Updated 2 October 2026, 10:00
Castlevania turns 40, and Konami is marking the occasion in the simplest way possible: by handing out the game that started everything. A mobile version of the very first Castlevania is free to claim on iOS and Android for a limited time, and once it lands in your account, it stays there for good.
The series officially hit the 40-year mark on September 26. The original Akumajō Dracula came out on that date in 1986 for the Japan-only Famicom Disk System, with vampire hunter Simon Belmont walking into Dracula’s castle armed with the family whip.
How to claim Castlevania for free
The freemium release is called Castlevania: 40th Anniversary and it is up for grabs from September 25 until October 24 at 11:59 p.m. JST – that works out to 10:59 a.m. ET, 7:59 a.m. PT and 4:59 p.m. CEST. You can pick it up on the iOS App Store and on Google Play.
October 24 is only the claiming deadline, not an expiration date. If you download the app inside the promo window, the game is yours – you can delete it and redownload it later whenever you feel like it. Konami also confirmed that the app works offline once installed, so you do not need a connection to play.
It is not quite the 1986 version
Konami calls it the original Castlevania, but the app is not built on the September 1986 Famicom Disk System release. Konami identifies it as the 1993 Famicom cartridge version – essentially the same game, just with a couple of extras bolted on.
The headline addition is an Easy mode. It lowers the damage Simon takes and removes the knockback that normally sends you flying off a staircase the moment an enemy touches you. For a game with this particular reputation, that is a meaningful difference. Everything else is pure 1986 design: retro controls, no hints, no modern crutches, and stairs that will absolutely kill you.
The rest of the anniversary lineup
The giveaway is one piece of a larger anniversary push. Konami’s anniversary portal frames the upcoming metroidvania Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse as the start of “numerous new products around Castlevania,” and the announcement of the free mobile app repeats that Konami has “much more in store for the series.” The freebie also arrives just weeks after Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls shut down its service on September 3.
If the first game leaves you hungry for more, Konami is running discounts on its older compilations across PC and consoles. Castlevania Advance Collection and Castlevania Dominus Collection between them cover the best of the series’ run on Nintendo handhelds.
Belmont’s Curse lands on October 15
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is the first new side-scrolling entry in over 15 years, and it releases on October 15. A free demo covering the opening chapter arrives on October 1, and your progress carries over into the full release – though only within the same platform. We went through the details in our piece on the Belmont’s Curse demo.
The trial has been announced for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam, with the Xbox/Microsoft Store PC version notably absent from that list. It is expected to stay up after launch, although Konami has not explicitly said so.
Where to read more
We are tracking everything happening around the anniversary in our Castlevania news hub, so that is the place to check for follow-ups.
FAQ
Until October 24 at 11:59 p.m. JST, which translates to 10:59 a.m. ET, 7:59 a.m. PT or 4:59 p.m. CEST.
No. That date is only the deadline for claiming it. If you download it in time, you keep playing and can redownload it whenever you want.
Konami confirmed that once the anniversary edition is installed, you can play it offline.
Despite being described as the original, it is the 1993 Famicom cartridge release. It adds an Easy mode that reduces the damage Simon takes and removes enemy knockback.
On October 15, with a free demo of the opening chapter arriving on October 1 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam.