Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge

Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge
Also known as: Dracula Densetsu II (JP) Developer: Konami Publisher: Konami Platform: Game Boy Released in JP: July 12, 1991 Released in US: August 1991 Released in EU: November 26, 1992 This game has a hidden sound test. This game has regional differences. This game has revisional differences. This game has a Data Crystal page

Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge is the much-improved sequel to Castlevania: The Adventure.

To do: Add Konami GB Collection differences. Source: http://www.vgmuseum.com/mrp/cvgb2/game-castlevaniabr.htm

Sound Test

Japan (Original release)	US/Europe (Original release)	Europe (Collection, GBC)

Use the password Heart Heart Heart Heart. Press A to play the track and B to stop the music. To exit the sound test, press Select.

Also, enter GameShark code 010CCBDE and scroll down past 'DEMO 2/FAITH' to find the inaccessible entry SELECT BGM/NEW CHURCH, which plays at the stage select screen. However, the track itself cannot be played in the sound test.

Unused Graphics

Placeholder Tiles

These X shapes are used to fill in unused VRAM tiles:

The 16x8 version is used to fill in unused 8x16 object graphics slots. Because of the mismatch in dimensions -- the X should have been stretched vertically, not horizontally -- in the event these graphics are actually used (for example, by forcing the game to load the wrong graphics set for a sublevel by manipulating memory in an emulator), it will appear as two vertically stacked chevrons rather than a tall X.

Regional Changes

Sound Test Titles

As seen above, the track titles were changed to generic names in the overseas releases, likely done to remove their religious references.

Interestingly enough, the official OST, Akumajo Dracula Best 2 (KICA-7506~7), changes some of the official track titles:

• The inaccessible entry "NEW CHURCH" has the official track title changed to "Journey to Chaos".
• "SOLEIYU" and "C.PHANTASIE" are expanded to "Soleiyu's Room" and "Chromatische Phantasie" respectively.
• However, PSYCO WARRIOR is listed as "Phyco Warrior", most likely a typo since the most recent release Music from Akumajo Dracula Kuro (LC-2480~92) lists the track as "Psycho Warrior".

Japan	US	Info
NEW MESSIAH	BGM 1	Crystal Castle
PRAYING HANDS	BGM 2	Cloud Castle
RIPE SEEDS	BGM 3	Plant Castle
PSYCO WARRIOR	BGM 4	Rock Castle
ORIGINAL SIN	BGM 5	Dracula Castle 1
PASSPIED	BGM 6	Dracula Castle 2-1; Opening of "Passepied" from Claude Debussy's "Suite Bergamasque"
EVIL GODS	BOSS 1	Regular boss
C.PHANTASIE	BOSS 2	Dracula Castle 2 boss; Bach's "Chromatic Phantasia"
SONS OF SATAN	BOSS 3	Final boss
SOLEIYU	DEMO 1	Dracula Castle map
FAITH	DEMO 2	Dialogue
NEW CHURCH	SELECT BGM	Stage select

Weapons

Japan	US

While both regions of the game share the Holy Water, the other weapon is different in each. The Japanese version offers a Cross, but the US version has the Axe, either because it was more useful or less broken.

Opening

The opening in the English version features some changes, with both the original release and the rerelease found in Konami GB Collection Vol. 4.

Text

The Game Boy Color Collection version released in Europe received a new translation for the opening text, practically being almost the same length but just one line shorter. However it appears to be a more literal translation, meaning Dracula is constantly referred to as "The Count" in the opening instead.

Original release (Japanese)	Original release (English, US/Europe)	Collection version (European, GBC)

Additionally, the original versions feature a transparent effect on the top and bottom (using rapidly flashing borders that take advantage of the Game Boy's refresh rate) that makes the text look like it's fading in and out, but the Game Boy Color version unfortunately removes this effect. Most likely this is because the refresh rate of the Game Boy Color screen would make it appear to flicker (vs. the old Game Boy screen).

No spaces are used after commas in the original translation to save room, while spaces are properly used after commas in the retranslation. In addition, while the special ellipsis character was replaced with 3 regular periods in the original English version, the retranslation keeps the special ellipsis character from the Japanese version.

