’s a mess. Honestly, Konami hasn't always made it easy, jumping from the 1000s to the 1990s and then back to the 1600s whenever they felt like it. You’ve got the official "Igarashi Timeline," which is what most fans stick to, and then you’ve got a pile of "Gaiden" games and reboots that just sort of exist in their own pocket dimensions.
It’s confusing. Really.
The series basically centers on the Belmont clan, a family with a very specific, very dangerous hobby: killing Dracula. The problem is that Dracula is like that one guy who won't leave the party; he just keeps coming back every century or so. Or sometimes every few decades if a cult gets weird. If you play them in the order they were released, starting with the NES classic in 1986, you’re going to be bouncing all over history. But if you play them chronologically? You get a much clearer picture of how the Curse of Darkness actually works and why the Vampire Killer whip is such a big deal.
The Official Narrative: Trying to Make Sense of the Chronological Order of Castlevania Games
If we’re talking internal history, the whole thing kicks off way back in 1094. Lament of Innocence on the PS2 is the ground zero. It’s where Leon Belmont decides he’s done being a knight and starts the whole "vampire hunter" career path. It explains the origin of the whip. It explains why Mathias Cronqvist—who eventually becomes Dracula—is so incredibly bitter. Without this game, the rest of the series is just a guy in leather pants hitting monsters for no reason.
Then you skip forward almost 400 years to Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse. This is the one that the Netflix show is based on. Trevor Belmont, Sypha, Alucard, and Grant Danasty. It's 1476. This is arguably the most important era because it establishes Alucard as the brooding, tragic hero who hates his dad.
But wait. There's a gap.
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1479 gives us Curse of Darkness. You aren't even a Belmont here; you’re Hector, a Devil Forger. It’s a weird game, kinda clunky, but it fleshes out the world. Then we hit the heavy hitter: Castlevania: The Adventure (1576) and its sequel Belmont’s Revenge (1591). These stars Christopher Belmont. Most people skip these because the Game Boy controls were, frankly, like moving through molasses. But they are canon.
The 1600s and 1700s: The Golden Age of Whipping
The most famous part of the order of Castlevania games happens in 1691. This is the original Castlevania on NES. Simon Belmont. The iconic box art. The medusa heads that make you want to throw your controller across the room. Simon’s story continues just seven years later in Simon’s Quest (1698), where he has to find Dracula’s body parts to lift a curse. It’s the "What a horrible night to have a curse" game.
Then we get to the Rondo/Symphony era, which is peak Castlevania.
- Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (1792): Richter Belmont saves his girlfriend and kicks the door down.
- Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (1797): The GOAT. Alucard wakes up, finds the castle is back too early, and we get the greatest Metroidvania ever made.
There's a weird little side-step with Order of Ecclesia (somewhere in the 1800s). The Belmonts have vanished. Shanoa uses magical glyphs because there’s no one around with the legendary whip. It’s one of the toughest games in the franchise, hands down.
Why the 20th Century Changed Everything
Most people think of Castlevania as a medieval thing, but the timeline actually goes all the way into the future. Castlevania: Bloodlines (1917) takes place during World War I. You’re traveling across Europe—Italy, Germany, France—trying to stop Elizabeth Bartley from resurrecting her uncle, Dracula. It links the fictional Belmonts to Bram Stoker’s actual Dracula novel by making Quincey Morris a descendant of the Belmont line. It’s a brilliant bit of lore weaving.
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Then things get really interesting with the 1940s setting of Portrait of Ruin. Jonathan Morris and Charlotte Aulin explore the castle during World War II. It’s a direct sequel to Bloodlines.
But the "final" battle? That happened in 1999.
The "Demon Castle War" is the most legendary event in the series that we never actually got to play. We only know about it through dialogue in the Aria of Sorrow games. Julius Belmont finally, permanently (sorta) killed Dracula and sealed the castle in a solar eclipse. This led to:
- Aria of Sorrow (2035): Soma Cruz, a high schooler in Japan, finds out he has a very dark connection to the Count.
- Dawn of Sorrow (2036): The cultists try to bring the dark lord back through Soma.
The Games That Don't Fit (And Why That’s Okay)
Koji Igarashi, the longtime producer, famously trimmed the "official" timeline to keep things consistent. This left some fan favorites out in the cold. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon is a fantastic GBA game, but it’s technically "non-canon." Same goes for the N64 games (Castlevania 64 and Legacy of Darkness). They exist in their own little bubble.
Then there’s the Lords of Shadow trilogy. Don't try to fit these into the main list. It’s a hard reboot. It’s a separate universe where Gabriel Belmont becomes Dracula. It’s a great trilogy if you like God of War style action, but if you try to connect it to Simon Belmont, your brain will melt. It just doesn't work.
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Honestly, the order of Castlevania games is more of a suggestion than a rigid rulebook. You can play Symphony of the Night without knowing anything about Lament of Innocence and still have the time of your life. The lore is there for the nerds who want to know why a specific statue is in the background, but the gameplay is what keeps people coming back.
How to Actually Play Them Today
If you’re looking to dive in, don’t go hunting for original NES cartridges unless you have a massive bank account and a CRT TV. Konami has actually been pretty good lately about collections.
The Castlevania Anniversary Collection gives you the 8-bit and 16-bit era. The Castlevania Advance Collection covers the GBA games and Dracula X. Most recently, the Castlevania Dominus Collection finally brought the DS titles—Dawn of Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin, and Order of Ecclesia—to modern platforms. These are the best ways to experience the timeline without the headache of emulators or failing hardware.
Practical Steps for Your Playthrough
If you want the best experience, don't play them in chronological order of history. It’s a bad idea. Starting with Lament of Innocence (a 3D PS2 game) and then jumping to Dracula’s Curse (a punishingly hard 8-bit game) is tonal whiplash.
The recommended path for a newcomer:
- Start with Symphony of the Night. It’s the peak of the series' atmosphere and music. It’s accessible.
- Go to Aria of Sorrow next. It’s the best of the "portable" style games and has a great twist.
- Try the Anniversary Collection if you want to see the "classic" tough-as-nails platforming roots. Start with Castlevania IV—it’s the most forgiving.
- Watch the Netflix series only after you’ve played Castlevania III or Symphony of the Night. You’ll appreciate the character cameos so much more.
The reality is that the order of Castlevania games is a living thing. With rumors of new entries always swirling, the timeline might get even longer soon. For now, grab a whip, watch out for the wall meat, and don't let the Medusa heads win.
Actionable Next Steps:
Check the digital storefront on your console (Steam, Switch, PS5, or Xbox). Look for the Dominus Collection first if you want the most refined Metroidvania gameplay, or the Anniversary Collection if you want to experience the 80s challenge. Avoid the N64 titles until you are a series completionist, as they are notoriously difficult to enjoy by modern standards. If you want the full story experience, keep a wiki tab open for the 1999 "Demon Castle War" lore, as it explains the transition from the Belmont era to the Soma Cruz era.