Castlevania: Bloodlines

n/a

Castlevania: Bloodlines

Publisher: Konami

Developer: Konami

Genre: Action

Number of players: 1

Release	Date	RRP	Code

VRC

Castlevania: Bloodlines, known as Vampire Killer (バンパイアキラー) in Japan, is an entry in the Castlevania series, and the first of two games to reach Sega systems. Bloodlines was the subject of much debate at the time, as even though it has a considerable amount of violence and many depictions of blood, Sega's Videogame Rating Council only gave the game a "GA", the lowest rating possible. This affected the European release, which was heavily censored and renamed Castlevania: The New Generation, and the Australian release kept the name while remaining identical to the American release in content. The game was released exclusively for the Sega Mega Drive.

Bloodlines takes place in 1917 and does not feature the Belmont clan featured in previous games. It is also the first game not to take place exclusively within in Romania.

Compared to other Castlevania games, Bloodlines was faster and more dynamic, e.g. it's possible to jump onto stairs. Weapons can be powered up, which also exchanges the equipped subweapon (axe, boomerang,...) into a smartbomb.

Like most Konami games on the Sega Mega Drive, Bloodlines has become rather expensive.

Playable Characters

John Morris (Johnny Morris in the Japanese version) - whip user
Eric Lecarde - spear user

Trivia

The game utilizes a region lockout mechanism, but it can be disabled by holding down the button during startup. Note that this doesn't affect the title screen and graphics modifications (so it's not possible to turn a censored PAL version into an uncensored NTSC-J or NTSC-U version)

Promotional Material

CastlevaniaBloodlines MD US PrintAdvert.jpg

US print advert
CastlevaniaTNG MD UK PrintAdvert.jpg

UK print advert
CastlevaniaTNG MD FR PrintAdvert.jpg

FR print advert

Physical Scans

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)

NTSC-U

70

^[3]

1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)

PAL

60

^[4]

1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)

NTSC-J

40

^[5]

Beep! MegaDrive (JP)

NTSC-J

63

^[6]

Consoles + (FR)

82

^[7]

Computer & Video Games (UK)

83

^[8]

Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US)

NTSC-U

91

^[9]

Electronic Gaming Monthly (US)

NTSC-U

83

^[10]

Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU)

70

^[11]

Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 7 (RU)

70

^[12]

Game Players (US)

NTSC-U

88

^[13]

GamePro (US)

NTSC-U

80

^[14]

Gamers (DE)

73

^[15]

GamesMaster (UK)

PAL

70

^[16]

Hippon Super (JP)

NTSC-J

70

^[17]

Hyper (AU)

PAL

79

^[18]

Joypad (FR)

PAL

86

^[19]

MAN!AC (DE)

PAL

78

^[20]

Max Overload! (UK)

PAL

72

^[21]

Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK)

91

^[22]

Mega (UK)

PAL

82

^[23]

Megablast (DE)

PAL

80

^[24]

MegaTech (UK)

PAL

83

^[25]

Mean Machines Sega (UK)

PAL

90

^[1]

Player One (FR)

92

^[26]

Power Up! (UK)

78

^[27]

Power Unlimited (NL)

74

^[28]

Score (CZ)

75

^[29]

Secret Service (PL)

70

^[30]

Sega Magazine (UK)

PAL

86

^[31]

Sega Power (UK)

PAL

70

^[32]

Sega Pro (UK)

PAL

84

^[33]

Sega Zone (UK)

PAL

85

^[34]

Sega Force (SE)

88

^[35]

Sega Mega Drive Review (RU)

84

^[36]

Sega Saturn Magazine (JP)

NTSC-J

74

^[37]

Sonic the Comic (UK)

PAL

87

^[38]

The Zone (AU)The Zone (AU)

82

^[39]

Todo Sega (ES)

85

^[40]

Tricks (RU)

74

^[41]

Tricks 16 bit (RU)

NTSC-U

84

^[42]

Tricks 16 bit (RU)

PAL

80

^[43]

Video Games (DE)

PAL

85

^[44]

VideoGames (US)

NTSC-U

80

^[45]

