Summary

Vampire Killer is an early example of the Metroidvania genre, praised for its exploration and puzzle-solving elements set within Dracula’s castle. Despite its difficulty, it remains a classic title for retro gaming enthusiasts.

• Release Year: 1986
• Genres: Adventure, Hack and slash/Beat ’em up, Platform
• Platforms: MSX2, Wii U
• Developers: Konami
• Publishers: Konami

Introduction

An innovative yet challenging title in the Castlevania series, Vampire Killer stands out for its unique gameplay mechanics and detailed exploration within the horror genre.

Synopsis

“Vampire Killer”, known in Japan as “Akumajō Dracula”, is a platform video game developed and published by Konami for the MSX2 in 1986. It is a parallel version of the original Castlevania, which debuted a month earlier for the Famicom Disk System under the same Japanese title.

In “Vampire Killer”, the player controls vampire hunter Simon Belmont, who ventures into Dracula’s castle armed with a mystical whip inherited from his father, in order to slay the evil count. The game shares the same premise, soundtrack, characters, and locations as the original Castlevania, but the structure of the game and its play mechanics differ significantly from its NES counterpart.

“Vampire Killer” consists of 18 stages, with a boss encounter at the end of every third stage. Unlike the linear level designs in Castlevania, “Vampire Killer” features more labyrinth-like stages, requiring the player to seek out the exit to the next stage and find the skeleton key required to unlock it. Due to the hardware limitations of the MSX2, “Vampire Killer” uses flip screens instead of scrolling.

Items and weapons can be obtained by breaking through candle stands and certain walls like in the NES version, and by purchasing them from merchants hidden throughout the castle or by unlocking treasure chests using keys. Simon’s default whip can be replaced with one of four weapons: a chain whip, throwing daggers, a battle ax, and a battle cross.

There are four items that Simon can carry with him similar to the sub-weapons in the NES version: a map which shows his current position and the location of the exit (can only be used three times), holy water, an hourglass (which temporarily paralyzes all enemies) and one of two types of shields. Heart points are used as ammunition for the holy water and hourglass and as currency for merchants.

There are other items that provide passive effects such as increasing or decreasing Simon’s intelligence (which affects the prices of items sold by merchants), temporary invulnerability, increased speed, higher jumps, and health recovery.

Characters

The main character is a vampire hunter tasked with defeating Dracula. Along the journey, players encounter various monsters including bats, spiders, and the iconic Dracula himself.

Gameplay

Gameplay involves exploring different levels to find keys for progression, managing resources like hearts for purchasing items, and utilizing weapons like whips, daggers, and holy water. Players must also solve puzzles and defeat bosses to advance.

Conclusion

Vampire Killer is a testament to Konami’s early experimentation with game design, offering a challenging yet rewarding experience for those willing to master its mechanics.

Review Score

7.8/10

Art

Cover Art

Screenshots

Fan Art

Fan Art Style: Normal

Fan Art Style: Retro

Fan Art Style: Modern