If you want the closest follow-up to Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, start with Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night for another gothic castle full of RPG builds, or Castlevania: Symphony of the Night for the series’ defining castle-exploration adventure. For the whip-and-stage-action side of Rose’s journey, choose Super Castlevania IV; for fluid movement and route-finding, try Hollow Knight or Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is the natural same-studio pick, but its roguelite runs are a different structure from Belmont’s Curse’s persistent map.
There isn’t one universal “closest” game: the best next choice depends on whether you want a sprawling castle, classic stages, challenging gothic combat, or traversal-first exploration.
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is Konami’s 2026 return to 2D Castlevania, developed by Evil Empire, the studio behind the Dead Cells expansions. Released on 15 October 2026, it follows Rose Belmont through a burning 1499 Paris and into Dracula’s castle. Her Vampire Killer whip is both a weapon and a traversal tool: Rose can swing to new rooms and use its reach to reposition in combat. The PlayStation listing describes seven weapon categories, Relics and Arcana; defeated bosses are sealed into tarot cards that grant spells and special actions.
That combination makes the game a useful guide to what to play next. Polygon ranked it the second-best Castlevania, behind only Symphony of the Night, and described it as a 2.5D game with a persistent-map Metroidvania structure. It is not a roguelite: Konami’s head of communications for the Americas, Tommy Williams, told PC Gamer that players can “freely explore vast, elaborately crafted maps” and that “It is not a roguelike or roguelite game.” The recommendations below separate games by what they share with Rose’s adventure, rather than pretending every whip, castle or map is the same experience.
Which game should you play next?
Use this quick route if you already know which part of Belmont’s Curse you want more of. The detailed picks follow.
| If you want… | Start with… | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| A gothic castle and classic Castlevania exploration | Castlevania: Symphony of the Night | The series’ landmark interconnected-castle RPG adventure. |
| A modern castle, equipment choices and ability builds | Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night | The closest modern spiritual successor to the RPG-heavy Castlevania games. |
| Whip action and stage-based levels | Super Castlevania IV | Its whip has directional control and traversal uses, though its levels are distinct stages rather than one castle map. |
| More movement and map discovery than vampire hunting | Hollow Knight | Exploration and movement abilities open routes through a large world. |
| A same-studio action game with Castlevania content | Dead Cells plus Return to Castlevania | Evil Empire’s earlier work, with an official Castlevania-themed DLC; it is built around roguelite runs. |
| Acrobatic platforming and puzzle traversal | Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown | Agile movement and route puzzles are as central as combat. |
| Relentless gothic horror and demanding fights | Blasphemous 2 | A darker, more methodical action-Metroidvania with Soulslike combat pressure. |
| A compact, friendlier next adventure | Well Dweller | A dark-fairytale option described by GameTyrant as completable in about 10 hours. |
Is Symphony of the Night the best game to play after Belmont’s Curse?
Yes, if what you want is the classic Castlevania castle experience. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is the clearest bridge from Belmont’s Curse to the series’ most influential exploration design: Alucard searches a huge, interconnected castle, gaining equipment and abilities as he uncovers new routes.
Released on 2 October 1997, Symphony of the Night helped define the combination of Metroid-style map exploration and gothic Castlevania action. Its most famous structural surprise is an inverted version of the castle, which asks players to revisit familiar spaces from a new direction. Polygon ranked it first among eight Castlevania games in its 2026 ranking, writing, “Nearly 30 years after its release, there’s still no topping Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.”
The main difference is how the games express combat. Rose’s whip can swing through the environment and her tarot-based abilities add a distinct layer of action; Symphony leans more heavily on Alucard’s equipment, weapons and magic. It is also an older game, so its pacing and presentation will feel different from a 2026 release. DualShockers, citing How Long To Beat, reported a nine-hour standard run; that is a reference figure, not a promise about how long an individual playthrough takes.
Finding a convenient version can be less straightforward than choosing the game itself. Current listings across older PlayStation systems, PSP, PS Vita, Sega Saturn and Xbox 360 do not establish a single current version available everywhere. If you cannot readily access it, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is the easier modern alternative for castle exploration and build choices.
Is Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night the closest modern Castlevania?
For a modern gothic castle with RPG progression, it is the strongest overall alternative. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night was developed by ArtPlay, co-founded by longtime Castlevania producer Koji Igarashi, and brings together the interconnected exploration, equipment and ability experimentation that fans often seek after Symphony of the Night.
Its castle hides routes and rooms to uncover, while its weapons, equipment and shard system let you shape how Miriam fights. The shard system draws power from enemies and gives the adventure a different kind of ability collection from Rose’s boss-derived Arcana. There are also town bounties, farming and cooking alongside exploration. The result is not a copy of Belmont’s Curse: it has its own protagonist, setting and systems, and offers more emphasis on building a character through equipment and abilities.
