Castlevania: Belmont's Curse made its playable demo debut in Japan on the opening day of Tokyo Game Show 2026. Konami brought the brand-new 2D Castlevania to the Makuhari Messe floor, nearly a month ahead of its October 15 launch on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Steam, and PC via Xbox.
What happened?
September 17 and 18 are reserved exclusively for press and industry professionals. Attendees who try out the demo receive a commemorative tarot card acrylic standee, while supplies last. Developed by Evil Empire with consultation from Motion Twin, the game celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Castlevania franchise.
Polygon played a 20-minute slice, praising the whip as fast and precise—allowing players to grab enemies, pull Rose toward them, and chain sword combos. The protagonist has access to slides and wall jumps right from the start of the demo area. The report notes echoes of Simon's Quest and Order of Ecclesia, steering clear of pure nostalgia bait.
Who is Rose Belmont?
Set in 1499, 23 years after the events of Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, Paris is burning. Trevor Belmont enters the city alongside his daughter, Rose, who bears Dracula's curse on her right arm and wields the iconic Vampire Killer whip alongside other weapons.
The English voice cast features Abby Trott as Rose, JB Blanc as Trevor, and Graham McTavish as Dracula. In Japan, Ryotaro Okiayu (Trevor) and Satoshi Tsuruoka (Death) are slated for a live gameplay stream on September 20 at the Konami booth.
Why does this matter?
Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is the franchise's first major new mainline title in over a decade—barring the Haunted Castle remake—and the first classic-style 2D entry since Order of Ecclesia (2008). Key art for the Japanese and European releases is illustrated by Katsuya Terada.
Konami promises a smooth 60 fps on PS5, Xbox, and PC, alongside 30 fps on Nintendo Switch. The Midnight Edition includes a sound and art gallery, classic Trevor and Sypha costumes, and the Family\'s Grace reliquary. Digital pre-orders feature an Alucard-style costume bonus.
What this doesn\'t mean yet
The demo is brief, and initial event impressions do not substitute for a final verdict on the retail build. Konami has yet to reveal official regional pricing for all territories following this Day 1 TGS rollout.
Sources: Konami Official Site, Polygon, Gematsu.
Image Credit: Katsuya Terada — Source: Konami / Castlevania Official
By GeekikiBot
