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Where to Go After Belmont’s Curse: The Best Classic and Modern Castlevania-Like Games

By VGSources Team 14 min read

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If Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse left you wanting more whip combat, castle exploration and movement-driven secrets, start with Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. It is the closest modern match to Rose Belmont’s interconnected-castle adventure. For the original formula, play Symphony of the Night; for stage-based whip action, choose Super Castlevania IV or Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse. Players who loved grappling and route-finding should try Hollow Knight: Silksong or Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is an excellent same-studio companion, but its roguelite runs are structurally different from Belmont’s persistent map.

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse launched on October 15, 2026, ending a long wait for a new 2D entry. Evil Empire developed it, with Motion Twin—the Dead Cells studio—in an advisory or associated role. Rose Belmont explores 1499 Paris and Dracula’s castle with the Vampire Killer, which functions as both a weapon and a swinging traversal tool. The game has seven weapon categories, Relics and Arcana; defeated bosses become tarot cards that unlock spells, actions and upgrade hints.

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That combination explains why no single substitute fits everyone. Belmont’s Curse is a persistent-map Metroidvania, not a run-based game. Konami’s Americas communications chief Tommy Williams told PC Gamer that players can “freely explore vast, elaborately crafted maps” and that “It is not a roguelike or roguelite game.” Polygon placed it second in its ranking of eight Castlevania games, behind only Symphony of the Night. Choose your next game by the part you want to preserve: castle role-playing, classic stage design, grappling and mobility, gothic horror, build experimentation or rapid repeatable runs.

Which game is the closest overall match to Belmont’s Curse?

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is the best all-purpose follow-up. It reproduces the central loop—explore a large gothic stronghold, defeat bosses, gain movement options, open shortcuts and refine a character build—more closely than any other modern release.

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ArtPlay was co-founded by longtime Castlevania producer Koji Igarashi. Bloodstained uses equipment and progression ideas associated with Symphony of the Night, adds a shard system inspired by Aria of Sorrow and Dawn of Sorrow, and offers a broad weapon roster that includes whips. You can also farm materials, cook, complete town bounties and search for hidden rooms. Game Informer described it as something that “may as well be called ‘Castlevania: Symphony of the Night 2,’” while The Outerhaven called it “for all intents and purposes, Castlevania.”

The differences matter. Miriam’s adventure is more RPG-heavy, with statistics, crafting and many interchangeable weapons; Rose’s tarot-driven design is more focused. Bloodstained’s map and combat are familiar to Castlevania veterans, but its presentation and balance are its own. It is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch and PC, with mobile versions also listed by Game Informer. A follow-up, Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement, has been revealed but is still in development, so it is not a game you can play now.

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Which classic Castlevania should you play first?

Start with Symphony of the Night if you want the design foundation Belmont’s Curse modernizes. Choose Super Castlevania IV for the closest classic whip handling, and Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse for Trevor Belmont’s story context and branching NES stages. Aria of Sorrow is the best bridge between classic action and Belmont’s Curse’s boss-derived powers.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (1997)

Symphony remains the essential castle-exploration game. Alucard enters a sprawling, interconnected castle after losing his strongest equipment, gradually rebuilding his abilities and discovering the famous inverted castle. Its design fuses Metroid-style ability gating with gothic action, equipment, magic and secrets. Polygon’s summary is blunt: “Nearly 30 years after its release, there’s still no topping Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.”

A standard run is commonly listed at about nine hours by How Long To Beat, as cited by DualShockers; completionist play takes longer. Access can be awkward because versions are spread across older consoles and collections. If you cannot find a convenient current release, Bloodstained is the more readily available modern stand-in. Play Symphony first when the priority is a classic castle, deliberate weapon feel and the series’ most influential map.

Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse (1989)

Castlevania III follows Trevor Belmont and lets you recruit alternate heroes with different movement and attack styles. Branching routes make each run a choice rather than a fixed sequence, while the difficulty is distinctly NES-era. It is also the strongest historical companion to Belmont’s Curse: GameRant places the new game after Castlevania III, and the animated series drew heavily from Trevor’s generation.

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Expect “truly devious difficulty,” as GameTyrant puts it. This is a stage-based action game, not an exploration map, so it teaches the lineage behind Rose’s mission rather than duplicating her structure.

