Europe
Release Date: December 26th, 1987
- The European version sees a same-day release.

Japan
Release Date: February 22nd, 1988
- The arcade game's Japanese title is Akumajou Dracula, which translates to Demon Castle Dracula.

PS2
Release Date: May 25th, 2006
- Akumajou Dracula is released as part of the Oretachi series, which includes classic games from random platforms. Its official title is Oretachi Geasen Zoku Sono 15: Akumajou Dracula, which translates to Game Center Zoku Sono 15: Demon Castle Dracula.

Castlevania Dominus Collection
Release Date: August 27th, 2024
- A remade version of Haunted Castle is included in the Castlevania Dominus Collection. Its full title is Haunted Castle Revisited. It remains exclusive to this collection.

2006:
   PS2
   Developed By: Hamster | Published By: Hamster
   Release Date: Japan - May 25th
The formerly arcade-only Akumajou Dracula is ported to the PlayStation 2 thanks to a Japanese company called Hamster, which is responsible for the Oretachi series. Click the following link to learn more about Oretachi Geasen Zoku Sono 15: Akumajou Dracula. (Thanks to Protogem for this information.)

2016:
   PS4 (Arcade Archives)
   Developed By: Hamster | Published By: Hamster
   Release Date: Japan - December 1st
More than ten years later, Hamster again brings Haunted Castle to a Sony console. This time it's a digital version created specifically for PlayStation 4's Arcade Archives collection.

2017:
   PS4 (Arcade Archives)
   Developed By: Hamster | Published By: Hamster
   Release Date: North America - September 14th | PAL Territories - September 14th
The Arcade Archives digital release arrives everywhere else nine months later.

2019:
   PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam (Konami Anniversary Collection: Arcade Classics)
   Developed By: N/A | Published By: Konami
   Release Date: All Territories - April 18th
Haunted Castle appears in this collection as one of eight "arcade classics." It sees same-day release on all four platforms.

2021:
   Nintendo Switch (Arcade Archives)
   Developed By: Hamster | Published By: Hamster
   Release Date: All Territories - April 1st
The Arcade Archives version of Haunted Castle comes to the Nintendo Switch eShop.

2024:
   Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X and Steam
   Developed By: Konami
   Release Date: North America - August 27th
Haunted Castle comes to multiple platforms as part of the digital Castlevania Dominus Collection. The compilation also includes a reimagined and improved version of the game titled Haunted Castle Revisited. Check the Castlevania Dominus Collection page and the Haunted Castle Revisited game page.

2025:
   Nintendo Switch 2 (Castlevania Dominus Collection)
   Developed By: M2 | Published By: Konami
   Release Date: All Territories - June 5th
By virtue of the Switch 2 being backward compatible with the original Switch, this collection, which includes Order of Ecclesia, becomes playable on the machine on its release day.
   Nintendo Switch, PS5 and Xbox Series X (Castlevania Dominus Collection)
   Developed By: M2 | Published By: Limited Run Games
   Release Date: North America - March 31st
Thanks to Limited Run Games, Castlevania Dominus Collection sees a physical release. Check the Castlevania Dominus Collection page for more information.
   Nintendo Switch and PS5 (Castlevania Dominus Collection)
   Developed By: M2 | Published By: SUPERDELUXE GAMES
   Release Date: Japan - September 18th
Thanks to SUPERDELUXE GAMES, Castlevania Dominus Collection sees a physical release. Check the Castlevania Dominus Collection page for more information.

Haunted Castle is an arcade game, thus it has no traditional manual. Instead, its cabinet offers the following explanation:

The honeymoon is over before it has begun in Haunted Castle. The player's wife has been kidnapped by evil Vampire. Fearing nothing, the player boldly starts on a quest to find his missing bride. He begins his mission with a whip as his only weapon, but he can obtain a more powerful weapon (chain or sword) by destroying particular enemies. The player collects small and large hearts that appear after destroying certain enemies. The amount of hearts the player collects determines the number of times he can use a power-up item.

Haunted Castle found its way into western arcades around the same time Castlevania hit the NES. You've probably never heard of it, and there's a reason for that: It didn't fare too well because of its limited availability and its insane challenge-level. It's a shame, therein, that many of the series' fans are oblivious to its existence and may never get the chance to play it. Though, for the sake of their blood pressure, that's probably a good thing.

