Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Konami's 1997 Castlevania for the PlayStation, an action game built around exploring one large castle.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is Konami’s action game for the PlayStation, released in Japan as Akumajō Dracula X: Gekka no Yasōkyoku on 20 March 1997. In Japan, a Saturn port followed in 19981. The player is Alucard, Dracula’s son, who explores Dracula’s castle after Richter Belmont, the hero of Rondo of Blood, has vanished2. It opens where that game ended, with Richter’s fight against Dracula3. Alucard fights mainly with swords, not the Belmonts’ whip. Igarashi says that not wanting to reuse the story of a holy whip-wielding Belmont was probably the game’s biggest change4. Relics hidden in the castle let him turn into a bat, a wolf, or mist, and some rooms stay shut until he has the right one5. Defeated enemies give him experience and levels6, and a map fills in room by room7. A second, inverted castle waits for players who look past what seems to be the ending8.
It was made at Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo9. Toru Hagihara produced it. Koji Igarashi, its scenario writer and one of its programmers, took over as director halfway through, and Michiru Yamane made the music and sound effects10. For a new look the team chose the illustrator Ayami Kojima, searching among artists who hadn’t done much work on games11. Igarashi says the aim was to overturn players’ ideas of Castlevania while still feeling like it. That meant exploration, which he notes Castlevania II had also tried, and RPG elements so that anyone who put in the effort could finish. It also meant no one-hit kills, no whip, and none of the series’ stairs12. The exploration was meant to make an action game, usually short, last longer13.
GameSpot’s review, in November 1997, scored it 8.9 out of 1014 and called it “quite possibly the best 2D action side scroller ever”14. In Electronic Gaming Monthly’s November 1997 Review Crew, one reviewer called it “probably my favorite PlayStation game yet”, with two minor qualms, the first about the voice15. The same issue ranked it 12th among the 100 best games of all time16. Igarashi says the comment the team heard most was that it was too easy, though some players found it too hard, and that it drew many players new to the series17. GameSpot’s history of the series says the first American print run was small, since few expected a 2D game to sell, and that word of mouth then sold it widely18. The same history calls it widely regarded as the best Castlevania19, It finds the freedom to explore close to that of Rondo of Blood and Vampire Killer, but says that apart from the layout of some stages the game owes more to Metroid than to the Castlevania before it, and that the borrowing, if anything, added greatly to its replay value20.
#How it plays
Every jump leaves the ground at the same speed21. Hold the button and Alucard floats at the top of the jump, where gravity drops to a fifth22. Let go on the way up and the rise is cut short at once23. A long fall stops speeding up at a cap22.
In the air the d-pad moves him at full speed the moment it’s pressed, and turns him to face that way. Let go and he drifts to a stop rather than halting24.
GameSpot’s history of the series says that beating Dracula opens a special version of the game played as Richter, who can’t turn into a bat or “poisonous fog”. EGM’s reviewer says Richter is played with a code once the game is completed25. The Saturn version lets the player be Richter or Maria from the start, and adds two areas the PlayStation version lacks26.
#Across the series
In Castlevania, Simon keeps the direction he jumped in until he lands. Alucard can steer at any point in a jump24.
When the series came back to Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo, Igarashi wanted a game like Symphony of the Night for the Game Boy Advance, and made Harmony of Dissonance27.
Mechanics
| Mechanic | Kind | How |
|---|---|---|
| Jump | One speed | every jump leaves the ground at the same speed |
| Gravity | Lighter while held | hold the button and he floats at the top of the jump |
| Variable jump height | Release cap | letting go of the button cuts the rise short at once |
| Air control | Direct | a held direction moves him at full speed at once; let go and he drifts to a stop |
Every claim about this game, by concept (26)
References
- ^Konami released Symphony of the Night, as Akumajō Dracula X: Gekka no Yasōkyoku, for the PlayStation in Japan on 20 March 1997. In Japan, a Saturn port followed in 1998.Webinside-games, hide on Symphony of the Night's musicrevised
How we know
1997年3月20日にKONAMIからプレイステーションで発売されたアクションゲームです。 … 1998年にはセガサターンで移植版が発売され
opening paragraphs · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^The player is Alucard, Dracula's son, who explores Dracula's castle after Richter Belmont, the hero of Rondo of Blood, has vanished.ManualKonami, Symphony of the Night manual · GameSpot, SOTN review
How we know
The offspring of an unnatural union between Count Dracula and a human woman
PDF p. 6, Characters, Alucard · archived copy ↗ Your task is to explore Dracula's castle (rumored to only appear once a century) and find out why Richter Belmont, the hero of the first game (and descendant of the original Castlevania hero, Simon), has mysteriously vanished. … Symphony takes place four years after Dracula X, a PC Engine title in Japan that never saw a US release.
