Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night

Get more help and discuss this game in the Castlevania forum.

Note: This game is also titled Castlevania: Dracula X.

Time Attack option:
Start a new game with the name AXELORD. When you can control Alucard, pause game play and go to "Settings". A "Time Attack" option will appear at the bottom. It displays what time you defeated the Bosses and received special items. This has no purpose in the game. Information in this section was contributed by Celebi129.

Play as Richter Belmont:
Save any game with the following attributes: after the final battle in the game, into the middle section of the inverted castle, after beating the final villain, and marked as "clear" (180% or greater completion). Start a new game with the name RICHTER. Richter Belmont may now be controlled when the new game begins. Richter can not change forms or use armor, weapons, items, and magic. He can perform a super jump, a blade charging move, and use secondary weapons such as the throwing dagger, axe, and holy water.
Information in this section was contributed by Dominador Jr. A Pichay.

Start with blue armor:
Obtain a saved game file as described in the "Play as Richter Belmont" code or successfully complete the game with a completion of 180% or above. Start a new game with the name AXEARMOR. Game play will begin with the blue armor that transforms your character into the axe-wielding blue knight (Axe Lord).
Information in this section was contributed by Dominador Jr. A Pichay.

Start with Potion:
Successfully complete the game, then start a new file and name it GHOST!!! to start with a Potion.
Information in this section was contributed by Kaiserdragon722.

Start with 99 luck:
Obtain a saved game file as described in the "Play as Richter Belmont" code. Start a new game with the name X-X!V''Q. Note: There are two apostrophes in the name. Game play will begin with luck set to 99.

Start with more intelligence:
Obtain a saved game file as described in the "Play as Richter Belmont" code. Start a new game with the name X-X!V''. Note: There are two apostrophes in the name. Game play will begin with increased intelligence but decreased strength.

God's Garb:
Finish the game with over a 200% completion. Then, start a new game with the name MEPHISTO. Alternately, go to the inverted castle and enter the inverted clock tower. Go to the black marble gallery. The armor lords that guard the clock tower drop God's Garb.
Information in this section was contributed by WZeus4.

Nova Bomb:
Enter DRACULA as a name to begin with a Nova Bomb.
Information in this section was contributed by Xtcb23.

No Dopplegangers:
Start a new game with the name MARIA and you will not have to fight the Dopplegangers.
Information in this section was contributed by Fez941R.

Control opening screen:
Use the D-pad to alter the opening screen when "Now Loading" appears.

In-game reset:
Hold Select + Start during game play.
Information in this section was contributed by wilpeter lao.

In the Japanese version, press L1 + R1 + L2 + R2 + Start + Select during game play.
Information in this section was contributed by kate lavides.

View map:
Begin game play with Alucard as a character. Press Start to display the statistics screen, then press L1.

Special moves:
When you have a weapon, you can make special moves with it. Press Down, Down/Forward, Forward then press attack (Circle or Square). Another special move is press Back, Forward, attack (Circle or Square). NOTE: Not all the weapons have both special moves.
Information in this section was contributed by SiroX.

Stronger Hellfire spell:
Hold Up when using the Hellfire spell, before the three fireballs are shot, and a stronger, familiar looking attack will be executed.
Information in this section was contributed by Paul Walsh.

Bonus music track:
Play track two of the game disc in an audio CD player.

Music test:
Complete the game with a rating of over 190% with Alucard. Start a new game with Alucard without overwriting the previous game. Approach the Librarian to display a music select option in the "Buy/Sell" window.

Hint: Easy experience:
Find the Terminus Est (a poisoned sword left by Nova Skeletons), then go to the inverted castle. Work your way to the inverted clock hallway where Level 60 Guardians are waiting. Guardians are relatively weak to poison. Slash away, and you will get monster experience. Depending on your level (35-50), you should be able to gain a level every two kills.

Alternatively, equip the Shield Rod and Alucard Shield (the normal one), and press the Left- and Right-hand buttons at the same time. This will activate a special mode in which your shield is granted the abilities of all shields at once. Your shield is now the strongest weapon in the game (for a random amount of limited time). Ram into the Guardians with the Alucard Shield equipped and cause massive, rapid fire damage.
Information in this section was contributed by KrnagPower.

Continually kill the phantom sword in the inverted chapel.
Information in this section was contributed by Raziel511.

Equip the Shield Rod and Alucard Shield. Activate the God Shield (hold Shield and press Attack(2); you should see a circle of shields above Alucard for a few seconds). To use the God Shield, put up the shield and simply run through an enemy. The God Shield is only activated for a limited amount of time. Watch for the shields to appear above Alucard again, and go up. Then, go to the room to the left of the inverted clock tower. There are two Guardians and one Blade in the room. Kill them continuously with the God Shield to level up quickly. Note: Watch out for the Guardians Ice throw. It does 56 damage with each hit, or 24 damage if the Alucard Mail is equipped.
Information in this section was contributed by Raven.

At Royal Chapel, equip the Jewel Knuckles and go to the bit stairs set. At the top there is an enemy Bone Pillar holding a Spiked Ball. The Spiked Ball is a tough enemy. To kill it, stand very close to it and hold Down + Square. It will continuously take damage without counter attacking until it dies. You will get a lot of experience.
Information in this section was contributed by Arthur Masuda.

Hint: Easy money:
Equip the Jewel Sword (from Discus Lord), then press Down, Down/Forward, Forward. Coins will fall from the sword, giving you extra money.
Information in this section was contributed by Tidus2Legolas.

