/\
    )(
 __/  \__
/  ____  \
/  |    |  \
|  |    |  |
|  |    `-.|           _    _                      ,-'/
|  |   _____  _____  _| |_ | |  ___  _            /  /_____  _ __   _   _____
|  |  /  _  \/  _  \|_   _|| | / _ \\ \          /  //  _  \| '_ \ | | /  _  \
|  |  '.| | || / \,'  | |  | || | | |\ \        /  / '.| | || / \ || | '.| | |
|  |     _| || \____  | |  | || |_| | \ \      /  /     _| || | | || |    _| |
|  |  ,-'   | \____ \ | |  | ||  ___|  \ \    /  /   ,-'   || | | || | ,-'   |
|  |  | ,-| |,-'   \ || |  | || |   __  \ \  /  /   |  .-| || | | || | | .-| |
|  |  | |_| || \___/ /| |_ | || |__/ /   \ \/  /    | |__| || | | || | | |_| |
|  |  |___,_|\_____,' \___||_| \____/     \   /     |____,_||_| |_||_| |___,_|
|  |            ___                        \ /     _            . __
|  |     ,-|   (        _ _  _ |_  _  _     V  _ _/_` _|_|_  _   |  \o _ |_ _|_
|  |    |  |    `-. \ \| | || \| |/ \| |\ \   / \ |    | | |/_\  |  ||| || | |
\  |____|  /    ___)|_|| | ||_/| |\_/| ||_|   \_/ |    \_| |\_, _/  |||_|| | \_
\__    __/         (_,'    |           (_,'                          ._/
   \  /                     \
    )(
    \/

Version: 1.4
Last Update: October 4th, 2004
Updates: Added Alternative Solutions and Best of the Best. Minor typos.

*~ SPEED WALKTHROUGH ~*


__________


~ CONTENTS ~

1. Contact Info
2. Introduction
3. Before Starting...
4. Speed Walkthrough
5. Summary
6. Best of the Best
7. Credits


__________

~ CONTACT INFO ~

  You can reach me through email or AIM if you have any
questions or comments. If you find any errors or have an
idea of how to get past something quicker, please notify
me. Anything else, go ahead and contact me.

Email: [email protected]
AIM: ronkun2


__________

~ INTRODUCTION ~

  Castlevania: Symphony of the Night for the Playstation
is one of my favorite games of all time. The astounding
music and detailed layers give the game a very nice feel.
In my opinion, SotN is the best platform/side-scrolling
game of all time. Throughout this FAQ you'll find details
which will lead to beating the game faster. By following
this FAQ, the game should take no longer than three hours
to beat. My current best time is under two hours.
  Keep in mind that using this guide will not obtain a
high percentage in game completion. Also, you will not
unlock any special secrets. After having beaten the game
fully a number of times, this was just a test to see how
fast I could defeat Dracula and finish the game. So
remember, this is for fun only, once again... YOU WILL
NOT UNLOCK ANY SECRETS BY DOING THIS.


__________

~ BEFORE STARTING... ~

 To achieve the lowest time and not have to restart over
and over again, there are a number of things I suggest you
do before embarking on the fastest quest.

1. Play the game and beat it normally.
2. Learn the map and areas of the game.
3. Read through my main guide, then use the Summary to
check off each thing and move quickly.
4. Remember that time doesn't pass when you pause, but it
does pass when there are cinematics. Press start to skip
them.
5. Prepare a Boss FAQ to whiz through the bosses.
6. SAVE OFTEN! To make good time you won't be levelling up
until the very end or not at all! This means most enemies
will be a lot harder than usual!


__________

~ SPEED WALKTHROUGH ~


******************************
Part A: Richter's Victory.
******************************

 The game begins as Richter. Skip the secret area and
grab the Holy Water. Jump at Dracula when he appears
and hit him in the head, then let your whip spin around
to destroy the fireballs he launches. After a few hits
wait until just before he appears to use Hydro Storm.
Once the second form is complete, use another Hydro Storm
and start whipping away, maybe even using Richter's
down + up attack. He should die fairly quickly.


