Castlevania: Bloodlines, the Genesis Vampire Hunt Fans Keep Polishing
Konami's 1994 Castlevania: Bloodlines is the only entry in the series made for the Sega Genesis (known in Europe as The New Generation and in Japan as Vampire Killer). It reached North America on 17 March 1994, Japan the next day and Europe a few days later. The story moves the saga to 1917, with World War I as the backdrop: the vampire Elizabeth Bartley stirs up the conflict to resurrect her uncle Dracula, and two heroes set out to stop her. John Morris, a whip-wielding descendant of the Belmont line, swings across gaps, while Eric Lecarde uses a spear that lets him jump to great heights, so some paths differ depending on who you pick.
At a glance
- Based on: Castlevania: Bloodlines (Konami, Sega Genesis, 1994)
- Created by: Konami (original game); this edition modifies the original
- Released: original in 1994
- Genre: Action platformer
- What sets it apart: two heroes, a war-torn European setting and a soundtrack that introduced composer Michiru Yamane to the series
Why it still has a following
The Genesis cartridge is remembered for its fast action, and Game Informer's Tim Turi once called it one of the most overlooked treasures in the franchise. Music is a high point: it was Michiru Yamane's first Castlevania score, and one piece she wrote for it was reused in Portrait of Ruin on the DS in 2006. The western release was also tougher than the Japanese version, and different regions treated the characters' names differently.
What this edition changes
The description for this edition lists the following improvements:
- Character names corrected to match the Japanese release, such as Johnny and Erzsebet Bathory
- No region lockout
- Enhanced controls and rebalanced difficulty
- An Expert mode and a nine-lives option, available without cheats
- Music from classic Castlevania games restored
For context, the Western release used the names John and Elizabeth Bartley, so the name change alone gives the story a slightly different flavour.