Japanese	English (Original)	English (Collection)
伯爵は　生きていた… クリストファーとの　戦いのあと くずれる城より　のがれ うしなった　からだの ふっかつを　狙っていたのである… 15年ご… クリストフアーの息子　ソレイユの ヴァンパイア・ハンターとしての 名をうけつぐ　ぎ式が 行なわれようとしていた… しかし… 伯爵はこのときを　まっていたのだ… せいなる力をえたソレイユを　り用し その力で　みずからの　からだを よみがえらせようとしたのである… 翌日　キリのように消えたソレイユを まもるかのように　あらわれた ４つの城… そして　いま… あらたなる　戦いが はじまろうと　している…	DRACULA HAS ARRIVED. DRACULA IS LOOKING TO BE RE-BORN EVER SINCE HIS CASTLE WAS DESTROYED AS A RESULT OF HIS BATTLE WITH CHRISTOPHER. 15 YEARS LATER... A CEREMONY IS HELD HONORING SOLEIYU,THE SON OF CHRISTOPHER, WHO WILL BE THE NEXT VAMPIRE HUNTER. DRACULA HAS BEEN WAITING FOR THIS TIME BECAUSE IN ORDER TO RETURN TO EARTH,HE MUST USE THE POWER OF SOLEIYU. THE NEXT DAY 4 CASTLES APPEAR WHILE SOLEIYU DISAPPEARS INTO THE FOG. AND NOW,A NEW BATTLE MUST BEGIN.	The Count was alive… After fighting Christopher, he escaped the falling castle and watched for a good chance to resurrect his body. 15 years later, The ritual for Soleil, the son of Christopher, to inherit the title of Vampire Hunter was about to take place. However, the Count was waiting for this exact moment. He was planning to use Soleil's sacred powers to regain his body. The next day, 4 castles have appeared as if to protect Soleil who has disappeared like the mist. And now the new battle is about to start.

(Source: Theplottwist - Castlevania Wikia (Original transcription), Nerdly Pleasures (Game Boy screen refresh info))

Music

Compared to the original Japanese version, the opening in the original US/European version is nearly twice as long. To compensate for this in the latter, the song that plays during the opening has been doubled in length, even adding a few brand new notes that play before the second loop starts. Although the European Game Boy Color Collection rerelease features a brand-new translation, the game itself is still based on the original Japanese version. That unfortunately means the original shorter version of the track is played instead, leaving the second half of the opening without music!

Also note: the very last note on the US/Europe version is cut off in the actual intro due to the game resetting to the title screen before it can finish playing.

Opening (Opening BGM)

Japan	US/Europe

(Source: Original TCRF research)

Pre-Soleiyu fight

English (Original)	English (Collection)
I'm surprised you made it this far! The rebirth of Dracula will occur soon. You cannot destroy me. Father	You have made it here! I will soon bring him back to this world. There's no way you can beat me. Father

Post-Soleiyu fight

English (Original)	English (Collection)
Ouch What am I doing? Oh Father Since Dracula cannot use my powers Dracula will use the power of the 4 castle spirits. Hurry up! Quickly!	Urrrh... What am I... Oh! Father! Now that I lost my powers. He's after my men's powers. Hurry! Father!

Ending

English (Original)	English (Collection)
The war is over. Dracula's scheme was foiled because of the combined power of Christopher and Soleiyu. Once again the world is at peace. And then... Soleiyu has overcome the dark curse and will continue to fight Dracula and his forces. Soon after... The Belmont family has a long history of Vampire Hunters. The Legend will always continue.	The battle is over. The Count's evil plan has been crushed by a father's love for his son. Peace has returned to this land. And Soleil who was freed by the dark spells will now inherit the name of Vampire Hunter. Then on, the blood in the Belmonts has become legends as Vampire Hunters, making people pass on the story to their children.

Revisional Differences

The Japanese Konami GB Collection Vol. 3 compilation, released in 1998, adds a Super Game Boy border, but the game does not use any custom color palette.

The European Konami GB Collection Vol. 4 compilation, released in 2000, adds Game Boy Color support instead, with the whole game being colorized. Additionally, this version is based on the Japanese version, and so it keeps the Japanese song names and keeps the Cross instead of the Axe.

Original release (Japanese)	Original release (English)	Collection version (Japanese, SGB)	Collection version (European, GBC)

The Japanese Collection version updates the copyright date, and removes "TM and" and "Licensed by Nintendo". The European Collection version uses a different logo image than the original, and removes all copyright information from the title screen entirely. Additionally, while not pictured above, the versions included on Castlevania Anniversary Collection are the same as the original Game Boy versions but with "Licensed by Nintendo" removed.

Original release	Collection version (Japanese, SGB)	Collection version (European, GBC)

The European Collection version removes the bottom row of pixels from the "Stage Select" banner for some reason. This change also applies to the "Sound Select" banner in the sound test and the "Password" banner on the password entering screen. This change was possibly made due to the Sound Select and Password banners having the bottom row of pixels being somewhat garbled.

Original	Collection (EU)

Soleiyu/Soleil

Original (US/Europe)	Collection (Europe)

"Soleiyu" is a mistranslation of the French word soleil, meaning "sun," a reference to the traditional weakness of vampires.

His name was corrected to "Soleil" in the European rerelease included in Konami GB Collection Vol. 4, and officially referred as such for that game's description in Castlevania Anniversary Collection, including its bonus e-book.

(Source: Soleil Belmont - Castlevania Wikia)