That lineage is why it is a particularly good answer to “What feels like modern Castlevania?” Game Informer wrote in 2024 that “Bloodstained may as well be called ‘Castlevania: Symphony of the Night 2’,” while IGN described Igarashi’s aim as making a new game in the vein of the best-loved Castlevania. GameTyrant likewise singled it out as the closest modern Castlevania-style title. It is commonly listed for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC; Game Informer also lists iOS and Android.
Choose Bloodstained over another official Castlevania if you want the castle-and-build formula more than series continuity. If you specifically want Rose’s whip, the Belmont family or a story placed in the franchise’s timeline, it cannot supply those. Its follow-up, Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement, was revealed in 2025 and is in development; it is not the next playable recommendation here.
Which classic Castlevania games match the whip and story?
For stage-based action and Belmont family history, look to Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse and Super Castlevania IV. They are closer to the franchise’s older side-scrolling roots than Belmont’s Curse’s broad, persistent map, and each answers a different question: what came before Rose’s story, or which older game makes the whip feel unusually versatile?
Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse: for Trevor and branching stages
Released on 22 December 1989, Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse is the classic choice for context around Trevor Belmont, who is important to the family history behind Belmont’s Curse. It offers multiple heroes with different play styles and branching stages, rather than a single interconnected map. Polygon ranked it third in its 2026 Castlevania list.
Expect a much harsher older-school challenge than the post-launch coverage described for Belmont’s Curse. GameTyrant specifically warns of the game’s “truly devious difficulty.” It is also the game whose lore the Netflix animated series later explored, making it a useful choice if the show’s version of the Belmont story is what brought you to the new game.
Super Castlevania IV: for the closest classic whip feel
Super Castlevania IV, released on 31 October 1991, gives the whip more expressive control than many earlier entries. Simon can whip in eight directions, use the whip as a shield, and grapple with it in set-piece moments. That makes this one of the closest classic matches for the idea of a whip that shapes both combat and movement, even though it remains a sequence of stages rather than a Metroidvania castle.
GameTyrant called it the classic entry that would feel most modern and similar to Belmont’s Curse within the Castlevania Anniversary Collection. Polygon ranked it eighth in its series list, a reminder that “closest in feel” and “highest ranked” are not the same criterion.
Aria of Sorrow: for enemy powers and experimentation
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow is a better pick if the boss-derived abilities and experimentation in Belmont’s Curse interest you most. Released on 6 May 2003, it stars Soma Cruz, who can absorb the essence of defeated monsters through the Tactical Soul system. That gives enemies a direct role in how the player develops and fights, creating a useful parallel with the new game’s Arcana without making the systems identical.
For access, Castlevania Advance Collection is listed for Switch, PlayStation 4, PC and Xbox One. Polygon ranked Aria of Sorrow fourth among its eight Castlevania picks.
What else belongs on a classic Castlevania backlog?
Rondo of Blood (29 October 1993) is a prologue to Symphony of the Night and earned fifth place in Polygon’s 2026 ranking. Bloodlines (17 March 1994) follows two heroes, one using a spear and one a whip, in a World War I-era setting; Polygon ranked it sixth. Castlevania Chronicles, a 1993 remake of the 1986 original, ranked seventh and is known for its high difficulty. These are worthwhile deeper cuts, but the four games above make a clearer first route from Rose’s adventure.
The Castlevania Anniversary Collection is a practical starting point for sampling the earlier series, with releases listed for Switch, PlayStation 4, PC and Xbox One. For the Nintendo DS-era games, Castlevania Dominus Collection is the relevant collection: its cover features Order of Ecclesia and the collection is aimed at fans of that era’s games, including Dawn of Sorrow and Portrait of Ruin. Collection contents and regional availability can vary, so check the listing for your platform before buying.
Should you play Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania after Belmont’s Curse?
Yes, if you want the connection to Evil Empire and quick, replayable action—but not if you expect another persistent castle map. Evil Empire worked on Dead Cells expansions and developed both the Return to Castlevania DLC and Belmont’s Curse. The DLC is a substantial Castlevania tribute, with Dracula’s Castle, familiar monster types and a Death boss.
The crucial distinction is structure. Dead Cells is a roguelite: its action is organized around repeatable runs, not freely exploring one vast map and gradually opening routes through it. That is the opposite of what Konami described for Belmont’s Curse. Play it for the speed, combat and studio connection, not as a one-to-one sequel in the same genre. DualShockers praised the DLC as the best Dead Cells expansion in that writer’s view; that is an individual editorial assessment, not an official ranking.
