Alternate Mode

An Alternate Mode is a special gameplay mode the player can usually unlock after they have completed the game in Normal Mode. These modes have been available in most games since the first titles in one way or another (such as being able to play the game a second time in Hard Mode right after completing it once). On newer titles, the player is usually given the option to start a new mode at the beginning and play with new characters (Castlevania: Circle of the Moon being an exception, as the player is instead given the option of getting all DSS cards from the beginning or start with enhanced stats).
Sometimes there are other requirements too; for example, in Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, in order to unlock Richter, the player must first defeat the Whip's Memory and beat the game; and to unlock Old Axe Armor Mode, they must first defeat 1,000 Old Axe Armors and beat the game. In the case of the All Skill Mode in Lament of Innocence, the game does not mention its existence at all, but the player must first beat normal mode and then start a new game file named "@llskill".
==Alternate modes==
====Castlevania: Rondo of Blood====
*Maria Mode - Play as Maria Renard.
====Castlevania: Symphony of the Night====
*Thief Mode - Get increased LCK.
*Richter Mode - Play as Richter Belmont.
*Maria Mode - Play as Maria Renard (Saturn version and The Dracula X Chronicles version).
====Castlevania: Circle of the Moon====
*Magician Mode - Get all DSS cards from the beginning.
*Fighter Mode - Lose all DSS cards but get increased STR.
*Shooter Mode - Get increased Hearts and a homing Dagger.
*Thief Mode - Get increased INT and LCK.
====Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance====
*Maxim Mode - Play as Maxim Kischine.
*Boss Rush Mode
*Simon Mode - Play as 8-bit Simon Belmont (exclusive to Boss Rush Mode). When the Konami logo appears on the screen, input the Konami Code and the title screen will become blue until a reset. Disables the ability to play as Juste or Maxim in this mode.
*Hard Mode
*No Magic Mode - Play without Spell Books.
====Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow====
*Julius Mode - Play as Julius Belmont.
*Boss Rush Mode
*Hard Mode 
*No Soul Mode - Soul restriction
*No Item Use - Item use restriction
====Castlevania: Lament of Innocence====
*Joachim Mode - Play as Joachim Armster.
*Pumpkin Mode - Play as Pumpkin.
*Boss Rush Mode
*Crazy Mode
*All Skill Mode - Start the game with all of Leon's whip skills already unlocked.
====Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow====
*Julius Mode - Play as Julius Belmont, and further into the game, as Yoko Belnades and Alucard. Also, fight a different final boss: Dark King Soma. This mode is also the only one unlocked after obtaining the worst ending, which sets up the stage about the appearance of the new final boss.
*Boss Rush Mode
*Hard Mode
====Castlevania: Curse of Darkness====
*Trevor Mode - Play as Trevor Belmont.
*Boss Rush Mode
*Crazy Mode
====Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin====
*Sisters Mode - Play as Stella and Loretta.
*Richter Mode - Play as Richter and Maria.
*Old Axe Armor Mode - Play as Old Axe Armor.
*Boss Rush Mode
*Hard Mode
====Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles====
*Maria Mode - Play as Maria.
*Boss Rush Mode
====Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia====
*Race Mode
*Albus Mode - Play as Albus.
*Boss Rush Mode
*Hard Mode
====Castlevania Judgment====
*True Story Mode
*Hard Mode
*Brutal Mode
*Arcade Mode
*Castle Mode
*Versus Mode
*Survival Mode
====Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls====
*Alter Arts Mode - Play as Alter Art Characters until their health is reduced to zero.
*Hard Mode
==Gallery==
Circle of the Moon - Name Entry Screen - 01.png|Data Select screen listing the alternate modes available in Circle of the Moon.
Joachim mode unlocked.png|Joachim and Crazy modes unlocked screen from Lament of Innocence.
Lament of Innocence - Name Entry Screen - 02.png|Name Entry screen listing some of the alternate modes available in Lament of Innocence.
Curse of Darkness - Name Entry Screen - 01.png|Name Entry screen listing the two alternate modes available in Curse of Darkness.
Portrait of Ruin - Name Entry Screen - 02.png|Select Data screen listing the alternate modes available in Portrait of Ruin.
==See also==
*Easy Mode
*Hard Mode
*Name Entry Screen
*New Game Plus