Death is an event where the player character is killed. It generally occurs when the player's health has been depleted, although it can also be caused by other factors, leading to alternate endings. Depending on the game, you either get a game over immediately, or after using up all extra lives.
Appearances
Castlevania
If the player loses all health, Simon upon being knocked back will merely lie down as if dead.
Vampire Killer
If the player loses all health, Simon upon being knocked back will merely lie down as if dead.
Haunted Castle
If the player loses all health, Simon upon being knocked back will merely lie down as if dead.
Castlevania Chronicles
If the player loses all health, Simon upon being knocked back will merely lie down as if dead.
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
Like in Castlevania above, Simon will merely lie down as if dead.
Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
The player character (Trevor Belmont, Sypha Belnades, Alucard, and/or Grant Danasty will lie down as if dead.
Castlevania: Bloodlines
Eric Lecarde will lie down as if dead. In addition, if he has a weapon such as a trident out, it will be knocked out of his hand and land on him.
Castlevania: The Adventure/Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth
Christopher Belmont is depicted as keeling over as if dead in the Game Boy version, while in the ReBirth version, he fades away while blood leaves him.
Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge
Christopher Belmont is depicted as keeling over as if dead.
Super Castlevania IV
Simon, like in the original game, is depicted as keeling over as if dead.
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood/Castlevania: Dracula X
Richter Belmont/Maria Renard is depicted as being knocked back, turning crimson, and then fading away with blood splatters (the English release for Dracula X censors this by having him fading white instead).
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Alucard is depicted as being knocked back, turning crimson, and then fading away with blood splatters.
Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles
Richter Belmont/Maria Renard is depicted as being knocked back and fading away with blood splatters.
Castlevania Legends
Sonia Belmont merely collapses into a heap as if dead.
Castlevania (N64)
There are two ways to die in this game:
- Merely letting the enemy kill you results in the player character (either Reinhardt Schneider or Carrie Fernandez, depending on who the player is playing as) keeling over.
- If the player goes too long to cure the Vampire status, the player character (Schneider or Fernandez) will clutch their heads as if in pain before raising their heads to show definite vampirized features.
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
Nathan Graves fades away while turning crimson and knocked back.
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
Juste Belmont fades away while knocked back and emitting blood splatters.
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
Soma Cruz will be knocked back as he emits blood. If the player dies while fighting Chaos, it instead shows Soma sitting at Dracula's seat, with the implication that Soma became the next Dark Lord, while Julius Belmont confronts him and alludes to the promise the two made about dispatching Soma if he ever becomes Dracula.
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
Leon Belmont merely keels over, although blood splatter does cover the screen before showing the "Game Over" message.
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
Soma Cruz will be knocked back as he emits blood.
Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
Hector merely keels over, although blood splatter does cover the screen before showing the "Game Over" message.
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
The player character (Jonathan Morris and/or Charlotte Aulin) is lifted up as blood splatters emit from them.
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
Shanoa (and in Albus Mode, Albus) are lifted in the air, with blood spilling out of them. In some cases, the bosses will react in a specific way. Against Albus, he'll keel over and say "Shanoa… kill me…" Against Death, he'll say that Shanoa's "candle" has been snuffed out. If the player uses the Dominus Glyphs against Barlowe, he'll mention that she shouldn't have given him that much trouble.