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If you want to play Castlevania before Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, choose a collection by the kind of game you want: the Anniversary Collection for classic, stage-based action, the Advance Collection for the Game Boy Advance entries, or Dominus Collection for the Nintendo DS trilogy and modern convenience features. Konami lists Belmont’s Curse for global release in 2026, but its cited official materials give no exact date.
Which Castlevania collection should you start with?
There is no single best starting point for every player: the collections cover distinct eras and styles. Use this quick comparison to match one to what you want to play.
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| Collection | Best fit | Included games | Platforms listed in official materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anniversary Collection | Classic action built around discrete stages, with some variation in style. | Castlevania, Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest, Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, Super Castlevania IV, Bloodlines, and handheld entries; eight games total. | PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Steam/PC. Konami identifies it as digital-download-only. |
| Advance Collection | The Game Boy Advance era. | Circle of the Moon, Harmony of Dissonance, Aria of Sorrow, and Dracula X. | Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Steam, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Nintendo labels its Switch bundle a download. |
| Dominus Collection | The Nintendo DS trilogy, with features such as rewind and quick saves. | Dawn of Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin, Order of Ecclesia, Haunted Castle Revisited, and the original Haunted Castle. | Nintendo Switch, PS5, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S. |
Platform and format listings above reflect the cited official collection pages; check the current storefront for availability on your system. Those sources do not establish physical availability for every collection.
Pick by gameplay style
For classic, stage-based action: Anniversary Collection
This is the clearest route to the series’ early action games, including the original Castlevania, Dracula’s Curse, and Super Castlevania IV. The set is not one uniform experience, though: Konami describes Simon’s Quest as an action RPG with more exploration and puzzle solving than its predecessor. It is a useful choice if you want to sample how the classic formula varied across entries.
#1 Best Overall
- Classics that defined the Castlevania series.
- Includes the "History of Castlevania - Book of the Crescent Moon" ebook.
- This includes eight classic Castlevania games preserved on one disc with a full-color manual.
- The Castlevania Anniversary Collection on physical disc for the PlayStation 4. Also works on PlayStation 5. Region-free.
For the GBA era: Advance Collection
Choose this collection for three Game Boy Advance games—Circle of the Moon, Harmony of Dissonance, and Aria of Sorrow—plus Dracula X. It is the most direct option if the GBA chapter of Castlevania is what interests you.
For the DS trilogy and assist features: Dominus Collection
Dawn of Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin, and Order of Ecclesia make this the pick for the Nintendo DS era. Konami also documents rewind, quick saves, region switching, music playlists, and a compendium. These features make it the strongest fit if you value ways to revisit or manage the games as well as the games themselves.
Rank #2
- Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse | Night One Edition includes: Main Game, Alucard Style Costume, Digital Sound & Art Gallery, Trevor Style Costume, Sypha Style Costume, and Family's Grace (Relic).
- Medieval Paris, Where the Tolling Bells Herald the End - 1499: Paris is engulfed in flames as monstrous creatures suddenly emerge from the shadows. Armed with the legendary holy whip, the Vampire Killer, Trevor Belmont’s successor ventures into the burning streets and the looming castle to hunt down the beasts. Can they save the city from the brink of destruction?
- Satisfying Whip Action - The iconic whip of the series is now more important than ever! Crack your whip to move around freely like a trapeze artist! Master the whip mechanics and be creative to pounce on your prey like a wolf in fast-paced combats!
- A Large Selection of Weapons and Abilities - The whip is not the only tool at your disposal. You will need to strategically plan your next move in combat and make full use of all the weapons and abilities to stand a chance!
- Environment Hazards That Will make you grit your teeth - Biomes are packed with secrets, traps and puzzles. It is not just about muscles, it's about brains too!
Where can you play each collection?
The collections overlap on some platforms, but their official platform lists are not identical. Anniversary is listed for PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and Steam/PC; Advance for Switch, PS4/PS5, Steam, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X; and Dominus for Switch, PS5, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S. Storefront availability can change, so verify the listing for your console or PC before buying.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFor format, Nintendo calls its Switch Advance bundle a download, and Konami identifies Anniversary as digital-download-only. The cited official materials do not establish physical availability across all collections.
Rank #3
- 17 Levels - Each one with its own atmosphere, foes and secrets to discover
- 5 Bosses - Made by the most sadistic of the devs, raised on the salt of the testers
- 150 or so weapons and skills - Spears, swords, bows, magic spells, shields, pets, frying pans etc; You name it, we got it
- Unlock the four original Dead Cells DLCs, giving you late-game content plus an entire new pathway to follow, with an alternative ending and tons of new enemies, weapons & outfits
- Battle through the corridors of Dracula’s Castle; Wield weapons against monsters to reach the throne room of the Dark Lord
When is the next Castlevania release?
Konami’s investor presentation lists Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse as a global release in 2026 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam. It does not give a month or day, so there is no more precise date to report from that official material. Konami says the series celebrates its 40th anniversary in September 2026.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- LIMITED EDITION: Official Limited Run Games release #251 of the Castlevania Dominus Collection featuring Order of Ecclesia cover art for Nintendo Switch
- GAME FORMAT: Physical DVD-ROM release, not a digital download, packaged in standard Nintendo Switch game case
- CONTENT: Action-packed collection of classic Castlevania games, rated T for Teen by ESRB
- PACKAGING DIMENSIONS: Comes in standard Switch case measuring 6 inches high, 3 inches wide, and 2 inches deep
- REGION AND LANGUAGE: US release with English language support, compatible with Nintendo Switch systems
Rank #4
- 17 Levels - Each one with its own atmosphere, foes and secrets to discover
- 5 Bosses - Made by the most sadistic of the devs, raised on the salt of the testers
- 150 or so weapons and skills - Spears, swords, bows, magic spells, shields, pets, frying pans etc; You name it, we got it
- Unlock the four original Dead Cells DLCs, giving you late-game content plus an entire new pathway to follow, with an alternative ending and tons of new enemies, weapons & outfits
- Battle through the corridors of Dracula’s Castle; Wield weapons against monsters to reach the throne room of the Dark Lord
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
