Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse Strategy Guide v1.8 Written by: Barbossa (barbossa70@hotmail.com) Written: 1/20/99 Welcome to the first and only SG for Castlevania 3 for NES. This Guide will contain information about the game and contain a walkthru. Well let's get to it........ 000----+++++===What's New===+++++----000 Version 1.80--8th release, Added walkthru for CASTLE COURTYARD (note: sumitted by James Bushor.) Version 1.70--7th release, Added Walkthru for ALUCARD'S CAVE (note: submitted by James Bushor and the walkthru is Block 5-1 thru 5-6). Added something to the Credits Section in the What's coming list. Only four more walkthrus to go. Version 1.60--6th release, Added Walkthru for THE MAIN HALL. (note: submitted by James Bushor.) Version 1.50--5th release, Added Walkthru for SUNKEN CITY OF POLTERGEISTS which was submitted by James Bushor. Expect to see more from him in the near future. Version 1.40--4th release, Added Boss Strategy Section and Game Genie Section. Thanks go out to Jesse Smith for providing me with this info. Version 1.20--3rd release, Added Differences Section and added a Code/Trick. Version 1.10--2nd release, made changes in Sypha section to fit "her" gender, added a new walkthru format, added passwords. Version 1.00--1st release 000----+++++===The Story===+++++----000 The time is 100 years before Simon Belmont's birth. The moon burns red overhead and black clouds loom large on the horizon. All is still and quiet. Only the call of a distant crow stirs the cold night air. Suddenly, thunder roars out of the Morbid Mountains and into the village of Warakiya. Like the yell of an angry giant, the terrible sound shakes homes and shops as if they were sapling branches. But no one blinks an eye. The village is dead calm. For all the people have fled after receiving warnings from the Great Beyond that Count Dracula has assembled a mighty army of evil, and they're poised to march up from the Valley of Gravyards to bury mankind in a Tomb of Terror. Unfortunately, there's no corner on Earth that won't be gobbled up by this bloodthristy legion of Swamp Dragons, Slasher Skeletons, and Forces of the Undead. The last line of defense is you, Trevor Belmont-the forefather of Simon Belmont and the origin of the Belmont Warlord Chromosomes. But your chances are slimmer than Jim. In fact, the only real adge you have over this fang sharpened freak is your power to transform into three different partner spirits: Grant DaNasty, the ferocious Ghost Pirate. Sypha, the Mystic Warlord. And Alucard, Dracula's forgotten son. Each of these spirits will confront you as you fight through 17 possible levels of never-ending fright, including the Haunted Ship of Fools, the Clock Tower of Untimely Death and Curse Castle. You must also possess the strength to wield the mighty Battle Axe and Mystic Whip, which were given to you by the Poltergeist King. So go forth young Trevor into the cold black night, where death lurks around every corner and evil lingers on every stone. And remember, if your courage and cunning are any less the magnificent of if you fail to choose the correct Paths of Fate, you'll be banished to the world of the undead, and zombies will rule until the end of time. 000----+++++===Characters and their Abilites===+++++----000 TREVOR C. BELMONT-Trevor is the infamous forefather of Simon Belmont-the mightly warrior who pulverized Dracula in Castlevania and again in Simon's Quest. Trevor has a number of oldie but goodie attack items that have been given to him by the Poltergeist King. These include the Mystic Whip, Battle Axe, Banshee Boomerang, Dagger and Sacred Water. Trevor is also the master of special items, including a Pocket Watch, Invisibility Potion and the Rosary. --Trevor's Main Weapon-- Mystic Whip-The Mystic Whip is Trevor's main weapon. It has three different power levels. By advancing a certain distance and capturing certain items, you can boost its power to a Chain Whip and then a L...o...n...g Chain Whip. --Trevor's Warakiya War Items-- Battle Axe-The Battle Axe flies through the air along an arc. This is a very powerful item. Dagger-The Dagger flies straight and fast, but it is not very powerful. Banshee Boomerang-The Banshee Boomerang flies straight through the air with the greatest of ease. When it reaches the end of its path, it will come flying back. Though it moves slowly, the Banshee Boomerang is very powerful. Sacred Water-The Sacred Water flies along an arc until it crashes into the floor, where it spills out and begins to burn. ALUCARD-As the son of Count Dracula, Alucard once tried to prevent Trevor from accomplishing his mission. However, he reached a point where he could no longer abide by his father's evilness, and is now looking for a partner to help him put an end to his father's wicked plans. A resident of underground tunnels, Alucard attacks with a Ball of Destruction, which he can also fire in three directions (if he captures a special power booster). Alucard's primary strength, though, is his ability to turn himself into a