It's time for the 2024 Classicvania Challenge, a community event where you can earn your Vampire Hunter Certificate by completing the “Classicvania” games – the games that follow the linear stage-based format the series was known for before Symphony of the Night.

Each game you complete on any difficulty level without save states, rewinds or other cheats earns a red stamp for your card. If you can beat a game on its default difficulty or higher and without continuing, you'll earn a silver stamp. Finally, if you can beat a game on its default difficulty or higher without dying at all, you'll earn a gold stamp. The greater the challenge, the more points you earn, and the higher your Vampire Hunter Rank! Red stamps are worth 2 points, silver stamps are worth 5 points, and gold stamps are worth 8 points.

But wait! Don't start playing before you read this! A lot of people missed this detail last time around, so I want to point out that Castlevania II: Simon's Quest for the NES is not eligible for this challenge; it's just not the same style of game. You might also be aware that Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse and Akumajou Densetsu were counted separately last year. This is no longer the case in 2024 because we had to make room for Haunted Castle Revisited, a brand new (and beginner-friendly!) Classicvania game that came out this year.

Lastly, and this is the most important part: do not drive yourself crazy trying to fill out the whole stamp card. The whole point of this event is to show people how fun these games can be, both as casual playthroughs or as challenge runs. There's nothing fun about joylessly toiling away at games you aren't enjoying out of a sense of obligation. This is a challenge, not a competition!

With all that out of the way, here are the eligible games for this year's challenge:

• Castlevania (NES)
• Akumajou Densetsu (FC)/Castlevania 3 (NES)
• Super Castlevania IV (SNES)
• The Castlevania Adventure (Game Boy)
• Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge (Game Boy)
• Castlevania: Bloodlines (Mega Drive/Genesis)
• Castlevania Chronicles (PlayStation)/Akumajou Dracula (Sharp X68000)
• Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (PC Engine)
• Haunted Castle (Arcade)
• Castlevania Legends (Game Boy)
• Castlevania: Dracula X (SNES)
• Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles (PSP)
• Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth (Wiiware)
• Haunted Castle Revisited (Modern platforms)

Have fun!