Go to Coliseum, in the room where you find Shield Rod (and a bag of 1000 gold). Using Alucard Shield + Rod Shield, Talisman and other item combos, you will be able to take 1000 gold at about every twelve seconds.
Information in this section was contributed by karimhp.

Get the Jewel Sword from Discus Lord and go to the room in the library with all the Flea Men and the Dhuron. Kill them to get rings. Note: This works better if you have both the Ring Of Arcana or Ring Of Arcana and a Ring Of Varda Paranthropus equipped.
Information in this section was contributed by Inque1088.

Hint: No damage while underwater:
Get the Holy Symbol relic and turn it on. Go underwater and you will take no damage.
Information in this section was contributed by Dominador Jr. A Pichay.

Hint: Free ride:
Note: Enabling the "Start with 99 luck" code may make this easier. Head for the Castle Keep area and get the Leap Stone. Then, return to the Marble Gallery's long hallway(with the eyeball floating in the background). Approach a Diplocephalus (green ugly creature with a naked woman for a tail). Double jump, then drop kick onto the Diplocephalus's back to get a free ride. You will get knocked off if you get hit by one of its fireballs or if you kill it.
Information in this section was contributed by ace6686.

Hint: Keep Alucard's equipment:
Begin a game with the "Start with 99 luck" code. After reaching the room with the three Wargs (before the room with Death), kill them all. To enter the next room without confronting Death, tap Right until you are slightly into the room. Do not go too far over or else Death will get your character. Go back, remove everything except for the Alucard Sword, Twilight Cloak, and Necklace of J. This should result in a DEF rating of 12. Kill the first Warg (going left) and stand in front of the middle Warg, but make sure you are facing left. Allow it hit you. It should send your character flying out of the room and past Death. Then, save the game. once you return to the room with Death, Slogra And Gaibon will be there. It does not matter if they are defeated, they will still be in their original room. You will be unable to enter the menu screen until the game is saved.
Information in this section was contributed by Archam7 and Lord Markus.

An easier way to make sure you do not meet Death is to enter the room, but as soon as the screen turns black, begin holding Left. The game show the screen and you will walk right back out without meeting Death. Go ahead with the rest of the trick as described (take off the items, kill the first Warg headed left, let the second hit you, etc.). Additionally, do not go through the hole leading into the room Death was in, as this will cause the game to glitch and show Alucard repetitively falling through the hole into the room of Death.
Information in this section was contributed by Kyle McCorkle.

Hint: Raise luck:
Equip the Alucard Sword, Alucard Shield, and Alucard Mail. The game will change your status to Alucard and increase your luck +30. This is useful when attempting to get rare items.
Information in this section was contributed by Joe.

Hint: Hover jump:
Press X, release, and quickly press X again and you will hover in midair for a brief moment instead of dropping to the ground. This requires practice, and the effect is most noticeable (and useful) prior to obtaining the Leap Stone.
Information in this section was contributed by Mnementh2k1.

Hint: Big jump:
Once you have the Super Jump Relic, press Down, Up, X to do a very high jump,
Information in this section was contributed by Barbara Haward.

Hint: Rapid double jumps:
After acquiring the Leap Stone, some places that can only be reached with the bat can be reached without it. Alternatively, find the passage you wish to go to with a nearby enemy or candle. Perform the double jump, then perform the drop kick on the enemy or candle. You will bounce up and be able to do another double jump.
Information in this section was contributed by Adam157.

Hint: Drop kick:
After obtaining the Leap Stone, Alucard can do a drop kick attack. To do it, hold Down during a double jump, and press Jump again. If the attack connects, you will cause base damage (equal to an unarmed attack), plus or minus hit resistance/weakness. Also, if the attack connects, you will jump again as if you had just landed, and you can double jump-drop kick again.
Information in this section was contributed by KrnagPower.

Hint: Get to higher places sooner:
This trick requires a lot of patience and magic. You will need the double jump, the wolf form, and the form of mist. To get to anywhere you cannot jump to or the few places where you need bat form for (for example, the area above all of the mermen to get the Holy Armor), use the double jump, then the downwards kick to kill one of the bats. Then perform the double jump again. You will be able to get high enough to change the screen, but not high enough to actually get to the platform. After performing the second double jump, use the form of mist to gain a little extra height then immediately change into the wolf form. Notice that when you change into the wolf you will gain a little more height. Then, use the form of mist again to gain even more height. You can continue to do this until you run out of magic or reach the desired area. You can also use this trick to obtain the bat card before obtaining the power of mist or the bat form. You can also use it in the Coliseum to get the holy sword where the skeletons and blade masters are. You will have to break open the ceiling on the right side of the room before the first pillar.
Information in this section was contributed by gil the fish.

Hint: Alucard's Shield and Shield Rod combo:
The ultimate weapon combo of Alucard's Shield and Shield Rod does not run out at a random time. It works until your magic meter runs out. Simply switch the Shield Rod for a decent weapon, and as using your shield does not consume that much magic, you now have a weapon that deals lots of damage, gives you life, and has no animation lag because you just hold it in front of you. Monitor your magic and you will never run out of life or need to switch to the Shield Rod again.
Information in this section was contributed by keith siemon.

Hint: Wolf Charge:
Alucard can learn a spell that you do not buy. Press Down/Left for the Wolf Charge.