bat. However, he cannot attack while he is airborne and will turn back into a human form if his wings are clipped by an evil enemy. --Alucard's Main Weapon-- Ball of Destruction-At first, this weapon can only be fired in one direction. However, you can boost the firepower to shoot in two or three directions. GRANT DaNASTY-Count Dracula used his sinister powers to turn this Pirate Captain into a ghost. And as one of Dracula's gruesome gang, he will attack you from the top of the Clock Tower of Untimely Death. However, if you can defeat this scoundrel, his spirit will join you. He's small, nimble and has a strong spring in his step, so he's able to jump up onto walls or ceilings and stick to them like glue. Grant's primary attack weapons are an axe and a dagger. Another of his weapons is his skill to scurry along hidden routes hot accessiblea to Trevor. Unfortunately, both his body and his ego bruise easily. --Grant DaNasty's Main Weapon-- Dagger-Grant can use the dagger to stab his enemies or he can hurl it at them. When thrown, the dagger fkues to the right and left. When Grant is stuck to the wall, he'll hurl it backwards so be ready to duck, Chuck. Likewise, when Grant is stuck in the ceiling, he throws it down. --Grant DaNasty's Warakiya War Item-- Axe-The axe is a very powerful weapon that can be used if Grant is lucky enough to find it. SYPHA BELNADES-Sypha, the Mystic Warlord of Warakiya, is also a vampire hunter who walks quickly and carries a big stick. Rumors of her death were spread throughout Eastern Europe, but in truth she was captured by "Cyclops", the one- eyed Ulitmate Evil. Sypha uses her Warakiya Staff to attack. Other attack favorites of hers include flames, frozen crystals and lightning bolts. With these, she can destroy evil enemies before they get close to her. However, her skin is very thin and blisters easily when blasted by grotesque enemy attacks. To score BIG, Sypha must attack before enemies find her. --Sypha's Main Weapon-- Warakiya Staff-Sypha uses her Warakiya Staff to attack enemies. The power of the staff can never be increased. --Sypha's Warakiya War Items-- Flames-The flames are very powerful as they annihilate everything in their path. Frozen Crystals-This item lets you shoot frozen crystals in all directions to freeze your enemies for an instant. While your enemies are quick-frozen, climb on top of them and destroy them with a blow from the staff. Good Gracious Great Bolts of Lightning-The lighting bolt shoots zapping balls in three directions. 000----+++++===Items===+++++----000 --The Heart of Stone--The number of hearts collected determines how many times you can use your Warakiya War Items and also how long Alucard can soar like a bat. The more hearts you possess, the better. --Leg of Werewolf--Capture these and restore slices of your Life Gauge. --Bonus Bag--Your score will increase when you grab one of these bags. The number of points varies according to the value of the bag's contents. --1-up--This gives you a bonus life. --Double Trouble--This item allows you to fire A Warakiya War Item twice in a row. NOTE: Sypha and Alucard cannot use this item. --Triple Threat--This allows you to fire a Warakiya War Item three times in a row. NOTE: Sypha and Alucard cannot use this item. --Pocket Watch--This item stops evil enemies dead in their tracks. --Invisibility Potion--This makes you invisible for a limited period of time. --Rosary--This gives you the power to destroy all the enemies on the screen. 000----+++++===The New Walkthru===+++++----000 NOTE: The old walkthru will stay up until this one is done. Here we'll have every level broken down for you The levels will be called blocks because that's what they are called in the game. They're 15 levels/blocks in this game and you won't see them all in one session. BLOCK 1: WARAKIYA VILLAGE To start make you way through the first part by getting your hearts, dagger, and whip upgrades. Go through the first door and quickly kill the two skeletons. Go up and into the chruch. Kill the bats with your dagger and make sure you get the sacred water before you go up. As soon as you come up go to your right, turn around, and kill the bone chucking skeleton when he jumps down to your level. Wait for the second one to move back then go up stairs and kill him. For the third one just wait until he jumps across and hit him with the sacred water. Proceed to go down and watch out for the medusas, if you get hit and gall back on the blue walkways you'll fall down. Enter the next door. If you would like you can build your hearts up by killing the zombies. Go down the stairs and go to bottom. Kill the Imp that jumps at you, know face left and hit the bottom ledge. Jump over that and go to the wall, hit it and you'll get a leg of werewolf. Now go to the right and through the door. You'll be in the graveyard make sure you pick up the dagger. Get the Skull King into the right- hand corner and hit him with your whip and dagger. BLOCK 2: CLOCK TOWER OF UNTIMELY DEATH At the start leap the pit on the right and whip the wall