second paragraph · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^The game opens where Rondo of Blood ended, with Richter's fight against Dracula, and GameSpot's history of the series calls it a direct sequel.WebGameSpot, History of Castlevania (SotN, p. 1)
How we know
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night literally starts out where the Dracula X games left off.
paragraph beginning "Castlevania: Symphony of the Night literally starts out" · archived copy ↗ Symphony of the Night was indeed a direct sequel
paragraph beginning "Many of the enemies" · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^Alucard fights mainly with swords, not the Belmonts' whip. Igarashi says that not wanting to reuse the story of a holy whip-wielding Belmont was probably the game's biggest change from the series.ManualKonami, Symphony of the Night manual · Shmuplations, SOTN developer interviewrevised
How we know
His weapon of choice is a sword and he uses a variety of them
PDF p. 6, Characters, Alucard · archived copy ↗ No whip. (laughs) Not wanting to use the same story with a holy whip-wielding member of the Belmont clan was probably the biggest change.
first interview, question on the biggest change · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^Relics hidden around the castle give Alucard new powers, among them turning into a bat, a wolf, or mist, and some rooms can't be entered until he has a particular relic.ManualKonami, Symphony of the Night manual · GameSpot, SOTN review
How we know
There are some rooms you cannot enter unless you obtain a particular relic … Soul of Bat Enables you to change into a bat … Form of Mist Enables you to change into mist
PDF p. 10, Relics · archived copy ↗ you can't visit certain places until you've found the three souls that Alucard can transform into - Wolf, Bat, and Mist
fourth paragraph · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^Defeating enemies earns Alucard experience, and each level raises his attributes. He keeps his weapons and items in an inventory screen.ManualKonami, Symphony of the Night manual · GameSpot, SOTN review
How we know
Every victory gives you experience which yields power and strength
PDF p. 8, Rules · archived copy ↗ Experience is gained from killing enemies; attributes are raised whenever Alucard levels-up … each of which is kept in an RPG-like inventory subscreen
third paragraph · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^A map fills in each room as Alucard enters it, and GameSpot's reviewer found it extremely similar to Super Metroid's.ManualKonami, Symphony of the Night manual · GameSpot, SOTN review
How we know
The auto map feature will display the rooms as you explore them
PDF p. 9, On Screen Display, Map screen · archived copy ↗ Extremely similar to the one in Super Metroid, the map (which can be viewed at any time by pressing the Select button) opens up room by room as you travel through the castle.
fourth paragraph · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^The game holds a second, inverted castle. Igarashi expected players to beat Richter first and take that for the ending, then find the inverted castle while completing the first castle's map; each castle counts as 100% of the map.InterviewShmuplations, SOTN developer interview
How we know
If you uncover the entire castle it’s 100%, and the inverted castle also has 100% … we wanted them to defeat Richter once … in doing so they’d discover the inverted castle and feel like they’d found something special.
first interview, question on the map's maximum percentage · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^Symphony of the Night was made at Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo.InterviewGameSpot, Igarashi TGS 2002 interview
How we know
Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo, where Symphony of the Night was made.
Igarashi's answer on Harmony of Dissonance's development · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^Toru Hagihara produced Symphony of the Night and programmed it in its second half. Koji Igarashi wrote its scenario and programmed, and took over as director halfway through development. Michiru Yamane made its music and sound effects.InterviewShmuplations, SOTN developer interview · GameSpot, Igarashi TGS 2002 interview
How we know
I was producer for the first half of the game, and for the latter half I was both producer and programmer. … I acted as director (for the latter half), scenario writer, and programmer. … I handled the sound, doing both music and sound effects.
first interview (Konami guidebook), opening question · archived copy ↗ I was writing storyboards for the game, and then halfway through development I took over direction for the game as well.
