Cross

The Cross, or Battle Cross, is one of the traditional sub-weapons. It is also known as a Boomerang in early localized games. Most Castlevania games feature a cross that is thrown forward and then returns, much like a boomerang. The cross in Haunted Castle is not thrown as a boomerang, but instead projects a series of holy crosses forward. Some games feature an actual boomerang that is not in the shape of a cross.

Castlevania
The original Castlevania featured a Boomerang (called a "Boomerang" instead of "Cross" due to religious censorship) as one of the five original sub-weapons that could be used in the game. The player could only equip a single sub-weapon at a time, each which could be obtained from hitting a particular candle or as a drop item from an enemy. By holding ↑ while attacking, a spinning cross is thrown forward until it reaches the edge of the screen, and then returns the way it came from. Catching it before it reaches the other edge of the screen allows you to throw another one sooner, as normally there can only be one sub-weapon on the screen at a time. Two or three boomerangs are allowed on the screen at a time if you possess a Double or Triple Shot.

Vampire Killer
The Battle Star is a replacement for the whip in this game. It attacks similar to the way it did in the original Castlevania. It does not consume any hearts; however, if you fail to catch it on its return, you will lose it and have to fight with a weak leather whip. The Boomerang is not as powerful as an Axe in this game (which attacks in a matter similar to the Cross in this game instead of an arc), but it has a longer range.

Haunted Castle
The Cross is a unique weapon in this game, which fires a series of flashing crosses forward when used.

Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
The Banshee Boomerang found in Dracula's Curse is identical in every way to the Boomerang found in the original Castlevania. It can also be powered up with double and triple shots. Only Trevor Belmont is able to use this weapon.

Candles that would give Trevor a Boomerang, instead give Grant an Axe, to Sypha a Holy Lightning spell, and to Alucard a small heart.

The Banshee Boomerang is the only sub-weapon that appears as one of the symbols on the password screen in this game.

Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge
The Cross is available in the Japanese versions of the game and the European Konami GB Collection, Vol. 4 Game Boy Color version, while the Axe sub-weapon replaces it in the American and original European versions. It is similar to the cross boomerang of the original Castlevania, except that it cannot be caught and cannot be enhanced with double or triple shots. The only other sub-weapon in this game is the Holy Water, available in all editions.

Super Castlevania IV
The Boomerang in Super Castlevania IV is similar to that found in the original Castlevania. It can also be powered up with a double or triple shot.

Castlevania: Rondo of Blood / Dracula X / The Dracula X Chronicles
The behavior of the Cross sub-weapon was slightly modified in Rondo of Blood, and since then it became the standard for future games. The cross will only traverse a certain distance, slowing down until it makes a brief stop in mid-air, and then return in the opposite direction it was thrown, traversing until it is retrieved or, in some instances, going straight until it finally exits the screen.

In this game, instead of relying on items to throw a double or triple shot, the number of hearts in Richter's possession determines if they (or any other sub-weapon) can be thrown in rapid succession.

Castlevania: Bloodlines
Called "Crystal Blade Boomerang" in Bloodlines. A simple boomerang is thrown forward that does some damage, but unfortunately does not return.

Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
In Lament of Innocence, the word "cross" also represents the type of damage dealt by the Cross sub-weapon.

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
Used in Portrait of Ruin by Jonathan. It starts to return after it hits the end of its range, but flies over Jonathan's head instead of going back to his hands.

Castlevania: Order of Shadows
The Cross sub-weapon is obtained from a random candle in the Mansion and is usually the second sub-weapon found after the Axe. The cross works for Desmond in the traditional manner. It is thrown forward and then returns. Desmond does not catch the cross as it returns, however.

Castlevania: Harmony of Despair
The Cross is one of the sub-weapons found in Castlevania Harmony of Despair. It is obtained via random chests in Chapter 6. It operates similarly to most other Castlevania titles in that it's a blue cross that spins out for a decent distance, and if it does not strike a wall, will come back. The cost is 15 hearts and it can be leveled by repeated use. At max level of 9 it becomes larger, covering more area.

A variant of the Cross with the Chapter 10 Origins downloadable stage, is the R. Boomerang. Obtainable on Chapter 10 from the Boss/Gold Chest (Normal or Hard).

Item Crash
The Cross has gained three distinct item crashes as the Castlevania series has expanded, all of which share a general motif of the cross's power, emanating from the center of the screen in a rough cross or pillar-shaped pattern and damaging all enemies within range.

Form 1: Rising cross
This form of the cross Item Crash appears solely in Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (and subsequently, Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles). As in Form 2 below, Richter Belmont leaps into the air and a cross appears suspended behind him, but it does not persist like the later forms of the Crash. Instead, it deals its damage and is followed up by a series of smaller crosses rising from the bottom of the screen from left to right and damaging anything they touch.

Form 2: Pillar of crosses
This form of the Item Crash debuted in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and saw subsequent reuses in other games. The user jumps into the air and a pillar of light envelops them, followed by a series of crosses circling the pillar as they rise upward, dealing damage to anything they touch.

Users of this version include:


 * Alucard (Symphony of the Night as the standard sub-weapon use of the Cross, and Judgment as an Item Crash).
 * Richter Belmont (Symphony of the Night as a normal Item Crash, and Harmony of Despair as a Dual Crush with Jonathan or Julius).
 * Nathan Graves (Circle of the Moon, as the Pluto + Black Dog DSS Combination while holding a Cross).
 * Juste Belmont (Harmony of Dissonance, when using Spell Fusion to combine a Cross with the Bolt Book).
 * Leon Belmont (Lament of Innocence, when combining the Cross with the Yellow Orb).
 * Jonathan Morris and Charlotte Aulin (Portrait of Ruin, as the Dual Crush "Grand Cruz").
 * Jonathan on his own (Harmony of Despair, as a Dual Crush with Richter or Julius).
 * Julius Belmont (Harmony of Despair, as a Dual Crush with Richter or Jonathan).

Form 3: Suspended cross
This form of the Cross Item Crash debuted in Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow as the trump card of Julius Belmont. Rather than relying on additional cross projectiles as in the previous two forms, the user simply projects a sustained, cross-shaped damaging field as they remain hanging in midair.

A dark variant of this Crash called the Blood(y) Cross exists in Castlevania: Harmony of Despair as the Dual Crush between any Vampire Killer wielder (other than Simon) and Soma Cruz or Alucard. Rather than projecting on the center of the screen due to that game's nature, it is simply centered above where the two characters performing it are standing.

Users of this version include:


 * Julius Belmont (Aria of Sorrow and Dawn of Sorrow as a unique sub-weapon, and Harmony of Despair in Bloody Cross form).
 * Richter Belmont (Portrait of Ruin, retaining some properties of his previous Form 2 Crash; and Harmony of Despair in Bloody Cross form).
 * Alucard and Soma Cruz (Harmony of Despair, as Bloody Cross).
 * Jonathan Morris (Harmony of Despair, as Bloody Cross).
 * Kokoro Belmont (Otomedius Excellent, projected horizontally as her Platonic Break).