	78
Based on 44 reviews

Castlevania: Bloodlines

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart

Mega Drive, US (cardboard)

Cart

Mega Drive, EU
Cover
Cart

Mega Drive, JP
Cover
Cart Manual

Castlevania games for Sega systems
	Castlevania: Bloodlines (1994) \| Super Castlevania IV‎ (unreleased)
	Castlevania: The Bloodletting (unreleased)
	Akumajou Dracula X: Gekka no Yasoukyoku (1998) \| Castlevania: The Bloodletting (unreleased)
	Castlevania Resurrection (unreleased)

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 File:MMS16 CastlevaniaReview.pdf, page 2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MMS16 CastlevaniaReview.pdf_p2" defined multiple times with different content
↑ File:OfficialSegaMagazine_UK_02.pdf, page 91
↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 43
↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 44
↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 326
↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "April 1994" (JP; 1994-03-08), page 19
↑ Consoles +, "Mars 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 92
↑ Computer & Video Games, "February 1994" (UK; 1994-01-15), page 62
↑ Electronic Games (1992-1995), "May 1994" (US; 1994-04-21), page 79
↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "February 1994" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 38
↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 300
↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 7, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 64
↑ Game Players, "Vol. 7 No. 2 February 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 60
↑ GamePro, "March 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 48
↑ Gamers, "März/April 1994" (DE; 1994-03-04), page 18
↑ GamesMaster, "March 1994" (UK; 1994-02-17), page 48
↑ Hippon Super, "April 1994" (JP; 1994-03-03), page 61
↑ Hyper, "February 1994" (AU; 199x-xx-xx), page 46
↑ Joypad, "Mars 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 112
↑ MAN!AC, "04/94" (DE; 1994-03-09), page 50
↑ Max Overload!, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-03-22), page 34
↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-xx-xx), page 22
↑ Mega, "March 1994" (UK; 1994-02-17), page 43
↑ Megablast, "2/94" (DE; 1994-03-30), page 32
↑ MegaTech, "February 1994" (UK; 1994-01-20), page 18
↑ Player One, "Mars 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 68
↑ Power Up!, "Saturday, April 02, 1994" (UK; 1994-04-02), page 1
↑ Power Unlimited, "Jaargang 2, Nummer 4, April 1994" (NL; 1994-03-23), page 36
↑ Score, "Červen 1994" (CZ; 1994-06-01), page 60
↑ Secret Service, "Październik 1996" (PL; 1996-10-01), page 72
↑ Sega Magazine, "February 1994" (UK; 1994-01-10), page 92
↑ Sega Power, "March 1994" (UK; 1994-02-03), page 38
↑ Sega Pro, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-02-24), page 60
↑ Sega Zone, "March 1994" (UK; 1994-02-24), page 46
↑ Sega Force, "3/94" (SE; 1994-03-29), page 8
↑ Sega Mega Drive Review, "1" (RU; 1995-04-03), page 31
↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85
↑ Sonic the Comic, "May 13th 1994" (UK; 1994-04-30), page 11
↑ The Zone (AU)The Zone (AU) "Season 1, episode 3" (1994-05-14, ) (+17:44)
↑ Todo Sega, "Marzo 1994" (ES; 1994-0x-xx), page 54
↑ Tricks, "2/95" (RU; 1995-xx-xx), page 18
↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 9
↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 51
↑ Video Games, "5/94" (DE; 1994-04-27), page 99
↑ VideoGames, "March 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 67

[:File:MMS16_CastlevaniaReview.pdf_p2-1] 1.0 ^1.1 File:MMS16 CastlevaniaReview.pdf, page 2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MMS16 CastlevaniaReview.pdf_p2" defined multiple times with different content

[:File:OfficialSegaMagazine_UK_02.pdf_p91-2] File:OfficialSegaMagazine_UK_02.pdf, page 91

[3] 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 43

[4] 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 44

[5] 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 326

[:File:BeepMD_JP_1994-04.pdf_p19-6] Beep! MegaDrive, "April 1994" (JP; 1994-03-08), page 19

[:File:ConsolesPlus_FR_030.pdf_p92-7] Consoles +, "Mars 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 92