for a Heart. The Knights you'll encounter each take two hits to kill, but they are slow. When you reach the very top of the Stairs where the Pendulum is swinging, go left: climb the Ledges and jump onto the Pendulum when it's near. When you're on it, walk to its right side and ride it right. Leap onto the Wall, hop to the next Pendulum, and take that to the right. To cross the next passageway, you'll have to ride on the Gears. Hop off to the right, and after you pass the Skeleton here be on guard. Once you ascend and the screen scrolls, and you begin climbing the Stairs, Medusas fly at you. If you haven't got a Pocket Watch to freeze them, just get up the stairs as fast as you can. Be careful when you're on the Gear on top: A Medusa will fly along and knock you off if you don't kill it. The Medusa attacks will end for a little bit when the screen srolls again. After you've cleared this area and passed through the door in the upper right, ride the Gear and hit the Wall above the ledge on the other side to uncover the power-up--a big heart, unless you get the Dagger first, in which case it'll be a Double Trouble power up. Whip the Candle on the top, and if you have no other good weapons get the Dagger. Nect screen the Medusas are back. When you reach the end of this level, you'll reach a screen with a Sword-swinging Skeleton; go to the right wall, over the Ledge, and eat the Leg of Werewolf. Next, you'll fight Grant. An Axe or Sacred Water work best against him; jump his Dagger and leap over him when he charges to the right. Deafeat him and he'll be your companion(if you choosed yes). Make your way back to the beginning of the clock tower to continue. BLOCK 3: MAD FOREST The next route starts with an Owl attack. You can see their eyes before the birds come out. When they appear, they hesitate for a moment before taking flight; that's the time to kill them. If you allow two or more to come at you, they will kill you or at least hurt you alot. Get the boomerang from the 5th candle to kill the Owl's quickly. The red Skeleton in the ruins will regenerate in a few seconds after you hit it. Boomerang or Whip the two Stone Dragons on top--leaping or whipping its Fireballs--and keep going right. After descending the Stairs, continue right. You be faced with a choice of routes, stay on the upper path to get Sypha. Watch out for the huge Crow here; it'll swoop off the screen to the left then return a few moments later. Get an Axe from the candle on top. The Spores on the next level down are worse than the Medusas ever were: they open and spilt into smaller fiends after a few moments, or else when you hit them. Each part must be dealt with indivually. If possible, leap or duck the parents rather than hit and break them up. Below, the Whip Skeletons take only one hit to kill. Look out for the Spiders, which descend suddenly: not only do they rush down on a strand of web, they spit little Spiders at you. Wait at the right side of the first pit and leap the Baby Spider fired by the big Spider on the right; otherwise, the Spider on the left will knock you in the pit. Wait at the foot of the Stairs until the Spider on theleft has come and gone: otherwise the baby will hit you as you climb. When you're at the bottom of the level, go right to the statury. There's Leg of Werewolf in the lowest Block on the left, but don't get it yetL you'll need the ledge for your attack. Go to the Cyclops on the right and get in a gew licks at its head. When it comes to life, run to the left, crouch on the Leg of Werewolf ledge, and whip its head. Retreat to the ledge to the left of the Leg of Werewold ledge to get out of the when when the monster is near, then descend again when it backs off and resume. BLOCK 4: THE MURKY MARSH OF MORBID MORONS Most of this level is swamp if you fall in you'll start to sink quickly press jump to get out. The frogs will come out at you in all directions, just stand you're ground and whip them to make quick work of them. Now get the dagger and go down where you'll meet the Mud men, make quick work of them and hit them with the dagger. Turn left and hit the wall for a leg of werewolf. Now go back to your right and through the door. Now you'll face them annoying little bats, use your dagger to kill them. Jump on the moving platforms to get across the swamp and to get a Axe. Proceed and your holy water and before you go through the swamp, turn around and hit the block, Jump over the one block and go to your left, duck and hit the block for a another leg of werewolf. Go through the swamp and the door, kill the skeletons and ghosts, make sure you get the boomerang. Go down and proceed using the boomerang to kill the bats. Now go down and face the boss the giant bat. Stand on the highest left ledge and use the boomerang. You should make quick work of him. BLOCK 4A: THE HAUNTED SHIP OF FOOLS You'll go to the Ghost Ship now; if you didn't bother to get Sypha, Grant can help you get through here quick. On the first deck you'll fight Ghost Pirates. Go left down the steps quickly--skip the Laterns