******************************
Part B: The Quest Begins.
******************************

  Immediately move right when you've entered the castle.
Using the triangle dash is very effective, and a must
for making good time. Avoid using the down, down-right,
right attack, as it takes a lot of time to execute. Kill
the warg and continue down the long hallway. Continue
straight right until you run into Death. Skip the speech
and go through the right opening, then up, and left.
Quickly dispose of the first skeleton and snag the Short
Sword. Equip it immediately and head up. Save here if you
feel comfortable doing so. Don't worry about the Red Rust,
I despise this weapon anyways. Grab the Cube of Zoe. Now
head left to the first real area of the game. From here
on be sure to grab every heart you can and stock up. In
the Alchemy Laboraty, head straight to the left and
destroy the skeletons. Hit the switch to lower the spike
and grab the Hide Cuirass. Equip it and quickly move up.
Now from here go left and hit the orb to get the Leather
Shield. Equip it in the available hand and climb the
platforms and go to the left. In here you will get your
Knife, and use it sparingly. Hit the ground here for a
boost in Life Max, otherwise, move up and left to the
next room.
  Here you can skip the spikes and move up and left,
skipping Axe Lords when you can. Here you can pick up an
easy Resist Thunder and move upwards again. Here you can
jump over to the save room if you like. Now head up. If
you would rather have the Axe secondary weapon, take it.
I think the Knife is more useful here. Head to the right
for your first boss battle.

BOSS: SLOGRA AND GAIBON
HP: 400 (200 each)
XP: 400 (200 each)

  When the battle starts launch a quick volley of Knives
at Slogra. Move from side to side to avoid Slogra being
dropped on you and jump attack when he is airborn. Slogra
will eventually perish and you'll contend with Gaibon.
Block his fireballs and such with the shield, and when he
falls to the ground and fires a long, repeated assault,
move in with the shield and duck and slash away. Refer to
a Boss FAQ for more help.


******************************
Part C: To the Library!
******************************

  Head to the right and then up, saving here if you wish.
Then go right again. You'll enter the Marble Gallery and
continue on a right path. Hang on to the Holy Water.Forget
about the spirit Orb and continue right. You'll run into
enemies, use your shield to block the plant's stone attack.
The rest should be fairly easy. Be sure to check the
candles and collect money, you will need it. Eventually
you will reach the Outer Wall. Go down and to the left.
Here you will need the Holy Water to defeat to Knight
blocking the path. Defeat him and enter. Destroy the lower
portion of the wall for some food. Now stand fully in the
hole and stand still. After a bit a secret elevator will
take you down. Get the Jewel Knuckles and the armor, which
will protect you from stone. Equip them both. Now head back
up and then right, then up again. Go past where you came
in then left. Head down the hallway and save if you want.
Go up and right to encounter the second boss.

BOSS: DOPPLEGANGER10
HP: 120
XP: 500

  Don't use any secondary attacks. Just attack him. Continue pummelling
him and you should be able to catch a rythym that won't allow him a
chance to attack. Refer to a Boss FAQ for more help than this.

  With him defeated, head right. Go right. If you trust your jumping
skills, get the Life Max. Otherwise, head up. Go in thenext door you
find on the left. Head into the Library.
  Go left until you get a chance to go up. Head up and then right. Go
up then left again, walking past the books. Head down and left and you
come upon the Librarian. Skip the cinematics and purchase the Jewel of
Open.


******************************
Part D: A Long Way to the Top.
******************************

  The next necessary item to obtain is the Leap Stone. Exit the Library
the way you came and head up. Hit the switch to activate the elevator and
go back down to get the Soul of Wolf. Head back up and enter the Warp
Room. Use the warp and exit to the right. Open the gate and head up, back
to the Alchemy Laboratory. Head through as quickly as possible like before,
and get all the way to the room before the Slogra and Gaibon battle. Jump
to the left and open the door to reveal the second meeting with Maria. Move
on to the right until you can go up. Head up the long stairs, defeating
what enemies you can and avoiding the Spike Ball at the top. If things are
rough you can exit right and return, get close to the Spike Ball and duck.
Attacking with the Jewel Knuckles will hit it twice and you can gain a few
levels easily here. When I'm not pressed for time I usually get to Level
18 or 19 here. Continue in an upwards and right pattern to reach the third
boss, Hippograph.

BOSS: HIPPOGRAPH
HP: 800
XP: 800

  This is an extremely easy battle. Just bash him with the Jewel Knuckles
and duck under his fire-breath. Destroy any eggs quickly, and the battle
will be very short.

