The Sega Saturn version of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night was only released in Japan and, like the Japanese name of the PlayStation version, was called Akumajō Dracula X: Nocturne in the Moonlight. This edition was more of an update rather than a port of the game. In addition to the entire original Symphony of the Night, it included new stages, music, enemies and items that were absent in the Sony versions, plus a playable version of Maria Renard. It is also possible to play as Richter Belmont or Maria Renard from the beginning of the game without having to do extra efforts to unlock them. The story, with the exception of a boss battle with Maria in order for Alucard to gain the Holy Glasses, is the same as the original game's. It is also the second and final Castlevania game to be released for a Sega platform, as Sega left the console business and became a multi-platform third party developer and publisher in 2001 following the discontinuation of the Sega Dreamcast.
Version differences[]
While it sounds like the superior game on paper (especially considering the Saturn's general history with 2D games), this port is bogged with performance issues. The load times are more frequent and much longer. There is now slowdown in areas where none had existed in the original version, and some of the rooms were split in two or missing entirely. Rather than maintaining the Saturn's increased resolution, the game was stretched to fit the screen, causing some sprites and graphics to be distorted. Some of the sound and graphical effects were also down-sampled. For example, some enemies have different death animations, and the Game Over sequence uses a fade-through-white transition instead of a screen-melt transition. Transparencies are also non-existent, making certain things like the waterfall and the mist effect look less than spectacular. Because of this, the "Invisible" cloak (also known as the Crystal Cloak) was removed and replaced with the Glaring Cloth (although it shares the same menu icon), which is bright white rather than see-through and grants immunity to Dark to compensate for the visual downgrade. A new mantle was also added that increased Constitution by seven, called the Rainbow Mantle. Instead of the invisibility effect, it changed colors periodically. Additionally, Richter had an alternate outfit closer to the official artwork that could also be seen while fighting against him but that still didn't quite match Ayami Kojima's artwork due to the absence of the white shirt and long hair that Richter is depicted with in that artwork. Lastly, the Master Librarian no longer sells boss tactics, and map completion data is still made with the PSX version in mind. Unfortunately, critics have often deemed the Saturn content as clashing with the original design of the game.
While the Saturn version was ultimately denounced by Assistant Director IGA, it does maintain a legacy. The Underground Garden area is thought to be an unused idea from the PSX edition, as the door to its equivalent area (leading to a normally-inaccessible save point) can be opened originally via glitching. Unused audio for a lost ending in the PSX version also indicated some variant of the Maria battle. The Alucard Spear also appeared in the Saturn version, a novelty weapon but one that would one day end up in the hands of Eric Lecarde.
In latter editions of the Japanese PSX version, the Fairy Familiar could sing to Alucard much like she could with the Song Lyrics Card in the Saturn version. When the PSP version, The Dracula X Chronicles, was announced, there was fan outcry to merge the best of the Saturn version (such as Maria and the God Speed Shoes, an ability found in the start of the second castle that allowed Alucard to run like Richter) with the PSX version to make the best quality version possible. IGA did listen somewhat and included a new version of Maria in the PSP version. This new Maria played more like her Rondo of Blood self. She is also fought for the Holy Glasses much like the Saturn version.
Her battle music, often considered one of the best in the series, was, however, replaced with Richter's battle theme. Her sprite when playing and battling against her is also slightly different from her normal set of sprites. Despite these improvements, the PSP version would also see some panning due to its imperfect porting and many game-crashing glitches.
Character gallery[]
- For additional artworks, please visit Nocturne in the Moonlight Artwork.
Playable characters[]
Alucard is still the only playable character with a storyline. He has a few new items (such as this Glaring Cloth) and the holder (commonly unofficially referred to as third hand) for healing items.
Richter is now playable at the beginning of the game. He wears clothing closer to his depiction in the official art in this game when fighting against him and as an alternate playable costume, but it does not match it as well as its two original appearances.
This edition features a unique playable version of Maria not found in any other version of this game. She is also playable from the start.
New enemies[]
Several enemies appear in this edition that do not appear in any other edition. For a list of all enemies, see Symphony of the Night Bestiary.