here; you can go back for them later. If you hurry, you'll be able to get down, turn, and fight the pirate while it's still well to the right. The second Lantern to the right on this level contains Invisibility Potion. When you pass through the door on the next level, be careful: The slightly yellowish sections of the floor will crumble if you stand on them too long. Get past the Ghosts down here as quickly as possible, or you'll fall into the pit. Next, their are two Red Skeletons, another Ghost, and a bone chucking Skeleton. This one'll leap the Pit to you Ledge, so hit him fast. Beyond the door are Elevators, cross the two of them when they're both high, because you won't get across to the opposite ledge. Next set of elevators is a foursome, take the first three in a row, wait till the third rises slightly, then leap to the fourth and across. When you reach the Medusa here, stand on the ground and toss your weapons into its chest. Duck to avoid the shafts and rays of the creature. There are more Ghost Pirates beyond, with crumbling floors. At the end of this corridoe, you'll go up on the right, hit the wall on the top level for a Leg of Werewolf. When you're back on deck, you'll see a pol, there was one just like it when you started the level. It works like a seesaw, and you've got to hit it near the middle, slant it down to the right, cross, and leap off to the next pole without sliding off either side. A Pair of crows on the other side--the watch is best choice here--another Pirate below, then in a lower level a Ghost and Bone-Chucker. Jump down fast to confront the Skeleton on the long ledge just left of center, then rush to the far right of the screen, turn left, and whip the ghost. In the tomb room, you'll face a pair of mummies, stay to the left of the left ledge--on the ground, not on the ledge--and, crouching, whip the first mummy, then go after the second. Then, from the rightmost coffin it's Cyclops. Beat as before, by whipping its head from the right ledge. The ship will take you to the Castle! BLOCK 5: ALUCARD'S CAVE You start off with 3 candles above you and an eye coming at you. Kill the eye and get the candles. All three are small hearts. Go left and watch for the acid drips. The first pattern, count from the last block where the acid drips on and count 6 back. from left to right it is 6,1,5,4,3,2. the second pattern is from where the last acid drips at the far right count 8 back. from left to right it is 6,1,5,4,3,2,7,8. Go down to the little space under the floor. the candle there is a boomerang and the bottom block is a piece of meat. break the blocks and go left and watch for the blobs. Also watch for the fire dudes. If you keep going right towards the wall all the candles closest to the ground are small hearts. On the top block against the wall is a big heart and the platform in the middle is a boomerang go down the stairs and the candles there are all small hearts. go right and watch for the blocks cause they break away and there also should be a bat coming at you. also watch for the acid drips. ill wright back with the pattern. when you get past the drips you can go down to the bottom path which has a 1-up there. go threw the door. on the top path the candles to the other door are small hearts and a dagger in the candle past the break in the spikes. watch for the blobs coming at you. bottom path, first 2 candles are big hearts and the rest are small hearts. go threw the door and the bottom part youll have to wait for the acid to eat away at the blocks. the candle there is a small heart. go right threw the door. on the top floor there will be candles, which are small hearts, and fire man. keep going right. all the candles on the bottom is small hearts. go threw the the door. watch for the fire men and all of the candles except one on the bottom are small hearts, the one on the bottom is a big heart. keep going right and watch for the spikes. when you pass all the spikes there will be two platforms with some of those sparkling dudes. dodge them and keep going right till the end, there will be a moving platform. the candle right the platform is a battel axe. go up the stairs and watch for the eye. the candles above it are big hearts. go right and you'll be at Alucard. to kill Alucard hit him when he's in the vampire form and aim for the head. the best way to kill him is with holy water or the boomerangs. BLOCK 5A: CURSE CASTLE Inside, walk over to the Stone Dragon--you don't have to crouch here--and leap up between Fireballs, whcih come in threes. If you have no weapon, get one from above and to the left of Dragon. Another Dragon follows, crouch to whip its first wave of fireballs, then squat on the left side of the pit and whip both it and is second wave of fireballs. Gargoyle monsters fly at you on the next level, but are easy to beat with a long whip or weapon, in most caes, make your stand on the Stairs rather than the ledges; the monsters are easier to hit there. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, you'll face a Knight on the left. He'll toss an Axe. Walk left so you're against the ledge he's on. Wait till his boomerang axe has returned to him, then jump up and whip him. A few hits will kill him. The door's up and to the right. Next room has Fuzzies that drift about their ledges. They move in steady, rectangular patterns, jump them and run past--the best you can do with a weapon is paralyze them. It would be a good idea to use Sypha here (if you have him), since he can collect an Ice Spell from the Candle on the right over the lower fuzzie. If you remain Trevor, you'll get sacred water. The knights above don't throw axes, so you should make short work of them. What will give you a pain here is that the screen begins to scroll automatically. Leap where you can, or take the stairs, just keep moving. If you're Trevor, you can make all the jumps here, but it will be necessary on some to stand with your toes haging off the ledge as far as they'll go. When you've climbed the long set of stairs on the right, after the screen's stopped scrolling, head up and left, past the Gargoyle monsters. Pass through the door and face an Axe-throwing knight; get to the ledge underneath him, and go all the way to the left, facing left, to cause the knight to go to the right. Climb the stairs and when the knight's on the right, poke your head up the instant his Axe returns to him. Begin hitting so you destroy both the axe, when thrown and him. Up above: squat to beat the lower Stone Dragon and fireballs--not that the fireballs come in twos--leap between flames to destroy the one above it, and go up the stairs. Stop with your upper foot on the eigth step and your lower foot on the seventh; after the dragons to the left spit their two fireballs, go up one step, whip the next wave, then rush past the head and above after its wave. Race past the heads on the right and pause in the middle of the next set of stairs; stop and go up the last screen, whipping any fireballs you can't stand between. You're now at the Frakenstein Monster. After killing a pair of Crows, you'll be attacked from the left by Frankenstein. Every time the monster stomps his foot, stones fall from the ceiling: you'll be safe from these on the upper right ledge--but you can't stay there because he'll throw stones at you. You should have gotten the Axe in the previous room, and it's the perfect weapon to have. BLOCK 6-1 (A): SUNKEN CITY OF POLTERGEISTS (submitted by JRBushor@aol.com) You start off with that is usually a small heart, then go right, there are a couple more candle sticks, they are big hearts. Go up the ladder and there will be a knight just dodge his axes hit him about 10 times with the whip and about 15 to 20 times with any other weapons. Then go right some more and fall off the ledge but watch out there is the little jumping guy there. Kill him and the candle that is left is a knife, dont get it if you have a better weapon. go through the door. There will be a candle above you, its a small heart. There will be another candle by the crow. Hurdle a long range weapon at it. The candle is a big heart. Walk threw the water and watch out for the giant frog in the water. after the big heart there will be sacred water in the next candle if you have Sypha you can use the ice spell to freeze the water for a short while. The next 3 candles are just small hearts. When you get to the end there will be a stone dragon. Kill him and go through the door. Then go off the platform. There will be another knight there and another jumper. Beat them and get candles above you , one is a big heart. Their is a platform above the jump you have to make don't bother going up. There is nothing good . Before the jump make sure the dragon isn't shooting. When he stops jump across and kill him. Keep going right, the candles above the stairs are small hearts. Go down the stairs. There will be 3 platforms the highest one has a stopwatch, the lower left platform has sacred water . The other platform has a dragon. Beat him and go right. Keep going right till you meet another knight. Beat him and go up there, but the platform in the middle will be a dragon. Time his fire and walk up the stairs. there will be another knight on the platform. beat him and go right. There will beanother door go there you will see a walkway 5 blocks long and there will be a 2 block wide jump, but beware of the crows. The candle on the other side is a dagger. Keep going right and the bricks will start to fall at the 9 one. Watch for the crows. At the end of the walkway the last 2 bricks wont fall. watch for the jumping frog. Keep going right. The candles here will be hearts. Go down the stairs. There will be candles, one is a battle axe. Get it for the boss. Go right till you here the boss music . The bosses are two water dragons. to beat them you must learn the pattern of when and where the 2 dragons stick their long necks out and aim for the back of there heads. BLOCK 6-1 (B): UNDERGROUND CATACOMBS Not Available BLOCK 6A: THE MOAT BRIDGE OF PERIL The next stage, set on a bridge, spotlights Trolls and Axe