The Return to Castlevania Edition bundles the base game and DLC content. A 2026 listing described 17 levels, five bosses, around 150 weapons and skills, four original DLCs and a Dracula’s Castle pathway. Those figures describe the edition listing; they should not be read as a comparison of the two games’ maps or progression systems. Physical editions have been listed for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5, but stock and prices change.
Are Hollow Knight and Silksong good alternatives?
They are strong picks if your favorite part of Belmont’s Curse is learning a map and unlocking movement routes, rather than its vampire-gothic fiction or conventional weapon variety. Hollow Knight puts exploration, movement and a focused melee-and-spell combat system at the center of a haunting underground world. It is less about whips and subweapons than about discovering how the world connects.
One meaningful difference is how the map works for the player. Game Informer noted in 2024 that Hollow Knight requires players to purchase maps in-world. That can make discovery feel earned, but it also means you may need to orient yourself more deliberately than in a game that immediately displays explored rooms. Its high skill ceiling and combat are additional reasons to choose it if you want a demanding exploration game.
Hollow Knight: Silksong, developed by Team Cherry and released on 4 September 2025, makes mobility particularly prominent. Its protagonist, Hornet, moves with a different acrobatic rhythm from the Knight, much as Rose’s whip gives her a distinct way to traverse. IGN ranked the original Hollow Knight first and Silksong third on its 2025 list of Metroidvanias excluding Metroid and Castlevania. Both are genre picks, not direct mood matches: choose them for exploration and movement, not for vampire hunting.
Is Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown worth playing for traversal?
Yes, especially if Rose’s swinging, aerial movement and route puzzles made you want a more traversal-focused adventure. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown follows Sargon through Mount Qaf, mixing precision platforming and combat with time-manipulation abilities. Its identity is Persian myth rather than gothic horror, but its agile movement makes it a natural choice for players who treat movement as part of the main attraction.
The map includes a useful backtracking aid: players can take screenshots and pin them as reminders of places to revisit. That helps when a path is visible but currently inaccessible. Game Informer listed the game for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch and PC. IGN ranked it eighth on its 2025 list of Metroidvanias excluding Metroid and Castlevania. GAMINGBIBLE called it a possible genre-defining entry and argued it could stand alongside Belmont’s Curse in quality; treat that as the outlet’s judgment, not a claim that the games play alike.
Which gothic alternatives are darker or more difficult?
For an oppressive setting and combat that demands more patience, try Blasphemous 2. It trades vampire folklore for a grim religious-fantasy world and gives its weapons a role in navigation as well as combat. Game Informer describes the series’ approach as Soulslike difficulty and boss design translated into a 2D Metroidvania. If you want the mood more than the exact mechanics of Belmont’s Curse, the original Blasphemous is also a tonal match.
Blasphemous 2 was released on 24 August 2023 by The Game Kitchen and Team17, and is listed for PC, PlayStation 5, Switch and Xbox Series. DualShockers, citing How Long To Beat, reported a 16-hour main-play figure. That’s a community-tracked reference, not a guaranteed completion time. Expect a more methodical and punishing combat rhythm than the comparatively accessible difficulty described for Belmont’s Curse by GAMINGBIBLE.
The Last Faith is another option if you want pixel-art gothic horror with a more explicitly Soulslike edge. Released on 15 November 2023, it was described by DualShockers as a brutal pick and listed there at 17 hours according to How Long To Beat. Its studio credits vary across listings, so the useful distinction is the play style: choose it for a harsh, dark fantasy action game, not because it reproduces Belmont’s Curse’s traversal.
For a different kind of precise combat, Nine Sols emphasizes deflection timing and duels in a setting inspired by East Asian mythology. It is a good fit if you want to learn enemy patterns, but not if the specific draw is a European vampire castle.
What should you play if you want a shorter or lighter adventure?
Well Dweller is the short-route recommendation. It is a dark fairytale about Glimmer, a bird, with trinkets and a smaller-scale adventure than the sprawling maps that define many Metroidvanias. GameTyrant estimated about 10 hours to complete, with a few extra hours for 100 percent completion. That figure is the outlet’s estimate, not a fixed playtime; its main value is that it points toward a more contained commitment.
For a compact fantasy that resembles the flow of Symphony of the Night, consider Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth. Coverage from The Outerhaven and Gaming.net highlighted its movement cadence, spell swapping, bosses and map flow as close to Symphony. Its fantasy tone is brighter and its scope more compact, so it is a better pick for someone seeking that rhythm than for a strict gothic mood match. It is listed for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Switch and PC.
