Magic Crystal

Magic Crystal
Magic Crystal artwork from Super Castlevania IV
Japanese name(s)	魔力の玉 Maryoku no Tama (Magic Ball) グレイト水晶 Gureito Suishō (Great Crystal)
Alternate name(s)	Ball of Light, Great Crystal, Magic Jewel, Mystic Sphere, Soul, Magical Energy Sphere
Type(s)	Special item
Description	Capture from Boss Character at the end of each level to earn time bonus and restore lost power.
User(s)	Most characters
Specialeffect(s)	Completely restores health and starts the remaining time/hearts bonus counter.
Found at	Generally, at the end of a level
Dropped by	Most bosses
Lore	Original Castlevania lore
Game(s)	Castlevania Vampire Killer Dracula's Curse Belmont's Revenge Super Castlevania IV Chronicles Rondo of Blood Bloodlines Dracula X Legends Harmony of Dissonance Aria of Sorrow Dawn of Sorrow Portrait of Ruin Order of Ecclesia The Adventure ReBirth

For other uses, see Crystal (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with Crystal (power-up) or Orb.

The Magic Crystal (魔力の玉, Maryoku no Tama^?, lit. "Magic Ball"), also known as the Mystic Sphere, is a red spherical item used in different ways in various Castlevania titles.

The Magic Crystal first appeared in the original Castlevania. It usually shows up whenever a stage has been cleared after defeating the area boss and has the power to restore a hero's health to top condition. In the classic titles, it usually triggers a "Hearts" and "time remaining" bonus counter to start, where the player will be awarded a certain amount of bonus points for every Heart and second remaining at the end of the level. The player's Heart counter is usually reset to 5 or 10 Heart Points when the next stage starts, but in some cases they'll retain all their Hearts from the previous level.

Game specific information

Castlevania

The original Castlevania introduced the apparition of the Magic Crystal, which would then become a staple in the series. The Magic Crystal materializes out of thin air in the middle of the room after Simon defeats the boss of a level. Picking it up restores his weariness and allow the level to properly end, triggering the Hearts and time remaining bonus counters to start.

Castlevania II: Simon's Quest

While the same Magic Crystal from the first game wasn't present in Simon's Quest, some variants of it did. On his travels, Simon has to get his hands on three magic crystals: the White Crystal, the Blue Crystal and the Red Crystal.

However, maybe the ones which are more related to the original Magic Crystal are those found inside of the five mansions. Each one of these crystals is hidden in the innermost chambers of a mansion and holds inside one of the five body parts of Count Dracula, which Simon has to collect and destroy to put an end to the curse set upon the land. These crystals lie on top of a pedestal in what would appear to be some sort of boss room, hinting that the player has succeeded in traversing the mansion's traps and obstacles. However, a crystal's contents can't be collected just by making contact with it. Simon has to find a merchant hidden somewhere inside the mansion first and buy an Oak Stake, with which he can then strike on the crystal to break it open and collect the remains of Dracula stored inside.

Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge

A magic crystal shows up whenever the player clears a stage. However, the crystals in this game will rise toward the sky, instead of materializing in mid-air and then falling to the ground for the player to collect, like in other games.

Super Castlevania IV

A Magic Crystal will show up whenever the player defeats the area boss at the end of a stage. However, it should be noted that in some stages Simon will have to fight against some mini-bosses which won't leave a Magic Crystal for the player to collect. For example, Medusa appears at the end of the swamp section of the Transylvanian Wilds. She doesn't leave a Magic Crystal to be collected after the battle and the aqueduct section continues immediately after facing her. This whole stage doesn't have a proper area boss at the end, making Medusa the only major enemy confronted in it and also making this stage the only one where a Magic Crystal doesn't appear at all.

Castlevania Legends

See also: Soul

After using a stage boss as a sacrifice, the power of the spirit will be captured in a crystal. The power of the spirit can then be used as a Soul Weapon, which are Sonia Belmont's sub-weapons.

Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance

A magic crystal shows up whenever the player clears a stage. If Juste jumps and attacks with his whip, catching the magic crystal at the same time, a message will appear on the screen. If his timing was almost perfect and he caught the crystal near top height, where it materialized, the message will read: "Excellent!!!". However, if he caught it a little off-time on its way down, the message will read: "Cool!!". If Juste only jumps and gets the magic crystal near top height without performing a whiplash, the message: "Good!" will appear instead. There doesn't seem to be any benefit for achieving this other than for amusement, though.