Knights. The former take long hops, the latter must be destroyed by kneeling in front of them when they throw low. When you pass through the door, the Fish people will attack; look for them as they swim toward you, through the water, and whip them before they can attack. If you still have Grant, he'll be helpful in the next phase: he can climb the big wall ahead to save you a lot of aggravation. No new foes here, just tougher versions. When you reach the Bridge, you must hurry across or it'll crumble. Leap or rush through the crows here; losing some energy is perferable to forfeiting a life. Climb down the long stairs at the end and you'll face the twin dragons. They rise and sink into the river, breathing flame when they emerge. The key to beating them is to stay behind them and use your whip to hit them in the back of the head...or your special weapon to hit them in head, front, or back, when you're too far to use the whip. The dragons will emerge in a reconizable pattern: start on the far right ledge, facing left, use you special weapon, then get on the center ledge--in front of the dark archway--and face right. Crouch to avoid the flame of the nearest Dragon, hit it, return to the left ledge to strike from behind, and repeat. BLOCK 7: ABANDONED MINES Not Available BLOCK 7A: CASTLE COURTYARD (submitted by JRBushor@aol.com) You begin on top of some stairs some candles to your right and a skeleton knight. kill the knight and the candles are the first one is sacred water and the one is a small heart. go right and watch the moving platforms. time it so you jump on it without falling and jump to the stable platform and watch for the spark dude. time the jump from the platform to the moving so you can make it with out falling off the edge. keep going right until you get to the stable platform. get on it and go right. watch for the stone dragons, they shoot faster than normal. kill him and go right. the candle below the platform above you is an axe. go up the stairs and watch for the gargoyles that drop the jumpers. all the candles there are small hearts. go right till you hit the door. go threw the door. now you have two choices. if you have grant you can just climb over the wall in front of you and go up the stairs. if you have anyone else you'll have to take the long way threw there. go down to the bottom part. all the candles there are small hearts. watch the dragons and go right. there will be a gap with a dragon on the other side. time the jump in between the fire and kill the dragon. another gap with another dragon. time it again and kill him. go up the stairs and the candle farthest to the right is a dagger. go left and watch the axe knights. the two candle as the top of the screen are big hearts. in the wall all the wat to the left has meat in it. go up the stairs. there will be those platforms that move when you jump on them. if you just played this level for the first time it will be difficult. grant is the best person for this. go threw the door. watch for the red skeletons and crows. all the candles are hearts. keep going right till you hit some stairs.go down them and youll get to a scrolling screen. it goes down so be carefully all but one candle are small hearts and the other one is a bommerang. if you have sypha get it cuze it turns to the lighting and youll need it. when the scrolling stopes go down the stairs. there will be a red skeleton under your platform. a little trick to get rid of him is to have him follow you to as far as he can go and continue to the boss but stop when he dissapers. then go back and get the candle you missed. its a big heart. theres also a big heart in on of the brikes near the boss. the boss is the terrible trio, the mummies, cyclops, and Leviathan Gargoyle BLOCK 8: THE MAIN HALL (submitted by JRBushor@aol.com) You first start off in a long hallway and zombies will come at you. Kill them and go right. The first candle is a small heart, second, a dagger. The rest of the candles are small hearts except one and that is the one that is above the first set of stairs. Keep going right and watch for the zombies, which will go away when the platform comes on the screen. When you go up the first set of stairs there will be a knight and there will be another knight on the second platform. Kill them and go up the next set of stairs. When you reach the top there will be spiders crawling down and pirates. The candles are all small candles, but the last one is a big one. Go through the door and watch for the little blob that jumps around. Go down the stairs and take out the candles. One is a big heart. Go all the way to the right, at the wall there will be a piece of meat. Go back to the stairs and go up them. watch for the red skeleton and get the candles, all are small hearts. There should be another skeleton by the next set of stairs. Kill him and go up them. After going up the stairs there will be another blob coming at you. Kill him quickly and go right. The candles on the bottom part of the screen are just all small hearts. On the wall at the right there