Unlike other side-scrollers, Castlevania perhaps holds the distinction of being one of the most unique platformers out there. On top of its grim storyline where descendants of the Belmont Clan are pitted in a never-ending war against Count Dracula, Castlevania also boasts the appearance of various Weapons and Sub-Weapons, Special Skills and Items, as well as gimmicks that make each game in the franchise stand out on their own.
However, what hardcore Castlevania fans and prospective newcomers might want to see are techniques or maneuvers in the franchise that can potentially “break” their entire games. Some moves and even Weapons in the franchise are so ridiculous that they can either pulverize enemies quick or even end up being so powerful they kill even the players.
10 Holy Water (Castlevania)
In its drive to innovate the side-scroller at the time, the original Castlevania game introduced a wide variety of extra attack options to players. Key to vampire hunter Simon Belmont’s quest in defeating the seemingly-immortal Count Dracula are Sub-Weapons, or a variety of tools alongside the iconic Vampire Whip to diversify his combat abilities.
One such Sub-Weapon in this first game was the Holy Water, or the Fire Bomb. Unlike other Sub-Weapons, Holy Water has only one technique: it can be tossed in a short arc and damage enemies hit in its path. When it hits the ground, flames shoot upward, denoting the removal of “unholy” elements in its wake. While generally weak, upgrading this with a Double Shot or Triple Shot allows players to throw Holy Water much faster, causing more damage and may even kill Castlevania bosses while keeping players safe at a distance.
9 Key Item Crash (Rondo Of Blood)
When Dracula sends his servant Shaft to kidnap Annette and trap in her castle, an angered Richter Belmont dons his ancestor’s Vampire Whip to rescue his lover and put an end to the Count’s schemes. While Richter also gets access to various Sub-Weapons to supplement his combat style, it’s perhaps the Key that is his most useful - especially when used with the game’s newest gimmick, the Item Crash.
Acting as a “super move” for Sub-Weapons, the Item Crash became a recurring move in the Castlevania franchise since its introduction in Castlevania: Rondo of Blood. And while the Grand Cross is perhaps the most iconic Item Crash in the franchise, it’s ironically the unnamed Key Item Crash that is its strongest. When triggered, Richter simply levitates in the air with the Key. There aren’t any special effects with this move, except for the fact that Richter remains invincible for the duration and the Key constantly damages enemies nearby. While other Item Crashes have a more straightforward damaging effect, it’s the added invincibility that allows the Key Item Crash to provide much-needed flexibility for Castlevania players.
8 Void Sword (Lords Of Shadow 2)
When Gabriel Belmont becomes Dracula in a bid to wage war against God, he discards his Light Magic for ice in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2. Through the newfound coldness in his heart, Dracula attains an affinity to ice that manifests into the Void Sword, his primary weapon in the game. Mechanically-speaking, the Void Sword itself is weaker than the Chaos Claws and Shadow Whip, but compensates with its middling range as well as innate lifesteal.
However, where the Void Sword shines is its affinity to ice. Unlike other weapons in the Lord of Shadows sequel, some of the Void Sword’s techniques can freeze targets into solid blocks of ice. These include Icy Crest, Blizzard, and Hoarfrost Hog. What makes these techniques so valuable in the game is that attacking frozen enemies with the Chaos Claws and Shadow Whip deal more damage, making the Void Sword one of the most important combo-starters in the game at the right hands.
7 Dominus Glyph Union (Order Of Ecclesia)
When the Belmont Clan suddenly vanished in the 1800s, it became up to the Order of the Ecclesia to take up arms against the forces of Count Dracula. In Castlevania: The Order of Ecclesia, it’s revealed that the Order’s members are trained to use magical Glyphs to fight the forces of darkness. Gameplay-wise, players can use up to two (2) kinds of Glyphs at the same time, each assigned to protagonist Shanoa’s left and right arms, respectively. However, it’s when she combines three (3) Glyphs at the same time to form a Glyph Union that creates some of the game’s most powerful spells.
As the game progresses, Shanoa eventually discovers the Dominus Glyphs, arguably the most powerful and dangerous Glyphs both gameplay-wise and story-wise. While the individual Dominus Hatred, Dominus Anger, and Dominus Agony already imposes various disadvantages to Shanoa such as HP reduction to activate, it’s the usage of Dominus Glyph Union that breaks the game. When Shanoa triggers its activation, this causes an ATK 9,999 blast that kills everything on screen. Thing is, it also kills Shanoa, practically forcing a game over in the Castlevania franchise.
6 Purify (Curse Of Darkness)
While Trevor Belmont has indeed defeated Dracula, remnants of the Count’s curse continue to ravage the European countryside. Although his former aide Hector has renounced his powers to live with his fiancee, Rosaly. Unfortunately, Hector is driven back to Dracula’s Castle when he learns his rival Devil Forgemaster, Isaac, has instigated the accusation of Rosaly as a witch and her eventual burning at the stake.
