Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest is a 1987 platform-adventure game developed and published by Konami. The game was first released exclusively in Japan for the Famicom Disk System, before making its way worldwide with a release on the NES.
At the time, reviews of the game were mildly positive, but its repetitive gameplay has led to its retrospective legacy being a little more negative. Even still, it sold enough copies to further establish the Castlevania series in the gaming space.
Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest Premise
©Screenshot from Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest.
When compared to the first game in the series, Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest makes a few huge gameplay iterations. While side-scrolling combat is still the norm, the game embraces nonlinear gameplay, with the player needing to revisit certain areas throughout the game via the use of a world map.
As Simon, you must go around speaking to villagers, who offer hints toward his next objective. You can earn hearts, which can then be used to trade to acquire better equipment for combat. These hearts can also be used to gain XP, which can increase Simon’s power level and health, making him more durable in a fight.
The game introduces a day/night cycle, which changes the effectiveness of enemies. At daytime, enemies are weaker, but become stronger at night. This just gives players a lot more to think about while playing the game.
Ultimately, the main objective of the game is to find Dracula’s five body parts, which are scattered between different mansions in Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest. These parts can be utilized during combat after you collect them, making Simon much stronger. Once all are collected, you can face the final boss: Dracula himself.
Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest Main Characters
©Screenshot from Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest.
As Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest is still early on in the series, the main lore is still being established here. The game continues the story of the Belmont family, a lineage of vampire hunters in an eternal duel against Dracula. This particular title kicks off seven years after the original Castlevania, with these two characters serving as the main cast of the game:
- Simon Belmont: After being cursed by Dracula at the end of the original Castlevania, protagonist Simon Belmont returns after seven years. To defeat the vampire, he heads on a quest to find Dracula’s various body parts, so he can face him at Castle Dracula.
- Dracula: As with just about every Castlevania game, Dracula is the main antagonist of Simon’s Quest. Dracula has placed a curse on Simon, although the vampire’s body has been split into multiple parts in the time since.
Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest Titles in the Series
©Screenshot from Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest.
Castlevania has been around much longer than most gaming franchises, having made its debut back in 1986. In the years since, the series has expanded into other mediums such as comic books and TV series, hinting toward the popularity that Castlevania has enjoyed.
From 1986 up until the late 2000s, output from the Castlevania series was extremely consistent, with releases of new titles coming in most years. A change in strategy from developer/publisher Konami meant the 2010s were a little barer, with the focus shifting toward mobile gaming.
Despite the lack of mainline releases lately, Castlevania remains a valuable name with a ton of credit banked in the eyes of gamers. If Konami were ever to bring the series back in a big way, there’s no doubt it would have an audience ready and waiting.
The History of Castlevania
- Castlevania (1986)
- Vampire Killer (1986)
- Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest (1987)
- Haunted Castle (1988)
- Castlevania: The Adventure (1989)
- Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse (1989)
- Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge (1991)
- Super Castlevania IV (1991)
- Akumajō Dracula (1993)
- Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (1993)
- Kid Dracula (1993)
- Castlevania: Bloodlines (1994)
- Castlevania: Dracula X (1995)
- Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (1997)
- Castlevania Legends (1997)
- Castlevania (1999)
- Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness (1999)
- Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (2001)
- Castlevania Chronicles (2001)
- Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (2002)
- Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (2003)
- Castlevania: Lament of Innocence (2003)
- Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (2005)
- Castlevania: Curse of Darkness (2005)
- Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (2006)
- Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles (2007)
- Castlevania: Order of Shadows (2007)
- Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (2008)
- Castlevania Judgment (2008)
- Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth (2009)
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (2010)
- Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night (2010)
- Castlevania: Harmony of Despair (2010)
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate (2013)
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (2014)
- Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls (2019)
Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest Cheat Codes
©Screenshot from Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest.
In Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest, cheat codes come in the form of passwords that you can enter at the Password menu, which is found on the title screen. From here, you can enter any of the following codes for the respective benefit:
| Password | Password Effect |
|---|---|
| DY31 LXDY W45X TGJX | Defeats Dracula. |
| 7MEF 0VFT 151Z Y2Z5 | Allows you to fight Dracula. |
| 31U2 ONCF 2RAU 04VF | Automatically start from Level 6. |
| MLIT-WVCW-T3KU-SFZC | Start the game with all items and weapons. |
| OBKQ EPY1 UHBC R3YJ | Start the game with the Morning Star whip. |
| GZ0V I0I5 GQCF U2ZB | Start with all items at Level 6, as well as the Flame Whip on Day 0. |
| ZQ35 T1HK FW0B AMXS | Start the game with the Chain Whip. |
| ELED O7EZ VF1U S2RG | Start the game with the Chain Whip, Blue Crystal, Dagger, Holy Water, Dracula’s Bone, three Garlics, and four Laurels. |
| WZSY MLAD 4PY0 ZEEE | Start the game with the Flame Whip. |
| GINF HQLS BOVJ UHJ4 | Start the game with the Thorn Whip. |
If you’re playing the game on an NES emulator, there’s another way that you can enter cheat codes. Instead, you can enter Game Genie cheats in your emulator’s Cheat Codes section, which works as if you had a Game Genie cartridge on the NES. This is unlikely, given how rare they are to find today.
If you want to use these Game Genie cheats using the codes below, you can alter the game in far more dynamic ways than the cheats available out of the box.
Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest Game Genie Codes
| Cheat Code | Cheat Code Effects |
|---|---|
| EOUGAETO | Gives the game’s visuals colder hues. |
| IZVGIEVN | Adds a constant strobe effect. |
| POUGAETO | Makes the game low contrast grayscale. |
| PUUGAETO | Gives the game’s visuals low contrast sepia tones. |
| ESUGAETO | Makes the game’s visuals extremely green. |
| AUUGAETO | Gives the game’s visuals warmer hues. |
| TEXXXILA | Allows you to continue a password game with six lives. |
| PEXXXILE | Allows you to continue a password game with nine lives. |
| TAOGPLLA | Allows you to continue with six lives. |
| PAOGPLLE | Allows you to continue with nine lives. |
| GXOGGZVG | Gives you infinite lives. |
| PASGLILA | Allows you to start with one life. |
| EASGLILA | Allows you to start with 200 lives. |
| IZSKZIAI | Allows you to start with 25 hearts. |
| IYSKZIAI | Allows you to start with 75 hearts. |
| NYSKPI | Allows you to start with 167 hearts. |
| PGSKGSAK | Allows you to start with 5000 hearts. |
| EPSKZIAI PGSKGSAK | Allows you to start with 9000 hearts. |
| LZUAINVI OAUATYNE | Allows you to destroy any enemy with your body. |
| ASAAAA | Gives you infinite energy. |
| SXOEPOVK | Makes using Laurel last forever. |
| SZKEIVVK | Gives you invincibility. |
| ATKAEAAG | Makes you invincible 1.5x longer after being hit. |
| EAKAEAAG | Makes you invincible 2x longer after being hit. |
| AAOAVAPA | Makes you invincible, but only against attacks from enemies. |
| SZKAAAAX | Makes you invincible, but only against spikes and lava. |
| ASAAPA | Gives you max energy. |
| NISKTIAU | Allows you to start a new game with 52 health bars. |
| YZSKTIAU | Allows you to start a new game with eight health bars. |
| OTSSPLSV GASSZUAA | Makes you take less damage. |
| OTSSPLSV ZASSZUAA | Makes you take much less damage. |
| EVUELANT VNUEGAEK VKVYEVNN UEVYOVNN PEVYXVNY GKVYUVNN KNVYKVNY KKVYSVNY | You no longer die while in water. |
| SXXAPPAX | You are teleported to the top of the screen if you fall into water. |
| ZEAAIA | Freezes the timer so there is no night. |
| KINGPI | Resets the time to 0. |
| AOPIPY | Makes night and day much faster. |
| SXSAVOSZ NNSANOGT PXSEEPLE EESEOPAP AOSEXPLP GESEUPEZ XVSEKPEN OSSEVOSV EESENPVE | Allows you to fly by holding the jump button. |
| AXVENOAU | Makes you jump higher. |
