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There is no single best Castlevania collection for everyone: each covers a different slice of the series. Choose Anniversary for early, stage-based games; Advance for the Game Boy Advance-era titles, including Aria of Sorrow; Dominus for the Nintendo DS trilogy; or Requiem if you specifically want Symphony of the Night and Rondo of Blood and can play on PlayStation.
Compare the four collections
| Collection | Included games | Best fit | Officially listed platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anniversary | Castlevania; Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest; Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse; Super Castlevania IV; Castlevania: The Adventure; Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge; Castlevania: Bloodlines; Kid Dracula | Early console and handheld games, particularly traditional stage-by-stage action | PS4, Nintendo Switch, Steam, Xbox Series X|S |
| Advance | Circle of the Moon; Harmony of Dissonance; Aria of Sorrow; Dracula X | The Game Boy Advance-era games and their exploration-focused play | PS5, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC/Steam |
| Dominus | Dawn of Sorrow; Portrait of Ruin; Order of Ecclesia; Haunted Castle Revisited; original Haunted Castle | The Nintendo DS trilogy, with two versions of the arcade game Haunted Castle | Switch, PS5, Steam, Xbox Series X|S |
| Requiem | Symphony of the Night; Rondo of Blood | Players seeking those two specific games who have a supported PlayStation platform | PlayStation Store exclusive; Konami’s catalog lists PS4 |
Lineup and platform details come from the publishers’ listings: Steam’s Anniversary listing, Konami’s Anniversary page, Konami’s Advance page, Konami’s Dominus page, and Konami’s catalog.
Choose by the games and play style you want
Choose Anniversary for the earliest entries
Anniversary is the broad early-series sampler here, with eight listed games spanning console and handheld releases. It suits players looking for the traditional stage-based format and a taste of how the series developed across its earliest entries. Konami lists PS4, Switch, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S for this collection.
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Choose Advance for Aria of Sorrow and the GBA set
Advance contains three GBA-era games—Circle of the Moon, Harmony of Dissonance, and Aria of Sorrow—along with Dracula X. Konami highlights Aria of Sorrow’s Tactical Souls system. Its collection page lists PS5, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Steam.
#1 Best Overall
- LIMITED EDITION: Official Limited Run Games release #251 of the Castlevania Dominus Collection featuring Order of Ecclesia cover art for Nintendo Switch
- GAME FORMAT: Physical DVD-ROM release, not a digital download, packaged in standard Nintendo Switch game case
- CONTENT: Action-packed collection of classic Castlevania games, rated T for Teen by ESRB
- PACKAGING DIMENSIONS: Comes in standard Switch case measuring 6 inches high, 3 inches wide, and 2 inches deep
- REGION AND LANGUAGE: US release with English language support, compatible with Nintendo Switch systems
Do not confuse Dracula X, which is in Advance, with Rondo of Blood, which is in Requiem.
Choose Dominus for the DS trilogy
Dominus includes Dawn of Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin, and Order of Ecclesia, plus the original Haunted Castle and Haunted Castle Revisited. Konami lists Switch, PS5, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S. The collection’s release date is August 27, 2024.
Rank #2
- COLLECTION CONTENTS: Features multiple classic Castlevania titles in one comprehensive Nintendo Switch collection from Konami
- LIMITED EDITION: Special Limited Run physical release for Nintendo Switch collectors and series enthusiasts
- GAMEPLAY EXPERIENCE: Action-packed side-scrolling adventure featuring vampire hunting, gothic environments, and classic Castlevania combat
- RATING DETAILS: Teen-rated game suitable for players 13 and older, containing fantasy violence and mild themes
- PLATFORM COMPATIBILITY: Exclusively designed and optimized for the Nintendo Switch gaming system
Choose Requiem for Symphony of the Night and Rondo of Blood
Requiem packages only Symphony of the Night and Rondo of Blood; it is not a general multi-era collection. Konami describes it as a PlayStation Store exclusive, and its catalog lists PS4. Its 2018 announcement described 4K/1080p upscaling, high-resolution backgrounds, rendering options, trophies, and English and Japanese voice options for Symphony of the Night. The announcement’s US suggested retail price of $19.99 was historical, not a current price.
Sources: Konami’s Requiem announcement and Konami’s product catalog.
Rank #3
- Three incredible action adventure games from the Castlevania series have finally returned, for the first time!
- Dawn of Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin, Order of Ecclesia
Consider quality-of-life features
Advance and Dominus both advertise rewind and quick-save options, useful features for revisiting older games. Their other listed features differ:
- Advance: replay, ROM region selection, package scans, an encyclopedia, and a music player with four soundtracks. Konami says region selection covers Japanese, American, and European versions.
- Dominus: regional versions, a compendium, and music playlists, alongside rewind and quick saves.
Konami’s official Anniversary page confirms its platforms but does not establish a comparable feature list. Do not assume it includes the same rewind or save options as Advance or Dominus.
Rank #4
Check platform, region, and price before buying
- Verify your platform first. In particular, Requiem is the PlayStation-limited option; do not expect it on PC, Xbox, or Switch based on these listings.
- Check regional storefront availability. Steam warns that Dominus may not be available in some regions.
- Compare live prices in your territory. Steam lists a bundle containing Anniversary, Advance, and Dominus, but its prices and discounts vary by region and over time. The listing does not establish that the bundle is always cheaper than buying separately.
- Treat listed prices as time-sensitive. Konami’s Dominus page lists a US price of $24.99; check the store for the current price. A current worldwide price for Anniversary or Advance is not established by the cited pages.
Check the Steam bundle listing for its current regional availability and price.
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How to decide if you have no clear favorite
- Check which collection is available on the platform you own.
- Decide whether you want straightforward stage progression or games that lean more into exploration and character or system progression.
- Use the specific games you most want to play—not the raw game count—to break a tie.
There is no comparable critic score, completion-time measure, or owner survey in the official listings cited here to establish an objective overall winner. The recommendation is therefore based on each collection’s lineup, platform support, and published features.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 17 Levels - Each one with its own atmosphere, foes and secrets to discover
- 5 Bosses - Made by the most sadistic of the devs, raised on the salt of the testers
- 150 or so weapons and skills - Spears, swords, bows, magic spells, shields, pets, frying pans etc; You name it, we got it
- Unlock the four original Dead Cells DLCs, giving you late-game content plus an entire new pathway to follow, with an alternative ending and tons of new enemies, weapons & outfits
- Battle through the corridors of Dracula’s Castle; Wield weapons against monsters to reach the throne room of the Dark Lord
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
