Magical Items

Common Items | Vampire Killer Exclusive | Simon's Quest Exclusive | Special Additions

Vampire Killer
Exclusive

Item Name: Boots

The equipping of boots allows for Simon Belmont to have a quicker movement-speed. However, they only last one screen before their effect wears off. Plummeting into a bottomless pit also leads to the loss of your boots. For continuity purposes: A special pair of boots also appeared in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night; their wearing results in a marginal improvement in jumping ability for the fair-haired Alucard.

Item Name: Wings

The wings offer Simon the ability to jump even higher than he normally could, allowing him to reach platforms that were otherwise inaccessible. Like the boot item, wings, too, last only one screen before their power is lost; their very presence, therein, is an indicator that a jumping "puzzle" is in the current room. As it was in the case of the boots: Death by any means will result in the instant loss of the wings.

Item Name: Keys

Keys can be used to open up the many treasure chests found scattered around Dracula's castle. If you have a key, simply walk unto the desired chest to open it; the smaller gold keys are good for one use before they expire. The more useful Master Key, itself, appears in treasure chests, its procuring allowing you to open as many other chests as you can find. Keys reappear later in the series--in the two 16-bit Dracula X games--as the means to open the doors that fortify their prison cells.

   

Item Name: White Key

The larger white keys are are always your immediate target; this class of key opens the doors that connect the stage's three separate sections. Without a white key, you simply can't proceed. There's of course a catch: Being of more value, the white keys are usually hidden somewhere within a given section; they can be found behind breakable walls or in plain sight, usually out of reach. In case of the latter: To earn the key requires that you navigate the stage as if it were a looping maze.

Item Name: Treasure Chest

Chests can be opened using either white keys or Master Keys. Their contents include a range of items, from morning stars, to weapons, to any of the game's special items. Chests litter the castle, with two or more of them routinely appearing on a given screen; since they're predisposed to carry certain items, you'll have to learn which chests hold which items, avoiding those whose prizes are undesired. Note: Chests also appear in Castlevania but only as a hidden treasure on the game's second stage.

   

Item Name: Bible

Somehow, taking possession a white bible allows for you to buy items from hidden merchants at a reduced price, as it inflates the worth of your hearts (which are part currency). To the contrary, possessing a purple bible punishes you, making merchant-sold items cost more than they're worth. Collecting one bible type when in possession of the other will simply cancel out the effect, restoring things to normal.

Item Name: Scroll

This parchment, hidden somewhere in each of the three sections, acts as map, revealing the stage's layout and helping you to find your way through the screen-to-screen maze that is Vampire Killer. Pressing F1 on the keyboard prompts you to the map screen, where in addition to the aforementioned, you'll also be shown the stage's exit and Simon's current location. As warned: A map scroll is only valid for the stage section where you find it.

Item Name: Ring

Directly tied to the Tepes family, rings represent the destructive nature of the Dark Lord and his followers. These particular rings are most comparable to red crystals (seen below) or more famously the invisibility potions found in Castlevania, but they one-up the aforementioned by rendering you invincible while allowing you to destroy any enemy you cross simply by making contact with them. The duration of the invincibility is on par with the others.

Item Name: Shield

Shields come in two distinct forms: (1) The first is a normally functioning shield that Simon can be seen holding; he can use it to block projectile attacks, as he could in Castlevania II: Simon's Quest. (2) The other shield is never visible, but its procuring boosts your defense, as you only take half the usual damage. Only one shield type can be equipped at a time, and a shield's effect is lost whenever you clear a stage or die.

    

Item Name: Secret Candle

Secret candles are a rare and special breed, and they can only be found hidden in very specific places. When you're in possession of a candle, you'll magically be able to see all of the frail wall structures that can shattered with any of your weapons striking weapons. Any block formation that can be destroyed will be clearly outlined in a white border. This item was inspiration for Simon's Quest's special item "Dracula's eyeball," which had a similar function.

Item Name: Potion

Potions are another of the game's more rare items. They can't be found in chests and can only be purchased from certain merchants--and it'll usually be those located later in the stage or those hiding in the most secluded areas. Too, they're quite expensive. But if you're lucky enough to find a willing seller and you have enough of the currency needed, simply buying a potion will fully replenish your life meter.

Item Name: Red Crystal

While these red crystals resemble the stage-ending and invincibility-giving crystals we've seen in other titles, they're in Vampire Killer actually a means for regaining some lost energy. Since they can be found anywhere, it's worth it for a weary Simon to whip away all candelabras in sight and hope for a red crystal to drop. They don't replenish nearly as much energy as the merchant-bought potions, but they're free.

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