| AXVENOAL | Makes you jump much higher. |
| EESAEPAG KYKAKPII EAKASOUS | Allows you to jump while in mid-air. |
| GKVENOAL | Makes you jump lower. |
| ZASATYPA VYNAANNN VYOAEONN ZAOEUPPA | Makes you move faster. |
| ANSEZTEY | Allows you to walk on air. |
| GKUALASE ISUAGAYZ VEUAIEOZ ANSEZTEY | Allows you to walk on water. |
| ANVAZLEI | Allows you to walk through walls. |
| XPKEGYGE | Makes half a heart worth 100 hearts. |
| AAVEANIA | Makes any heart worth 100 hearts. |
| AAVEANIA PAVEZYPE | Makes any heart worth 900 hearts. |
| YENIUAZE | Makes all daggers much faster. |
| YSPAPE | Gives you all of Dracula’s Parts and the Blue Crystal. |
| YNPAPE | Gives you all of Dracula’s Parts and the Red Crystal. |
| YUPAPE | Gives you all of Dracula’s Parts and the White Crystal. |
| AEKIYLPA | You will always be equipped with a shield. |
| ELEVES ELETES | Any item that costs 50 or less is free. Items that cost more than 50 is now cheaper. |
| ESSAOPEY | Automatically attacks while jumping and falling. |
| GENTUIYA | When you buy a Thorn Whip, you’re automatically given the Flame Whip instead (do not buy any further Whip upgrades after this as it can crash the game). |
| PEXVXSPX | Buy a White Crystal to receive all of Dracula’s Relics, too. |
| NYXVOTAX | Buy a White Crystal to receive a Red Crystal and all of Dracula’s Relics, too. |
| VVNTKSSE | Allows you to buy all Whips in the first town. |
| NYOVSVAE | Buying Holy Water gives you all sub-weapons too. |
| PIATOI | If you purchase a White Crystal, all other items are cheaper. |
| AEEIUEGA | Allows you to buy items regardless of your heart count. |
| EYNIVAEL | Can use sub-weapons regardless of your heart count/ |
| EUXISAEY | Can use three Holy Waters at a time rather than one. |
| EUSIOAEY | Can use three Normal Daggers at a time rather than one. |
| NYIIZI | Collecting one heart maxes out your health. |
| XOKOLY | After collecting a few hearts, you receive the Cross and the Silk Bag. |
| AITEAN | After collecting a few hearts, you receive the Cross. |
| SUTAIX | Dropped items don’t disappear. |
| PSLAAX | Enemies always drop a heart worth four. |
| OSLAAX | Enemies always drop better value hearts. |
| EUXEPZEI | Makes enemies guaranteed to always drop hearts. |
| AENESAPT AAOANPYG AAOEKPGI | Allows you to hit anywhere with whips. |
| ELEEOZAL ELXANZAL | Allows you to hit anywhere with sub-weapons. |
| SNUISENN | Holy Water and the Sacred Flame are thrown at a higher arc. |
| LEXSVAPA | Holy Water and the Sacred Flame fly faster and further. |
| GEXSVAPA | Holy Water and the Sacred Flame fly even faster and further. |
| AOPSSZ XVPIPV | Holy Water can break any block. |
| OVNEXASV IKNEUAZP | Increases the Whip distance. |
| SZUISPVG | Gives you infinite Garlic. |
| SXESEASA SXESKASA | Gives you infinite hearts. |
| IAXIOPVG | Gives you infinite Laurels. |
| INIEEA | Gives you a magic Whip, which instantly kills all enemies / townspeople on the screen. |
| LZOGIUPP | You no longer lose hearts or XP after a game over. |
| AAXAVPAG | You one-hit-kill all enemies and bosses. |
| OXNTKYSX OXUNIZSX SANNPZSZ NNNTSYOO NNUNTZOO GXONZPXP XOONGPPA YYKKYIAE ZGSGPSTO | Allows you to start the game with all items and Dracula’s Relics. |
| ZEXGZIAA | Allows you to start the game with the Chain Whip. |
| GEXGZIAA | Allows you to start the game with the Flame Whip. |
| LEXGZIAA | Allows you to start the game with the Morning Star Whip. |
| PEXGZIAA | Allows you to start the game with the Thorn Whip. |
| EIOIOGEY | Gives you super-fast whipping. |
| ENNSVAEI | The Normal Dagger can travel across the entire screen. |
| APISIT AALSPT XVPIPV AAZSAT | Any Whip can now destroy any block. |
| SANXTPSZ | Makes it so that you always get the good ending. |
| XVLSSY | Any enemies stop fire. |
| AIVAZLEY | You can see the hidden clue books without Dracula’s Eyeball. |
