Stage Map

Stage Maps are illustrated maps depicting the locations of different stages in the game within the larger world or in Dracula's Castle. They are usually shown in between stages, along with a trace of the path that is about to be taken. They may also offer the player a choice as to which path they wish to take. They are often accompanied with a special background music. They may also be depicted in instruction manuals or related strategy guides.
==Game specific information==
===Castlevania===
An illustrated stage map is shown in between stage blocks in Castlevania, which contains outlines for each stage in the game. The player's current location is depicted as a small white square. Stages with bosses are depicted in red, with a bat appearing in the room of the next boss. No background music is played, with only the sound of Simon Belmont's footsteps heard as he walks across the screen. Printed versions similar to this map was also included in the Japanese and US manuals.
===Castlevania II: Simon's Quest===
Simon's Quest does not have a map within the game. The Japanese instruction booklet contains one that shows the general locations of various of places in the game, although it does not map out the precise location of each stage. A similar map was included in the NES Game Atlas.
===Haunted Castle===
The stage map contains a depiction of each stage in the game and is shown between stages. Dracula's Castle is depicted at a different scale on this map. A flashing icon depicting Simon Belmont at his current location is placed on the map. No sound is heard while the map is being shown.
===Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse===
There are two stage maps in Dracula's Curse, one depicting the lands outside of Dracula's Castle, and another within it. When there's a fork in the path after a stage, the player can move his character toward the next stage they've selected, while "Destiny" is played in the background. When there is no choice, only the sounds of the character's footsteps can be heard as in the first Castlevania.
===Castlevania: Belmont's Revenge===
A 'Stage Select' screen showing the first four levels is displayed at the beginning of the game, allowing the player to play through them in any order. The music theme "Journey to Chaos" is played in the background. Once they have all been cleared, Dracula's Castle is depicted as rising from the central lake on this map. A new map displaying the inside of the castle is then used between stages and no further stage selections are possible. "Castle 2" is played in the background for this map.
===Super Castlevania IV===
Like in Dracula's Curse, there are two stage maps in Super Castlevania IV, one depicting the path to Dracula's Castle, and another depicting its interior. Unique to this game, both maps are displayed in an isometric view and both scale in using the then innovative capabilities of the Mode 7 effects to show up close the route to be taken on the next stage. Four different music themes play during the various stage maps. "Stage Map A" plays when traveling outside the castle. "Stage Map B" is played for most stages within the castle, except for the last two, where "Stage Map C" and "D" are played respectively instead, the former being a short arrangement of "Bloody Tears", and the latter of "Vampire Killer".
===Castlevania Chronicles===
A stage map similar to that of Castlevania is displayed between stages. As in that game, there is no background music and all that can be heard are Simon Belmont's footsteps as he walk across the screen. A labeled map is also included in the manual.
===Castlevania: Rondo of Blood===
A 'Stage Select' map is available at the start menu screen on top of an illustration of Dracula's Castle while "Requiem" plays in the background. It is laid out in a simple diagram showing how the exits and entrances of the stages connect, but not showing their physical locations within the castle illustration or the larger world. Most stages, except for some at the beginning and end, have alternate versions. The normal versions of those stages are depicted in the top row, the alternate versions are on the bottom, and stages that have no alternates are in the middle row. A square block is displayed for each stage that has been unlocked. The player moves a bat cursor on this map to select the stage. An illustration of the boss that is before each exit is shown in a flashing box that represents the stage that follows that exit. Defeating that boss unlocks the stage it is shown on, which is normally played next. Players can replay unlocked stages at any time in order to attempt to unlock other stages and rescue villagers.
===Castlevania: Bloodlines===
A map of Europe is displayed prior to beginning any stage, depicting the path taken to that stage from the previous stage. "Arduous Journey" plays in the background.
===Castlevania: Dracula X===
An illustrated map of Dracula's Castle including the town stage is displayed at the beginning of each stage. The path that will be traversed is traced similar to Super Castlevania IV, while the "Map" background music plays.
===Castlevania Legends===
The stage map in Legends is similar to that of the original Castlevania. An illustrated map depicting all stages in the game is presented in between stages. Only Sonia Belmont's footsteps can be heard as she walks across the screen.
===Castlevania: Curse of Darkness===
The stage map depicting the overall world is located in the upper left corner of the screen when the Floor Map is displayed. The current stage is highlighted in this map.
===Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia===
Upon reaching any of the exits of a particular stage, the world map is displayed. The player can then choose any of the unlocked areas to travel to. New stages are made available upon reaching particular stage exits. "Destiny's Stage" is played in the background during this map. Dracula's Castle is considered a single stage with multiple sub-sections. Once it is revived, "Passing into the Night" starts being used as the world map background music.
===Castlevania Judgment===
Castle Mode in Castlevania Judgment features a Castle Map. Players can travel throughout the castle, facing other characters, monsters, and bosses and unlock items. "Castle" plays in the background.
===Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth===
An illustrated map is shown prior to starting each stage. It shows the players current location, a line showing the path they are about to take through the castle, and the boss room with an illustration for that boss at the end of the path. Christopher Belmont walks across the bottom of the screen while background music is played. Alternate paths the player could take are not shown.
===Castlevania: Harmony of Despair===
Each stage of Harmony of Despair represents a chapter within the Grimoire. They can be accessed from the main menu in the grimoire by selecting their stage names. An illustrated map representing the layout of the currently selected stage is shown on the left side of the book, which shows the location and size of each room within the stage.
===Castlevania: Lords of Shadow===
The stage selection maps are depicted as pages within Travel Book. Each map page represents a different chapter of the quest and contains several stages that can be selected. Unlocked chapters can be turned to as desired.
===Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate===
The castle map is shown on the left side of the map screen accessible from the pause menu. It shows the player's current position within an illustrated map of Castlevania and the relative positions of all stages within the castle and how they connect. The area map for the current stage is shown on the right.
===Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2===
A map of Castlevania City or Castlevania is available in Dracula's diary. The location of each area is depicted, but sub-areas are not labeled on the map.
===Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls===
Players travel through Grimoires in this game. After selecting a grimoire, which is depicted with an illustration representing the boss of the book on its cover, the grimoire is opened. A map displaying four chapters is displayed, with artwork of each chapter in a different section of the map and the stages for that chapter overlaid on top of it. Each chapter contains five stages, except for the final one, which is reserved for the boss. The next stage in a chapter is normally unlocked after beating the previous stage. After defeating the third stage in a non-boss chapter, the first stage of the next chapter is unlocked. The fourth and fifth stages of a non-boss chapter can only be unlocked once all three challenges from the preceding chapter are overcome. The player can choose to play or replay any unlocked stage from any book or chapter at any time.
==Gallery==
Stage Map - Castlevania - 01.png|In-game Dracula's Castle map from Castlevania.
Map - Castlevania - 01.png|Map of Dracula's Castle artwork from the Japanese Castlevania instruction booklet.
Castlevania NES Manual Stage Map.JPG|Map of Dracula's Castle artwork from the US Castlevania instruction booklet.
3Cloonan-Gate 600x.jpg|Inner gatefold of the Castlevania Original Video Game Soundtrack.
D2 09-1-.jpg|World map from the Japanese Simon's Quest instruction booklet.
Terror-tory of Transylvania - NES Game Atlas - 01.png|NES Game Atlas map for Simon's Quest.
Mondo2 CastlevaniaII3 600x.jpg|Inner gatefold of the Castlevania II: Simon's Quest Original Video Game Soundtrack.
Haunted Castle Stage Map.png|Haunted Castle stage map.
Stage Map - Dracula's Curse - 01.png|Wallachia countryside map from Dracula's Curse.
Stage Map - Dracula's Curse - 02.png|Block 2 and Block 3 path selection screen.
Stage Map - Dracula's Curse - 03.png|Block 3 (continuation) and Block 4 path selection screen.
Stage Map - Dracula's Curse - 04.png
Stage Map - Dracula's Curse - 05.png|Dracula's Castle map from Dracula's Curse.
3-Castlevania-III.webp|Inner gatefold of the Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse – Original Video Game Soundtrack.
Stage Map - Belmont's Revenge - 01.png|Stage Select screen from Belmont's Revenge.
Stage Map - Belmont's Revenge - 02.png|Dracula's Castle map from Belmont's Revenge.
Stage Map - Super Castlevania IV - 01.png|Transylvania countryside map from Super Castlevania IV.
Stage Map - Super Castlevania IV - 02.png|Dracula's Castle map from Super Castlevania IV.
Mondo4 CVIV Jacket gate 1024x.jpg|Inner gatefold of the Super Castlevania IV – Original Video Game Soundtrack.
Stage Map - Chronicles - 01.png|Dracula's Castle map from Akumajō Dracula (X68000).
Stage Map - Rondo of Blood - 01.png|Stage Select screen from Rondo of Blood.
Europe - 01.png|Map of Europe from Bloodlines.
Stage Map - Dracula X - 01.png|Dracula's Castle map from Dracula X.
Stage Map - Legends - 01.png|Dracula's Castle map from Legends.
Stage Map - Chronicles - 02.png|Dracula's Castle map (arranged) from Chronicles.
CVCoD Transylvania Map.PNG|Transylvania map from Curse of Darkness.
Dracula X Chronicles - Name Entry Screen - 04.png|Stage Select screen from The Dracula X Chronicles.
Stage Map - Order of Ecclesia - 01.png|World map from Order of Ecclesia.
CastleMode1.png|Castle Map at the beginning of Castle Mode from Judgment.
Stage Map - The Adventure ReBirth - 01.png|Castlevania map from The Adventure ReBirth.
Dracula's Castle Pixel Art.png|Pixel art Dracula's Castle map of Castlevania from the Castlevania 35th Anniversary NFT.
Haunted Castle Revisited - Map.jpg|Haunted Castle Revisited stage map.