Akuma-Jou Dracula (Japan ver. P)
About Akuma-Jou Dracula (Japan ver. P)
Akuma-Jou Dracula (Japan ver. P) is the Japanese arcade release of what Western players know as Haunted Castle, Konami's 1988 coin-op take on the Castlevania series. This version uses the same sprite-based side-scrolling action as the NES original but with larger characters, more detailed backgrounds, and a continuous soundtrack. It was built on Konami's 68000-based hardware and never officially left Japan in this exact form, making the Japan ver. P build a distinct revision sought after by collectors.
The player controls a whip-wielding vampire hunter (Simon Belmont) as he fights through six stages inside Dracula's castle. Your main weapon is a chain whip that can be upgraded by picking up secondary items like axes, holy water, and boomerangs hidden inside candles. Movement is limited to walking and jumping, with no mid-air control like later games. Each stage ends with a boss fight against classic foes like the Medusa head or the Grim Reaper before you face Dracula himself. The arcade version is notably tougher than its NES counterpart, with more enemies on screen and less generous health drops.
What makes this version worth playing today is its raw difficulty and unique visual style that sets it apart from the console releases. The large sprites, detailed stage backgrounds (like the rain-swept drawbridge), and the fact that it was never ported to any home system give it a rare appeal. If you already know Castlevania on NES, expect a shorter but more punishing experience with some exclusive enemy placements and music arrangements. It's not the deepest arcade action game of its era, but for fans of classic vampire hunting and early Konami arcade design, this is a must-try curiosity.
How to Play Akuma-Jou Dracula (Japan ver. P) Online
Getting Started
Press Enter to start the game. You will see a title screen in Japanese - just press X or Enter to start a new game. You control Simon Belmont, moving left/right with the arrow keys and jumping with X. Press S to swing your whip horizontally. Break candles by whipping them to collect hearts (ammo for sub-weapons) and item drops like the axe or holy water.
The core loop is simple: walk from left to right through each stage, destroy enemies and obstacles, and survive until the boss. You have a health bar and limited continues - if you lose all lives, you can insert another credit (press Enter on the EmulatorJS screen) to continue from the same stage. The game is brutally hard, so memorizing enemy patterns is key. Use sub-weapons sparingly since they cost hearts. The Japanese menus are mostly just "Game Over" and "Continue" prompts, so even if you don't read Japanese, you can navigate with Enter and X.
One important tip: You cannot change direction while jumping, so plan your jumps carefully. Also, stairs appear in some stages - press Up or Down near them to climb. Avoid the Medusa heads and remember that your whip can hit diagonally if you hold the attack button briefly before releasing. Practice the first stage until you can reach the gargoyle boss without taking too much damage.
Akuma-Jou Dracula (Japan ver. P) Keyboard Controls
Controls
- Arrow Keys: Joystick / Movement
- X: Button 1
- S: Button 2
- Z: Button 3
- A: Button 4
- Q: Button 5
- E: Button 6
- Enter: Start / 1P
- V: Coin / Insert
Comments (0)