GameTimeline

Release & story order

Castlevania timeline

Castlevania from the 1987 NES original through Dawn of Sorrow and the Lords of Shadow trilogy—US release dates, Koji Igarashi's primary chronology (1094–2036), and FAQ for Super Castlevania IV, non-canon GBA entries, and Netflix spin-offs.

Updated June 2026

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Release order Story order

Release order

When Konami shipped each major chapter—NES (1987) through Lords of Shadow 2 (2014) and the 2019 Anniversary Collection bundle. Arcade cabinets, mobile gacha, and fighting-game spin-offs are FAQ-only.

  • Newcomers → Symphony of the Night or Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow depending on PS1 vs GBA taste
  • Classic platforming → NES Castlevania → Dracula's Curse → Super Castlevania IV (alternate retelling—see FAQ)
  • Full lore → Story tab from Lament of Innocence—long but complete
  • Lords of Shadow → its own branch—does not connect to SotN or the DS games
Story order tips

Two story worlds on this page. Primary Igarashi canon: Lament of Innocence → Dracula's Curse → Curse of Darkness → Simon's era → Harmony of Dissonance → Rondo of Blood → Symphony of the Night → Order of Ecclesia → Bloodlines → Portrait of Ruin → Aria of Sorrow → Dawn of Sorrow. Lords of Shadow is a separate reboot—Gabriel Belmont becomes Dracula.

  • Primary canon: LoI → CV3 → Curse of Darkness → Castlevania I → Simon's Quest → Harmony of Dissonance → Rondo → SotN → Ecclesia → Bloodlines → Portrait of Ruin → Aria → Dawn
  • Rondo of Blood (1993 JP) ships on Release via Dracula X Chronicles (2007)—Story order still places Rondo before Sotn
  • Super Castlevania IV is a popular alternate retelling of Simon's first quest—not on primary Story rows
  • Lords of Shadow trilogy: release order matches story order (LoS → Mirror of Fate → LoS 2)

Timeline

When each game was released. Click a game for platforms, dates, and where it fits in your playthrough.

Release order

  1. Castlevania

    Castlevania

    NESPlatformerMainlineClassic

    Simon Belmont's first NES crusade—Dracula's castle, whip, and stairs.

    Overview
    Konami's gothic action platformer template—sub-weapons and punishing jumps.
    In-game setting
    Story year ~1691 in Igarashi chronology; remade in Castlevania Chronicles (2001).
    Should you play it?
    Start of the Belmont vs Dracula saga on Release order.
    Release date
    US NES launch May 1, 1987.
  2. Castlevania II: Simon's Quest

    Castlevania II: Simon's Quest

    NESPlatformerMainlineClassic

    Open-ish NES sequel—day/night cycle and town RPG elements.

    Overview
    Experimented with exploration and NPC towns before Metroidvania existed.
    In-game setting
    Simon's curse after the first game—Story order follows NES Castlevania.
    Should you play it?
    Divisive but canon on primary Story order.
    Release date
    US NES launch December 1988.
  3. Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse

    Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse

    NESPlatformerMainlineClassic

    Trevor Belmont and ally paths—Alucard's first playable appearance.

    Overview
    Branching routes and multiple companions on NES hardware.
    In-game setting
    Story year 1476—early Belmont vs Dracula war in Igarashi canon.
    Should you play it?
    Essential lore before Curse of Darkness on Story order.
    Release date
    US NES launch September 1990.
  4. Super Castlevania IV

    Super Castlevania IV

    SNESPlatformerAlternate retellingClassic

    SNES showcase whip—retelling of Simon's first quest, not a direct sequel.

    Overview
    Mode 7 stages and cinematic SNES audio—fan-favorite classic platformer.
    In-game setting
    Alternate timeline retelling of Simon's 1691 adventure—not primary Story rows.
    Should you play it?
    Play for action; skip on strict Igarashi Story order unless you want every SNES chapter.
    Release date
    US SNES launch December 10, 1991.
  5. Castlevania: Bloodlines

    Castlevania: Bloodlines

    GenesisPlatformerMainlineClassic

    John Morris and Eric Lecarde—World War I era hunt.

