News

Leipzig Games Convention
Next Gen Kotaku
 * Iga to be present at the Leipzig Games Convention (August 23-26)

Playable Demo at San Diego Comic Con 2007
IGN Game Guru
 * Key members of development team present
 * Playable Demo (or perhaps an early peak at the finished product) available

Playable Demo at E3
''This action game is set to be released in fall 2007 on the PSP. Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles takes an entirely new look at the classic action game Castlevania: Rondo of Blood and brings the franchise to the PSP system for the first time – complete with 3D graphics, enhanced gameplay and new music. This is the first time Rondo of Blood has been released outside of Japan. The game also includes unlockable versions of the original Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night games, optimized for the PSP system with old-school side scrolling action.'' PSX Extreme IGN Digital Arts Gear Live Chud images at fragland Sony live updates Gamers Hell 2 EL33TONLINE Kotaku
 * Konami's 2007/2008 line up announced at a press conference.
 * Sony's lineup announced at a press conference.
 * Playable demo available
 * Details that the voice acting of SOTN has been re-recorded was leaked
 * Description as follows:

Sony Announces New PSP Model
Game Freaks
 * Sony announces a new psp model that will be slimmer and 33% lighter
 * Will feature longer battery life and shorter load times
 * Can be hooked up to a television using a video out cable
 * Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles will then be playable on a television screen.
 * Bundle will be available for $199 that includes an ice silver PSP, 1 GB memory stick duo, Family Guy UMD, and the game Dexter

IGA Comments on UMD
Pro-G Eurogamer The Escapist Pocket Gamer
 * Iga comments that the UMD is slow, but that there are clever ways to get around that if you put work into it.

Game Intro Released
Kotaku
 * Intro movie released, which features Shaft sacrificing a maiden with his dark followers to resurrect Dracula

Dracula X Chronicles Announced
Rondo of Blood Details Symphony of the Night Details Article on Games are Fun 1Up.com's preview of the new game! Shacknews article on Go Nintendo
 * New Chronicles game called Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles announced for the PSP at Konami's Gamer's Day Event in San Francisco
 * Contains remade versions of Dracula X: Rondo of Blood and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
 * No word on if it will include SNES Castlevania: Dracula X
 * Release date 9/15/2007
 * Contains a "Song Collection System" to play music from both games in different levels.
 * Dracula X could have been made on the DS, but it would have most likely only consisted of the original Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night, without the 2.5D remake.
 * Iga believed game needed 3D version to entice the average non-hardcore players
 * Game updated to use 2.5D polygons
 * Gameplay and stages to be faithfull to the original
 * Some new material to be added to the 2.5D version of Rondo
 * Full 3D cinema created for each boss
 * New character designs by Ayami Kojima
 * Music will be arranged by someone other than Michiru Yamane
 * Richter will more resemble his Symphony of the Night incarnation
 * Maria will look more like a noble 12 year old (her real age) instead of a chubby 8 year old.
 * One entirely new level
 * First level will play exactly the same as the originals. They will take more liberty with subsequent levels.
 * There will be some story updates.
 * Original Rondo of Blood will be an unlockable.
 * Early video footage from an early testbed available
 * Official Konami Teaser Trailer available
 * Game will be a near-direct port of Playstation version.
 * Game will not get 2.5D polygon update
 * Will be reformatted for widescreen play
 * New voice-overs and translations for Symphony of the Night
 * Will contains some secret unannounced new material
 * Game will be an unlockable from the main Rondo of Blood title.

More Castlevania SOTN Coming?
Article on Kotaku
 * In addition to the XBLA release of SOTN, there may be a new SOTN game in some form.
 * EGM has a small article titled "Second Symphony" which states "Check back here next issue to get the exclusive scoop on the next Castlevania installment. Trust us—if you're a fan of SOTN, you'll want to sink your fangs into this killer exclusive."

SOTN Released for XBLA
Total Gaming IGN Review
 * It was released 9am March 22nd
 * It costs 800 points

New Castlevania XBox Pics and Themes

 * New Castlevania Pick and Pack and Themes available to XBox owners on Marketplace March 21
 * SOTN Picture Pack available for 100 MS points - Contains 5 SOTN artworks
 * SOTN Character Themes available for 150 points. Features Ayami Kojima artwork inspired by SOTN
 * Two other Kojima desktop themes available

512 MB XBox 360 Memory Unit Revealed

 * The release of SOTN on XBLA is a precursor to the new 512 MB memory card
 * This will allow the download of SOTN to machines that came without a hard drive

Castlevania Gets Unofficial Release Date
Article on XBoxic
 * Rumor is that it will be released Feb 10 2007, sooner than generally believed.
 * No price mentioned yet, should be 400 but could be 800 points
 * Game is larger than 50 MB, meaning it won't fit on a memory card which might not allow console owners without the hard-drive to be able to play it.
 * Development handled by Konami US

Hands on Preview of XBLA SOTN
Wired Blogs Article
 * Menu screens, frame, and achievements revealed.
 * Achievements include "get 200.6%", "beat the game as Richter", "defeat Dracula in openning scene without taking a hit"

Symphony of the Night Comes to PSN
Game Daily Gamespot Kotaku IGN
 * SOTN available on PSN
 * Can be downloaded to the PSP for on-the-go
 * Listing price is $9.99, which is higher than most PS games that are $5.99.
 * Price is about the same as the version available on XBox Live
 * Game will take up 356 Megabytes on a PS3 Hard Drive or PSP Memory Stick

NES Castlevania Release in the US
Blog Critic
 * Castlevania released in US. Cost is 500 points.