Hint: Fast ability as wolf:
When you get the Soul Of Wolf, the ''double jump'', and the form of mist, go to the Alchemy Laboratory. Find the room with a hole in the ceiling. There should also be two Shield Skeletons and an Axe Lord in the room. Double jump to the hole, then turn into the wolf and hold Right. Turn into the mist as soon as you turn into the wolf and hold Right. Keep doing this until you get to the top platform on the right. Run all the way to the right into the other room. Once there you will see the orb with a wolf face.
Information in this section was contributed by PDR.

Hint: Form of mist:
To get the mist, go to the Coliseum. You will find some bars that read ''Mist could pass''. Behind that, you will see an orb with a picture of mist that looks like a cloud. You will have to go up some ledges, to the left, down more ledges, then to the right. You should talk to ''possessed Richter'' and fight a minotaur and a werewolf. Once they are killed, go to the room on the right. You will see the orb again and have to jump over there.
Information in this section was contributed by PDR.

Hint: Soul of bat:
To get the bat, you must have the form of mist. When you have the mist, go to the library and go to a door on the left on the second lower platform, when going down some stairs that are to the left. You will have to jump to the platform though. When in the room, go down a lot. You will then have to kill a Boss which resembles a goat demon with wings. Then, jump to these bars that read "Mist could pass." Once you are there, hold Right and you will see an orb with a bat on it.
Information in this section was contributed by PDR.

Hint: Double-Slash:
There is a way to negate slow recovery times of weapons, and in effect, "double-slash". Tap Jump lightly to perform a small hop, then immediately before you land back on the ground, tap Square or Circle to attack in mid-air. Then a split second later when Alucard's feet touch the ground, tap Square or Circle again. Alucard will attack again, regardless of whether the weapon has a long cool down time or not. Note: Even if the animation of the initial attack is interrupted, it still counts. This is useful for strong weapons that are normally slow, such as the Sword Familiar.
Information in this section was contributed by Arctic.

Hint: Mid-Air Double-Slash:
Some weapons in the game hit twice when the Square or Circle is held long enough while in mid-air. What looks like one slash will actually count as two hits. Tap Jump to perform a low hop, like in the "Double-Slash" trick, then at the peak of the jump, hold Square or Circle. Alucard will perform a slash, but you will notice two damage counters appear. This only works for some swords, presumably those with auras, such as the Sword Familiar, Icebrand, Firebrand, Thunderbrand, etc. Used in conjunction with the "Double-Slash" trick, you can perform triple-slashes by using the mid-air double-slash, then tapping Square or Circle once you touch the ground.
Information in this section was contributed by Arctic.

Hint: Sleeping Alucard:
Find a chair that Alucard can sit in without being disturbed (for example, near a Boss). Sit in it, and leave the game running for awhile without pausing. Every so often, you will see Z's appearing.
Information in this section was contributed by Mnementh2k1.

Hint: Faerie on your shoulder:
When you have the Faerie familiar, get her out and do not move. In a little while, the Faerie will go onto your shoulder to sit. If you move, she will fall off with a screech.
Information in this section was contributed by GrassPKMNTR.

Hint: Axe Lord Armor:
Go to the Royal Chapel. Find an enemy there called "Spiked Ball". Kill it until it drops the Axe Lord Armor. Do not kill the Bone Pillar before the Spiked Ball. If you do, it will roll down the stairway and you will not be able to kill it.
Information in this section was contributed by wilpeter lao.

Hint: Axe Shield:
If you fight the Axe Lord Armors, they will eventually drop an Axe Shield.
Information in this section was contributed by Fez941R.

Hint: Dragon Statue:
Occasionally, when a Petrify attack hits Alucard, he will turn into a giant, kneeling dragon statue instead of an Alucard statue. In this form, you will not take any damage whatsoever from attacks. Breaking out of the stone returns Alucard to his original form.
Information in this section was contributed by Mnementh2k1.

Hint: Librarian bounce items:
After obtaining the Leap Stone and Gravity Boots, return to the Long Library, and proceed all the way to the left from the entrance. In the last room, there is a hole in the ceiling that takes you to directly under the Librarian. Line up directly under the hole, and Super Jump. Jumping first, then doing a Super Jump will result in absolutely no effect. Doing the Super Jump repeatedly (without hitting the floor) will result in the Librarian dropping a Life Up, Ring of Arcana, AxeLord Armor, and Dracula Tunic. After the Librarian drops one item, drop to the floor, and then repeat to get the next item.
Information in this section was contributed by Mnementh2k1.

You have to go all the way left from the entrance as described previously. In the last room, you need the Leap Stone and Gravity Boots. Stand directly under the hole in the ceiling and press Down, Up, Jump to do the Super Jump. Then, use your Double Jump while in the air to do another Super Jump. After you do the double jump, repeatedly press Down, Up, Jump. When your magic is used up about half way, you will obtain one of the items.
Information in this section was contributed by Biodude726.

Hint: Crisseagrim sword:
The best sword in the game is the Crisseagrim (obtained from the Schmoos in the Inverted Library). It is not the most powerful, but its speed and number of hits allows many of the Bosses (Medusa, Mummy ,Frankenstien) to be killed in under ten seconds. Note: Bosses with multiple parts, such as Beelzebub, and those that jump away when hit, such as Doppleganger 40, do not suffer from the multiple hits as well.
Information in this section was contributed by kyosuke.

Hint: Duplicator:
After you complete the game return to the Librarian. He will have something special for you, a Duplicator which duplicates any items you use -- you will never run out of anything again. However, it costs 500,000 gold. Try to get the gold close to where you found the mermaids icon in the tunnel that the oarsman takes you. It gives you 2000 a piece there -- not a lot but the best there is. Note: You have to get the good ending (by killing Dracula) first.
Information in this section was contributed by mkombat99.