will be a ledge. jump on it and go up to the next ledge. Watch for the knight he's by the candle. Go left. There will be another ledge. If you have Trevor use the long whip to kill the blob and knight throught the ledge. Anyone else(Grant, Syphar, Alucard) get on the ledge and hit them. the candles at the top of the scene are sacred water and big heart. go up the stairs. at the top on the left wall there will ether a big heart or a double trouble, depending what item you have. go to the stairs and to the right. All the candles from here to the boss goes in this order: small heart, boomerang, big heart, small heart, big heart, small heart, big heart, small heart, sacred water, small heart, big heart, big heart, big heart, axe, big heart, stop watch, small heart, and dagger. watch out for the roaming spear knight. keep going right and you'll run into the boss. to beat him with Trevor get on a platform and keep hitting him with the boomerang, with sypha get the lighting and jump around shooting him with it. BLOCK 9: THE INNER HALLS Not Available BLOCK A: DRACULA'S FINAL CLOCK TOWER Where you end up depends largely on the paths you've taken. Regardless of your route, you will eventually end up on the 15th level. Start out by heading left and battling the three crows; beyond the Red Skeleton is a super weapon, if you need it go down the steps and you'll face one of the toughest screens in the game: the screen scrolls up as you descend, but it's far more difficult than previous scrolling screens. To get past the gears, wait on the ledge above them and don't leap on the first of the teeth to come by. Wait for the second. Jump down when it's at the nine o' clock postition turning clockwise--if you jump down right away, a Medusa head from the right will hit you back, and you'll get scrolled off the top and killed. Drop off the gear--you can fall between them without getting hurt--to the ledge, then wait till the one below scrolls up and drop to is stay to the right on this ledge (the one beneath the horizontal golden gear): it looks stable but will begin to disintegrate when you step on it. Stand your ground there and fight the Medusa heads that drift over. Wait until the ledge below the silvery gear scrolls up. Drop to that one--not to the ledge to the right of the gear. When you can get to the ledge under the candle to your right, do so. Go next to the long ledge below it, to the left. You'll be battling Medusas all the while: if you have the Long Whip you'll be ok. From this ledge, jump down to the small ledge on the right...though you'll have to hop up and down on it, because it'll begin to fall apart. You want it to remain there until the Gear to the left scrolls into view. When it does, hop onto the teeth and cross to the left--you must move against the clockwise-turning gear--to the ledge there. Go down the stairs, where you'll face Bats, Stone Dragons, and other enemees...including eventually, Dracula himself. There's no "safe spot" from which to fight the vampire: you'll have to have as many hearts as possible, and Sacred water or the Boomerang is recommend because he has three forms. 000----+++++===Boss Strategy===+++++----000 (Big up to Jesse Smith for providing these tactics) --Cyclops--When running away from it, jump as you go to prevent him from charging you. --Skull Knight King--(the second one, NOT the one on the first level): It will only take damage then you hit it while one of his bones is flying around. Stand in the lower right and keep whipping it. The bones won't hit you as much if you stay here. --Grim Reaper--Throw boomerangs at him while whipping the flying projectiles. When he's in a corner, each boomerang will hit him twice. Against the giant head that appears when he dies, stay on the left and use the blocks to jump over it when necessary. --"Evil Twin" Boss--When you transform into your 'spirit' partner, it has to turn into the same person. As it reforms, you have a clear shot. You have to be quick about changing back and forth though. It takes a while, but it's the safest way to beat him. --Final Boss-- For the first two forms of Dracula, just whip as fast as you can. To avoid the shots from the third form, stay four blocks from the right, so the ground won't pick you up, and dodge to the right when he fires at you. Just use axes to hit him in the head. 000----+++++===Codes===+++++----000 --10 lives--Enter your name as "HELP_ME" --Sound Test--Hold down the A & B buttons and press start. --Lightning Shot--"If you go to the Cyclops, you'll notice the lightning storm in the background. Periodically, the clouds flare up and a really big bolt of lightning zaps out. If you time a dagger just right you can throw it when the screen blinks and make the lightning bolt hit the Cyclops! It only does four units of damage, but it's a cool little secret thing to do to impress your friends!" (NOTE: Taken from the Castlevania Dungeon http://www.classicgaming.com/castlevania/) --This trick only works when you have the pirate when you first fight him and beat him you have to