The black sheep of the saga: open semi-action-RPG, controversial at release. The night cycle that halts everything and cryptic clues still enrage. Fascinating despite its obvious flaws.
Your verdict
Category
Action Adventure1 player12+
Description
Action-RPG in which Simon Belmont searches for Dracula's body parts across the Transylvanian countryside. Published by Konami, released in the USA in 1988. Side-scrolling exploration of Transylvanian towns and zones, collecting Dracula's relics and night-day cycle with sunset death. American version of Castlevania II Simon's Quest.
Castlevania II - Simon's Quest review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
Carried by the immortal "Bloody Tears", the entry deploys a gothic melancholy of striking beauty, between nocturnal wanderings and haunted villages. The themes, more melodic than ever, accompany Simon's quest with an emotion rare on NES. This cult score remains one of the most beloved in the entire series.
Gameplay
"Solid"
Fun
"Pleasant"
Addictiveness
"Engaging"
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Long"
Technical info
💾0,07 MB📅01/12/1988
Published by Konami
Castlevania II - Simon's Quest (NES) price, value & rarity
Widely distributed across the US, the American Castlevania II Simon's Quest remains common as a loose cart, hence its modest loose value. Its pull comes from being a pivotal chapter, the first to fuse exploration with RPG ideas, and from the mistranslated hints that became enduring memes. Complete, clean copies hold steady nostalgic demand without ever matching the scarcity of the PAL edition.
Memorable bosses
Through a nocturnal quest haunted by an anxious day-night cycle, you hunt down Dracula's relics kept deep within ruined mansions. The battles, rarer but steeped in a dismal mood, lead to the count's resurrection, to be struck down one final time. It's less the difficulty than the clammy staging that makes these guardians and their cursed reward memorable.
Is Castlevania II - Simon's Quest still worth playing in 2026?
A bold sequel from Konami, Castlevania II - Simon's Quest transforms the first game's linear action into an open action RPG, where Simon Belmont roams Transylvania by day and night, buys equipment, talks to villagers and gathers the pieces of Dracula's body. This nonlinear turn, long divisive for its obscure puzzles, appeals through its mood and pioneering ambition. The rough original translation complicates progress. For a retro action RPG fan or a Castlevania fan, the title keeps a singular atmosphere and a strong historical interest.
