Before it was one of Netflix's goriest anime series, Castlevania has been one of the most beloved hack-and-slash platformer series in the history of gaming. Players have been taking up the whip as the Belmont clan since the '80s, mashing monsters left and right with a variety of magical weapons and powerups. And what a bestiary the family has fought!
Every classic horror monster imaginable has been featured in this series, some even multiple times. From Dracula to Frankenstein's monster, the games have had no shortage of powerful enemies to keep the hero from the Vampire's lair. How many of these creeps and creatures have had players clutching their controllers?
Medusa Heads
Why do these things seem to be in every Castlevania game? The Medusa Heads might not be the strongest, going down in one or two hits, but they are perhaps one of the most relentless.
Nearly everyone who's ever played the series has fallen prone to their attacks, knocking the player off the screen if they're not taken out soon enough. Consider it an honorable mention, but one all fans recognize.
Hunchback
If the Medusa heads weren't irritating enough, someone had to invent the jumping hunchbacks. These guys might be small, but they're quick and agile enough to dodge out of range while taking a chunk of the player's health.
Deadly aim is the name of the game when taking these guys out, and a well-placed dagger wouldn't be a bad idea either. Better practice those flailing skills or get busy running.
Blood Skeletons
Though they aren't the most devastating enemies in the series, they are still technically unkillable and worthy of mention.
Blood Skeletons and their various iterations are skeletal enemies that revive themselves due to their reinvigorating blood supply. One would think with such a gory name they'd be a trifle more intimidating, but the series is already chock-full of bigger monsters to fry.
Slogra and Gaibon
It's two for the price of one with this gruesome twosome. The demonic duo of Slogra and Gaibon made their debut in Super Castlevania IV and have been making life hard for players in seven other games since.
If Slogra isn't skewering them with his deadly spear, Gaibon will be hailing death from above with his incinerating fireball attacks. Variety is the spice of life but will make for one beastly battle. If that's not enough, the two even got an awesome appearance in the anime series.
The Dancing Specters
On the subject of Super Castlevania IV, one of the most irritating boss fights definitely has to be the Dancing Specters. In a scene ripped straight out of Disney's Haunted Mansion, these lethal lovers will waltz around the screen, appearing and disappearing seemingly at random.
Pattern memorization is the secret to taking this pair down, but it's not an easy job. Especially when they bring out their rapiers.
Legion
"I am Legion, for we are many." There are perhaps fewer more terrifying entities in Symphony of the Night than this floating mass of reanimated corpses. Often imitated, but never duplicated, this ball of horror is some serious nightmare fuel.
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Not only is Legion capable of shooting laser beams out of its writhing mass, but it also has the ability to summon undead minions to slow Alucard down during the battle. There is such a thing as an unfair advantage, Konami...
Satan
Lords of Shadow might not have been the most conventional entry into the series, but it's without a doubt one of the most fun. The enemy battles and boss fights are delightfully juicy, and the design is absolutely the best out of any Castlevania game.
While the design for the Prince of Darkness himself isn't exactly what one would call original, he's a fearsome fight that will definitely have players gripping their controllers in righteous anger, especially with the barrage of Shadow Magic.
Death/The Grim Reaper
The Grim Reaper has been featured as a boss in nearly every big-name title in the series and has been called one of the most notorious bosses in video game history.
He's often a slow-moving target, but his deadly scythe blades will absolutely tear Simon to shreds if given the chance. There's a reason he was made Dracula's right-hand man. Speaking of which...
Dracula
Dracula has been the main antagonist of the series since the very beginning, whether it's the prince of vampires himself or some reincarnation of the character, he'll be involved.
From projectile spells and summoning bats to transforming into a giant behemoth beast, he's definitely no pushover. Let's just say it's going to take a lot more than a few crosses and some holy water to put this vamp in the ground.
Chaos
Tired of dishing it out to demons? Is Dracula too much of an old idea? Well, how about a three-headed ancient entity that is the embodiment of all chaos and disorder?
Looking like something out of either a Final Fantasy game or H.P. Lovecraft novel, this supreme entity definitely raised the standard for boss fights in Aria of Sorrow. Chaos is just as difficult as his appearance would suggest, often earning the reputation as the most difficult boss in the entire Castlevania series. Eat your heart out, Drac.