Throughout Castlevania games, hearts have often served as ammunition for the various sub-weapons. In games without hearts or subweapons, they can replenish the player's magic meter instead.
Throughout the series, there have been many heart-based items, such as the regular heart, which restores 1 Heart Point, large hearts which restore 5, and in some cases, even the Heart Refresh, an item which restores all hearts, akin to Mana Prism. However, hearts are not the only way to increase a players heart points.
Standard Heart Restoration
Hearts are usually restored in one of the following ways;
Small Hearts
Small hearts are the most common restorative item in the Castlevania series, found in a myriad of places ranging from enemies to candles. A single heart isn't much, however, some weapons only require a single heart in order to activate, such as the dagger.
Large Hearts
Large hearts restore 5 hearts for a player, and are most often found in candles. They are usually kept around the middle of an area, however some instances, they are right next to an entry, making them easy to collect before a boss fight.
Heart Refresh
Heart Refresh in Symphony of the Night takes the appearance of an Angel holding onto a heart, and restores 500 hearts. This is particularly useful during longer boss fights.
Heart Container
Increases the maximum Heart Points, and is also worth about 5 hearts. Usually found after bosses or in areas which require a special means to access.
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
In this game, hearts are still found by killing enemies, but they are used as currency to buy things from the hooded shopkeepers.
Alternate Methods
Collecting Hearts isn't the only way in which to restore them. in Symphony of the Night there also includes special equipment with heart restoration effects;
Blood Cloak
Restores hearts equal to the damage taken. This is an easy way to quickly increase Hearts if you plan to defeat a boss with only a sub weapon
Alucard Shield Spell
When the Shield Rod is combined with the Alucard Shield, the resulting spell can inflict 255 damage repeatedly, as well as restoring 8 HP and 1 Heart per hit. Can be used on Stone Skulls until MP is completely drained.
Item Data
| Item Data: Hearts | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image | Name - Game Type - Users Description |
Attributes / Consume | Statistics / Sell | Found | Notes | |||
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| Expended when attacking with a sub-weapon. Small hearts fill the store by 1.(...) | Heart +1 |
Find: Lanterns (requires Cube of Zoe for Alucard) Drop: Various enemies |
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| Expended when attacking with a sub-weapon. Large hearts fill the store by 5.(...) | Heart +5 |
Find: Lanterns (requires Cube of Zoe for Alucard) Drop: Various enemies |
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| Hearts will periodically appear on the ground and you can pick these up to increase Alucard's health. When a heart appears press button B or D to pick it up. It will only remain for a few seconds and then disappear. | ||||||||
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| Increases your number of heart marks by 1. | ||||||||