- Not to be confused with Quick Step or Dodge.
Back Dash is an evading maneuver which causes a character to dash backward while facing the same direction they were before. Alucard in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night was the first character in the series to be able to perform it. Since then, this move became a staple in the series and most characters were given the ability to perform it in later games as well.
Description[]
This action is usually assigned to its own button. It was originally assigned to the 
button on a PlayStation controller in the original version of Symphony of the Night. It has since been more common for it to be assigned to the left shoulder button for better reach in handheld systems. Some control schemes allow both, a back dash and a forward dash, to be performed with the shoulder buttons. When this is the case, the left shoulder button causes the character to dash or back dash to the left, depending on the direction they're facing, and the right shoulder button does the same but to the right. This is the case for Juste and Maxim in Harmony of Dissonance, as well as for Maria in The Dracula X Chronicles version of Symphony of the Night. It should be noted that dashing doesn't generate a noticeable amount of momentum, so if a character surpasses the edge of a platform while dashing, they won't be thrust horizontally and will just fall down almost normally.
This move is often available to characters from the start of the game, although Soma Cruz has to earn it by gaining dominance over the Grave Keeper's soul in Aria of Sorrow.
Back-dashing in some titles can be used to interrupt a player's attack animation, allowing them to attack again in quick succession or perform any other action. This sometimes gives a tactical advantage, especially for slower weapons.
Dmitrii Blinov during the boss fight against him in Dawn of Sorrow, utilizes a similar move to the back dash a few times, also laughing as he performs the move. The Succubus in some games will also try to back dash when attacked.
Item Data[]
| Item Data: Back Dash | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image | Name - Game Type - Users Description |
Attributes / Consume | Statistics / Sell | Found | Notes | |||
| Sequence: [Special] (default PSX button is Triangle) (Alucard); [Back Dash] (default Saturn button is R) (Saturn Maria); [Dash] (default PSP button is L or R, whichever shoulder button that is currently on the opposite side Maria is facing) (DXC Maria) | ||||||||
|
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| Backdash by pressing L. (Pressing ACTIVATE ABILITY allows you to back dash.) | Find: Castle Corridor |
|||||||
| Find: Initially available |
Sequence: L | |||||||
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- In Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, repeatedly back dashing with proper rhythm can allow Alucard to travel faster than by normal walking. This is a well-known tactic that is often used during speedruns of the game. However, in other games from the Castlevania series where this move is also present, this tactic isn't as effective due to the delay needed for the move to be performed each time.
See also[]
- Dash
- Dodge
- Moonwalkers - Recurring Leg Gear that enhance back dashing.
- Quick Step