NES Castlevania Announced in US

 * Cost will be 500 points

NES Castlevania Released in Europe and Australia

 * NES Castlevania release for European and Australian Virtual Console March 23rd
 * Cost is 500 points

MSX Added to Japanese Virtual Console
article on Gaming Target
 * The console that the game Vampire Killer was released on (MSX) was announced to be on the Wii Virtual Console in Japane.
 * No news on whether the console will be on the US Virtual Console
 * No news on whether Vampire Killer will be released on the Virtual Console
 * Neo-Geo also announced on Japanese Virtual Console

NES Castlevania Coming to Australia
Aussie Nintendo Article
 * Original NES Castlevania coming soon to Australian Virtual Console

Super Castlevania IV Released in North America
1up Article

Iga Talks Wii Prospects

 * A Wii Castlevania game is not out of the question
 * Iga does not believe that using the wii-mote as a whip would work - your arm would get tired to quickly
 * Team has yet to find a gameplay mechanic on the Wii that "works"

article on Go Nintendo

Konami Partners With Glu
Next Gen Kotaku
 * Glu will partner with Konami for mobile phone games in Europe, the Middle East, and Australasia.
 * No word on how this will affect Castlevania games yet.

Several Dracula Related Movies Coming Soon
Variety Zap2It Canoe IF Magazine
 * In addition to Rogue's Castlevania adaption, other studios are developing competing Dracula movies
 * Alex Proyas is directing Universals "Dracula Year Zero", which look at Vlad's origins when he was at the height of his power.
 * Brad Caleb Kane is adapting bestseller "The Historian" for Sony's Red Wagon, a story about the search for Dracula's grave.

New Director For Movie
Variety Kotaku
 * Paul Anderson (now working on Death Race and Spy Hunter) is confirmed to be no longer directing the film
 * Sylvian White will be the new director
 * White's previous movies include "Stomp the Yard" and "I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer" and will also direct Frank Miller's Ronin.
 * Anderson and White will continue to work on the script together
 * Will shoot late fall in Romania and South Africa. It will be distributed in late 2008.
 * Story will begin as a Transylvania knight (Simon Belmont?) leads his men into a gothic castle to seek refuge from the Turkish army. They soon discover it is being controlled by Dracula.
 * The Belmont clan "unleashes" Dracula and a generational conflict begins.

Anderson New Director For Spy Hunter
Kotaku
 * Paul Anderson is replacing John Woo as director of the delayed Spy Hunter movie.
 * It is unknown if pro wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will be featured in the new version of the movei.
 * It is unknown how this new job will affect Paul Anderson's work on Castlevania.

Rumor of Paul's Departure Discredited
IGN
 * Rumor was caused because when it was heard that Paul Anderson was going to work on Death Race, some assumed this meant he would stop working on Castlevania
 * Paul plans to work on both projects.
 * Both movies are set up at Universal
 * They are attempting to resolve scheduling conflicts.

Paul Anderson Leaves Movie?
podcasts Film Asylum
 * Dread Central reports that Paul Anderson left scripting and directing of the Castlevania Movie
 * He will concentrate on Death Race 3000
 * Rogue Pictures produces the movie, co-financed by Crystal Sky Entertainment

Castlevania Could be Filmed This Fall
IGN Article 411Mania article
 * Paul Anderson indicates that they are currently finalizing the budget for the Castlevania Picture
 * Shooting of the film will be in Transylvania and Hungary, locations not used frequently in Hollywood.
 * Shooting should be fall/winter of 2007.
 * Shooting in the winter so that there will be snow on the ground during forest scenes.
 * Shooting of interior castle scenes will be in Budapest.
 * Post-Production and effects work will be done in London.

Warren Ellis Article
Salt Lake City Weekly

Animated Blog Commentary

 * Will be an animated trilogy
 * Grant DaNasty will not appear in the first movie.
 * Iga has approved every detail including the backstories.

Captain N The Game Master—The Complete Series Released
animationmagazine article
 * Captain N: The Game Master complete series box is released.

Castlevania Animated Movie Production Blog Goes Live
411mania article
 * Direct-to-CD animated version of Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse planned
 * Producers seeking artists
 * Link to Blog

Deal With Sony BMG For Online Distribution of Konami Music
Gay Gamer Kotaku
 * Konami reaches a deal with Sony BMG for online distribution of its music
 * Music will be available for download through iTunes and Rhapsody
 * Konami will also make their catalogue available on their web site.
 * It is assumed much Castlevania music will be available, but no word on which titles.

Official Portrait of Ruin Soundtrack Announced
Castlevania Dungeon Japanese Konami page
 * 2 CD Set
 * Contains 74 tracks
 * Likely includes arrangements

First Set Unveiled at Comic Con 2007
Kotaku
 * First set of four NECA action figures revealed at Comic Con 2007
 * The bare-breasted Succubus was "covered up".

Promotional Item
Announcement Kotaku 2
 * NECA offers the Pixel Simon Mini Figure as a promotional item at Comic Con 2007.
 * Limited to 1000 pieces
 * Based on the 8-bit Simon Belmont

Prototype Model Images Available
Kotaku 2

NECA To Make Castlevania Movie Figures
Devil May Cry, Lost Boys (1987 vampire film), Pirates of the Carribean, and Nightmare Before Christmas ICV2 News Article Figures.com News article
 * NECA announces at the New York International Toy Fair that it has acquired the license to produce action figures based on the Castlevania Movie
 * The first series will be Simon Belmont, Alucard, Dracula, and Succubus
 * First set to be released in October 2007, currently in modeling phase
 * Other models coming out about the same time include figures from
 * This is the first confirmation that Alucard and a Succubus will be appearing in the film

Tokyo Pop and Video Games Live Team Up
Anime on DVT

Skinit
TCM Net http://konami.skinit.com/
 * Konami partners with Skinit to bring Konami related skins to various mobile devices
 * No Castlevania content available yet