go back down the clock tower on the first stairway when you must be Trevor and reach the far bottom of it (when Trevor's feet are together and look like they are off the bottom of the screen) you do not have to keep holding down when doing this just make sure it is the far bottom. When it is the far bottom, press select to change into the pirate before you reach the next level. you then go back up you will then (if it worked) that the stairway will be lengthened past its appearance and will become invisible keep walking up the stairs and see what happens all sorts of strange worlds if you try going back down the stairs it will be even stranger it also works on the pirate ship stage, first stairway and the jumping toad stage, first stairway (this ones the best) once it warped me. Passwords 000----+++++===Passwords===+++++----000 NOTE: Input your name has "HELP_ME" Block 3: Mad Forest 1st line--Cross, blank, blank, Whip 2nd line--blank, heart, blank, heart 3rd line--blank, blank, whip, blank 4th line--All blanks. Block 5: Alucard's Cave 1st line--heart, whip, blank, blank 2nd line--blank, cross, blank, heart 3rd line--cross, blank, blank, blank 4th line--blank, blank, whip, blank Block 5a: Curse Castle 1st line--blank, cross, blank, blank 2nd line--heart, blank, blank, blank 3rd line--blank, blank, cross, blank 4th line--whip, heart, blank, cross Block 7: Abandoned Mines 1st line--blank, heart, blank, blank 2nd line--All Blank 3rd line--blank, whip, heart, blank 4th line--cross, heart, blank, heart Block 8: The Main Hall 1st line--blank, whip, cross, blank 2nd line--blank, blank, cross, cross 3rd line--blank, whip, blank, heart 4th line--heart, blank, blank, blank Sypha Block A: Dracula's Final Clock Tower 1st line--blank, heart, blank, whip 2nd line--heart, blank, blank, blank 3rd line--blank, whip, blank, blank 4th line--cross, cross, blank, heart Grant Block A: Dracula's Final Clock Tower 1st line--All Blanks 2nd line--whip, blank, blank, blank 3rd line--blank, whip, cross, blank 4th line--cross, cross, blank, cross Alucard Block A: Dracula's Final Clock Tower 1st line--blank, heart, blank, blank 2nd line--heart, blank, blank, blank 3rd line--blank, blank, heart, blank 4th line--cross, cross, blank, heart 000----+++++===Game Genie Codes===+++++----000 (Jesse Smith made these codes) SXPAOO Infinite Lives SXYAPO Infinite time, good only for a high score at the end of the Level VNLZPA Try walking, and you can't always get things VPLLTG Whip hits any thing that is up to eight blocks away from you, even behind you SOTLYK Takes twice as many hits for enemies, not bosses SXPAKO The background is very different SXIAOO Less time. It looks like more, but keep playing. NYZAGA Warp to the VERY end of the game SXGAPO There are less candles than normal where the screen goes from left to right SXGAAO There are more candles than normal where the screen goes from left to right SXIAPO There are no candles where the screen goes from left to right SXPPZO There are more candles, up and down, and left and right scrolling screens SXIAIO Candles are in the form of enemies, and you running (The candle enemies don't hurt you, but the very first candle in the first level will blip if you run into it. You can get it with the whip and items SXPZIO If you get a whip, you can't hit anything after that NYPZPA Small hearts fly to the right, and there are more candles NYPZAA Small hearts disappear **ZOGG Find a ________ at the start of Level 1 TO 1up TE Ax NX Clock OX Sacred Water 000----+++++===Differences===+++++----000 There is some subtle differences between the USA version and the Japan version so here is a small list of what has changed. --The Igors are Frogs in the JAP version. --Grant DaNasty always has a Throwing Dagger. --The Music is way better because of a chip that makes digital sound way better. --Jap version is easier. 000----+++++===Credits===+++++----000 What's coming: --I have to do 8 more level write ups --Passwords for every level --monster list --NESticle Save Files for every level in a .zip which you can download at my web page. The First sections come directly from the instructon booklet. In future updates of this SG I would like to include the following... --Extended walkthru (details about each level) --how to deafeat bosses (including Dracula) --html version --Microsoft word version Hopefully I will do all of these things. If you would like to contribute e-mail me at barbossa70@hotmail.com 000----===Shout Outs===----000 Thanks to Jesse Smith for providing me with a lot of info in the 3rd release you can go to his page at http://www.world-of-nintendo.com Thanks to James Bushor for giving me more Walkthrus. Thanks to Jeff Veasey (CJayC)for posting this FAQ and his request list made this FAQ possible. You can find the most updated version of this FAQ at: www.gamefaqs.com Castlevania is a trademark of Konami Co. NES is a trademark of Nintendo of America. Distribut this FAQ freely if you like but don't change the content and don't sell it for $$$$$. This Document Copyright 1998 Damien Olenick.