The SNES Dracula X, more approachable than its cousins but less flashy. Still a solid Castlevania with well calibrated difficulty.
Your verdict
Category
Action Adventure1 player12+
Description
Return of Richter Belmont hunting Dracula through gothic castles on SNES. Published by Konami, released in Europe in 1995. Richter's whip and acrobatics, classic sub-weapons, high difficulty and reworked visuals. European release of Castlevania Dracula X.
Castlevania - Vampire's Kiss review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
Hand-drawn sprites of rare finesse, a gothic castle teeming with detail and flickering light: the game raises pixel art to a peak of morbid elegance. The richness of the animation and the spellbinding atmosphere overflow with refinement. This graphic virtuosity, dark and sumptuous, remains an absolute of the genre.
Faithful to the series' gothic heritage, Konami's music revives the cult themes, from the heart-rending "Bloody Tears" to Richter's heroic melodies. Each castle pulses with a dramatic intensity magnified by the sound chip. This flamboyant score extends the sonic tradition of Castlevania with brio.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Tougher and faster than its forebears, this entry bets on pixel-perfect jumps and a merciless whip to cross levels of fearsome difficulty. The stiff challenge rewards perseverance with an exhilarating sense of mastery. The gothic atmosphere and electrifying music elevate the adventure. Demanding, snappy and stylish, a pure pleasure for fans of a challenge.
Complete: box, manual and disc/cart very clean. Lightly handled.
Q1 damagedQ6 completeQ10 new
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Collector interest
The PAL edition of Dracula X, sold in Europe as Vampire's Kiss, is one of the continent's most sought-after SNES Castlevania entries. A late European run far smaller than the US pressing concentrates strong demand on few copies, making it a genuine PAL rarity in the library. The multilingual manual and European cardboard box are hard to find intact, placing a complete copy among the marquee Konami pieces in PAL.
Memorable bosses
A harsh adaptation of a classic, this vampire hunt leads Richter through formidable gothic guardians, from the alluring Carmilla to Death, before a Count Dracula of successive metamorphoses. Branching paths hold alternate clashes, and each boss demands precision and memorization under a spicy difficulty. Polished art direction and constant tension make these fights memorable.
Is Castlevania - Vampire's Kiss still worth playing in 2026?
Known in the West as Dracula X and Vampire's Kiss, this Castlevania reworks the Rondo of Blood framework for the Super Nintendo in a sumptuous gothic shell. The whip handling, the trap laden levels and the inspired soundtrack carry on the series' quintessence in 16 bit. A merciless difficulty and the lack of alternate paths disappoint fans of the PC Engine version. An excellent demanding action game, to recommend for fans of tough platformers and the faithful of the saga.
