Konami’s canceled Sega Dreamcast game Castlevania Resurrection is now available to the public. The 3D action platformer went up for auction on eBay earlier in April 2021. Comby Laurent, the owner of the website Sega Dreamcast Info Games Preservation, acquired the build and released it online for archiving and distribution purposes on April 27, 2021.
After receiving the prototype, Laurent uploaded the ROM to the internet. His website lists a thorough breakdown of the ROM’s files along with a download. This early beta of Castlevania Resurrection is a build that reportedly predates E3 1999. Journalists were given a hands-on demonstration of the video game that year at the event. In this ROM, the player takes control of Sonia Belmont and can fight off hordes of classic creatures from the series in five separate locations.
Taking place just before the events of the original Castlevania, the protagonists of Castlevania Resurrection are Sonia and Victor Belmont. According to the Art Director Greg Orduyan, it was far along in development before Konami pulled the plug in March 2000. Had the game seen a release, it would have been Victor Belmont’s debut in the series. However, Konami would later introduce him in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2.
Although Konami has not made a mainline entry in the Castlevania series since 2014, they have licensed the IP for a Netflix animated series that will be wrapping up in 2021.