  SKip the cinematics and head to the right and all the way across. Take
the little elevator up and go left, all the way across. You'll obtain the
Leap Stone and the ability to double-jump.


******************************
Part E: Battle in the Coliseum
******************************

  To go through the Clock Tower is a complete waste of time. Use the nearby
Warp Room to go to the Outer Wall. Head down and past where you fought
Doppleganger10. Go left down the original hall back towards the beginning.
When you reach the center Clock room, wait for the upper left part to open
up, then continue up to the large room with the Poltergeist. Take the bottom
right path and retrieve the Onyx through the fake wall, you will need the
cash. Go back to the room and take the upper-left path to enter the Coliseum.
  Here, enemies are fairly tough and if you went fast you are fairly weak.
Skip enemies when you can. Go left, and over everything. When you can go back
down again, save on the left. STRONGLY RECOMMENDED SAVE. Now go down and to
the left again. This is a very hard room to get through. I usually use
Hellfire,
up, down, down-right/left, right/left, and attack. Hold up to do the large
fireballs. Immediately do it again. The pain is the guys shooting the guns.
If you die you can try again. Successfully doing this gets you a nice sum of
money and the Shield Rod. Equip this even though the Jewel Knuckles are
stronger. The extra length will be very useful. Head out of here and save to
fill up, then go right to encounter Richter for the first time.

BOSS: MINOTAUR AND WEREWOLF
HP: ???
XP: ???

  Quickly throw a few Holy Waters below the Werewolf and beat on him with the
Shield Rod. He should die quickly, leaving the Minotaur. Jump over his attack
and beat him, refer to a Boss FAQ for more help here.

  Head right and collect the Form of Mist and use the Library Card you just
got. Back here purchase the Iron Shield, remember to sell your gems and
stones. Go to the right and double jump up to the ledge. Go left and down,
and you'll have another boss battle. Make sure you equipped the Iron Shield.

BOSS: LESSER DEMON
HP: 400
XP: 100

  Hold out the shield and attack with the shield rod. Tap twice to summon a
special attack. The two swords will fly across the screen and hit enemies.
From here on for a while use this attack and refer to Boss FAQs.

  Head left and down the right to the grating. Use Form of Mist to go through
and collect the Soul of Bat. We're now about halfway through the first castle!

******************************
Part F: The Sound of an Echo
******************************

  Leave the Library and go back to the center Clock room. Fly all the way up
the middle to get the Gravity Boots. Go back to the center Clock and up the
left hand side when it opens. In the room with the Poltergeist take the top
right path and open the Warp Room by entering and exiting. Go straight up the
long upwards hall. Use the Gravity Boots, down + up, jump, to be more time
efficient. Here go left, then down, then across the courtyard. Use Holy Water
to really whip the half-horsemen guys. Continue left to the next boss battle.

BOSS: OLROX
HP: 666
XP: 500
  The shield rod ~ iron shield combo is still effective, keep it up.

  Now go left and get the Echo of Bat. This will be used to get the
Spikebreaker Armor. A friend of mine knows the dark room by heart and can
navigate it safely, but I always get this. To cut a nice chunk of time you
can memorize that room too. Go back to the center Clock room and go right. Go
right and up and right again. Stay ont he top part until you open a blue
door. Jump on the switch and head back left. Find the new opening in the
ground and go down. Follow around and down again. Continue down until you
come to a long drop. Use bat to fly into the opening across from the ledge.
Go down the hall and break the pots to get some items, equip the Moonstone.
Go in the right entryway to use a fake save point and fight Succubus in the
Dream World.

BOSS: SUCCUBUS
HP: 666
XP: 2,000
  Shield Rod + Iron Shield, extremely easy. Refer to Boss FAQ if needed.

  Now collect the Gold Ring and leave. Go back and fall down the long pit.
Head throught the first left and continue straight along until you reach the
waterfall. Fly across straight left and hit the switch. Keep the Iron Shield
equipped. Now go right across the waterfall and through the room with the
wooden bridge. Exit that area then re-enter. Lure the skeleton with the
barrel to the bridge and have him throw the flaming barrel on the bridge,
opening a path to the Underground Caverns. Head left, then down, then right.
Your Holy Water can be a big help in the battle with Cereberus.

BOSS: CEREBERUS
HP: 800
XP: 1,500
  Holy Water will jack him over, and the Shield Rod + Iron Shield combo is
too high an attack. Holy Water should be enough.


