All Castlevania Games in Order
The Castlevania series spans 40 years and 26+ mainline releases, and Konami deliberately released them out of story order — one year you're Simon Belmont in 1691, three years later you're his ancestor Leon in 1094. This page gives you both orders: the release list (how the series actually evolved) and the chronological list (how the story reads), plus where Belmont's Curse (2026) slots in.
Release Order (Every Mainline Game)
| # | Game | Year | Platform | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Castlevania | 1986 | NES | Simon Belmont; the origin of the whip-and-candles formula |
| 2 | Castlevania II: Simon's Quest | 1987 | NES | Open-world detour, day/night cycle |
| 3 | Castlevania: The Adventure | 1989 | Game Boy | Slow but historically first portable CV |
| 4 | Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse | 1989 | NES | Trevor + 3 partners, branching routes — the story anchor of Belmont's Curse |
| 5 | Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge | 1991 | Game Boy | Best chiptunes on the handheld |
| 6 | Super Castlevania IV | 1991 | SNES | 8-way whip retelling of game 1 |
| 7 | Castlevania: Rondo of Blood | 1993 | PC Engine CD | Richter; Japan-only until 2007/2018 ports |
| 8 | Castlevania: Bloodlines | 1994 | Genesis | The only Sega Castlevania |
| 9 | Castlevania: Dracula X | 1995 | SNES | Cut-down Rondo port |
| 10 | Castlevania: Symphony of the Night | 1997 | PS1/Saturn | Alucard; invented the modern Metroidvania half of the genre's name |
| 11 | Castlevania Legends | 1997 | Game Boy | Sonia Belmont; later removed from canon |
| 12 | Castlevania 64 / Legacy of Darkness | 1999 | N64 | First 3D entries |
| 13 | Castlevania: Circle of the Moon | 2001 | GBA | Launch title; DSS card system; unofficial timeline placement |
| 14 | Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance | 2002 | GBA | Juste Belmont; two castles |
| 15 | Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow | 2003 | GBA | Soma Cruz; soul collection; best of the GBA trio |
| 16 | Castlevania: Lament of Innocence | 2003 | PS2 | Leon Belmont in 1094 — the whip's origin story |
| 17 | Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow | 2005 | DS | Direct sequel to Aria |
| 18 | Castlevania: Curse of Darkness | 2005 | PS2/Xbox | Hector; fills the gap after Dracula's Curse |
| 19 | Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin | 2006 | DS | Two-lead team (Jonathan + Charlotte) |
| 20 | Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia | 2008 | DS | Shanoa; hardest of the modern 2D era |
| 21 | Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth | 2009 | WiiWare | Retro remake |
| 22–24 | Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 1/2 + Mirror of Fate | 2010–14 | PS3/360/3DS | Separate reboot timeline |
| 25 | Collections (Anniversary / Advance / Dominus) | 2019–2024 | Multi | Official emulation bundles — easiest legal access today |
| 26 | Castlevania: Belmont's Curse | 2026 | PC/PS5/XSX | Rose Belmont, 23 years after Dracula's Curse — the first mainline game in 12 years |
Story (Chronological) Order
Per the official timeline first published in Konami Magazine (1997), the saga runs:
- Lament of Innocence — 1094. Leon Belmont; the Vampire Killer whip is created; Mathias becomes Dracula.
- Dracula's Curse — 1476. Trevor Belmont, Sypha, Grant and Alucard defeat Dracula. The direct prequel era of Belmont's Curse.
- Curse of Darkness — 1479. Hector cleans up the aftermath.
- ★ Belmont's Curse — ~1499 (new, 2026). Rose Belmont, 23 years after Dracula's Curse — filling a previously empty stretch of the timeline.
- The Adventure / Belmont's Revenge — 1576/1591. Christopher and Soleil.
- Castlevania / Simon's Quest — 1691/1698. Simon's curse.
- Harmony of Dissonance — 1748. Juste.
- Rondo of Blood / Symphony of the Night — 1792/1797. Richter, then Alucard's masterpiece.
- Order of Ecclesia — 1800s. Shanoa during the Belmont absence.
- Bloodlines / Portrait of Ruin — 1917/1944. The Morris clan era.
- The 1999 battle (referenced, never playable): Julius Belmont seals Dracula inside a solar eclipse.
- Aria / Dawn of Sorrow — 2035/2036. Soma Cruz, Dracula reborn.
The Lords of Shadow trilogy (2010–2014) is a separate reboot continuity and is not part of this timeline.
Where Should a New Player Start?
- Want the game everyone means by "Castlevania"? Symphony of the Night — available in the Dominus Collection.
- Want the same itch, portable-sized? Aria of Sorrow (Advance Collection).
- Want classic NES-style action? Dracula's Curse — and it doubles as the story primer for Belmont's Curse.
- Coming in fresh for the 2026 game? You need nothing first — Belmont's Curse is written as a new entry point. This order guide is for after you're hooked.