Good!

Cool!!

Excellent!!!

Castlevania: Lament of Innocence

Main article: Orb

Instead of a magic crystal, the game introduced the Orb System, which allows an orb combined with a sub-weapon to create an advanced attack. An orb can be acquired after clearing a stage, except for the White and Black Orbs, which are hidden within specific stages.

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

Magic crystals retain their usual function of refilling the player's HP and Hearts in this game, and are obtained after defeating a boss.

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

Similar to Aria of Sorrow, Magic Crystals refill Soma Cruz's HP and Heart meters, but have a new design.

Castlevania: Curse of Darkness

Even though there are no magic crystals in the game, a small circular area filled with holy light will appear after defeating each boss. The player can enter this circle to cure their wounds.

Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles

The Magic Jewels in Rondo of Blood and its PSP remake that appear after defeating a boss will replenish Richter or Maria's health and increases the points earned. Also take note that successfully defeating a boss and collecting the Magic Jewel item will unlock a demo for that boss and a silhouette of it will also appear on the Stage Select screen.

The player may choose to dismiss picking up Magic Jewels in their aim to score a better time in the Boss Rush Mode, as otherwise they would have to wait for the item to fully materialize and drop, wasting precious time in case they don't really need the extra health.

Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia

A magic crystal shows up whenever the player clears a stage. Interestingly enough, the magic crystal can also be seen on a boss door, acting as the "seal" to it; disappearing when the door opens and reappearing when it closes.

Item Data

Item Data: Magic Crystal
Image	Name - Game   Type - Users Description	Attributes / Consume	Statistics / Sell	Found	Notes
	Magic Crystal (jpn) - Castlevania   Weapon (Item) - Simon Belmont				[edit]
	Power: Completely revives all lost power; Comment: Can clear creatures from entire stage			Drop: Bosses
	Great Crystal (jpn) - Vampire Killer   Secret Weapon (Item) - Simon Belmont				[edit]
	Allow exit from present stage			Drop: Bosses
	Ball of Light - Dracula's Curse   Item - any				[edit]
				Drop: Bosses
	Magic Crystal - Super Castlevania IV   Item - Simon Belmont				[edit]
	Capture from Boss Character at the end of each level to earn time bonus and restore lost power			Drop: Bosses
	Magical Energy Sphere - Chronicles (unofficial name)   Item - Simon Belmont				[edit]
				Drop: Bosses
(RoB/DXC)	Magic Jewel (jpn) - Rondo of Blood   Item - any				[edit]
	Collect these after defeating bosses to completely restore the life gauge and clear the current stage.			Drop: Bosses
	Magic Crystal (jpn) - Bloodlines   Item - John Morris, Eric Lecarde				[edit]
				Drop: Bosses
	Mystic Sphere - Dracula X   Normal Item - Richter				[edit]
	You receive a mystic sphere when you defeat an enemy boss. Restores all of the player's life.			Drop: Bosses
	Soul - Legends   Item - Sonia				[edit]
				Drop: Creatures Bat, Death Dragon, Grim Reaper, Alucard, Executioner	Evolve: Soul Weapon
	Magic Crystal - Adventure ReBirth   Item - Christopher Belmont				[edit]
				Drop: Bosses

Notes

• In Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Magic Crystals were replaced by Life Vessels instead, which also materialize out of thin air at the center of the room after an area boss is defeated, although the latter will neither restore the player's MP bar nor start a Hearts bonus counter.
  • The HP Max Up/Life Vessel would become a staple in the series from then onward, especially in games that feature role playing elements, although following titles would feature both HP Max Ups and Magic Crystals.

Gallery

Artworks

Magic Crystal from the Japanese Castlevania instruction booklet

Magic Crystal from the Nintendo Power Belmont's Revenge Guide

Magic Crystal from the Japanese Super Castlevania IV instruction booklet

Magic Jewel from the Japanese Castlevania: Rondo of Blood instruction booklet

Magic Crystals

Magic Crystal Harmony of Dissonance

Magic Crystal from Aria of Sorrow

Magic Crystal from Dawn of Sorrow

Magic Crystal from Portrait of Ruin

Magic Crystal from Order of Ecclesia

See also

• Crystal (disambiguation)
• HP Max Up