A New Castlevania Game Has Just Launched, But It’s Flying Under the Radar

The wait is finally over—Castlevania fans, rejoice! We’ve got a brand new Castlevania game. Yes, you read that right. After years of hoping and waiting, we’ve been blessed with another chapter in this iconic series. No, this isn’t a drill. Castlevania fans have suffered long enough, and the curse has finally lifted.

Alongside the impeccable ports of three beloved Nintendo DS classics, the Castlevania Dominus Collection introduces a surprising gem: Haunted Castle, infamous for all the wrong reasons, and a peculiar title called Haunted Castle Revisited. At first glance, fans might dismiss Revisited as just another remix of the notoriously frustrating original. But here’s the twist—it’s not.

What we have here is a full-on remake, not just a simple rehash. From the ground up, everything has been revamped: new sprites, fresh physics, and completely redesigned stages. Haunted Castle Revisited transforms what was once a forgettable footnote in Castlevania’s history into something genuinely worth your time. Think of it as Pinocchio finally becoming a real boy, except this time, he’s armed with a whip and dressed in leather.

Now, you might be thinking, "Is this really a ‘new’ Castlevania game?" And I get that. With other franchises, you’d be right to hesitate. But Castlevania has always been more... complicated. Take Vampire Killer and Akumajou Dracula for example. Both are reimaginings of the original Castlevania, each with its own tweaks and changes. Then there's Castlevania Chronicles on PS1, which is part port, part remake of Akumajou Dracula. Add to that Dracula X, which is an alternative take on Rondo of Blood, changing and remixing various elements. And let’s not forget Castlevania: ReBirth, a dramatic overhaul of Castlevania: The Adventure. Are you seeing the pattern yet? If you strip away all the remakes and reinterpretations, there have barely been a handful of truly original Castlevania games.

So, when I say Haunted Castle Revisited is a remake, I’m not exaggerating. Nearly every level has been overhauled, with new obstacles, enemies, and even fresh item placements. And speaking of items, the axe is back, a feature missing from the original Haunted Castle. You’ll also find crystal orbs to upgrade your whip—yes, that’s right, you couldn’t even upgrade your whip in the original version! And, of course, the iconic wall meat has returned, allowing you to once again engage in the time-honored tradition of whipping every surface in search of a hidden turkey dinner.

But perhaps the most significant improvement comes in the pacing. While traditional Castlevania titles lean toward the methodical, the original Haunted Castle was painfully slow. Revisited, however, injects a shot of energy, making it one of the most fast-paced games in the classic Castlevania lineup. Simon Belmont now speedwalks his way through hordes of monsters, swiftly moving from ghoul to ghost in his mission to save his beloved.

If you have even a passing interest in Castlevania, I highly recommend picking up the Dominus Collection. Haunted Castle Revisited isn’t a particularly long game—even on the hardest setting (which feels like standard Castlevania difficulty), you’ll likely finish it within an hour. But here’s the kicker: after my first playthrough, I immediately went back for more.

For the first time in over a decade, Haunted Castle Revisited delivers that nostalgic Castlevania magic. It may be a fleeting feeling, and we might soon return to the dark silence that’s plagued the franchise for so long. But for now, we’ve been granted one more taste of vampire-slaying glory. And considering Konami’s track record, that’s far more than I ever dared to expect.