Castlevania Bloodlines

Castlevania: Bloodlines, known in Japan as Vampire Killer and in PAL regions as Castlevania: The New Generation, is a 1994 platform game developed and published by Konami for the Sega Genesis as part of the Castlevania series. A vampire named Elizabeth Bartley is orchestrating the beginning of World War I to serve as the catalyst for the resurrection of her uncle, Dracula. Players take on the role of Quincey Morris' son, John, and his friend Eric Lecarde to take up the fight against evil.

The development team approached Bloodlines as a unique Castlevania experience tailor-made for the Genesis. In this sense, the gameplay was made more fast and action-oriented. Writer Toshiki Yamamura also took creative liberties to craft what he viewed was a new chapter in the Castlevania saga. The game was the first Castlevania title for which Michiru Yamane composed music. She used her Bach influences to compose a renowned soundtrack, leading to her becoming a recurring series composer.

Bloodlines was released to positive reviews. It was re-released as part of the Castlevania Anniversary Collection on May 16, 2019, as well as the Sega Genesis Mini on September 19, 2019 and as one of the inaugural Genesis games for the Nintendo Classics service on October 25, 2021. Bloodlines' storyline and characters were eventually continued in subsequent installments and other media related to the series, most notably in Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (2006) for the Nintendo DS.