The evolution of Castlevania's 'Vampire Killer' theme

by Xav de Matos on Aug 29th 2009 11:30PM

A wave of nostalgia washes over us when we hear music from our favorite classic franchises. One of those iconic pieces is Castlevania's "Vampire Killer" series theme. The folks at Tiny Cartridge (specifically, Joystiq's own JC Fletcher) stumbled upon a YouTube clip featuring every version the classic track has spawned since the origin of the Castlevania franchise.

While musical style and technology has evolved, this video showcases how Kinuyo Yamashita's original piece has lived on throughout nearly two dozen Castlevania games (as well as some non-Castlevania titles). Feel like taking a stroll down memory lane with us? Check out the comparison videos after the break ... but stop holding our hand. It's kind of weird.

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Tags: belmont, castlevania, culture, DS, jc-fletcher, kinuyo-yamashita, Microsoft, music, Nintendo, nostalgia, tiny-cartridge, vampire-killer, Wii, Xbox-360

Reader Comments (59)

it would have been nicer to have a list too..... :P

No matter how many versions of Vampire Killer there are, Bloody Tears will always be the song I associate with Castlevania
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjazC45Qkww

Bloody Tears is my fave too.

Yep, that is by far the best one IMO.

I agree that Castlevania 2 is overlooked all too often and it's a complete shame. But, if you're listing music, one can NOT overlook Symphony of the Night.

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=6D692C49C153D064

Out of SOTN, I have to say Dance of Gold is my favorite.

Bloody Tears is by far the ultimate Castlevania song.

If you watch the full collection video, there is a related Bloody Tears collection.

@Espiownage yep,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FshGL3nYpIQ
best ever!!!!! i even learnt to play it on my guitar!!! :D

Really? No one remembers "I am the wind"? Prepare to have your ear-pussies taken to dinner and made sweet sweet love to repeatedly...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3DxQ84shnE

Bloody Tears FTW

Dance of Gold is a good track but I've learnt to loathe it after how many times I found myself in that room, stuck.

Total agreement. Bloody Tears rocks.

I have a "Classical" version of Bloody Tears that I can't find on Youtube, it is by far the best version, I believe it was on a CD with all Classical editions of Castlevania themes. Does anybody have any ideas what I'm talking about?

I've always hated PS2's "Lament of Innocence" for skipping this theme. You'd think a game all about the creation of the Vampire Killer whip (and a series so fixated on musical fan-service) would include at least one reference to the song.

You don't hate enough to murder it...do you? Because I'm not letting you borrow my Ford Bronco again.

the artwork is gorgeous...reminds me a bit of metal gear.

I love it. I wish they had a bigger pic so i could use it as a wallpaper.

they just don't make cover art like they used to!

+1 for the wallpaper.

Well you see if you google "castlevania" then click on the images tabs. This artwork in wallpaper form is about the 2nd one there..

Heh, they reversed the first two games. Castlevania on FDS came before Vampire Killer on MSX2.

Well they were released only 1 month apart so at least development took part simultaneously… it’s not that one really came ‘after’ the other. But yeah, guess you’re right.

I really like the Castlevania Judgment one, but the original was just awesome.

I love the castlevania series. But I can tell you this; they forgot three vampire killer songs. One was from the unreleased "Castlevania Resurrection", which starred the short lived Sonia Belmont, set in the year 1666 (time travels i guess) to fight Dracula and team up with a disturbed Belmont who threatens to abandon his family's bloodline. The second was from the (horrible) GB "Castlevania Legends" , which starred Sonia Belmont (again) in the year 1450 (before Trevor) to fight Dracula during his first coming to earth (she also had to fight Alucard. Some rumored a love relationship.) The final song was from the GBA masterpiece "Harmony of Dissonance", which Starred Juste Belmont, grandson of the famous Simon Belmont, who teams up with his friend Maxim Kischine, in order to find his captured lover, Lydie Erlanger.
Sorry to be so detailed, but I'm a geek about the whole game series.

PS - The Castlevania Resurrection song was entitled "Another Vampire Killer", but it was still the same song, only a much faster beat. Harmony's version was entitled Vampire Killer 2k2, which was composed by Michiru Yamane herself.

They also omitted "Portrait of Ruin" for the DS.

How is Portrait of Ruin omitted? I never heard the vampire killer tune in that game. If you're talking omitted as in storyline, it cannot be omitted. If I'm wrong on all fronts, enlighten me.

Michiru Yamane was a girl?! I never knew that!

Yup, Michiru Yamane is a female, as well as the Symphony of the Night artist, Ayami Kojima.

Vampire Killer in Circle of the Moon is my favorite. I remember wondering when it would actually appear in the game since it didn't until the last part of the castle...but what a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment when I finally heard the track in the game.

NOICE!!!!

Mmm, I'd have to say Dracula X and the X68000 ones are actually my favorites, haha. Even though I've -never- heard either of them before.

Bah, they left out the best version! While the samples in VK2K2 from Harmony of Dissonance are kinda low quality, the arrangement is easily the best of any VK version, IMO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqkJtnytk2s

I haven't played the game or anything but i thought i saw the joker before clicking lol.

When the page first loaded I thought that was a picture of The Joker. I've been playing WAY too much Batman: AA.

"WAY too much Batman: AA"

Ain't no such thing.

you want a catchy Castlevania tune?
everybody get down to Symphony of the Night's Wandering Ghosts!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls0DMEwMO0M
BD
oh yeah..! lol
its not often I find a video game song that makes me wanna dance =]

So.. if they hate hot girls and big women, you're saying all that's left are skinny ugly bitches?
That doesn't sound like a fun website at all!

Never reply to spammers, you'll look like an idiot when their comment gets removed! :P

I was just thinking that.

Don't forget Akumajou Dracula Melody from Pop'n Music 10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGADTVmSJrA

I honestly think the one of the best songs in Castlevania aside Vampire Killer, is Iron Blue Intention, used in Castlevania: Bloodlines, Portriat of Ruin, and Judgement. However, there is an awesome metal version of Iron Blue Intention recently released on a video game music website. Go to dod.vgmix.com and click on the song under current duels "Crimson Twilight". There are also a lot more Castlevania songs, so check em out!

Nope, never forgot. Cross your heart, and Bloody Tears from Haunted Castle. Good songs on an outdated arcade, but classic nonetheless. I had them on my music player for a long time now (Got the song from Castlevania Dungeon).

Only a sadist uses a whip!

Ok, Never comment on these, but this ismy Castlevainia jam... Not just because I sang in the program, but because it's a collection of the best Castlevania songs, and it's a live symphony, and it's amazing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1fYiHfqXwk
PS: It gets EPIC right around 4:40

Ohh the sweet sounds of the PSG :).

Man, I love the Chronicles remix!

Bloody Tears (IIDX EDITION) wasn't in the Bloody Tears collection...

i had this as my ring tone for a couple years...

Why is Joker cloud spying on Belmont?

I personally like "Beginning" the best out of all of the songs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh9MzR-5kM0

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The evolution of Castlevania's 'Vampire Killer' theme

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