About

<p><i><b>Vampire Killer</b></i>, known as <i><b>Akumajō Dracula</b></i> (悪魔城ドラキュラ, officially translated <i>Devil's Castle Dracula</i>) in Japan, is a <a href="//www.giantbomb.com/metroidvania/3015-2440/" data-ref-id="3015-2440">Metroidvania</a>-style platform-adventure game produced by <a title="Konami" href="//www.giantbomb.com/konami-corporation/3010-87/" data-ref-id="3010-87">Konami</a> and released in 1986 for the <a title="MSX" href="//www.giantbomb.com/msx/3045-15/" data-ref-id="3045-15">MSX2</a> computer platform in <a title="Japan" href="//www.giantbomb.com/japan/3035-37/" data-ref-id="3035-37">Japan</a>, <a title="Europe" href="//www.giantbomb.com/europe/3035-289/" data-ref-id="3035-289">Europe</a>, and <a title="Brazil" href="//www.giantbomb.com/brazil/3035-720/" data-ref-id="3035-720">Brazil</a>. It was never released in <a title="North America" href="//www.giantbomb.com/north-america/3035-1664/" data-ref-id="3035-1664">North America</a>. It was in development around the same time as the <a title="Nintendo Entertainment System" href="//www.giantbomb.com/nintendo-entertainment-system/3045-21/" data-ref-id="3045-21">Nintendo Entertainment System</a> (NES) game <i><a title="Castlevania (video game)" href="//www.giantbomb.com/castlevania/3030-6673/" data-ref-id="3030-6673">Castlevania</a></i>, which shares the same title in Japan.The MSX2 version of <i>Akumajō Dracula</i> was released in Japan on October 30, 1986,a month following the NES version,making it the second game in the <a title="Castlevania" href="//www.giantbomb.com/castlevania/3025-86/" data-ref-id="3025-86"><i>Castlevania</i> series</a>.</p><p>In contrast to the more traditional platformer gameplay of the NES <i>Castlevania</i>, the MSX <i>Vampire Killer</i> was instead a more <a title="Open world" href="//www.giantbomb.com/open-world/3015-207/" data-ref-id="3015-207">open-ended</a> platform-adventure. The game's non-linear design had a similar structure to <i><a title="Metroid" href="//www.giantbomb.com/metroid/3030-21761/" data-ref-id="3030-21761">Metroid</a></i> released just several months before it. <em>Vampire Killer</em> laid the foundations for the open-ended, Metroidvania-style, platform-adventure gameplay later seen in the 1987 title <i><a title="Castlevania II: Simon's Quest" href="//www.giantbomb.com/castlevania-ii-simons-quest/3030-11820/" data-ref-id="3030-11820">Castlevania II: Simon's Quest</a></i>, 1997 title <i><a title="Castlevania: Symphony of the Night" href="//www.giantbomb.com/castlevania-symphony-of-the-night/3030-14216/" data-ref-id="3030-14216">Castlevania: Symphony of the Night</a></i>, and most <a href="//www.giantbomb.com/2d/3015-1427/" data-ref-id="3015-1427">2D</a> <i><a title="Castlevania" href="//www.giantbomb.com/castlevania/3025-86/" data-ref-id="3025-86">Castlevania</a></i> games following it.</p><p> </p>