So, you want to play every Castlevania games in order, huh? Good luck. No, seriously. You're going to need a spreadsheet, three different retro consoles, a decent emulator, and probably a bottle of aspirin because Konami has spent the last thirty-plus years making this timeline as jagged as Dracula's own fangs.
It’s a disaster. But it’s a brilliant disaster.
If you just look at the release dates, you start in 1986 with a guy named Simon whipping a wall to find a hidden pork chop. Simple. But then you realize that the 1986 game actually takes place right in the middle of the story. If you want the narrative "truth," you have to jump back to 1094. Then you skip to the 1400s. Then you're in the 1940s. It’s enough to make your head spin. Most people get it wrong because they think the "Belmont" name is the only thing that matters, but honestly, the series is more about a cosmic cycle of chaos than a single family tree.
The Chronological Nightmare: Starting at the Literal Beginning
Forget 1986. If you are playing the Castlevania games in order of the actual lore, you have to start with Lament of Innocence on the PlayStation 2. This is the 1094 origin story. It’s where Leon Belmont—the OG—decides that being a knight is boring and hunting vampires is the new vibe.
This game is crucial. It explains why the whip is magic. It explains why Dracula is even a thing (spoiler: he used to be a guy named Mathias). Without this, the rest of the games are just "angry man hits bat."
From there, we jump a massive gap to 1476 with Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse. This is where the Netflix show got its legs. You have Trevor Belmont, Sypha, and Alucard. It’s arguably the hardest game in the NES trilogy, but it’s the backbone of the entire mythos.
Then comes the "forgotten" era. Castlevania: Curse of Darkness happens in 1479. People skip this one. Don't. It follows Hector, a Devil Forger. It’s weird, it’s 3D, and it feels different, but it fills a massive gap in the power vacuum left after Trevor’s win.
The Simon Belmont Era: Why the 1690s Defined Gaming
Everyone knows Simon. He’s the cover boy. But chronologically, his adventures in Castlevania (1986) and Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest (1987) don't happen until 1691 and 1698.
Think about that.
The most "famous" part of the franchise happens centuries after the foundation was laid. Simon is the peak of the Belmont power. In the first game, he’s just a man on a mission. In the second, he’s literally rotting away from a curse and has to dig up Dracula’s body parts to save himself. It’s morbid. It’s strange. It’s arguably the first "Metroidvania" even before that was a word, though most people just remember it for the "What a horrible night to have a curse" meme.
Then there is Harmony of Dissonance (1748). Juste Belmont is the protagonist here. He’s basically what happens if a Belmont was also a high-fashion model. The game is colorful, the dash is fast, and it sits comfortably between Simon’s era and the legendary Richter Belmont era.
The Symphony of the Night Pivot
In 1792, we get Rondo of Blood. Richter Belmont. This is the peak of the "classic" style. It’s tough but fair. But then, only five years later in 1797, everything changes.
Symphony of the Night (SotN) is why we use the term "Metroidvania." Alucard wakes up, finds out Richter has gone missing (or gone bad), and explores a castle that flips upside down.
Honestly, if you’re playing Castlevania games in order, this is where the gameplay evolves into its final form. You aren't just moving left to right anymore. You’re exploring. You’re leveling up. You’re finding secret capes. It changed the industry. Koji Igarashi—or IGA—basically took the blueprint and perfected it here.
The 1800s: The Era of the Outcasts
The 19th century is a weird time for the timeline. The Belmonts actually disappear. They lose the ability to wield the Vampire Killer whip.
- Order of Ecclesia (1800s): Shanoa is the protagonist. No whip. She uses "glyphs" that come out of her back. It’s one of the most difficult and beautiful entries on the DS.
- Circle of the Moon (1830): This one is technically a "non-canon" side story according to some timelines, but it’s great. Card-based magic.
- Castlevania: Bloodlines (1917): This takes us into World War I. You play as John Morris. Remember the name Morris? It’s the family the Belmonts handed the whip to when they couldn't use it anymore.
Entering the Modern Age and the 1999 Mystery
The series takes a massive leap into the 20th and 21st centuries. Portrait of Ruin happens in 1944 during World War II. It’s a direct sequel to Bloodlines. It deals with the toll the magic whip takes on a non-Belmont body. It’s heavy stuff for a game about jumping on platforms.
Then we hit the "Dark Lord" prophecy.
Every hardcore fan talks about 1999. The Battle of 1999. The year Julius Belmont finally, permanently killed Dracula. The crazy thing? Konami never made this game. We only know about it through dialogue in later games. It’s the greatest "ghost" in gaming history.
Finally, we reach the end of the line:
- Aria of Sorrow (2035)
- Dawn of Sorrow (2036)
These take place in the future. Soma Cruz is the lead. He’s a high school student in Japan. It sounds like an anime trope, but it works because it reveals the ultimate fate of Dracula’s soul. It brings the 1094 story full circle.
What about the Lords of Shadow?
Here’s where it gets messy.
If you see a game titled Lords of Shadow, throw the timeline out the window. This is a reboot. It’s a separate universe. It stars Gabriel Belmont and features Patrick Stewart doing voice work. It’s good! But it doesn't fit with the others. If you try to slot it into the Castlevania games in order list, you’ll just get frustrated because it contradicts everything. Treat it like an "Elseworlds" story in a comic book.
How to Actually Play Them Today
The reality is that playing these in chronological order is a logistical nightmare.
Most of the early games are on the Castlevania Anniversary Collection. Most of the Metroid-style games are on the Castlevania Advance Collection or the Dominus Anthology. Symphony of the Night and Rondo of Blood are usually bundled together as Requiem.
If you want to do this right, don't worry about being perfect. Start with Symphony of the Night to see why people love it. Then go back to Castlevania III to see the roots. Then jump to Aria of Sorrow for the modern twist.
The story of Castlevania isn't a straight line; it's a circle. Dracula always comes back. The whip always finds a hand to hold it. And we, the players, keep coming back because there is something deeply satisfying about a lone warrior walking into a moonlit castle to face the dark.
Next Steps for Your Journey:
First, grab the Castlevania Dominus Anthology on modern platforms. It contains the DS trilogy (Dawn of Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin, Order of Ecclesia), which are arguably the most polished "lore" games in the franchise. Once you've finished those, track down the Castlevania Advance Collection to experience the transition from the classic style to the exploration-heavy "Igavania" style. Focus on Aria of Sorrow first to understand how the story eventually concludes in the year 2035.