******************************
Part G: No Longer Fear Spikes
******************************

  Head right and down after the battle, then left to further dungeons in
Castlevania. Go straight down and then left to get the Demon Card. Activate
the Demon familiar and continue down. At the bottom, go right and follow that
all the way over. Eventually you will come to a room that is pitch dark.
Turn into a bat and use the echo ability to safely navigate the treacherous
path. Once on the other side, fall on the white block to return the lights.
Head right to the end and fall down, then go straight left and obtain the
Spikebreaker armor. Equip this immediately and return the way you came.
Then, go to the room across from where you got the Demon Card and use the
teleporter to go to the center of the castle. Head up the long shaft and then
left. Drop down a level then go straight left. In the next room you can break
a portion of the ceiling to get the Sword Card, but it isn't necessary. Open
the pathway and head through to the Chapel.
  Go up from here and in the next door on the left. Use Form of mist to go
through the grating and walk across the spikes to reach a room with Maria.
Skip the cinematics and get the Silver Ring on your left. Now go back through
where you just came to reach the Center Clock Room the quickest. Equip both
the Gold and Silver Rings. Head down the opening to have another cinematic
with Maria. Skip it and head up to the nearest Warp Room. It's time to fight
Richter. Warp to the top of the castle, taking the path of Richter to the
left and up. Enter the same room in which Richter fought Dracula and let the
battle begin.

BOSS: RICHTER BELMONT
HP: 400
XP: 0
  Equip the Holy Glasses you got from Maria, and wait for the orb to appear.
Attack it and avoid using the special attack so you don't kill Richter. Skip
the cinematics and prepare for some quick rounding up of Dracula's parts.


******************************
PART H: UPSIDE-DOWN MAYHEM
******************************

  I haven't yet perfected a fast way to do this area. There are a number of
methods, I will simply state my main method and extra options on the way.
First things first, head left, then up, then right along the top. Continue
and you will find Medusa.

BOSS: MEDUSA
HP: 1,100
XP: 2,500
  I suggest wearing the Mirror Cuirass for this battle, then use the Shield
Rod + Iron Shield combo as usual. See a Boss FAQ for a more in depth strategy.

  For this you get the Heart of Vlad, which prevents Curse. Now go back left
and head straight in that direction. You will run into another boss fight in
no time.

BOSS: DARKWING BAT
HP: 600
XP: 1,200
  This is a fairly simple battle. Refer to a FAQ if needed. For this the
Ring is yours.

  Now comes my least favorite part of the game. Go left and you'll find
yourself in the Clock Tower. Get through these rooms as quickly as possible.
It will be tough so use that Shield Rod special often. Once outside again go
left and up until you reach the reverse Outer Wall. Here is the point where
you reach a choice. You can continue and have a very hard time finishing, or
do what I do. Save at the bottom right save point here. Go up and enter the
Reverse-Library. Repeatedly fight Schmoo, the flying ghost looking thing
with the sheetlike appearance. I spend 5 minutes trying to get a Crissaegrim.
If I don't get it I reset and start over again. As soon as I get it I
continue on. So this FAQ will assume you do that.
  Next, leave the library and go up to the area in which you fought
Doppleganger10. Now a Frankstein-like enemy will be there, and with the
Crissaegrim in hand, this gets easier than anything else.

BOSS: THE CREATURE
HP: 1,100
XP: 2,500
  Just slash away, it doesn't get any better than this.

  Now you've earned the Tooth of Vlad. Head around then up, then right down
the long hallway, a simple job with the Crissaegrim. Get to the center Clock
room and go down the right-side opening. Head all the way down and into the
old Poltergeist room. Take the bottom-left passage and unlock the Warp Room
here. Fall down the shaft and go right. In the Reverse-Courtyard, go across
and through the righthand door. Continue down the hallway to fight the next
holder of a Vlad piece, Akmodan II.

BOSS: AKMODAN II
HP: 1,200
XP: 2,500
  This is by far the easiest battle of the entire game. Stand firm and swing
that Crissaegrim, he'll fall in a few seconds. Now the Rib of Vlad is yours.

  Now there is only one piece left to the puzzle. Head left and up and back
to the Center Clock Room. Go right and continue that way until you reach the
hole in the ceiling that leads to the Reverse-Underground Caverns. Head up
into them and go into the room where you fought Cereberus. Death will be
waiting.

