Castlevania at its best in portable form. Exploration is captivating, atmosphere is flawless. One of the best entries in the franchise, simply put.
Your verdict
Category
Action Adventure1 player12+
Description
Version of Castlevania: Circle of the Moon distributed on an unofficial Chinese cartridge. Released without license, based on the Konami title launched alongside the GBA in 2001. Nathan Graves explores Dracula's castle in a side-scrolling action-exploration game. The DSS system combines 10 Attribute cards and 10 Action cards for 100 spell combinations. Five game modes unlockable based on results.
Akumajou Dracula - Circle of the Moon review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
From the castle's first corridors, nervy gothic themes and catchy melodies set a tension worthy of the great Castlevanias. The GBA's sound chip deploys a surprisingly powerful symphonic rock that sticks to the whip and the jump. This dark, energetic atmosphere marked the series' return to handhelds.
Unlicensed Chinese edition of the very first Castlevania on GBA, distributed outside Konami's official circuit and used in the Asian grey market as an alternative to the Japanese Akumajou Dracula run. Typical Chinese period production, with a specific label and minimal packaging, no manual or original inserts. A piece targeted by Castlevania collectors mapping regional variants and period bootlegs, with systematic authentication work.
Memorable bosses
Reviving Metroid-style exploration, this gothic odyssey scatters revisited classic guardians across its castle: the three-headed Cerberus, the iron golem, the vampire Camilla, then Dracula himself. The DSS card system enables elemental counters that turn every duel into a laboratory. Demanding and richly animated, these clashes relaunch the formula with flair.
Is Akumajou Dracula - Circle of the Moon still worth playing in 2026?
The first Castlevania to bring the Symphony of the Night formula onto a handheld, Circle of the Moon may date back to the GBA launch, yet its sprawling map, ability gated progression and DSS card system with nearly endless combinations all hold up remarkably well. The gothic mood is anchored by a solid Konami score and the difficulty climbs without coddling. The original screen darkness is easily forgotten on emulator or Game Boy Player today. Still an essential pick for any metroidvania enthusiast.