[:File:CVG_UK_147.pdf_p62-8] Computer & Video Games, "February 1994" (UK; 1994-01-15), page 62

[:File:ElectronicGames2_US_20.pdf_p79-9] Electronic Games (1992-1995), "May 1994" (US; 1994-04-21), page 79

[:File:EGM_US_055.pdf_p38-10] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "February 1994" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 38

[11] Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 300

[12] Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 7, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 64

[:File:GamePlayers_US_0702.pdf_p60-13] Game Players, "Vol. 7 No. 2 February 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 60

[:File:GamePro_US_056.pdf_p48-14] GamePro, "March 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 48

[:File:Gamers_DE_1994-03.pdf_p18-15] Gamers, "März/April 1994" (DE; 1994-03-04), page 18

[:File:GamesMaster_UK_015.pdf_p48-16] GamesMaster, "March 1994" (UK; 1994-02-17), page 48

[17] Hippon Super, "April 1994" (JP; 1994-03-03), page 61

[:File:Hyper_AU_003.pdf_p46-18] Hyper, "February 1994" (AU; 199x-xx-xx), page 46

[:File:Joypad_FR_029.pdf_p112-19] Joypad, "Mars 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 112

[:File:MAN.21AC_DE_1994-04.pdf_p50-20] MAN!AC, "04/94" (DE; 1994-03-09), page 50

[:File:MaxOverload_UK_02.pdf_p34-21] Max Overload!, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-03-22), page 34

[22] Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-xx-xx), page 22

[:File:Mega_UK_18.pdf_p43-23] Mega, "March 1994" (UK; 1994-02-17), page 43

[:File:Megablast_DE_1994-02.pdf_p32-24] Megablast, "2/94" (DE; 1994-03-30), page 32

[:File:MegaTech_UK_26.pdf_p18-25] MegaTech, "February 1994" (UK; 1994-01-20), page 18

[:File:PlayerOne_FR_040.pdf_p68-26] Player One, "Mars 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 68

[27] Power Up!, "Saturday, April 02, 1994" (UK; 1994-04-02), page 1

[:File:PowerUnlimited_NL_009_199404.pdf_p36-28] Power Unlimited, "Jaargang 2, Nummer 4, April 1994" (NL; 1994-03-23), page 36

[:File:Score_CZ_06.pdf_p60-29] Score, "Červen 1994" (CZ; 1994-06-01), page 60

[:File:SecretService_39_PL.pdf_p72-30] Secret Service, "Październik 1996" (PL; 1996-10-01), page 72

[:File:SegaMagazine_UK_02.pdf_p92-31] Sega Magazine, "February 1994" (UK; 1994-01-10), page 92

[:File:SegaPower_UK_52.pdf_p38-32] Sega Power, "March 1994" (UK; 1994-02-03), page 38

[:File:SegaPro_UK_30.pdf_p60-33] Sega Pro, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-02-24), page 60

[:File:SegaZone_UK_17.pdf_p46-34] Sega Zone, "March 1994" (UK; 1994-02-24), page 46

[:File:SegaForce_SE_1994_03.pdf_p8-35] Sega Force, "3/94" (SE; 1994-03-29), page 8

[36] Sega Mega Drive Review, "1" (RU; 1995-04-03), page 31

[:File:SSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf_p85-37] Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85

[38] Sonic the Comic, "May 13th 1994" (UK; 1994-04-30), page 11

[thezone1x031744-39] The Zone (AU)The Zone (AU) "Season 1, episode 3" (1994-05-14, ) (+17:44)

[:File:TodoSega_ES_12.pdf_p54-40] Todo Sega, "Marzo 1994" (ES; 1994-0x-xx), page 54

[41] Tricks, "2/95" (RU; 1995-xx-xx), page 18

[42] Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 9

[43] Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 51

[:File:VideoGames_DE_1994-05.pdf_p99-44] Video Games, "5/94" (DE; 1994-04-27), page 99

[:File:VideoGames_US_62.pdf_p67-45] VideoGames, "March 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 67

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Castlevania: Bloodlines

From Sega Retro

Contents

Playable Characters

Trivia

Promotional Material

Physical Scans