The Original Castlevania Is Free Right Now, but There’s a Catch

Grab the game that started the legendary Konami series before it's gone

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Konami's Castlevania series. Since its debut, there have been countless games, spin-offs, and adaptations telling the story of the Belmont family's ongoing fight against Dracula and the forces of evil. But it all started in 1986 with the first game's release on the Famicom in Japan. Konami is making the original game available for free as part of the anniversary celebrations, but you only have a limited time to claim it.

Konami made the announcement in a post on the official Castlevania website, writing, "As a token of our gratitude to all the players who have supported the series over the years, we are delighted to share the game that started it all." The original NES version of Castlevania is now available as a free mobile app for iOS and Android. You have until Oct. 24 at 23:59 JST to claim the game; players will continue to have access to it after the promotion ends.

The original Castlevania introduced players to Simon Belmont and the mythos of the Belmont clan, vampire hunters pitted against Dracula. It also marks the first appearance of the Vampire Killer, the series' iconic whip. The game was heavily influenced by classic horror films, and its sequel, Simon's Quest, helped lay the foundation for the Metroidvania genre. While the game is 40 years old, it holds up remarkably well.

What's next for the Castlevania series?

There hasn't been a new Castlevania game in over a decade, after Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 was released in 2014. Since then, Konami has put out a number of remasters and collections, but fans have been eager for a true revival, which is finally happening later this year. Castlevania: Belmont's Curse will be released on Oct. 15 and will bring the series back to its 2D roots.

Belmont's Curse takes place two decades after Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse and follows Rose Belmont, the daughter of previous protagonist Trevor. She'll also wield the Vampire Killer like Simon before her. The game is being developed by Evil Empire, the team behind Dead Cells and The Rogue Prince of Persia. Their experience with Metroidvania games should help make Belmont's Curse feel as fans expect.