Igarashi on his background at Konami · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^Looking for a new look, the team chose Ayami Kojima as illustrator, searching among artists who hadn't done much work on games.InterviewShmuplations, SOTN developer interview
How we know
We decided then to search for an illustrator who hadn’t done much work with games … we felt that Ayami Kojima’s work had the rich, aesthetic direction we wanted for a new Castlevania.
second interview, Igarashi on hiring Ayami Kojima · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^Igarashi says the team set out to overturn players' ideas of Castlevania while still feeling like it. The changes he lists are exploration-based action, which he notes Castlevania II also had; RPG elements, so that anyone who put in the effort could finish it; no one-hit kills; no whip; no Castlevania-style stairs; and a new visual style.InterviewShmuplations, SOTN developer interview
How we know
our concept was to make a game that would overturn player’s ideas about Castlevania, yet also feel like a Castlevania game.
second interview, question on making another entry in the series · archived copy ↗ -make the action exploration based (although Castlevania 2 also did this) … -add RPG elements, so anyone who put in the effort could beat it … -no more stairs (I mean stairs in the style of the previous Castlevania games)
second interview, the list that follows · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^Igarashi says the game's freedom and its exploration were meant to make an action game, usually short, last longer.InterviewShmuplations, SOTN developer interview
How we know
We gave the player a lot of freedom because we wanted to lengthen the playtime for an action game, which is usually short.
first interview, question on the game's freedom · archived copy ↗ the decision to make this a more exploratory action game was to extend the short life of normal action games a bit
second interview, question on early ideas · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^ abGameSpot's review, credited to its staff and dated 20 November 1997, scored the game 8.9 out of 10 and called it "quite possibly the best 2D action side scroller ever".WebGameSpot, SOTN review
How we know
8.9
score block · archived copy ↗ is quite possibly the best 2D action side scroller ever.
first paragraph · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^In Electronic Gaming Monthly's November 1997 Review Crew, one reviewer called it "probably my favorite PlayStation game yet" and the best of the series, with two minor qualms, the first about the voice.MagazineEGM 100
How we know
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is probably my favorite PlayStation game yet, and easily the best of the Castlevania series … I do have two minor qualms about the game. One, I think the voice
Review Crew, Castlevania: SotN (PDF p. 202 of the item's scan) · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^The same issue ranked Symphony of the Night 12th in Electronic Gaming Monthly's 100 best games of all time, calling it classic Castlevania with a few gameplay elements from Metroid and Castlevania II.MagazineEGM 100
How we know
12 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night … This is classic Castlevania, with a few gameplay elements from Metroid and the NES Castlevania II thrown in … In Japan, Castlevania: SotN came bundled with an art book and a music CD
Top 100 Games of All Time, no. 12 · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^Igarashi says the comment the team heard most was that the game was too easy, though some players found it too hard, and that it drew many players new to the series, women among them; Furukawa adds that many said they knew nothing of Castlevania and enjoyed it.InterviewShmuplations, SOTN developer interview
How we know
The one thing we heard the most was “it’s too easy.” … There were also some people who said it was too difficult … Symphony of the Night has also gained a lot of support from female users … we’ve also successfully broken through to a whole new class of players
second interview, question on the fans' response · archived copy ↗ Many people also said “I don’t know anything about Castlevania and this was fun!”
second interview, question on the fans' response, Furukawa's reply · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^GameSpot's history of the series says the first American print run was small, since few expected a 2D game to sell, and that word of mouth then sold it widely.WebGameSpot, History of Castlevania
How we know
the initial production run of the game in the US was severely limited due to the fact that no one really thought a two-dimensional game would sell well. Luckily, word of mouth quickly spread, and people bought the game in droves.