| Enemy Data: Saturn Exclusive Enemies(edit) | |||||
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| Image | Name - Game Description |
Statistics | Items | Location | Notes |
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| Jolly creature of the river. Their texture is similar to chicken meat. | Strong: Water Weak: Fire, Thunder Level: 3 HP: 10 Exp: 12 |
Underground Garden |
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| Artificial beast made from the collection of various animal bones. | Weak: Holy Level: 3 HP: 6 Exp: 8 |
Underground Garden |
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| Skeleton of a tracking soldier who walks with a Skeleton Beast. | Weak: Holy Level: 4 HP: 12 Exp: 10 |
Underground Garden |
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| A living statue. The Demon Castle's automatic crime prevention system made of terra-cota. | Level: 15 HP: 50 Exp: 50 |
Drop: $100, Zircon |
Underground Garden |
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| The Demon Castle's mad gardener will not spare those who ruin the garden. | Weak: Fire Level: 20 HP: 130 Exp: 120 |
Drop: Orange, Peanuts |
Underground Garden |
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| Giant venus fly trap that preys not on flies but humans. | Weak: Fire Level: 20 HP: 128 Exp: 100 |
Drop: Banana, Woodland Shield |
Underground Garden |
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| Always smiling due to its fruitful, human-faced results. | Weak: Holy Level: 21 HP: 250 Exp: 125 |
Drop: Apple, Antivenom |
Underground Garden |
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| A desecrated soul whose hatred never fades. | Level: 23 HP: 4 Exp: 90 |
Drop: Potion, Manna Prism |
Cursed Prison |
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| A living statue. The Demon Castle's automatic crime prevention system made of marble. | Level: 25 HP: 80 Exp: 150 |
Drop: $400, Resist Stone |
Cursed Prison |
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| An immaterial ghost that can only be extinguished with a weapon of holy attributes. | Strong: Fire, Thunder, Ice, Poison (all tolerance), Dark, Curse, Cut, Hit (all absorb) Weak: Holy Level: 25 HP: 20 Exp: 120 |
Drop: Antivenom, Manna Prism |
Cursed Prison |
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| An antique piece that is very valuable. | Strong: Cut Level: 30 HP: 230 Exp: 300 |
Hell Garden |
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| Beware of contact with this terrible spirit of death. | Weak: Holy Level: 32 HP: 300 Exp: 220 |
Drop: Pentagram, Muramasa |
Soul Prison |
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| The light manipulating the corpse is the true body. | Weak: Holy Level: 34 HP: 280 Exp: 210 |
Drop: Dark Shield, Skull Shield |
Soul Prison |
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| A living statue. The Demon Castle's automatic crime prevention system made of granite. | Level: 35 HP: 110 Exp: 250 |
Drop: Hammer, Double Blade Axe |
Soul Prison |
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| Leader of the skeleton soldiers. Its bones were torn apart during a duel in the castle. | Weak: Holy Level: 36 HP: 444 Exp: 250 |
Underground Garden |
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| Skeleton equipped with shield and spear. Assigned to guard important places. | Weak: Holy Level: 37 HP: 320 Exp: 500 |
Hell Garden |
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| Angry demon. Literally, a man who burns. | Strong: Fire (absorb) Weak: Ice Level: 46 HP: 330 Exp: 700 |
Drop: Fire Mail, Marsil |
Hell Garden |
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| Vampire hunter looking for Richter Belmont. | Strong: Holy, Stone (both immune) Weak: Dark Level: 48 HP: 400 Exp: n/a |
Guard: Holy Glasses |
Castle Center (Alucard only) |
Weapons: Knife (Triple Arc Throw) Abil: Energy Shot (level 1, level 2), Summon Byakko, Guardians Knuckle | |
New areas[]
![Hell Garden[1]](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/castlevania/images/b/b0/Nitm_New03.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/185?cb=20101221133645 "Hell Garden (16 KB)")
![Soul Prison[2]](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/castlevania/images/e/e0/Nitm_New04.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/185?cb=20101221133645 "Soul Prison (14 KB)")
New items[]
- For a complete list of items Alucard has in this game, see Alucard/Symphony of the Night.
Alucard has some new items available in his quest.
| Item Data: New Items | ||||||||
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| Image | Name - Game Type - Users Description |
Attributes / Consume | Statistics / Sell | Found | Notes | |||
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 Mysterious different dimension dagger
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Attrib: Cut |
ATT +12 |
Find: Cursed Prison |
Effect: Overhand Stab Special: ↓↘→ + [Attack] for Homing Attack (ATT +10) | ||||
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| Mysterious spear used habitually before | Attrib: Cut |
ATT +28 |
Find: Hell Garden |
Special: ↓↘→ + [Attack] for Flurry of Thrusts (ATT +20 for 7 MP); ←→ + [Attack] for Step Attack (ATT +50 for 7 MP) (can be used in midair) | ||||
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| Sharp by two-blades | Attrib: Cut |
ATT +42 |
Drop: Gargoyle [Lv. 35] |
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| The shield at which a tree soul dwell (fragrance of the rose) | DEF +3 |
Drop: Venus Man Trap (Saturn only) |
Effect: Projectile block Special: Shield Rod or Mablung Sword spell (30 MP): Summon Vines – immobilize and damage enemies (ATT +30, Attrib: Hit) | |||||
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| Full course (five star) [use] | HP +75 |
Find: Soul Prison |
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| Outdated [use] | Attrib: Poison |
HP -1 |
Find: Cursed Prison |
Effect: Deals 1 point of damage and inflicts Poison status when eaten; +1 HP with Topaz Circlet equipped | ||||
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| Get it!! | Find: Underground Garden (Saturn only) |
Effect: Collector's item only | ||||||
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| The silvery white shine which tears darkness | CON +6 |
Find: Underground Caverns |
Effect: Grants immunity to Dark | |||||
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| The mantle from which the color changes with time | CON +7 |
Find: Clock Tower |
Effect: Continuously changes color | |||||
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| Song lyrics card of "Nocturne" | Find: Catacombs |
Effect: Enables the Fairy Familiar to sing "Nocturne" if Alucard sits in a chair for a while | ||||||
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| Can dash by double tap left or right | Find: Castle Keep |
Effect: Double tap left or right for dash | ||||||
Related products[]
- Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - The original PlayStation version of this game (has the same Japanese name).
- Castlevania Legends - The previous game developed by Konami/KCE Nagoya.
- Akumajō Dracula Best Music Collections BOX - Contains music from this game edition on Disc 6.
- Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Original Video Game Soundtrack 2XLP - Vinyl soundtrack covering tracks exclusive to this edition on Side D
- Music from Akumajo Dracula Aka - Contains more music from this game edition on Disc 2.