    Overview
    Genesis-only chapter tying Dracula to real-world Europe history.
    In-game setting
    Story year 1917—between Ecclesia and Portrait of Ruin on Story order.
    Should you play it?
    Included in Anniversary Collection on modern stores.
    Release date
    US Genesis launch March 17, 1994.
  6. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

    Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

    PS1SaturnXbox 360PS4MetroidvaniaMainlineClassic

    Alucard explores Dracula's castle—defined the Metroidvania genre.

    Overview
    Non-linear castle, RPG stats, and inverted castle—genre landmark.
    In-game setting
    Direct sequel to Rondo of Blood (1797 mech → 1797 story).
    Should you play it?
    Best entry point for exploration-first players.
    Release date
    US PlayStation launch October 2, 1997.
  7. Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance

    Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance

    GBAMetroidvaniaMainlineHandheld

    Juste Belmont and a dual-castle GBA adventure.

    Overview
    GBA follow-up to Sotn's exploration formula—twin castle structure.
    In-game setting
    Story year 1748—between Simon's Quest and Rondo on primary chronology.
    Should you play it?
    In Advance Collection on Switch/PS4/PC.
    Release date
    US GBA launch September 16, 2002.
  8. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

    Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

    GBAMetroidvaniaMainlineHandheld

    Soma Cruz and the soul-absorption mechanic—future Dracula rebirth setup.

    Overview
    Tactical soul system on GBA—fan-favorite handheld Metroidvania.
    In-game setting
    Story year 2035—leads directly into Dawn of Sorrow.
    Should you play it?
    Advance Collection bundles Aria with other GBA entries.
    Release date
    US GBA launch May 6, 2003.
  9. Castlevania: Lament of Innocence

    Castlevania: Lament of Innocence

    PS2Action-adventureMainline3D

    Leon Belmont's origin—Whisp of the Sacred Ring and the start of the feud.

    Overview
    PS2 3D action prequel—explains the Belmont clan's founding oath.
    In-game setting
    Story year 1094—first chapter on primary Story order.
    Should you play it?
    Play first on full lore path—short by modern standards.
    Release date
    US PS2 launch October 21, 2003.
  10. Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

    Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

    Nintendo DSMetroidvaniaMainlineHandheld

    DS sequel to Aria—dual-screen magic seals and Julius mode.

    Overview
    Touch-screen sealing mechanic—closes Soma arc on primary canon.
    In-game setting
    Story year 2036—current endpoint of Igarashi main timeline on this page.
    Should you play it?
    Play after Aria on Story order—peak DS Metroidvania.
    Release date
    US Nintendo DS launch August 8, 2005.
  11. Castlevania: Curse of Darkness

    Castlevania: Curse of Darkness

    PS2XboxAction-adventureMainline3D

    Hector's devil forgery—sequel to Dracula's Curse era.

    Overview
    Companion crafting and 3D brawling on PS2/Xbox.
    In-game setting
    Story year 1479—follows Trevor/Alucard generation from CV3.
    Should you play it?
    Story order after CV3, before Simon's NES games.
    Release date
    US launch November 1, 2005.
  12. Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin

    Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin

    Nintendo DSMetroidvaniaMainlineHandheld

    Jonathan and Charlotte—WWII-era painting worlds.

    Overview
    Two-character tag-team Metroidvania on DS.
    In-game setting
    Story year 1944—between Bloodlines and Aria on chronology.
    Should you play it?
    Optional mid-lore chapter—strong standalone gameplay.
    Release date
    US Nintendo DS launch November 16, 2006.
  13. Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles

    Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles

    PSPRemakeMainlineHandheld

    PSP bundle—Rondo of Blood remake plus Symphony of the Night port.

    Overview
    First widespread US release of Rondo of Blood (1993 JP PC Engine).
    In-game setting
    Rondo (1792) is Story prerequisite for SotN—this row marks the 2007 US ship date.
    Should you play it?
    Buy for Rondo + SotN together; Dominus Collection on Switch also bundles them.
    Release date
    US PSP launch October 23, 2007.
  14. Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia

    Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia

    Nintendo DSMetroidvaniaMainlineHandheld

    Shanoa and glyph magic—last Igarashi-directed handheld mainline.