Hint: Gods Garb:
Get one Ring Of Varda from a Paranthrapus (big yellow skeleton in the Inverted Castle). Put it on and go to the Clock Tower. Kill the guardians in both rooms until you get Gods Garb. You do not need 200% completion or start a new game with the name "Mephisto".
Information in this section was contributed by XXNaZGuL13Xx.

Hint: Ring Of Varda:
Kill the big yellow skeletons (Paranthropus), in the Reverse Misty Tower. The Ring Of Varda gives all your stats a large boost, nearly making you invincible. It results in +40 strength, +35 defense, +30 intelligence, and +15 luck.
Information in this section was contributed by nick mendoza.

Get two of these rings to double the effect. Lapis Lazuli combined with the Arcana Ring will help.
Information in this section was contributed by Mnementh2k1.

Hint: Marsil sword:
To get the best looking sword in the game, you must have high luck. Go to the Inverted laboratory and kill the Fire Demons until you get the Marsil. They will also give you the fire sheild.
Information in this section was contributed by Sumas.

Hint: Mublung sword:
In the inverted castle, you will find a Spectral Sword in the Reverse Chapel. That Spectral Sword drops a sword called the Mublung Sword. This sword can be used to do the shields special moves and its stronger than the Shield Rod.
Information in this section was contributed by Brandon Blake.

Hint: King's Stone:
The little bat-like creatures that blow at your head will give you a King's Stone (STR +10)
Information in this section was contributed by Sumas.

Hint: Poison Sword:
Kill the Lesser Demon in inverted laboratory to get the sword.
Information in this section was contributed by WZeus4.

Hint: Stone Sword:
Go to the inverted castle and kill the Gordons until you get the sword.
Information in this section was contributed by Supermonkey9117.

Hint: Sword Of Dawn:
In the inversed castle, when coming out of the room where you defeated Shaft, go left, then go up to where the Power of Mist was in the normal castle (past the strange face that appears correctly both right-side up and upside down). There will be a fairly tall column there. Do your super jump up to the top and slash (or turn on the cross and jump up so that the crosses can hit the column). The top portion of the column will cave in and there will be a sword called "Sword Of Dawn" there. When you use the Down, Down/Forward, Forward move, it will summon one of several different kinds of skeletal warriors. One moves forward and attacks enemies, another creates arrows, another summons about four skeleton archers, and another creates a skeleton magician.
Information in this section was contributed by Nyteshade.

Hint: The Talisman:
The Talisman is the hardest item in the game to obtain. Go to the Outer Wall and get near the uppermost elevator entrance. There are three skeletons with muskets there. Kill these repeatedly until you get the Talisman, which makes you invincible. The Ring of Acarna and Lapis Lazuli help somewhat, but the Talisman is still very difficult to get. Note: You can also acquire one in the Reverse Laboratory.
Information in this section was contributed by Wheelman8965.

Hint: Easy sword level up:
After you have acquired the sword familiar, go to the castle entrance. You will see a part of that level where merman are jumping out of the water. Stand on the left ledge. Take out the sword familiar and let it attack everything. This will take about four or five hours. Alucard will never be hit as long as he is on the left ledge. You can use the sword familiar as a weapon when it reaches level 50, or you can get the most powerful weapon in the game by letting it go to level 99.
Information in this section was contributed by Alucard level 64.

Hint: Powerful sword:
The Sword Familiar at level 99 is not actually the strongest weapon in the game. The Spectral Sword in the Reverse Chapel drops a Blood Sword named Gurthang. It is stronger than the Alucard sword normally, but when Dark Metamorphosis is activated, it strikes for about 100 damage more than the Sword Familiar at level 99. The effect however is lost when Dark Metamorphosis ends. Just reactivate it to regain the effect.
Information in this section was contributed by Mike Riollano.

Hint: Defeating Doppleganger 10:
Use the watch sub-weapon. When he freezes, attack him until he dies.
Information in this section was contributed by Knivez.

Hint: Defeating Doppleganger 40:
Equip Terminus Est (sword) and Topaz Circlet (Head Gear). This is because he will use any sword you use, and the Terminus Est is a poison sword. The Topaz Circlet will convert Poison damage into HP.
Information in this section was contributed by Jpajewski.

The Dopplegangers react to abnormal status attacks in the same way that you do. Therefore, use the Terminus Est (poisoned sword) to reduce his attack strength, the Stone Sword to inflict Petrify damage, Icebrand to encase him in a block of ice, and Red Rust (which curses the target) to totally disable his attacks.
Information in this section was contributed by Mnementh2k1.

Hint: Defeating Dracula:
When you fight as Richter against Dracula (in the Prologue: Final Battle level), Alucard's starting stats are determined by several factors:
Information in this section was contributed by Siro X.

Richter should not pick up any items (Holy Water or Cross).
He should not get hit.
Do not let Maria resurrect him

Equip the Shield Rod and Alucard Shield. Press Square + Circle. If your shield touches an enemy such as Dracula, it will do about 200 to 250 damage. You can do this rapidly. It will take down magic -- only use Shield when needed.
Information in this section was contributed by Tyler McCourtney.

Hint: Defeating Final Dracula:
To kill Dracula without getting hit, all you need is the Alucard Shield and the Shield Rod. When the battle begins, activate the Shield (use the Rod and the Shield at the same time). Stand in the center of the screen with the Shield out. You will actually gain health each time the Shield hits Dracula.
Information in this section was contributed by kyosuke.

