A Game Boy masterpiece. Christopher Belmont rescues his son Soleil, four castles in any order, level design of rare finesse. The scrolling is finally smooth, the whip responsive, the gothic mood unforgettable. Legendary OST. Essential, one of the greatest Game Boy games.
Your verdict
Category
Action Adventure1 player12+
Description
Castlevania Adventure sequel on Game Boy with Christopher Belmont rescuing his son Soleil transformed by Dracula. Published by Konami, released in 1991 in Europe and North America. Four castles playable in any order, enriched whip and sub-weapons, improved visuals, and better-calibrated difficulty.
Castlevania II - Belmont's Revenge review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Hailed as one of the finest 8-bit scores on the handheld, the entry unfurls gothic melodies of unexpected richness. Each level has its own striking theme, between melancholy and heroic fire, cut for Christopher's whip. This inspired chiptune score remains an unsung peak of the series.
Widely regarded as the strongest portable Belmont chapter, this entry sets the design grammar later Game Boy Castlevanias borrow from. On the North American market the cart sold in larger numbers than in Europe, and the US cardboard box, vulnerable at the corners and to humidity, separates clean complete copies from tired ones. Its inclusion in the Anniversary Collection has not drained demand among Konami completists tracking the handheld sub series.
Memorable bosses
Bringing the vampire hunt to a monochrome screen demanded sharp choices: here, each castle closes on a demanding guardian, all the way to a duel against a wily Dracula. Patterns to memorize, tight attack windows and catchy chiptune themes forge a die-and-retry tension. Their impeccable readability and pacing make this one of the high points of the whip on a handheld.
Is Castlevania II - Belmont's Revenge still worth playing in 2026?
Often cited among the Game Boy's high points, Belmont's Revenge has barely aged. Its four castles, tackled in any order, deliver unusually readable level design, Christopher Belmont's whip stays sharp and the scrolling finally runs smoothly, unlike the first entry. Hidehiro Funauchi's soundtrack is one of the console's most memorable and carries a stubbornly gothic mood. Today it remains one of the most approachable classic Castlevanias, an ideal way in for curious newcomers and a treat for anyone who loves demanding but fair platforming on the small screen.
