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Like any series of games, Castlevania has had its ups and its pitfalls. However, for a franchise to have stuck with us since the days of the original NES is nothing less than remarkable. It’s true that the gameplay holds a deep level of satisfaction and the story, despite being set in the same scenario, is ever so compelling, but it’s the music which continues to bring fans back for more. Right up there with the likes of Mega Man and Final Fantasy, Castlevania has never slouched when it comes to delivering exceptional pieces of sound. Today we celebrate the success the music has brought the series and crown the masterpieces.
Super Castlevania IV (SNES)
While the music addressed the atmosphere of the game, the overall memorable tracks pale in comparison to the later games. Even still, IV gives us one of the best and most iconic songs which represent the entire series.
1) Theme of Simon Belmont
2) Stage 4-1
Symphony of the Night (PSX, Saturn)
As the harbinger of the series, SOTN proved that there was no reason to forget about the past. Its musical strength still resonates today as one of the best, most hauntingly beautiful soundtracks of the entire series.
1) The Tragic Prince
2) Dracula’s Castle
3) Wandering Ghosts
4) Lost Paintings
5) Marble Gallery
6) Rainbow Cemetery
7) Prologue
8) Wood Carving Partita
Lament of Innocence (PS2)
The 3D versions of the series haven’t fared nearly as well as their 2D counter-parts, but not everything they did was a failure. The music still remains classic and augments the mood of the game in wonderful ways.
1) Leon’s Theme
2) House of Sacred Remains
3) Castlevania Reincarnation
4) Melancholy Joachim
5) Prison of Eternal Torture
Dawn of Sorrow (Nintendo DS)
Drawing power from its roots, DoS harkens back to the days of yore where solid 2D gameplay was king. Adding innovative new elements to the gameplay didn’t hurt the otherwise incredible sound display either.
1) Condemned Tower
2) Demon Castle Pinnacle
3) Cursed Clock Tower
4) Bloody Tears
5) Pitch Black Intrusion
6) Vampire Killer
7) Dracula’s Tears
8) Subterranean Hell
9) Beginning
10) After Confession
11) Into the Dark Night
Curse of Darkness (PS2, Xbox)
After the well-embraced trip of nostalgia Dawn of Sorrow brought the series, CoD was determined to bring another solid 3D game into the fold. Mediocre at best, the game was at least lifted by its dark, and often head-bang worthy soundtrack.
1) Abandoned Castle
2) Toccata into Blood Soaked Darkness
3) Young Noblemen of Madness
4) Followers of Darkness 2
5) Legendary Belmondo
6) Followers of Darkness 3
7) Followers of Darkness 1
8) Garibaldi Courtyard
9) Mortvia Aqueduct
10) Blue Serenade
11) Cordova Town
12) Baljhet Mountains
Portrait of Ruin (Nintendo DS)
Clamoring for more, fans wanted what Dawn of Sorrow brought them a year ago. Konami took a hint and understood that the success of the series lay in the 2D formula. Mixing up even more gameplay elements, PoR was a solid addition to the series along with the incredible soundtrack.
1) In Search of the Secret Spell
2) Crucifix Held Close
3) The Hidden Curse
4) Invitation of a Crazed Moon
5) Gaze Up at the Darkness
6) Iron Blue Intention
7) The Gears Go Awry
8) Jail of Jewels
9) Bloodlines Bequeathed
10) Theme of Simon
11) Silent Prison
12) Piercing Silence
13) Troubled Times
14) Victorian Fear
Order of Ecclesia (Nintendo DS)
Two years after Portrait of Ruin pleased fans, OoE continued the utilization of Nintendo’s fine handheld. The game further mixed up tried and true gameplay mechanics while still implementing a soundtrack that was understandably amazing.
1) Rhapsody of the Forsaken
2) An Empty Tome
3) Ebony Wings
4) Sorrow’s Distortion
5) Lone Challenger
6) Emerald Mist
7) A Clashing of Waves
8) Riddle
9) Edge of the Sky
10) Dissonant Courage
11) Jaws of a Scorched Earth
Final Compilation
So there you have it, all the best songs of the very best Castlevania games. Of course, these are only lists of how the games rank against themselves in terms of music quality. Here are the top 25 songs you simply cannot do without.
1) Theme of Simon Belmont (Super Castlevania IV)
2) Condemned Tower (Dawn of Sorrow)
3) The Tragic Prince (Symphony of the Night)
4) Demon Castle Pinnacle (Dawn of Sorrow)
5) Rhapsody of the Forsaken (Order of Ecclesia)
6) In Search of the Secret Spell (Portrait of Ruin)
7) An Empty Tome (Order of Ecclesia)
8) Dracula’s Castle (Symphony of the Night)
9) Cursed Clock Tower (Dawn of Sorrow)
10) Bloody Tears (Dawn of Sorrow)
11) Crucifix Held Close (Portrait of Ruin)
12) Ebony Wings (Order of Ecclesia)
13) Wandering Ghosts (Symphony of the Night)
14) Abandoned Castle (Curse of Darkness)
15) Pitch Black Intrusion (Dawn of Sorrow)
16) The Hidden Curse (Portrait of Ruin)
17) Sorrow’s Distortion (Order of Ecclesia)
18) Invitation of a Crazed Moon (Portrait of Ruin)
19) Vampire Killer (Dawn of Sorrow)
20) Leon’s Theme (Lament of Innocence)
21) Gaze Up at the Darkness (Portrait of Ruin)
22) Iron Blue Intention (Portrait of Ruin)
23) Lone Challenger (Order of Ecclesia)
24) The Gears Go Awry (Portrait of Ruin)
25) Emerald Mist (Order of Ecclesia)
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