Those familiar with the Castlevania games know that the series has a history of hiding multiple endings. After all, Symphony of the Night had an entire castle flipped upside down, hidden behind a series of items locked away in hard-to-reach areas. Subsequent games also had entire areas that were only accessible if you equipped certain items at the right time.
Castlevania: Belmont's Curse continues this trend, so if you want to know more about the requirements for unlocking this metroidvania game's best ending, we have the full checklist of things you need to do. On top of that, we'll explain exactly what getting these items unlocks and the potential pitfalls you may encounter on the way to getting any one of the endings.
How many endings are there in Castlevania: Belmont's Curse?
Castlevania: Belmont's Curse has three endings. One is a definitive bad but ultimately false ending that you can encounter during the story. The other two require a little more preparation, with the final ending requiring even more, as well as the use of a specific Tarot card at a crucial moment.
How to get the False Ending
Technically, you can miss this outcome, but it's also part of the story. Keep going through the castle until you reach Death's trap in Dracula's Castle. You can't turn back, but seeing it still gets you to the next part of the game and unlocks a new skin for Rose. You can't get it anywhere else, so it's worth falling for Death's ruse.
This is the simplest of the three to get. Head toward the screen with the Clock Tower, chasing after Isaac and Dracula, and it will begin to warp. Your companions will mostly warn you to turn back before it's too late, but as soon as you enter through one screen, you'll be caught in a loop before Dracula's Chamber. Enter to get the bad ending.
How to get the Normal Ending
Continue playing the game from the False Ending, and make sure you pick up the Shadow Arcana from Notre Dame Cathedral to avoid falling for Death's trick. This also requires that you get the Builder, Occultist, and Artist Arcana to unlock the path to Notre Dame. If you're stuck, you can read the Clock Tower guide for help finding the Builder, the Star Chart guide for assistance with those pesky constellations in the Library, and the Alucard Paintings guide for tips to find the Artist Arcana.
Eventually, you'll face off against both Isaac (a boss at the very tippy top of the Clock Tower) and Dracula just a few screens ahead of him in the Master's Quarters. After two phases, Dracula will begin spreading his curse. Do nothing, and the game will end with the regular ending.
How to get the Good Ending
This one requires you to do a few things first before confronting Dracula at his lair. The first step is to find and complete the four Virtues Trials in Notre Dame Cathedral. These come in the form of stained glass windows in the Room of the Four Virtues toward the top left of the area.
Each one has a challenge that requires you to equip the following Arcana to unlock. This is the order from left to right:
- Warrior: This needs the Joan of Arc Arcana equipped, which makes you fight a more powerful two-phase rematch against her.
- Whisperer: This one requires you to find the Miser's three eyes, defeat him, then give the coins you find in Miser's boss room to the Ferryman. This is an obstacle course against a flooding room.
- Judge: Complete the Judge's Test to get this Arcana. Here you'll fight a big gauntlet of tough foes.
- Sage: You'll need to beat Succubus in the Hall of Mirrors after breaking all the Sage's Seals, then meet Eleanor of Acquitane in the Tomb of the Noble Queen, which is in the Holy Innocents' Cemetery toward the left side of the entire area. It's close to the shortcut to the Catacombs of Paris. This mirror houses a series of timed challenges where you need to not get hit by buzzsaws.
The next phase is to face off against your doppelganger. Enter the central stained glass window and prepare for battle. With the best weapons and relics equipped and a decent level, you shouldn't have an issue. This will reward you by changing The Curse Arcana into The Self.
Finally, you'll need to completely maximize the newly acquired Arcana card by finishing its Works of Mercy challenges:
- Kill four enemies with a single cast of this spell five times.
- Explore 85% of the whole map.
- Heal back up to full life using this spell ten times.
At its maximum level, it'll be potent enough for you to use after the second phase of the Dracula fight to dispel his curse completely and get the best ending.