    Overview
    Glyph absorption replaces traditional sub-weapons.
    In-game setting
    Story year ~18th century—between SotN and Bloodlines on primary order.
    Should you play it?
    Strong DS entry—Story order after SotN block.
    Release date
    US Nintendo DS launch October 21, 2008.
  15. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

    Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

    PS3Xbox 360Action-adventureMainlineLords of Shadow

    MercurySteam reboot—Gabriel Belmont in 1047 Europe.

    Overview
    God of War-style 3D action—separate continuity from Igarashi canon.
    In-game setting
    Gabriel's tragedy sets up a new Dracula origin—not Trevor's lineage.
    Should you play it?
    Start Lords of Shadow branch—no connection to SotN story.
    Release date
    US launch October 5, 2010.
  16. Lords of Shadow — Mirror of Fate

    Lords of Shadow — Mirror of Fate

    Nintendo 3DSAction-adventureMainlineLords of Shadow

    LoS 2D interquel—Simon, Trevor, and Alucard generations.

    Overview
    Handheld sidescroller bridging LoS 1 and 2.
    In-game setting
    Same reboot universe—Story order between LoS and LoS 2.
    Should you play it?
    Play on LoS branch only.
    Release date
    US Nintendo 3DS launch March 5, 2013.
  17. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2

    Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2

    PS3Xbox 360PCAction-adventureMainlineLords of Shadow

    Dracula Gabriel in modern and medieval threads—finale of reboot trilogy.

    Overview
    Open-ish castle hub and dual-era structure.
    In-game setting
    Ends MercurySteam's LoS arc—separate from Dawn of Sorrow.
    Should you play it?
    Finish LoS branch here—latest mainline retail chapter as of June 2026.
    Release date
    US launch February 25, 2014.
  18. Castlevania Anniversary Collection

    Castlevania Anniversary Collection

    SwitchPS4Xbox OnePCCollectionBundle

    Eight-game retro bundle—NES/SNES/Genesis classics plus Chronicles.

    Overview
    Konami's first major modern compilation—not new story content.
    In-game setting
    Includes CV I–III, Super CV IV, Bloodlines, and more—see FAQ for list.
    Should you play it?
    Cheapest way to own the NES/SNES classics on current hardware.
    Release date
    US digital launch May 16, 2019.

FAQ

Release vs story order, Igarashi canon vs Lords of Shadow, SotN placement, remakes, and spin-offs.

Release order

Release order is when Konami shipped each game in the US (1987–2019)—including remakes, the LoS reboot, and compilation bundles as their own rows. Story order follows the primary Igarashi/Konami chronology from Lament of Innocence (1094) through Dawn of Sorrow (2036), with Rondo before Symphony of the Night. Lords of Shadow is a separate branch. Use Release for franchise history; use Story for Belmont/Dracula lore sequence.

Gameplay-first → Symphony of the Night or Aria of Sorrow. Classic challenge → NES Castlevania via Anniversary Collection. LoS reboot fans → Lords of Shadow (standalone). Lore marathon → Story tab from Lament of Innocence—long but complete. Skip Simon's Quest initially unless you want every NES chapter.

Story & continuities

No. Lords of Shadow (2010–2014) is MercurySteam's reboot where Gabriel Belmont becomes Dracula—a different origin from the Igarashi canon. SotN, Aria of Sorrow, and Dawn of Sorrow belong to the primary timeline on Story order. LoS has its own branch row—play it as a self-contained trilogy.

SotN (1797) is a direct sequel to Rondo of Blood (1792)—Richter and Maria from Rondo return, and Alucard leads the main campaign. On Story order play Rondo first (via Dracula X Chronicles or Dominus Collection), then SotN. Harmony of Dissonance (1748) comes earlier; Order of Ecclesia comes later in the 1800s.

Remasters & collections

Optional & spin-offs

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.