Haunted Castle Revisited

Game Overview

For a span of time there, about 15 years (give or take), Konami seemed disinterested in actually putting out new games in the Castlevania series. They had their little mobile gatcha games, and the company cranked out plenty of gambling machines with the game franchise’s branding, but as far as dedicated titles in the series, especially those like the classic games that brought the fans to the series, Konami didn’t seem interested in those kinds of gaming experiences.

Until 2024, when Konami and M2 (the development team behind the collection) dropped the Castlevania Dominus CollectionThe third in the series of Castlevania compilations, following the Anniversary and Advance Collections, this compilation brought together with the three Nintendo DS titles, alongside a number of quality of life improvements to make them playable on modern consoles. The package also included Haunted Castle and an all new remake, Haunted Castle Revisited.. This was the third collection of Castlevania games the company had produced, after the Castlevania Anniversary CollectionReleased in 2019 as part of Konami's 50th anniversary (alongside the Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection and the Contra Anniversary Collection), this compilation brought together eight classic entries from the Castlevania series, alongside regional variations and bonus content. in 2019 and the Castlevania Advance CollectionFollowing the Castlevania Anniversary Collection, this was the second in the series of compilations, bringing together the three Game Boy Advance Castlevania titles alongside Castlevania: Dracula X. It also included regional variants for each game, and bonus content as well. in 2021. But it was also the very first to feature all new content for the series, as the Castlevania Dominus Collection had a completely new Castlevania game among its compiled titles: Haunted Castle Revisited.

The decision to release a surprise new game as part of a surprise new compilation is an interesting one. A compilation of the Nintendo DS games was something the fanbase had been requesting for a long time, getting those games together in a playable form that didn’t require old hardware or strange emulation. This made the first time these games had been rereleased ever and that alone could have sold the collection. But clearly Konami and M2 felt that just putting out a three game collection wasn’t enough, so they grabbed Haunted Castle from the Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection and brought it over, and then added in the brand new game, making for a very interesting package that could, on its various merits, easily sell itself.

As far as remaking Haunted Castle, that’s an interesting choice, but one that shows a keen thought process. M2’s last remake was 2009’s Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirthDeveloped for the Nintendo Wii, this game was a loose remake of The Castlevania Adventure, taking inspiration from many of the later games in the series, creating a hybrid adventure very different from the original Game Boy game., which, like Haunted Castle Revisited, took a game that generally considered one of the lesser entries of the franchise and updated it to give the game its due. Haunted CastleKonami's first original foray into arcades for the Castlevania series. This game built on the concept of the series although it took some ideas in different directions, with mixed results. is not a beloved game, so taking its bones and turning it into a new adventure for fans, old and new, is a smart choice. Doing it as the first classic-style adventure the series has seen in nearly 15 years just adds to the hype for the overall package.

Unlike Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth, though, Haunted Castle Revisited isn’t a massive overhaul. It keeps many of the ideas and structural content of the original arcade release, simply fleshing it out and adding depth. It feels less like a complete remake, top to bottom, and more like a love letter to what the original Haunted Castle could have been in the right hands. It’s a game made to let fans finally appreciate a game that, otherwise, would have remained an unloved entry in the series’ early lore.

This is the kind of remake fans love to see, and it shows care and consideration on the part of M2 and Konami. And if this is the kind of content these groups are going to provide for fans, it just might shine a little hope for the future of the series after all.