Castlevania Chronicles

Akumajō Dracula is the name of the 1993 Castlevania game released in Japan on the Sharp X68000 home computer system. It was a remake of the original Akumajō Dracula game. Due to the X68000 not being released outside of Japan, this game was never released outside of Japan either.

Castlevania Chronicles is the North American and European PlayStation rerelease of the X68000 game. Released in 2001, this rerelease featured rendered cutscenes and improved graphics. It was released in Japan as Akumajō Nendaiki: Akumajō Dracula.

Storyline
Since the game is a rerelease, the storyline is the same as the original Akumajō Dracula game. Simon Belmont has to set out to defeat the evil Count Dracula, who has been terrorizing the area.

Gameplay
Since the X68000 version is a remake of the original Akumajō Dracula game, there are some very familar parts to those who played the original. However, there has been a lot updated, including stages that have been redesigned. It has added items taken from games released after the original to give the game an updated sense of flavor. However, this version also has a high diffculty level and has frustrated many players.

The PlayStation rerelease added even more. This includes brand new rendered cutscenes, with new character designs by Ayami Kojima (of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night fame), a new sprite design for the main character, enhanced music, and to many players sigh of relief, a more balanced difficulty level. Players can choose to play an "Arranged" version of the game with all of the new features intact, or play the original X68000 version as it was originally presented.

Regional variations

 * The American and European versions contain an interview with Koji Igarashi (IGA) and a gallery featuring artwork by Ayami Kojima from Chronicles and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The latter images were already featured in the Sega Saturn version of Symphony. The art of the Succubus is censored, since her chest in the original was topless.
 * In Arrange Mode on the US and European versions, the player can save the game at stage 24, the battle with Dracula.
 * In Original Mode on the US and European versions, a code must be entered to reach the sound hardware selection screen.
 * In the US and European versions, the Japanese voices of the dolls in stage 17 have been completely removed.

Trivia

 * On stage 9, Count Orlok from the movie Nosferatu appears in the background, frozen in a block of ice.
 * On stage 11, a giant statue of the Greek goddess Athena appears.
 * On stage 114 (fifth play through on block 6-3), a cartoon image of Simon will appear smoking a cigarette accompanied by Japanese text in one of the background mirrors. The text translates to "Here's Fake Simon!".
 * On stage 21, the last section has a giant painting in the background of a field with mountains. For the original X68000 game, the painting will reflect one of the four seasons, depending what the computers internal clock date is set at. For Castlevania Chronicles, since the PlayStation doesn't have an internal clock, an "Extra Option" menu can be accessed where the player can set the date. When the game is turned off, however, the date information does not save.