Appeared for the first time in Japan in September 1986 on the Famicon platforms, Akumajo Dracula, is the progenitor of one of the series that, to date, boasts the largest number of titles. Renamed at first Vampire Killer, then Haunted Castle, it established itself in Europe (as well as in the rest of the world) with the name of Castlevania, one of the biggest hits for the NES. The first publication was followed by more than 20 games, between sequels and reboots, with a good dose of porting and reinterpretations (especially of the first episode).
The plot at the base more or less always takes up the same concept: at the beginning of the adventure the evil count Dracula awakens, and a young member of the family Belmont must fight his way by eliminating hordes of demons and other creatures of the night, until he reaches the final confrontation with the legendary vampire. The plot and the artistic style of the game were mainly inspired by Western mythology and folklore, which deeply characterize the iconography used for Dracula and other "classic" monsters. There are also references to Western art, easily identifiable in the depictions of the architecture (ranging from the Gothic to the Baroque style) and by the importance given to the sound sector and music, which in some cases has also given the name to some titles of the series (e.g. Rondo of Blood and its follow-up Symphony of the Night). 
A classic that is renewed
Although the proposed game pattern may seem repetitive, particularly in the first few episodes, in reality Castlevania finds a big chunk of its importance in innovation brought to gameplay level chapter after chapter. Already from the publication of the first sequel (titled Castlevania II: Simon's Quest), significant changes are noted, passing from the linear sequence of levels, to the possibility of exploring the game world at will, even retracing one's steps. Not a small element, if we consider the limitations of 2D, but which for the time represented a (successful) attempt to bring the player into a more open world. 
While retaining a constant, extremely punitive try and fail approach, gameplay changes have always interested Castlevania, introducing from time to time new systems of personalization of the character, without however ever clearly resulting in the RPG style. Over the years, video games of different genres have also been published, such as puzzles and fighting games, not always connected to the main saga, as well as episodes that have given rise to various sub-sagas.
Belmont versus Dracula
If on the one hand the game experience proposed by Konami seems to re-propose the same scheme by introducing new elements, however, we cannot deny the success and appreciation found by the plot at the base of Castlevania. In fact we are told the epic of a family, i Belmont, which dedicates its existence to the fight against demonic creatures, finding in Dracula his bitterest enemy. The numerous protagonists (Simon, the son of Dracula Alucard, etc.) are linked together by a destiny and a curse that overcome and anticipate the events narrated in the game, but who manage to unravel throughout the series thanks to a wise use of the background wisely fitted with the various events. 
The presence of the Belmont dynasty is felt not only in the presence of its descendants, but also in the elements re-proposed in almost all the games, one of them being the vampire-killing whip and the use of crosses and holy water as special weapons. The formula was so successful that it also generated alternative universes of Castlevania, where new characters are introduced.
Sequels and parallel series
As explained, the original Akumajo Dracula has given rise to a really full-bodied saga and untangling the many titles is not easy, especially for those who want to rebuild a story line of Castlevania. First of all we have to divide the main series from the parallel ones and above all from the alternate universe. We will try to make a summary below, excluding the various remakes of the first video game.
Main Series:
- Castlevania
- Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
- Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
- Castlevania: The New Generation
- Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
- Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
- Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
- Portrait of Ruin
- Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
- Castlevania: Judgment
- Castlevania: Harmony of Despair
The Legend of Dracula Saga:
- Castlevania: The Adventure
- Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge
Dracula X Saga:
- Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
- Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Apocalypse Alternate Universe:
- Castlevania: Castlevania Legends
- Castlevania: Castlevania 64
- Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness
- Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
SOMA CRUZ Saga:
- Castlevania: Aria or Sorrow
- Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
Saga Lords of Shadows (reboot)
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadows
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadows - Mirror of Fate
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadows 2
The 2010 reboot
Despite the popularity of the brand, in 2010 Konami decided to relaunch Castlevania now loaded with the weight of the years and many video games with fluctuating results, proposing the reboot with Castlevania: Lords of Shadows. CLoS is not the first episode of the series to abandon 2D to take advantage of the 3D visual, but in fact it marks a new beginning, providing new and deeper elements to the aforementioned epic of Belmont. Confirming the innovative spirit of the brand, Lords of Shadows exploited the potential offered by PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 to offer a deeply renewed style of play both in the narrative sector and in the gameplay. Brain teaser levels and a new much more dynamic fighting style are introduced, increasing immersion in the game world and pushing the player to a more exploratory approach. 
[WARNING: SPOILERS !!!] As for the plot, it is presented for the first time Gabriel Belmont, which will acquire extreme importance for the continuation of the reboot. In fact, he will be the one to take the name of Dracul and to give even more depth to the main enemy, who in the original series played a passive role, except for a few sporadic appearances before the final battle. Lords of Shadows He then rewrites the plot of the saga, offering the point of view of the antagonist, but at the time of its publication he was accused of having lost the identity of the original. Despite these rare negative criticisms the game was a success, so much so that Konami decided to produce the sequels.
CLoS was followed by two other video games: CLoS - Mirror of Fate (released on Nintendo 3DS) and the direct sequel to the first, Castlevania: Lords of Shadows 2. The latter is perhaps the most narratively intricate episode, but which thanks to the expedient of time travel manages to justify some passages of the plot and lay the foundations for a "happy ending", although the player finds himself in the role of a character generally considered as evil as Dracula. Unfortunately CLoS 2 cannot be considered a success, so much so that Konami itself called it a flop, probably due to the definitive departure from the style and settings of the games that gave rise to the series.
A new Castlevania? 
Castlevania it is certainly a fundamental brand for Konami and for the videogame market, but the latest negative experiences have led to the apparent cancellation of Lords of Shadows 3. To date there are no news regarding new titles, and with the exception of some porting on the consoles of the latest generation, it seems that there are no projects around Dracula and his land of castles. The advent of next gen consoles will also bring a breath of fresh air to Castlevania? We still don't know, but in the meantime we can pass the wait by watching the series Netflix homonymous, inspired by the facts of Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, which offers an original and pleasant vision of the original atmospheres of the saga.
