The original Castlevania is free on Android and iPhone, and you can keep it afterward

A free download with a deadline, not an expiring game

Castlevania: 40th Anniversary brings the original NES game to Android, iPhone and iPad for free. Konami’s promotion ends on October 24, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Japan time. In the continental United States, that is 10:59 a.m. Eastern or 7:59 a.m. Pacific on the same day.

Konami says anyone who downloads during the offer can continue playing and download it again after the promotion ends. The deadline is for obtaining the free release, rather than finishing the game.

Use the official US App Store listing or Google Play page, and check for the name Castlevania: 40th Anniversary and developer Konami. Symphony of the Night is a separate app.

The NES original, with touch controls and offline play

This is Simon Belmont’s original action-platforming adventure, built around his whip and stages leading through Dracula’s castle. The store descriptions identify it as a direct port with a virtual touchpad and offline play. Apple lists iOS or iPadOS 15.6 as the minimum and English and Japanese as its languages.

It is not presented as a modern reconstruction. Our remake, remaster and reboot explainer helps distinguish the different promises behind an older game’s return.

The first Castlevania is also a stage-based action platformer, rather than the exploratory structure associated with later metroidvanias. Our Metroid Ravenous coverage provides a contrasting example of modern 2D exploration.

External controllers are not supported

Konami explicitly warns that external game controllers are unsupported. Touch controls are the intended input method for this release, an important condition for a game built around carefully timed jumps and attacks. We have verified the published conditions, rather than tested the controls ourselves.

Open the correct listing on your device, confirm that it is free and install it with your account before the offer closes. Continued play does not require a subscription. Keep access to the account used for the download if you expect to reinstall it later.