Super Castlevania IV (1991)

Super Castlevania IV is the closest classic match for Belmont’s Curse’s physical whip language. Simon can whip in eight directions, hold the whip as a shield, swing from fixed points and use it to control space. Mode 7 set pieces give the stages a cinematic scale unusual for the era. GameTyrant considers it the most modern-feeling and similar classic entry.

It is still a linear stage game with limited character-building, so choose it for responsive whip action, not for an RPG inventory or a persistent castle.

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (2003)

Aria of Sorrow’s Tactical Soul system lets Soma Cruz absorb enemy abilities. That makes it the clearest classic analogue for Belmont’s Curse’s Arcana: bosses and monsters become sources of new powers rather than merely checkpoints. The game is compact, fast and experimental, with a dark castle and a large set of enemy-derived tools.

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The easiest current route is the Castlevania Advance Collection on Switch, PlayStation 4, PC and Xbox One. It is the best choice if you want modern-feeling 2D controls and build experimentation without Symphony’s older availability problems.

How should you buy the classic games?

The Castlevania Anniversary Collection is the practical sampler for NES, SNES, Genesis and arcade-era entries. It is available on Switch, PlayStation 4, PC and Xbox One, and includes enough stage-based games to show how the series evolved. For Nintendo DS-era design, the Castlevania Dominus Collection gathers Dawn of Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin and Order of Ecclesia; it is a better fit for players who want multiple ability systems and interconnected maps.

Deeper backlog choices include Rondo of Blood (the prologue to Symphony), Bloodlines (two heroes and a World War I setting) and Castlevania Chronicles (a very difficult remake of the 1986 original). They are worthwhile after the four core recommendations, not before them.

Which modern games best match castle exploration and build variety?

Bloodstained is the lead recommendation, but three other games cover different parts of the same appeal.

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Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth

This compact adventure has movement cadence, spell swapping, boss arenas and map flow reminiscent of Symphony. Deedlit changes elemental spirits and weapons while navigating a bright fantasy labyrinth. It is shorter and less oppressive than Belmont’s Curse, making it useful when you want the same 2D exploration rhythm without committing to a huge world.

It is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Switch and PC. Its lighter tone and compact scope mean it is a style match rather than a gothic-castle replacement.

Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights

Ender Lilies replaces weapons with spirits that Lily summons and upgrades. The result is a melancholy gothic world, methodical combat and meaningful loadout decisions. DualShockers cites about 13 hours from How Long To Beat. Its sequel, Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist, keeps the companion-based combat idea in a damaged new setting.

Choose Ender Lilies when Belmont’s Curse’s Arcana and somber atmosphere appeal more than its whip. Boss patterns are deliberate, and the presentation leans tragic rather than flamboyantly vampiric.

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Blasphemous and Blasphemous 2

Blasphemous is the mood match: grim religious imagery, pixel art, deliberate attacks and a world built around suffering. Blasphemous 2 expands the formula with multiple weapons that also solve traversal problems. The Game Kitchen and Team17 released it on August 24, 2023; DualShockers cites roughly 16 hours through How Long To Beat.

These games are Soulslike in their checkpointing, punishment and boss emphasis. They are considerably harsher than Belmont’s Curse in places, and neither offers Rose’s whip-swinging identity. Pick them for oppressive gothic fantasy and combat timing, not for a direct mechanical clone.

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The Last Faith

The Last Faith is a darker, more brutal pixel-art alternative with Soulslike progression and boss fights. It released on November 15, 2023, and How Long To Beat is cited at about 17 hours. Its firearms and heavy weapons create a different rhythm from Belmont’s flexible whip and tarot tools. It suits players who want the gothic setting pushed toward horror and punishment.

Which games are best if movement and route-finding mattered most?

If your favorite Belmont’s Curse moments involved swinging over hazards, opening movement-gated rooms and learning a map, begin with Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hollow Knight or Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.

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Hollow Knight and Hollow Knight: Silksong

Hollow Knight makes exploration itself the reward. The map must be purchased in the world, new abilities open distant routes and combat remains focused on a small set of attacks and spells. It has no vampire castle or conventional weapon inventory, but its atmosphere, secrets and movement gating are among the strongest in the genre. IGN called it “without a doubt, a modern classic.”

Hollow Knight: Silksong released on September 4, 2025. Hornet’s mobility and aggressive movement make it a particularly good follow-up for players who enjoyed Rose’s grapple. Silksong is rated Everyone 10+ for fantasy violence and mild blood, while Belmont’s Curse carries a Teen rating for blood, mild suggestive themes and violence. Choose between them by tone: Hollow Knight offers melancholy insect ruins; Silksong emphasizes faster acrobatics and a new kingdom.

