Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (SoTN) is a landmark Metroidvania game renowned for its intricate castle design, hidden rooms, secret artifacts, and Easter-eggs. Beyond the main path, the castle is filled with collectibles, powerful weapons, rare equipment, and secret areas that reward exploration and careful observation. This guide details every artifact and reveals the full secret castle layout.
Introduction
SoTN transformed the Castlevania series with its non-linear exploration and hidden secrets. Collecting artifacts not only boosts Alucard’s stats but also unlocks rare weapons and powerful abilities. The castle itself contains multiple secret floors, hidden corridors, and optional bosses, offering challenges for completionists and casual players alike.
Full Artifact Collection
1. Weapons & Shields
- Crissaegrim: Found in a hidden wall room; extremely fast, dual-wield capable sword.
- Alucard Shield: Accessible in secret corridors; provides superior defense against magic attacks.
- Holy Glasses & Rings: Boost specific stats and resistances, often hidden behind destructible walls.
2. Equipment & Accessories
- Ring of Varda & Ring of Ankh: Found in optional areas; provide magic and health boosts.
- Cape of Bat: Hidden in a secret library; improves mobility and damage resistance.
- Bracelets & Pendants: Unlock bonus abilities when combined with specific gear sets.
3. Sub-Weapons & Consumables
- Holy Water, Cross, and Dagger upgrades: Found in secret rooms and destructible blocks.
- Rare Consumables: Restore health/magic or temporarily increase stats; often tucked away in optional chambers.
Secret Castle Layout
Inverted Castle
- Accessible after defeating Shaft and certain bosses in the main castle.
- Mirror version of the original castle with increased difficulty and altered enemy placement.
- Houses the most powerful artifacts, rare sub-weapons, and hidden treasure rooms.
Hidden Rooms & Passageways
- Pushable Walls: Reveal rare items, shortcuts, and secret bosses.
- Invisible Platforms & Traps: Require precise jumping and timing to access collectibles.
- Teleporters & Hidden Staircases: Lead to optional areas and collectible caches.
Optional Boss Locations
- Doppelgänger of Alucard: Located in a hidden room accessible via a secret warp.
- Bishop / Forgotten Sorcerer: Exclusive to secret castle zones; drops rare artifacts.
- Medusa & Soul Stealer Rooms: Provide unique sub-weapons and rare consumables.
Easter-Eggs & Hidden Features
Secret Music & Sound Cues
- Certain hidden rooms trigger unique music tracks.
- Audio clues hint at hidden paths or traps.
Classic Castlevania References
- Hidden items and rooms reference earlier Castlevania titles.
- Optional interactions reveal lore about Dracula and previous vampire hunters.
Unlockable Abilities
- Completing hidden areas can unlock Double Jump, Transformations, and Stat Boosts.
Miscellaneous Secrets
- Hidden texts, environmental storytelling, and breakable walls reward curiosity.
- Some rooms contain humorous or Easter-egg content as nods to the developers.
Tips for Collecting All Artifacts
Explore Every Corridor
- Many rooms appear optional but contain critical artifacts.
- Use wall collision detection and jump mechanics to uncover secret paths.
Map Awareness
- Refer to in-game maps or clues to locate pushable walls, hidden platforms, and invisible pathways.
Boss & Enemy Drops
- Some rare sub-weapons and artifacts are obtained exclusively by defeating secret bosses.
Revisit Areas
- Returning to previously explored areas after obtaining new abilities can reveal previously inaccessible artifacts.
Conclusion
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night’s hidden artifacts and secret castle layout offer a rich and rewarding experience for players who explore carefully. From powerful weapons and armor to secret rooms, optional bosses, and hidden Easter-eggs, uncovering all the secrets ensures you experience Alucard’s full adventure in Dracula’s castle.
GGC