The story is somewhat parallel to that of the NES' own Castlevania, but it exists solely as an "alternate rendition" (a more unlikely version) of Simon Belmont's adventures, in which his wife has been abducted by a freshly risen Dracula. Its method of play, though not as deep, is directly in the vein of Castlevania: You must take control of the hero and lead him through six stages of madness, each of which is flooded with minor enemies, crammed with vile traps, and resided over by a boss guardian. With a number of regular weapons and special sub-weapons at your command, it's up to you to defeat Count Dracula and save Simon's kidnapped bride.

The cabinet comes with its own manual that guides the arcade owner in the assembly process. This rare manual can be seen here, courtesy of Morgoth, its contributor.

Japanese Version
- Haunted Castle first appeared in Japanese arcades under its traditional Eastern title Akumajou Dracula. As such, it shares its title with series-starting Famicom and MSX2 entries, which are also titled Akumajou Dracula. The understanding is that all three titles share the distinction of being Simon's origin--different iterations of his initial tale of bravery.
- The Japanese version, according to correspondent Sam Mills, is somewhat easier than the American version yet still considerably challenging for even a quarter-muncher. It should be noted that the same holds true for the PS2 version of Akumajou Dracula, which is a straight port.

For more on Haunted Castle, click "The Review" on the sidebar.

Haunted Castle Revisited
- The biggest difference, of course, is that the game is visually enhanced. The sprites and textures have been redrawn and upgraded in multiple ways. Characters have many more animation frames and move in a smoother-looking fashion. Backgrounds now have parallax scrolling and are comprised of multiple layers. And there are many new graphical details and effects.
- Stages are structurally similar to the original game's, but they've been modified in certain ways. Some stages contain different platform arrangements or altered obstacles; some have extended stage sections; and some include sections or segments that weren't in the original game.
- This version eschews the original's limited lives/continues system and uses and uses a more traditional system. You get an extra life at 60,000 points, 140,000 points, 240,000 points and so on; and you get unlimited continues. The continue check points are generous and allow you to continue from the stage section in which you Game Overed.
- Its soundtrack is comprised of rearranged versions of the original game's tunes. It has new sound effects. And, also, its sound design in general is greatly enhanced.
- Simon's jumps can now be modulated. He can move back and forth while aerial, and he can also turn in the opposite direction when executing a whip-strike or a sub-weapon toss.
- Simon can drop through most platforms.
- Simon's knockback has been altered. When he takes damage, he now gets bumped backwards instead of forward.
- Simon doesn't die when he falls into water or a pit. Rather, he's placed back onto whichever platform he was on before he fell in. And as a penalty, three slivers of health will be subtracted from his total.
- Minor enemies behave a bit differently. The tree-rooted wall widows, for instance, emerge at time intervals and can't hurt (they're basically obstacles now), and bone-throwing skeletons toss their bones in arcs rather than straight ahead. Some behavioral changes are more pronounced than others.
- The boss battles have been reimagined. They're somewhat similar to the original game's but also expanded upon. Mainly, bosses now have larger repertoires and new routines, and a few even behave differently and have newly designated weak spots.
- The weapon system has been changed. Simon no longer picks up new weapons over the course of the adventure. Rather, he upgrades his whip by obtaining power-up crystals. The first one upgrades his default leather whip to a morning-star whip, and the second one temporarily increases the morning star's range and power. As a consequence of this newly implemented system, the sword weapon has been removed (obviously because it's not a whip type).
- The bomb and stop watch sub-weapons have been removed and replaced with the throwing knife and the axe.
- There are some new items: The aforementioned power-up crystal. Money bags and gems that increase your point-total. And meat that replenishes a lot of your health (it's hidden in candles rather than walls).
- It has a stage select that unlocks after you complete the game. The stage select can be toggled off in the options menu.
- Continues, too, can be toggled off in the options menu.

Soundtrack

Links
Music Files: MP3 and MIDI
Soundtrack Release: Dracula Battle Perfect Selectlion Vol. 1, Oretachi Game Center Zoku - Akumajou Dracula and Castlevania Best Music Collections Box
Game Credits: Not Available

Lesser Enemies

Bosses

Dracula Forms

Supporting Cast