BOSS: DEATH
HP: 888
XP: 4,444
  Death can withstand constant Crissaegrim beating a little longer than
other bosses, but it won't save him. Skip the cinematics and you're home free
with the final Vlad
piece, the Eye.


******************************
PART I: THE FINAL BATTLE
******************************

  Now you're ready to confront Dracula. Go back to the Center Clock Room.
Upon entering the path upwards is revealed, and you may confront Dracula.
Here, you save. Go up and around one side and drop down to the small room.
Skip the cinematics and Shaft attacks.

BOSS: SHAFT
HP: 1,300
XP: 0
  If you beat Death, he'll be no sweat. Jump and swing the Crissaegrim.
Piece of cake.

BOSS: DRACULA
HP: 9,998
XP: 0
  Skip the cinematics and let the brawl start. Move from side to side to
avoid his attacks, and keep swinging the Crissaegrim. Since Dracula has
10,000hp, it could take a while. Still, with such speed it can't be too
long. The battle is easy and the game completed. Congratulations!



******************************
Alternative Solutions
******************************

Thanks to Weyr_D for this information.
  I have recieved emails on a few possible ways to increase speed. Of
course, having the luck cheat to keep all of Alucard's equipment could very
easily decrease total time significantly. If you want to do it, enter your
name in the beginning as "X-X!V"Q"     This will grant you increased luck
at the expense of other stats. When you reach the room before Death, where
two Wargs reside, kill the first and jump over the second. Unequip everything
and wait for the warg to strike. Jump up so it hits you in middair. Alucard
should be propelled across the screen which you encounter Death. Don't pause
or anything and head up. Enter the Alchemy Laboratory and go back immediately.
Now equip everything continue your quest.
  Another trick that makes a grand difference is the Alucard Shield and
Shield Rod combo. You can either skip getting the Crissaegrim and make way for
Alucard Shield, which would end up being faster, or just use the aforementioned
Luck Code cheat and use the awesome power as soon as you get the Shield Rod,
cutting off even more time. This method has yet to be used by me, and sounds
fun. Although these are very useful, the luck code is like cheating... it
depends upon how you feel about it.
__________

~ Summary ~

  These are the major events in beating the game quickly, use it like a
checklist.

- Beat Slogra and Gaibon
- Get Jewel of Open
- Get Leap Stone
- Beat Minotaur and Werewolf
- Get Form of Mist
- Get Form of Bat
- Get Echo of Bat
- Get Gold Ring
- Get Spike Breaker
- Get Silver Ring
- Get Holy Glasses
- Rescue Richter

- Medusa
- Darkwing Bat
- Get Crissaegrim
- The Creature
- Akmodan II
- Death
_ Dracula


__________

~ Best of the Best ~

Traditional Masters: No Alucard Shield and No Luck Code

1. Matt Martin, IA
  Time - 1:03:10
  Lv. 37   Completion 68.3%

2. Ron Irvin, Ca
  Time - 1:24:38
  Lv. 40   Completion: 73.9%

3.

Shield Weilders: Alucard Shield + Shield Rod Combo and No Luck Code

1. Matt Martin, IA
  Time - 1:05:41
  Lv. 36   Completion: 70.4%

2.
3.

Invincible Shield Wielders: Alucard Shield + Shield Rod Combo plus Luck Code

1.
2.
3.

  This is going to be my list for the best times I've recieved from players
who email me their best times. Each individual can hold a single place in each
category. So start emailing me those best times! Be sure to include whether
Alternative Solutions were used or not!
__________

~ Credits ~

  I have sources and people to thank for help with this FAQ:

       - Weyr_D, First contributor of the Alternative Solutions section

       - Osrevad, that ASCII Art is the shiznit!

       - Sean Littlefield, thanks for your Boss Guide for the Boss stats.

       - Nev (http://www.serenitygrotto.com/), for your nice map.

       - Game FAQs for hosting these valuable resources.

       - Brock Taylor, for copy editing my FAQ.

       - Konami and Sony, for making such an awesome game possible.


 ~ Sites Approved to host this FAQ: GameFAQs, Neoseekers ~

       If you want to host this FAQ on your website,
       please email me for permission first. [email protected]


  Thanks again everyone! My first FAQ is now finished!

______________________________________________
Copyright 2004 Ron Irvin (MajinChrono86)

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