Hint: Defeating Galamoth:
Equip the following items. Sentient sword familiar at level 99. Find a sword familiar in Olrox's quarters at the bottom right, where the holes in the ground are located. See the Valhalla Knights. The Alucard shield is found where Merman Statue is located, but only in the upside down castle. For the Beryl Circlet. ask the librarian for list of enemies to recover this item. Get God's Garb from the Guardian in the clock room of the upside down castle. Then, get two Rings Of Varda. The Beryl Circlet will make you absorb Galamoth's lightning rod. Galamoth is found in the upside down castle, where the catacombs where you fight the orb.
Information in this section was contributed by Alucard level 64.

First, get the Crisseagrim sword from a Schmoo (white flying heads) in the library. When you get to Galamoth, turn into mist and fly to the platform behind his head. Turn back to Alucard and start to attack him using the Crisseagrim. He will have no chance to attack or even move. Note: Crisseagrim is the ultimate weapon in combat, alongside the Shield Rod/Alucard Shield combo.
Information in this section was contributed by Mel.

Equip the Shield Rod and Alucard Shield. Repeatedly press Square + Circle. Then, put the shield to his leg. It will repeatedly keep taking 199 lives away from him quickly until he is dead.
Information in this section was contributed by VoluptuousRed36.

Obtain the Fire shield from the Fire Demon in the Inverted Castle and the Shield Rod from the original castle. Once fighting with Galamoth, equip the Shield Rod and Fire Shield then use the shield technique (press Circle + Square). This will defeat Galamoth in a matter of two to five hits.
Information in this section was contributed by Justin Geisler.

Hint: Defeating Granfaloon (Legion):
Run past Granfaloon and jump to the nearby platforms. This may require some practice. Repeatedly cast the Soul Steal Spell. You will hit Granfaloon and his helpers while replenishing some health each time. Because you are on the platform. you can wait for your MP meter to refill without risking attack. However, when a piece of Granfaloon rips off and exposes a tentacle-like structure which can shoot a laser beam at you, avoid it and repeat the process.
Information in this section was contributed by Adam157.

Hint: More game completion percentage:
Once you have collected the Sword Card and the Soul of Bat relic, go to the Royal Chapel. In the very bottom-left corner of the first Bell Tower is a "door" to a room with two large candles. Stand in the bell tower, activate the Sword Familiar, and do the Sword Brother's spell (Down, Down/Right, Right, Up/Right, then hold Up, Down, Circle or Square). While the sword is spinning, shift into a bat and fly to the left. You should stay in the bell tower and be able to fly up and around the outside of it. This will fill in a white block on your map, which counts on your percentage. This can also be done in the inverted Chapel. Note: This requires your Sword Familiar be at Level 99/Exp 99.
Information in this section was contributed by IShinji32.

Hint: Easy Familiar level up:
Note: This trick works with the bat, sword, fairy, ghost and demon, and requires a controller with a turbo feature. Equip the familiar card that you want to increase in level up. Equip a knife, such as the combat knife, and go to the place near the start of the normal castle where the zombies continuously appear. Set yourself up against a wall where you can attack them, but they cannot attack you from behind. Enable the turbo feature and keep the knife button held. You will continuously kill the zombies without getting hurt. This will slowly earn experience for your familiar card. Note: If the cards evolve, they will be automatically be put away afterwards and will gain any more experience until they are brought back out again.
Information in this section was contributed by CaptanGinu.

Familiars increase mainly by number of kills rather than experience value, especially with Alucard at very high levels. Exceptions are made for Bosses (higher) and Blood Skeletons (none). Find a location where lots of enemies constantly replenish, such as in the Marble Gallery in the inverted castle, where Medusa Heads appear, or in the reverse Caverns, where large numbers of Dark Octopi can be found. Equip a fast weapon, choose your familiar, and start slashing.
Information in this section was contributed by Mnementh2k1.

Once you have a duplicator it is extremely easy to level up the familiars. Go to the reverse caverns in the area after fighting Doppleganger 40. In this area is a room with lots of Dark Octopuses. Drop down into the room and use a Bat Pentagram then a normal Pentagram and jump back out. Each time you do this, you will get 20 to 30 experience for the familiar, and it can be done many times in one minute.
Information in this section was contributed by Joe.

Go to the Reverse Underground's Caverns, until a room filled with Dark Octopus after Doppleganger40 appears. This room resembles the following:

XXXXXXXX_  _XXXXXXX
XXXXX           XXX
X
X
X                XX
XXX           XXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Equip Power Of Sire and Duplicator. Stay in one of the little platforms at the top of the screen. Use Power Of Sire, wait two seconds, then jump out of screen. You will fall in the octopus screen again. This method kills 13 Dark Octopus in about five seconds each time. Starting with a Familiar at level 1, you will reach level 99 in about two hours.
Information in this section was contributed by karimhp.

When you have the Medusa Shield or Dark Shield, go to the zombies at the beginning of the game. Put on one of these shields, then use some tape to bind Circle down. Allow the game to idle in this state. In about ten to twelve hours your Familiars will be at 99/99.
Information in this section was contributed by rob meyer.