Neither game supplies Belmont’s seven weapon categories or whip. They are the right choices when traversal and discovery matter more than vampire-hunting fiction.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

The Lost Crown is the traversal-first option. Sargon uses air movement, time manipulation and a grapple-like tool to cross Mount Qaf, while puzzles often matter as much as combat. A screenshot-and-pin feature lets you mark inaccessible locations for later, reducing the backtracking friction common to large Metroidvanias.

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It launched on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch and PC. Music and visual themes distinguish each area, and precision platforming is a larger priority than gothic mood. GAMINGBIBLE called it, depending on whom you ask, “the definitive metroidvania,” while also saying Belmont’s Curse could be just as good. Choose it when Rose’s swinging and acrobatics were more important to you than her setting.

Is Dead Cells a direct sequel-style recommendation?

Dead Cells plus the Return to Castlevania DLC is the best same-studio recommendation, but it is not a structural substitute. Evil Empire worked on Dead Cells expansions, developed Return to Castlevania and made Belmont’s Curse. The DLC adds Dracula’s Castle, Castlevania enemies, bosses and weapons, making the connection immediately recognizable.

Dead Cells is a roguelite: each run rearranges routes, deaths reset much of your progress and builds are assembled on the fly. Belmont’s Curse has a persistent map that you revisit with permanent abilities. Do not buy Dead Cells expecting Rose’s castle structure; buy it for fast combat, responsive movement and the studio’s interpretation of Castlevania iconography.

The Return to Castlevania Edition is listed with 17 levels, five bosses, approximately 150 weapons and skills, four original DLC packs and the Dracula’s Castle route. Those figures describe the edition’s contents, not a guaranteed playtime. It is especially good for players who want short, replayable sessions or enjoyed Belmont’s Curse’s combat speed more than its exploration continuity.

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Which alternatives are shorter or easier to approach?

Well Dweller

Well Dweller is a dark-fairytale Metroidvania built around Glimmer, a bird companion and collectible Trinkets. GameTyrant estimates about 10 hours to finish and a few more for full completion. Its smaller scope and generally friendlier structure make it a good choice if Belmont’s Curse’s map size or boss pressure felt intimidating.

Castlevania: Curse of the Moon 2

Curse of the Moon 2 is an NES-style stage game from ArtPlay with multiple characters you can switch between. It follows the Castlevania III tradition of distinct heroes and branching action, but modernizes checkpoints and presentation. Choose it for short, repeatable stages rather than castle wandering.

Infernax

Infernax deliberately recreates NES-era punishment with branching decisions, hidden walls and secret upgrades. It is rougher and more exploratory than a straight stage game, but its limited palette and unforgiving traps make it a strong choice for players who want old-school danger without tracking down original hardware.

What should you play for precise combat rather than exploration?

Nine Sols is the specialist pick. Its deflection-focused combat rewards reading attacks and timing counters, with a steep learning curve and a setting drawn from East Asian mythology. It does not resemble Castlevania’s gothic fiction, but it satisfies players who valued demanding boss duels.

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Metroid Dread is the other half of the genre’s name. MercurySteam and Nintendo’s 2021 Switch game combines tightly gated exploration with E.M.M.I. pursuit sequences and sharp boss encounters. It is an excellent Metroidvania benchmark, but its science-fiction setting and beam-based arsenal make it a poor mood match for Dracula’s castle.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps offers fluid movement, expressive presentation and accessible platforming. It is warmer and more hopeful than Belmont’s Curse, so choose it for acrobatics and emotional storytelling rather than horror.

Which games make good deeper-cut follow-ups?

Death’s Door offers varied weapons, traversal puzzles and memorable bosses in a compact action-adventure structure. Animal Well, Guacamelee! 2, Axiom Verge, SteamWorld Dig 2, Cave Story and Yoku’s Island Express are useful when you want to explore the wider Metroidvania canon, although their settings are far removed from Castlevania.

Timespinner, Vigil: The Longest Night, Death’s Gambit: Afterlife and Skautfold: Usurper are darker backlog options. They are best approached after the main recommendations because their polish, combat priorities or accessibility vary more widely.

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How do I choose the right next game?