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights offers another melancholy, gothic world, but its combat centers on spirit summons rather than a whip. DualShockers reported a 13-hour How Long To Beat figure. Its follow-up, Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist, is a separate option if companion-based combat in a damaged world sounds appealing. These are atmosphere-and-combat recommendations, not direct Castlevania successors.
Where should you start if you want classic-style stage action?
If you like older Castlevania’s straight-ahead platforming but want a game outside Konami’s series, Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 and Infernax are two useful routes. They lean into stage-based action and retro difficulty instead of the broader map exploration of Belmont’s Curse.
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 uses multiple characters with switchable abilities, recalling the party and branching-stage spirit of Castlevania III. It is listed for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch and PC. Infernax offers a deliberately old-school challenge, branching paths and secrets such as hidden wall meat; it is also listed for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch and PC. Choose one of these if you want the feel of an 8-bit action game rather than another interconnected castle.
What if you want the wider Metroidvania genre instead?
If you have already played the closest Castlevania matches, Metroid Dread is a strong way to explore the other half of the genre’s name. Released on 8 October 2021 for Switch, it uses stalking E.M.M.I. enemies to create pressure as Samus explores and gains access to new areas. Its science-fiction setting is a sharp contrast with Rose’s gothic Paris, but it is useful if the map-gating and ability progression are what you want to follow.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps is another genre peak when you want movement, presentation, combat and story in a warmer, more acrobatic package. IGN ranked it second on its 2025 non-Metroid, non-Castlevania Metroidvania list. Other wider-genre choices named in coverage include Animal Well, Guacamelee! 2, Axiom Verge, SteamWorld Dig 2, Cave Story and Yoku’s Island Express; they broaden the genre beyond the gothic castle formula rather than matching it closely.
Does Belmont’s Curse connect to the Netflix Castlevania series?
It has a useful connection, but the game and animated series are not the same story. GameRant describes Belmont’s Curse as set after Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse and heavily inspired by the Netflix animated series. That makes Castlevania III the most relevant older game if you want the roots of the Trevor Belmont and vampire-hunting material the show draws on.
The new game centers on Rose in 1499 Paris, so do not assume it simply adapts a season of the show. Treat the series as a stylistic and story influence, and the older game as useful franchise context. Castlevania III is the stronger next step if you care about the older lore; Symphony of the Night is the stronger one if you want the gameplay formula that most clearly shaped later castle-exploration entries.
Which games are the best fit for different Belmont’s Curse players?
The cleanest way to choose is to identify the feature you want repeated, then accept the trade-off that comes with it:
- Want a persistent castle and RPG progression? Start with Symphony of the Night; choose Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night if modern presentation and build variety matter more.
- Want the Vampire Killer’s old-school roots? Play Super Castlevania IV for whip control, or Castlevania III for Trevor, branching stages and a tougher challenge.
- Want enemy-derived powers? Try Aria of Sorrow and its Tactical Soul system.
- Want the same studio and Castlevania content? Play Dead Cells with Return to Castlevania, accepting that its structure is roguelite runs rather than one evolving map.
- Want exploration and mobility above all? Choose Hollow Knight or Silksong for a strange, haunting world, or The Lost Crown for acrobatic movement and puzzle-led traversal.
- Want darker, harder combat? Choose Blasphemous 2 or The Last Faith; for precise parries in a very different setting, choose Nine Sols.
- Want a shorter adventure? Look at Well Dweller or Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth.
For most players asking for “another modern Castlevania,” Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is the most dependable answer. For the essential classic, play Symphony of the Night; for Rose’s most obvious historical and mechanical echoes, add Castlevania III and Super Castlevania IV. The rest depend on whether you want to change the mood, the map or the combat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer my Belmont’s Curse demo save to the full game?
Konami’s 1 October 2026 update said demo progress carries over only when the demo and full game are on the same platform and account, and the save is retained. The full game also needs to be updated; do not assume a save will move between platforms.
Does Belmont’s Curse work on Nintendo Switch 2?
The available data reports Nintendo Switch 2 compatibility with behavior consistent with the Switch version. That supports playing the Switch release on Switch 2, but it is not evidence of a separate Switch 2 edition or platform-specific upgrade.
Is Belmont’s Curse suitable for younger players?
The reported ESRB rating is Teen, with Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes and Violence listed as content descriptors. Ratings and local age-classification systems differ by country, so check the rating displayed for your region.
What comes in a Belmont’s Curse Midnight Edition?
The announced physical and digital Midnight Editions include alternate Rose costumes, a digital sound and art gallery, and an in-game relic. Edition availability and included bonuses can depend on platform and retailer, so verify the specific listing before ordering.