Since he’s not a Belmont, Hector in Castlevania: Curse Of Darkness can use a wide variety of weapons and abilities in combat. In addition, he has access to pets called Innocent Devils that can learn different skills when continuously used in combat. Thanks to the Nautilus Rod evolution of the Mage-Type Innocent Devil, players can have it learn the Purify Spell. Despite its simple nature, Purify is easily one of the most broken abilities in the game. As a Light-element Spell, players can one-hit kill most opponents with it. Save for the Holy Whip, Purify is the only Spell capable of killing the seemingly-invulnerable Blood Skeletons.
5 Mega Twister (Aria Of Sorrow)
Set in the future of 2035, protagonist Soma Cruz ventures deep into Dracula’s Castle to seek the “master’s chamber,” a place where government agent Genya Arikado says could help Soma and his childhood friend Mina Hakuba go back to the real world. Thanks to the Power of Dominance, Soma can “absorb” the souls of monsters and gain access to abilities, which Castlevania: Aria Of Sorrow calls Tactical Souls.
Acting as another form of Sub-Weapon, Tactical Souls grant Soma different abilities and extra attacks when used. While there are quite a ton of them available in the game, a Bullet Soul the player should note is Mega Twister from the Red Minotaur. Despite its 150 MP cost, Mega Twister dishes out an immense 760 ATK to enemies. This is done by swinging an oversized axe that covers quite a large area, allowing players to hit multiple opponents at once - something not all the other higher-MP Souls could accomplish.
4 Whip-Tail (Dawn Of Sorrow)
After the events of Aria of Sorrow, Soma Cruz once again becomes the star of the show in Castlevania: Dawn Of Sorrow. This time around, the With Light cult attacks Soma in a bid of releasing the essence of Dracula hidden inside him, hoping that Dracula’s existence as an “ultimate evil” can force the appearance of the “ultimate good.” Despite warnings from even the likes of Genya Arikado, Soma finds a castle that may be the cult’s base of operations and decides to put an end to their delusion.
In the game, Soma still has access to multiple weapons and the Tactical Soul System. However, among the new Best Souls he can capture, it’s Whip-Tail from the Malacoda that is probably the best among the roster. Costing only a measly 15 MP, this whip-like attack has massive reach and incredible DPS. Not only that, players don’t even need to level up Whip-Tail as it’s unlockable in its strongest form.
3 Explosion (Portrait Of Ruin)
Players of Castlevania are once again treated to a Belmont-Belnades combination in the form of Jonathan Morris and Charlotte Aulin in Castlevania: Portrait Of Ruin. While the pair venture into Dracula’s Castle to once again stop Count Dracula. Although the Vampire Killer has been passed to Jonathan by his father John from Castlevania: Bloodlines, he needs the assistance of a Lecarde to activate its abilities due to his non-Belmont status. Meanwhile, Charlotte Aulin’s gift for spellcasting comes from her heritage as a distant descendant of the Belnades Clan.
It’s Charlotte in particular that shines in this platformer. In Portrait of Ruin, players control both Jonathan and Charlotte to defeat opponents with coordinated attacks. One particular Spell in Charlotte’s arsenal that players should take note of is Explosion, a 30 MP Spell that has an Attack range of 18 to 36 ATK, depending if it’s a regular or charged attack. Despite its meager nature, Explosion can automatically target opponents in the area. Moreover, when fully charged, Explosion can hit multiple opponents at once, allowing players to clear areas much faster when upgraded.
2 Crissaegrim (Symphony Of The Night)
Two (2) things shook the Castlevania fandom in the release of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. First, Dracula’s estranged son Alucard became a standout in terms of design and gameplay, and his presence easily led to being an icon in the franchise. Secondly, this was the first game in the franchise to approach the “open-world” nature of the side-scroller, practically expanding gameplay options. In turn, it’s natural for players to want to look for some of the most powerful items in the game, with Crissaegrim easily being the title’s standout weapon.
While the Crissaegrim is only dropped by the Schmoo in the Forbidden Library, it is arguably the best sword Alucard can acquire. Although certainly not the best in terms of base attack, it’s the weapon’s special ability that makes it shine. Essentially, each attack of Crissaegrim summons three (3) other swords to make a slash, giving it a four-in-one special. Having one Crissaegrim alone makes a lot of the game’s fights tremendously easier for players. However, acquiring a second Crissaegrim - and therefore unlocking an eight-in-one attack - can help players defeat Dracula in a few seconds.
1 Unequipped Item Crash (Circle Of The Moon)
In 1830, the secret war between the Belmont Family and Dracula rages on, but it’s not only the Belmonts that are training against the Count. The story of Castlevania: Circle of the Moon centers around Nathan Graves, a vampire hunter trainee who was recently entrusted by his mentor Morris Baldwin with the Hunter Whip, a special weapon that can change forms and abilities with Hunter Cards.
As with other Castlevania games, Nathan can also equip a wide variety of Sub-Weapons to improve his arsenal. Moreover, inputting a special combination triggers a super move called the Item Crash, which is a recurrent technique in the series. However, one of the best Item Crashes available in Circle of the Moon only results in a conscious choice by the player. If players decide to play the game without a Sub-Weapon, they become Unarmed and may even access the Unarmed Item Crash. This releases a long-lasting screen-wide attack that can kill most foes. If players can meet the steep 100 MP cost and have the Pluto Card, this move is easily the strongest Item Crush in the game.