Go to the inverted castle's chapel, where the enemy called "Shield" is found. Shield is located in the room where the background is a church and there are stairs on both sides. Put on your Duplicator and equip "Power Of Sire" to both hands. Use the familiar that you want to level up, walk on the screen where "Shield" is found. Use one card of Sire, then the other one. You have to hit one before the other; not at the same time or it will only trigger one to work. This will kill the Shield the moment that you use the second Power Of Sire. Walk off the screen then walk back on and repeat. You can level each Familiar to level 99/99 in less than ten minutes per Familiar. This is much better than with the Dark Octopuses because it takes less time to kill it repeatedly for twice as much experience.
Information in this section was contributed by RawMaple.

Hint: Use Sword Familiar as weapon:
When you get the Sword Familiar at level 99 and experience 99, you can use it as a sword. Note: It is the most powerful sword in the game.
Information in this section was contributed by Inque1088.

Get the Sword Familiar to level 50. You should see the Sword Familiar fly across the screen. The Sword Familiar has now been added to the weapon equip menu. However, if you would rather have your Sword Familiar float around you, just turn the Sword Familiar Card in the Relics menu back on. Note: You do not have to level the sword to 99 to be able to use it as a hand held weapon, but the higher the level the more powerful it will become. Also, the sword's appearance will have changed at this level. A great enemy to level your familiars on is the Spectral Sword (the floating sword with other weapons and shields around it) that resides in the room that connects the Reverse Chapel to the Reverse Coliseum. It can give a familiar about 20 to 40 experience points if the familiar is about level 1 to 45. It is a very easy and fast kill with Tetra Spirit.
Information in this section was contributed by Xennovi.

Hint: Blue-Green Sword Familiar:
Level up the Sword Familiar to level 50 so you can equip it as a weapon. Equip it, then go to the clock room in the Black Marble Gallery (second castle). Head up and save in the room to the right. Reset, then load your game again. Once you gain control of your character, try slashing. You will notice that instead of the normal green aura, the Sword Familiar will emit a combined blue and green aura.
Information in this section was contributed by Arctic.

Hint: Orobourous ally:
When playing as Richter, go to the Inverted Castle. In the Castle Entrance you will find a Dragon Rider. Go to the room next to it to find some Jack-O-Bones, a Dodo Bird and two Orobourous Riders. As Richter, aim for the Fleaman controlling the Orobourous and kill it. The Orobourous will turn yellow and become your ally until you exit the room.
Information in this section was contributed by ESPERANZA TELLEZ.

Hint: Skip prelude battle:
You can avoid the fight against Dracula in the prelude as Richter. Just walk to the right as soon as you start. This will skip the prelude and jump directly to Alucard on the bridge.
Information in this section was contributed by Juan Carlos.

Hint: Secret passage:
At the outer-wall section of the castle, defeat the Armor Lord and go into the next room. Slash the far left wall, get the Meat, and stand in the wall you have broken for approximately twenty seconds. An elevator will take you into a secret room containing Jewel Knuckles and a Mirror Cuirass. Note: This trick brings you to the room that requires Mist to pass in the Outer-Wall. This also works with playing as Richter Belmont. Both can be used only in the normal castle
Information in this section was contributed by Adrian.

Hint: Secret room:
Start a new game as Richter. As soon as the game starts (at the front gate of the castle), press Left. You should now be in a new room with something special behind a grate after it is opened.
Information in this section was contributed by Chris Miller.

At the beginning of the game on Final Stage Bloodlines, go up the stairs to the inside part of the castle. Next, turn to the right to face the stairs where there are bricks above you. Then, jump and hit the bricks. One of the bricks should break. Jump and hit the button, and stairs should come down from the ceiling. This is best done as Alucard.
Information in this section was contributed by PDR.

Hint: Return from inverted castle:
If you want to return from the inverted castle back to the original, use the Library Card Item. It will return you to the room in the original castle's library where you buy items. The Library Card can be found in a few different places in both castles.
Information in this section was contributed by Nic.

Hint: Items in inverted castle:
By the marble gallery is Jack-O-Bones, Stone Skulls, Corps, and Thornweeds. You can use Wolf Charge to get across. As you are doing that. you are also hitting the bottom of the Stone Skull. You must have Skill Of Wolf to run swiftly.
Information in this section was contributed by Gabby.

Hint: Go through inverted castle faster:
Use the following trick to get to the inverted castle faster without getting the Spike Breaker. First, save the game. Obtain Faerie Familiar, and get at least one Life Apple item (usable only by Faerie). When you already have the Gold Ring after defeating Succubus and your Mist and Power Of Mist card, go to the upper-left part of the castle where you can get the Silver Ring. This location has many spikes, and is where you meet Maria. Unequip all your items then bring your HP down by stepping on the spikes to the lowest possible amount; until one more step on the spikes will kill you. After that, summon your Faerie familiar. Finally, morph to Mist and travel to the left until you reach the green door. Use up all your MP by not re-morphing to normal Alucard. You will now die when you hit the spikes. Your Faerie familiar will revive you through your Life Apple and give Alucard a supernaturally invincible appearance, where you will be able to run through spikes without dying for a limited amount of time. You can also open doors at the same time. After this happens, run your way through the door and open it. Then, talk to Maria, and get the Silver Ring. After that, wait for your MP to be filled to the max, then open the door. Do not worry about dying when you hit the spikes, as this will not happen. Quickly transform to Mist, then fly up to the exit. After this, get the Holy Glasses to Maria. Defeat Richter by equipping your Holy Glasses.
Information in this section was contributed by Ronald Borla.