final paragraph of the section · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^GameSpot's history of the series calls Symphony of the Night widely regarded as the best Castlevania and its music the best in the series.WebGameSpot, History of Castlevania (SotN, p. 1) · GameSpot, History of Castlevania
How we know
created what is widely regarded as the best Castlevania game in the series: Symphony of the Night.
opening paragraph · archived copy ↗ Symphony of the Night's music is the best in the series.
paragraph beginning "It seemed rather appropriate" · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^GameSpot's history of the series says the game's freedom to explore recalls Rondo of Blood and Vampire Killer, but that other than the basic layout of some stages it owes more to Nintendo's Metroid than to the Castlevania before it, down to a map like Metroid's. It says the borrowing, if anything, increased the game's replay value tremendously.WebGameSpot, History of Castlevania (SotN, p. 1) · GameSpot, History of Castlevaniarevised
How we know
it's very similar to Dracula X: The Rondo of Blood and Vampire Killer in that you have much more freedom to explore different areas of the castle … other than the basic structural layout of some stages, Symphony of the Night really owes more to Nintendo's Metroid rather than the previous Castlevania game.
paragraph beginning "The inspiration for Symphony of the Night's gameplay" · archived copy ↗ Even the map system in Symphony of the Night follows the same basic pattern as the map found in the Metroid series
paragraph beginning "In these areas" · archived copy ↗ If anything, it increased Symphony of the Night's replay value tremendously
paragraph beginning "Borrowing ideas from Nintendo's Metroid" · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^In Symphony of the Night a jump from the ground sets Alucard's upward speed to 4.875 px/frame, and his horizontal speed to 1.5 px/frame toward a held direction, or 0.CodeXeeynamo/sotn-decomp
How we know
156 if (CheckMoveDirection()) { ⋮ 158 SetSpeedX(FIX(1.5)); ⋮ 162 PLAYER.velocityX = 0; ⋮ 166 PLAYER.velocityY = FIX(-4.875); 167 SetPlayerStep(Player_Jump);
src/dra/6E42C.c lines 151–167 at 2be55ee · upstream ↗ 95#define FIX(x) ((s32)((x) * 65536.0))include/common.h line 95 at 2be55ee · upstream ↗ Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-21.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
- ^ abEach jumping frame adds 0.171875 px/frame² to Alucard's vertical speed, a fifth of that while Cross is held near the top (between 0.125 px/frame up and 0.375 down), and caps a fall at 7 px/frame.CodeXeeynamo/sotn-decomp
How we know
591 if (func_8010FDF8(0x11029)) {src/dra/71830.c line 591 at 2be55ee · upstream ↗ 17 if (branchFlags & 0x10000) { ⋮ 20 g_Player.padPressed & PAD_CROSS) { 21 YAccel = FIX(22.0 / 128 / 5); 22 } else { 23 YAccel = FIX(22.0 / 128); ⋮ 31 } else { 32 YAccel = FIX(22.0 / 128); ⋮ 40 PLAYER.velocityY += YAccel; ⋮ 42 if (PLAYER.velocityY > FIX(7)) { 43 PLAYER.velocityY = FIX(7);
src/dra/6FDF8.c lines 17–44 at 2be55ee · upstream ↗ Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-21.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
- ^While Alucard rises faster than 1 px/frame in a jump, letting go of the jump button (Cross) sets his upward speed to 1 px/frame.CodeXeeynamo/sotn-decomp
How we know
575void PlayerStepJump(void) { ⋮ 581 if (PLAYER.velocityY < FIX(-1)) { ⋮ 583 !(g_Player.padPressed & PAD_CROSS)) { 584 PLAYER.velocityY = FIX(-1);
src/dra/71830.c lines 575–585 at 2be55ee · upstream ↗ Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-21.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
- ^ abIn Symphony of the Night's jump a held direction sets Alucard's horizontal speed to 1.5 px/frame that way at once, turning him if needed, and every jumping frame first slows it by 1/16 px/frame toward 0, so a released d-pad fades the speed out; Castlevania's take-off fixes Simon's direction for the whole jump.CodeXeeynamo/sotn-decomp · “Castlevania (USA) (Rev 1)”
How we know
580 DecelerateX(FIX(1.0 / 16)); ⋮ 597 walkResult = CheckMoveDirection(); 598 if (walkResult != 0) { ⋮ 603 SetSpeedX(FIX(1.5));
src/dra/71830.c lines 579–603 at 2be55ee · upstream ↗ 3void DecelerateX(s32 amount) {src/decelerate.h lines 3–15 at 2be55ee · upstream ↗ 101s32 CheckMoveDirection(void) { ⋮ 106 if (g_Player.padPressed & PAD_RIGHT) { 107 PLAYER.facingLeft = 0; ⋮ 114 if (g_Player.padPressed & PAD_RIGHT) {
src/dra/6DF70.c lines 101–115 at 2be55ee · upstream ↗ In the cartridge (“Castlevania (USA) (Rev 1)”): Castlevania's take-off copying the held Left and Right into Simon's direction (castlevania/jump-start). We don't reproduce the bytes.
Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-21.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-21.
- ^GameSpot's history of the series says that after beating Dracula the player can go through a special version of the game as Richter, who can't turn into a bat or "poisonous fog"; EGM's reviewer says Richter is played with a code once the game is completed.WebGameSpot, History of Castlevania · EGM 100revised
How we know
if you beat Dracula, you can play through a special version of the game as Richter--though it's rather difficult to navigate through the later levels since Richter doesn't have the ability to turn into a bat or poisonous fog.
paragraph beginning "Borrowing ideas from Nintendo's Metroid" · archived copy ↗ once you complete it all, you can play through again (with a code) as Richter
Review Crew, Castlevania: SotN (PDF p. 202 of the item's scan) · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^The Saturn version lets the player be Richter or Maria from the start and adds two areas the PlayStation version lacks, the Cursed Prison and the Underground Garden.WebGameSpot, History of Castlevania
How we know
the Sega Saturn version of Symphony of the Night lets you play as both Richter and Maria from the beginning. There are also two extra levels--Cursed Prison and Underground Garden--not found in the PlayStation version.
The Better Version? · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
- ^When the series came back to Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo, Igarashi wanted a game like Symphony of the Night for the Game Boy Advance, and made Harmony of Dissonance.InterviewGameSpot, Igarashi TGS 2002 interview
How we know
I really wanted to create a game that was similar to Symphony of the Night for the Game Boy Advance.
Igarashi on Harmony of Dissonance's development · archived copy ↗ the producer of Symphony of the Night and the recently released Harmony of Dissonance for the Game Boy Advance
introduction · archived copy ↗ The quote matches our archived copy.
Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.
Sources
Code
- Xeeynamo and sotn-decomp contributors. 2026. “sotn-decomp: a decompilation of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.” Commit 2be55ee. Xeeynamo/sotn-decomp @ 2be55ee · licence, all uses
- 1987. “Castlevania (USA) (Rev 1).” · licence, all uses
Primary
- Tokyo, Konami Computer Entertainment. 1997. “Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PlayStation, North American manual).” original · archived · licence, all uses
- presentation), Unknown interviewer (Konami guidebook); Shmuplations (translation and. 2021. “Symphony of the Night — 1997 Developer Interview.” original · archived · licence, all uses
- Staff, GameSpot. 2002. “TGS 2002: Castlevania Q&A — GameSpot.” original · archived · licence, all uses
Secondary
- (永芳英敬), hide. 2016. “【hideのゲーム音楽伝道記】第29回：『悪魔城ドラキュラX 月下の夜想曲』 ― アルカードの戦いを彩る、クラシカルで壮麗な旋律.” original · archived · licence, all uses
- Staff, GameSpot. 1997. “Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Review — GameSpot.” original · archived · licence, all uses
- Staff, GameSpot. 2001. “The History of Castlevania — GameSpot feature, Symphony of the Night section, page 1.” original · archived · licence, all uses
- Davis, Ziff. 1997. “Electronic Gaming Monthly, issue 100 (November 1997).” original · archived · licence, all uses
- Staff, GameSpot. 2001. “The History of Castlevania — GameSpot feature, Symphony of the Night section.” original · archived · licence, all uses