16. Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness (N64)

This second N64 entry was released less than a year after the first and actually includes the entire first game as an unlockable bonus once you've completed the prequel adventure. Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness is essentially the game its predecessor should have been and would no doubt be a DLC release with umpteen patches these days. It features numerous gameplay tweaks and also uses the Expansion Pak for improved visuals, but paying full price for this after putting down hard cash for its predecessor at the start of the year was painful, even for series devotees. Those N64 carts were pricey back in the day, and even in its polished form Legacy of Darkness is a long way from 'classic' status, in spite of our residual affection for it.

15. Vampire Killer (MSX)

This MSX2 version of Castlevania was developed in tandem with the NES game and features many similarities, as well as some fascinating differences from the game you're probably familiar with. For example, it wasn't possible to implement scrolling in the MSX2 version so each level is divided into single screens that you move between. If you're interested in a side-by-side comparison, check out this overview video from Splash Wave.

So what's this doing on a list of Castlevania games for Nintendo consoles, you ask. Well, Vampire Killer released on the Wii U Virtual Console in Japan. So, while the chances of players in the West having enjoyed this on a Nintendo system are admittedly slim, it has technically appeared on a Nintendo platform. Ergo, it's inclusion here.

14. Kid Dracula (GB)

While we didn't originally get the Famicom Kid Dracula in the West, we did receive the Game Boy remake-cum-sequel. It's a mite truncated compared to the original, but it's absolutely bursting with life, catchy tunes, tight controls and charm. Tracking down an original cartridge has become a pricey prospect in recent years, but it's a lovely little amuse-bouche between all the rich Castlevania dishes on your menu today. Tasty.

13. Castlevania (NES)

The original and the best? Well, obviously not seeing as we're not at number 1 yet. Still, Castlevania put down an enduring template that mixed Universal monster movie shlock with brilliant tunes and tight, satisfying whip-based combat. Like so many 8-bit originals, it may be jarring to return to in a modern context (just as the original Metroid can feel cumbersome and restrictive after years of refinement and iteration), but the base gameplay is as solid as ever and it's a must-play if you're interested in seeing how the series has evolved since 1986.

If this is too much fun for you, consider filling your boots with the arcade VS. Castlevania version instead, available on Switch as part of Hamster's Arcade Archives collection. It's like this (almost exactly the same, in fact), but enemies deal more damage and the game gives you less time to enjoy whipping all those candles. Whip it, whip it good.

12. Castlevania The Adventure ReBirth (WiiWare)

Having already dealt with the turgid Castlevania: The Adventure near the bottom of this list, we arrive at this rather wonderful WiiWare 'remake'. Castlevania The Adventure ReBirth was just one in M2's series of ReBirth titles which included Gradius ReBirth and Contra ReBirth, and despite the title, it doesn't share very much with its Game Boy counterpart. Instead, it throws in gameplay elements from a range of earlier entries, adds lovely 16-bit visuals, and takes veterans who fancy a return to the more linear style of the series on a fabulous nostalgia trip.

Unfortunately, Castlevania The Adventure ReBirth is unavailable on any other platform at present and remains trapped on Wii, a console on which you can no longer make digital purchases. We certainly hope to see Konami and M2 revisit these games in the future because we'd love to revisit the ReBirth titles. In the meantime, those of you who picked this up on Wii be sure to treasure what you've got!

11. Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge (GB)

If you had only experienced the first and third Game Boy Castlevania entries (Kid Dracula notwithstanding), you'd be forgiven for thinking the underpowered handheld hardware just couldn't do the series' mechanics justice. Fortunately, Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge is a remarkable entry that proves not only that the OG Game Boy could handle an intricate, deep Castlevania game, but also that such a game could stand proud alongside its home console brethren. Sure, it forgoes some of the bells and whistles added to the formula in the past 30 years, but the foundation here is exceptionally strong. It's best experienced on a chunky old-school Game Boy, but it's easily available on modern hardware via the Castlevania Anniversary Collection. So what are you waiting for?

10. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (GBA)

A launch title for the Game Boy Advance, Castlevania: Circle of the Moon wasn't perfect (its dark visuals greatly benefited from the later backlit revisions to the GBA hardware), but it offered a polished presentation of the Castlevania experience the likes of which had never been seen on a handheld. Its successors would perfect the portable formula, but this was a solid foundation. Provided you had perfect ambient lighting conditions or one of those little worm lights for your GBA.

9. Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (GBA)

Putting you in the role of Juste Belmont, the developers learned their lesson from Circle of the Moon and punched up the colour values making Harmony of Dissonance a much brighter entry for the GBA's dim little screen. Of course, this means playing it on the TV via a Virtual Console release or other means these days supercharges all those hues, but it remains a pleasing visual change from the murkiness of its predecessor and the pervading darkness of the series in general. Igarashi began steering the franchise in the direction of Symphony of the Night with this entry and while its immediate successor refined things further, Harmony of Dissonance is still a fantastic game. Fortunately, both this and Aria of Sorrow came bundled together on the Castlevania Double Pack for GBA and can be found on Switch in the Castlevania Advance Collection, so there's no excuse for missing out on CHOD, as nobody abbreviates it.

What's that? A question? Yes, you at the back. "If it's so fantastic, why isn't it at the top of the list?" Well, we'd remind you that there are plenty of great Castlevania games, so being this 'low' doesn't mean it's 'bad' — we're well into the 'Good' section already. In fact, this would likely be a good deal higher were it not for a soundtrack, which falls well short of the series' exceptionally high standards.

8. Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (NES)

The finest of the NES entries, Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse is a prequel to the original and struck a perfect balance between the innovations of Simon's Quest and the first game's more straightforward approach. Multiple playable characters in addition to your Belmont (Trevor, this time), multiple paths, the finest audio you'll find on NES hardware (even without the extra sound channels of the Japanese Famicom version) with visuals to match — it's one of the most ambitious 8-bit games ever made and still deserves your attention nearly 35 years on. Timeless, it is, and absolutely worth checking out via Switch's Castlevania Anniversary Collection.