Hint: Introduction forest secret:
Start a new game as Richter. As soon as the game starts, immediately turn around, duck, and do the sliding attack. You will exit the entrance to the castle before the main gate closes. You can now walk outside, on top, or to the very start of the game where Alucard runs to enter the castle. Note: Once you slide attack your way out the first time, the main gate will not open for you once it has closed. Therefore, you are locked out. Run, or if you are patient, walk all the way to the left once you have first exited the gate. Go on for about 30 seconds all the way to the left. Richter will automatically do an Alucard introduction by running through the forest, jumping on the bridge, and say "Holy Cross!" when he jumps the gate to enter Castlevania again.
Information in this section was contributed by ThEPhAsELeGaCy.

Hint: Cowering Skelarangs:
This trick only works at the start of the game. Attack a Skelerang with the short sword one time, then stand still and do not move. The Skelerang should crouch down on its knees and cover its head, and will stay this way until you move away from it.
Information in this section was contributed by Justin Manny.

You do not have to use a short sword; just walk up close to one and it will cower.
Information in this section was contributed by Snarlingalpha.

Hint: True fountain form:
Enter Orlox's Keep and fight your way to the fountain guarded by two Valhalla Knights. The fountain should change the water coming from it to blood. After this happens, keep jumping or flying around the fountain, but make sure the moon is directly behind it. The full moon will show the fountain's true shape, of a demon instead of an angel.
Information in this section was contributed by Justin Manny.

Hint: Richter' s moves:
Information in this section was contributed by Siro X.

Belmont Leap: Press Down, Up, Jump
Backflip: Quickly press Jump(2)
Maelstorm: Sweep the D-pad in a Full-Circle + Attack.
Slide: Hold Down and press Jump.
Slide Leap: Hold Down and press Jump(2).
Rushing Blade: Press Up, Down, Down/Forward, Forward, Attack

Hint: Alucard's spells:
Information in this section was contributed by Dominador Jr. A Pichay.

Summon Spirit: Press Back, Forward, Down, Up + Attack.
Dark Metamorphesis: Press Back, Up/Back, Up, Up/Forward, Forward + Attack.
Tetra Spirit: Hold Up for three seconds, then press Up/Forward, Forward, Down/Forward, Down + Attack.
Hellfire: Press Up, Down, Down/Forward, Forward + Attack. Hold Up after he teleports to shoot two large black balls instead of three fireballs.
Soul Steal: Press Back, Forward, Down/Forward, Down, Down/Back, Back, Forward + Attack.

Hint: Custom Joseph's cloak colors:

Look	Exterior setting	Lining setting
Heaven	Red 10, Green 13, Blue 26	Same
Mountain Dew	Red 22, Green 31, Blue 11	Same
Royal cloak	Blue 15	Green 8
Hippie	Red 20, Blue 20	Green 24, Blue 24
Neon	Red 22, Green 31	Same
Dream Bar	Red 31, Green16, Blue 10	Same
Hershey Bar	Red18, Green16, Blue 13	Same
Royal Purple	Red 16, Green 6, Blue 31	Same
Florida Orange Juice	Red 31, Green 22	Same
Cherry Pie	Red 31, Green 6, Blue 15	Same
Sky blue	Red 22, Green 31, Blue 31	Same

Information in this section was contributed by Bryan Cornett.

Item	Enemy	Location
Fist of Tulkas (FW)	Lion	Forbidden Library
Crisseagrim (SW)	Schmoo	Forbidden Library
Rune Sword (SW)	Dodo	Reverse Entrance
Ring of Feanor (A)	Karausuman	Akmodon's Lair
Mourneblade (SW)	Azaghal	Reverse Coliseum
Covenant Stone (A)	Azaghal	Reverse Coliseum
Nauglimar (A)	Cave Troll	Reverse Caverns
Wizard Hat (H)	Salome	Reverse Catacombs
Yasutsuna (SW)	Werewolf	Reverse Coliseum
Masamune (SW)	Black Panther	Reverse Chapel

Key
A: Accessory
FW: Fist weapon
SW: Sword
H: Hat, Helmet

To do this trick, you must have the Bat Card. Press Triangle to dash and press R2 to change into the bat. You can also switch out of the bat if fast enough (does not use any MP).
Information in this section was contributed by Sumas.

Glitch: Stuck Alucard:
Defeat Richter Belmont and go to the Inverted castle. In the same area where you just defeated him, go to the torch that gives you the cross. Hit the switch above it, walk to the top and backdash down. He will do it twice, drop through it, and get stuck at the end.
Information in this section was contributed by Sumas.

Glitch: Invincible Alucard:
You will need the Walk Armor, Sword Card, and Soul of Wolf. Go to the room where you can see a save point and do the "Sword Brothers". Then, immediately go to the save point and press Up + R2 so that you can save the game as a Wolf. Immediately save the game as the Sword Familiar starts spinning. Once you see the "Data Saved" message, hold Select + Start to reset the game, then load your saved file. If done correctly, your map will be glitched and the rooms you have previously visited will have disappeared. However, your completion will remain as it is. You must cover the rooms you have done before. The Walk Armor's defense will increase as your completion also increases. The more rooms to cover, the stronger the Walk Armor's defense will become. Repeat this until the Walk Armor becomes very strong. At this point the highest damage that Alucard will ever receive is 1 (except spikes), and he will be immune to all types of sickness except for stone. Alucard will not be pushed away, even if he is being attacked by enemies. Also, if Alucard gets hit while he is in Bat or Wolf form, he will remain in that form as if nothing hit him.
Information in this section was contributed by wilpeter lao.