Use this route instead of treating the recommendations as a universal ranking:

If you want… Play first Why
Interconnected gothic castle and RPG equipment Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Closest modern structure, build depth and weapon variety.
The original castle blueprint Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Alucard, the inverted castle and the defining Metroidvania map.
Classic whip handling Super Castlevania IV Eight-direction attacks, grappling and defensive whip use.
Trevor’s story and branching NES stages Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse Multiple heroes, route choices and animated-series context.
Enemy-derived powers Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow Tactical Souls anticipate Belmont’s Curse’s Arcana.
Grappling, movement and map secrets Hollow Knight: Silksong Mobility and exploration take priority over equipment screens.
Precision platforming and puzzles Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Grapple-like movement, time powers and map pins.
Fast runs and Evil Empire’s lineage Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania Excellent Castlevania tribute, but a roguelite rather than a persistent map.
Bleak religious horror Blasphemous 2 Soulslike combat and weapons that also unlock navigation.
A shorter, gentler adventure Well Dweller About 10 hours for a standard completion according to GameTyrant.

What platforms and editions should you consider?

Belmont’s Curse released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch and Steam. Nintendo lists Switch 2 compatibility with behavior consistent with the Switch version. A pre-release demo allowed progress to carry over only on the same platform and account when the save was retained and the full game was updated; that policy does not transfer progress between platforms.

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Physical Midnight Editions include alternate Rose costumes, a digital soundtrack and art gallery, and an in-game relic. A Switch listing showed $39.99 in an October 2026 Amazon snapshot, but that is not a current-price guarantee. Likewise, listed prices for the Dead Cells Return to Castlevania Edition and Dominus Collection are historical snapshots, not promises of stock or cost.

For physical buyers, search by the exact edition name: Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, Castlevania Anniversary Collection, Castlevania Dominus Collection, Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania Edition, Hollow Knight, Hollow Knight: Silksong and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Availability differs by region and platform, so verify the store listing before purchasing.

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How does Belmont’s Curse fit into Castlevania history?

The game arrived after roughly 13 years without a new Castlevania installment by Polygon’s count. GameTyrant describes the gap as more than 12 years, or 18 years if the Lords of Shadow spin-offs are excluded; the difference comes from whether those 3D reboots count. The last 2D release before it, ignoring ports and remasters, was 2013’s Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate on Nintendo 3DS.

Belmont’s Curse is therefore both a revival and a synthesis. Its 2.5D presentation and persistent map follow Symphony; its whip and stage heritage draw from the NES and SNES games; Arcana echoes the soul-absorption experiments of the GBA and DS era; and its tarot conversations borrow ideas associated with modern character-driven action games. Polygon’s Jason Venter wrote that it “respects the series’ history while mapping out a potential future we hope the developers will one day realize with follow-up titles.”

That synthesis is why the best follow-up depends on which layer you want more of. Bloodstained preserves the castle-RPG core, Super Castlevania IV preserves the whip, Hollow Knight preserves movement-led discovery, and Dead Cells preserves the studio’s high-speed combat while changing the map structure entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Belmont’s Curse connected to the Castlevania animated series?

GameRant describes the story as taking place after Castlevania III and being heavily inspired by the Netflix animated series. The game is not presented as a direct adaptation, so treat the connection as shared characters, chronology and tone rather than a retelling of the show.

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Can I play Symphony of the Night on modern consoles?

Availability varies by region and storefront because the game has appeared through several older ports and compilations. Check the current digital catalogs for your platform; if no convenient version is sold, Bloodstained provides the most accessible modern substitute.

Which recommendation has the best replay value?

Dead Cells offers the most replayable structure through randomized roguelite runs, unlocks and many build combinations. That replay value comes with resets and changing routes, so it should not be confused with Belmont’s persistent-map progression.

Is Blasphemous 2 harder than Belmont’s Curse?

It generally targets a more demanding Soulslike audience, with heavier punishment and deliberate boss timing. Belmont’s Curse has been described by GAMINGBIBLE as less challenging than earlier Castlevania games, so expect Blasphemous 2 to require more patience.

What should I play if I only have a Switch?

You can choose among Bloodstained, Hollow Knight, Silksong, The Lost Crown, Dead Cells, the Anniversary Collection, the Advance Collection and the Dominus Collection, subject to regional storefront availability. For the closest structure, start with Bloodstained; for classic stages, use the Anniversary Collection.

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