Castlevania: Order of Shadows
A mobile side story in the Castlevania series.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Castlevania: Order of Shadows is a mobile game developed for the Java Platform, Micro Edition and released by Konami in September 2007. It is a platform game with RPG characteristics, featuring gameplay similar to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The player character is Desmond Belmont, the latest in the line of Belmont family members to star in a Castlevania game, who wields a whip as his main weapon supplemented with sub-weapons like throwing axes and holy water vials.
- Developer
- Konami
- Platform
- Java Platform, Micro Edition
- Release
- September 2007
- Genre
- Platform game with RPG characteristics
- Protagonist
- Desmond Belmont
- Setting
- Late 17th century
Lore & Background
The plot follows Desmond Belmont and his two sisters, Zoe and Dolores, as they search Dracula's castle for a cult called 'The Order' that is trying to resurrect Dracula. The game takes place in the late 17th century and is a side story to the official canon, not part of Koji Igarashi's official timeline. The player controls Desmond, the heir of the Vampire Killer whip.
Reader's Guide
Originally, the storyline centered on a character named Gryff LaRue and his family of 'mages and witches', but was rewritten to align with the Belmont clan's portrayal as a 'family of warriors'. After the rewrite, the story became more similar to traditional Castlevania stories, and Desmond was given a whip instead of an axe or sword. The game was built 'from the ground up' for cell phones. Reception was mixed: IGN rated it 6.7, calling it 'decent' with little replay value; 1UP.com gave it a D−, calling it a 'major disappointment'; and Wired rated it 3 out of 10, praising the music but criticizing it as too short and easy. The game features the ability to swap the existing soundtrack with songs from the original Castlevania.
Did You Know?
- The game was originally planned around a character named Gryff LaRue and his family of mages and witches.
- Desmond Belmont is the latest Belmont family member to star in a Castlevania game at the time of release.
- The game allows players to swap the soundtrack with songs from the original Castlevania.
- It was built from the ground up to be played on cell phones.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Castlevania: Order of Shadows?
It is a mobile side-story entry in the Castlevania franchise that Konami published in September 2007 for Java-based phones. The title blends side-scrolling platform action with light RPG progression, drawing clear mechanical inspiration from Symphony of the Night.
Who is Desmond Belmont and what can he do in combat?
Desmond is the newest member of the Belmont vampire-hunting bloodline to headline a Castlevania game. He fights primarily with a whip and can also deploy sub-weapons such as throwing axes and vials of holy water.
Which platform can I play Castlevania: Order of Shadows on?
The game was built specifically for the Java Platform, Micro Edition, meaning it ran on feature-era mobile phones rather than modern smartphones or home consoles.
Where does Castlevania: Order of Shadows sit in the wider Castlevania timeline?
Set in the late 17th century, it occupies a period between several of the mainline titles and is treated as a standalone mobile side story rather than a direct sequel to any single entry.
What sets Castlevania: Order of Shadows apart from the main-series Castlevania games?
While it keeps the classic whip-and-sub-weapon combat loop, it layers on RPG-style progression elements and was designed around the constraints of a mobile Java environment, making it a more compact experience than a full console release.
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