| EAKZXPEP EAUXXPEI EEOZPYEI AIEAZTEY | Allows you yo summon the tornado to drain lakes and reveal hidden platforms without a crystal. |
| PPXAOAYA | Transforms the church in the first town to a house, featuring a merchant that sells the Morning Star whip. |
| TAXAOAYA | Entering the church in the first town teleports you to the final town before Dracula’s Castle. |
| AUVEAYEY ASVEYYEY SLEANESO | You can deflect most enemies and their projectiles using your shield. |
| AASLYTSL | Dracula always throws scythes. |
| EPUUATEI | Dracula can no longer move. |
| ATLESI | Enemies and bosses no longer shoot fireballs. |
| AENESAPT AAOANPYG XVOAKAAV | Enemies spawn with zero health, so die on sight. |
| AAOANPYG XVOAKAAV | Enemies within whipping distance are hit automatically. |
| XLUGAO | Whenever you go into the game’s menu, you receive items and crystals. |
| NYSSLI | Your XP and hearts go up faster. |
| ESOVETEY | Makes dialogue text go much faster. |
| SNAKES | Allows you to fight Dracula at the start of the game. |
| AVTAAY | Fireballs now bounce off you. |
| VTVLZPXV NTVLTPUV KNEUAOET SNEUGOOT VVXLAPEV NVXLGPOV KVKLPPEV SVKULPOV VVNLZPXV NVNUGPUV KYEUYXET SYOUPXOT AESEKPEY AEXAYGEY | Makes you much smaller, allowing you to fit into smaller spaces. |
| YASSUPAA | Gives you infinite Oak Stakes. |
| AAXXVKNT | Most sprites now leave tracers. |
| NYNKLI | Plays boss music throughout the game. |
| EYNGEIEI | Ponds open instantly with or without a Crystal. |
| AZUSTLSA KAUSYLTX XYKIAUOZ PLKIILAT | Allows you press Select or Start to change Sub-Weapons after you have them. |
| IESGPKAE | Press Start at the game’s title screen to view the ending. |
| KETAZY | Running into enemies levels you up. |
| AAKEZAZL | Makes spikes deal the same damage as poisonous swamps. |
| AUUGTAPZ | Allows you to start at Dracula’s ruins. |
| NTSKPI | Allows you to start in town before the first mansion. |
| AZSTTIAL | Start the game with less energy. |
| AISKTIAL | Start the game with more energy. |
| NZOIXXAP XIOIUZOK XVOIPVVE | The Diamond can break any block. |
| EENAGTEI | The ferryman will show you the way even without Dracula’s Heart. |
| EONEGAEI | Towns are infested with monsters in both day and night time. |
| AEXEYYPP EYKEYPEI | Towns never sleep. |
| GXXGGPZL KKKGIPXG | You can view the ending at the start of any level. |
| AAUASPLA | You can view the ending when defeating any enemy. |
Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest Cheat Code FAQs
©Screenshot from Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest.
What is the Invincibility Cheat for Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest?
The invincibility cheat in Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest is a Game Genie code. To use it, enter “SZKEIVVK” into your emulator, after which you should be completely invincible from all damage.
How Do You Jump High in Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest?
To jump high in Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest, you’ll need to use one of two Game Genie cheats. The first is “AXVENOAU,” which makes you jump a little bit higher than normal.
Alternatively, you can use the code “AXVENOAL,” instead. This allows you to jump much higher than normal in-game.
How Do You Enter Passwords in Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest?
Entering the in-game passwords is extremely easy. While at the title screen, you’ll be presented with an option that says “Password.” Press that, and you’ll see a menu that gives you the chance to enter a 16-digit password.
Then, it’s as simple as entering any of the codes we provided earlier. This will allow you to start Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest with a few more advantages than normal.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Screenshot from Castlevania II: Simon's Quest..