Castlevania: Circle of the Moon

“Castlevania: Circle of the Moon,” known simply as “Castlevania” in PAL regions, is a 2001 action role-playing game developed by Konami for the Game Boy Advance. Released as a launch title, the game is a part of the renowned Castlevania series, which explores the perpetual struggle between the vampire-hunting Belmont clan and the infamous vampire Dracula. The game enjoyed commercial success, selling one million copies worldwide and receiving critical acclaim.

“Circle of the Moon” employs a traditional 2D side-scrolling gameplay format, aligning with the classic Castlevania games. Players control Nathan Graves, whose mission is to navigate through a castle teeming with monsters to rescue his kidnapped mentor. Nathan wields a whip as his primary weapon, supplemented by secondary weapons such as an axe, cross, holy water, dagger, and stopwatch, though he can carry only one secondary weapon at a time. Hearts, which serve as ammunition for these subweapons, can be found in candles throughout the castle.

The game features a nonlinear gameplay style. Initially, Nathan has access only to limited areas of the castle, but as players acquire new abilities like running, double jumping, and wall kicking, more of the castle becomes explorable. Special rooms enable Nathan to teleport to different parts of the castle or replenish health and save game progress. The castle map automatically updates to reflect Nathan’s explorations, aiding players in navigating the expansive and complex environment.

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