Glitch: Invisible Alucard:
Stand near to any doorway where you can change screens. Then, face in the opposite direction. Press Start to open the menu, then equip the Library Card. Use it and wait for the screen to turn white. Immediately open your menu then equip the Axe Lord Armor. Exit the menu, then immediately open the menu again. Remove the Axe Lord Armor, then exit from the menu. Immediately press Triangle to do a backslide and also change screens. If done correctly, Alucard will be invisible on the next screen.
Information in this section was contributed by wilpeter lao.

Glitch: Strange shadow:
Immediately after you defeat the boss with the green orb, watch the ending sequence where Leon thinks he should go back To rinaldo. Look carefully at the upper left-hand corner of the screen, about where the light shines through. You may see a spooky looking shadow that resembles a man.
Information in this section was contributed by Stinkytaco.

Glitch: Slogra and Gaibon clones:
When you begin a new game, you will encounter a battle with two Bosses, slogra (green demon with the spear) and Gaibon (the flying blue gargoyle) in the alchemy laboratory. There is a room in the lab where you can get the axe weapon from a candle. In the upper right side of that room is an opening to the Boss' battleground. In order to perform this glitch, you need to enter the battleground. However, as soon as you enter it, quickly press Left so that the wall will not close. If you managed to quickly exit before the wall closes, go to the place above the location where you first met death and stole your weapons. You will see that there is a hole in the middle. Allow yourself to fall through the hole and you will see that both Bosses are there instead of the normal battle location. Defeat the Gaibon first -- if you hit the Slogra, the Gaibon will carry the Slogra and flee. If this happens, quickly exit to the left room then go back qucikly so that they will appear again . You will get experience from this, and will also see these two Bosses again in their original locations.
Information in this section was contributed by miggy francisco.

Glitch: Bat card:
Summon the Bat card then turn into a bat yourself. Another bat will appear with a heart.
Information in this section was contributed by hottienotu.

Glitch: No sword:
As Alucard, equip any sword and duck. Then, attack with the sword. Wait a few seconds. Alucard will act as though he does a second slash, but the sword will not appear. Note: The second attack does not do any damage.
Information in this section was contributed by DarkHylian777.

Glitch: Stuck Heaven Sword:
Equip two Heaven Swords on Alucard, then press Square + Circle. Immediately transform Alucard into a wolf as the Heaven Sword starts spinning behind him. The Heaven Sword will stay there and will never do its attack.
Information in this section was contributed by wilpeter lao.

Glitch: Gold Axe Lord Armor:
You will need the Axe Lord Armor and Sword Card for this trick. Go to the room where you can see the Master Librarian. Do the "Sword Brothers", then go to the Master LIbrarian's menu. Press Start and equip the Axe Lord Armor. Then, exit your menu.
Information in this section was contributed by wilpeter lao.

Glitch: Alternate colors:
Use the "Easy sword level up" trick to get the Sword Familiar to level 99. Then, cross all the towers. When you get to the last one, you will see that it ends and find the door that leads to the outside where you fly up to fight Richter Belmont. When you get to the end, go on the top of the door. You should be inside the castle again, but when you go outside the background will colored differently.
Information in this section was contributed by Armando3 Aguirre.

Glitch: Extra items:
Go to the Anti-Chapel in the Inverted Castle at the top of the largest tower. Perform the Sword Familiar glitch and exit the castle. Fall all the way down to the top of the room with the spikes. Then, keep walking to the right until you fall into the spike room. It would help to have the Spike Breaker Armor equipped so you do not take any damge. Exit to the left and keep following the halls to the left until you reach a save point. Save the game and reset the PlayStation. When you get back to the playing screen, you should have some rare items such as Mosafune.
Information in this section was contributed by bjt.

Glitch: Pain lines:
Play the game on a Playstation2. Go to the underground area where you fight the frozen Shades. Kill them and the screen will have pink slashes all over it as they scream. This also works with Venus Weeds and Frozen Halves.
Information in this section was contributed by Justin Manny.

Glitch: Duplication while saving:
When playing the game on a PlayStation2 with a Performance 2-in-1 memory card, the game will sometimes freeze while saving. However, you will keep all the experience and items that you received. This allows you to get map items twice and fight Bosses twice. It also removes the map explored since your last save, but does not take the explored % away.
Information in this section was contributed by Joe.

Glitch: Briefly defy gravity:
This trick can only be done in certain parts of the castle. The easiest locations are in the underground caverns and the castle keep. In the underground caverns, go to the entrance of the abandon mines. Then, use your Gravity Jump to get up to the part with all the frogs and toads. Let the frog hit you when you are in the air. If done correctly, you should stay in the air for about one or two seconds. In the castle keep, go to the part with the hidden staircases. Jump on the stairs but do not go up. Use your Gravity Jump at about the middle of the stairs to go up and hit the diagonal ceiling. If done correctly, you should stay in the air for one or two seconds.
Information in this section was contributed by Stinkytaco.

Glich: Longer battle with Cerberus:
Turn into a bat and switch your Bat Familiar Card on. Then, use Fire Of Bat to attack him with a short flame blast. This should increase his health. Every time he gets low on HP, use the Fire Of Bat and continue a never ending battle.
Information in this section was contributed by Stinkytaco.

Glitch: Misspelling:
Go to the Master Librarian's menu, then open the Enemy List. You will see "Cerberos" instead of "Cerberus" and "Beezelbub" instead of "Beelzebub".
Information in this section was contributed by wilpeter lao.