Super Castlevania IV review

Super Castlevania IV is the best of the classic linear Castlevania games you can buy on PC and Switch today. Konami's history page describes an 11-level castle, including the Terrace of Terror, the Rotating Dungeon and the Sunken Ruins of Lost Spirits, and notes that Simon Belmont can use his whip like a grappling hook to swing past traps. A password system lets you take a break. It is sold in the Castlevania Anniversary Collection for $19.99, which also includes Castlevania, Simon's Quest, Castlevania III, both Game Boy games, Bloodlines and Kid Dracula, plus the eBook History of Castlevania: Book of the Crescent Moon. That is eight games for the price, the best value per game on this list. The collection reaches the most platforms here: Steam, Switch, PS4 and Xbox One. The trade-off is its English Steam score of 81% positive from 1,884 reviews, below the Advance and Dominus collections, and a bare-bones feature set next to the later collections.

Who it is for

retro fans who want the best 16-bit whip action

Price

$19.99 one-time on Steam for the Castlevania Anniversary Collection (eight games).

Included is a unique eBook with details provided by developers, artists and others inspired by the Castlevania legacy which sheds a fresh light into the world of Castlevania. $19.99 Buy on Steam
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 12, 2026.

Key features

• 11-level castle with areas such as the Rotating Dungeon and the Sunken Ruins of Lost Spirits
• Whip works like a grappling hook to swing past traps
• Password system to resume progress
• Collection includes Castlevania III, Bloodlines and Kid Dracula, never released in English before
• Includes the eBook History of Castlevania: Book of the Crescent Moon

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: $19.99 buys eight games, the most on this list
• Strength: Sold on Steam, Switch, PS4 and Xbox One
• Strength: Small install: 800 MB on Windows, 1.4 GB on Switch
• Weakness: 81% of 1,884 English Steam reviews are positive, the lowest of the three Konami collections
• Weakness: Supports English and Japanese only on Steam
• Weakness: Steam lists a 1920 x 1080 monitor in its minimum notes

Key facts

• Original release: December 3, 1991 (Super NES)
• Hero: Simon Belmont
• Levels: 11
• Games in collection: 8
• English Steam reviews: 81% positive of 1,884 (collection)

Where it ranks

Super Castlevania IV is No. 4 in our Best Castlevania Games verdict.