16. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate (3DS)

We're not going to sit here and claim that this 2.5D offshoot from the (non-Nintendo) 3D Castlevania: Lords of Shadow games is a must-play. However, we'd be lying if we said we didn't enjoy Mirror of Fate on 3DS. No, it can't hold a candle to the classics in the series, but taken on its own terms, it's a fun, if simplistic, little game from MercurySteam (who would go on to develop the excellent Metroid Dread) that made good use of the system's autostereoscopic 3D and gave us a fresh perspective on some series-favourite characters.

Are we busting to replay it? No, but it certainly doesn't warrant the vitriol it sometimes receives from series stalwarts. You can find it for peanuts these days, and it's worth a look.

15. 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.

14. 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.

13. 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.

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 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.

9. Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (TG-16)

No, we're not including this just to frustrate anyone who doesn't own it on the now-inaccessible Wii Virtual Console. It's a crying shame that this PC Engine CD game is not accessible to more people in its original form. The SNES remake Dracula X isn't bad, but Rondo of Blood is in a different league. Younger readers may be unfamiliar with 'Red Book Audio', but the arrival of CD-quality sound with disc-based games opened up a whole new world of musical fidelity and possibilities for the franchise. That coupled with the tight gameplay you'd expect from the series means Rondo of Blood casts a spell that's impossible to forget if you've ever had the pleasure.

Symphony of the Night was a direct sequel to this and would take Richter Belmont on to even greater heights, but Rondo of Blood is still a brilliant game. We live in hope of a 'Castlevania Anniversary Collection 2' that will contain this and a bunch of the other winners featured here. As you can see, there are more than enough brilliant options to pick from.

8. Castlevania: Bloodlines (MD)

"But Bloodlines was on the Genesis / Mega Drive!" we hear you cry. Yes, well done. However, it is also included in the Castlevania Anniversary Collection which is available on Switch, a Nintendo platform — and it's part of the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive library accessible to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscribers.

Castlevania: Bloodlines, or Castlevania: The New Generation as it was known in Europe, has the distinction of being the only series entry to grace SEGA's 16-bit console. In Japan, it was called Vampire Killer and the game is probably most notable for adding canon connections between Castlevania and Bram Stoker's novel by making John Morris the son of Dracula character Quincy Morris.

Bloodlines is a good-looking, great-sounding addition to the series and until relatively recently it was a pricey cart to pick up. Thankfully Konami made it much easier to access by adding it to the aforementioned Anniversary Collection, and it's also included on the SEGA Genesis Mini. Wherever you can find it, it deserves your time.