Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon similar games & best alternatives

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon

PlayStation 4, Nintendo 3DS, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch • 2018

Should you play it?

Battle with swords and whips in this retro-style action game brought to you by game creator Koji Igarashi and Inti Creates! Play as Zangetsu, a demon slayer bearing a deep grudge, who must travel through perilous lands to defeat a powerful demon lurking in a dark castle.

What works

  • Faithful retro castlevania-style gameplay
  • Multiple characters and branching paths
  • Challenging but fair difficulty
  • Great music and visuals
  • High replay value with multiple endings

Things to keep in mind

  • Short main campaign
  • Some stiff controls and jump mechanics
  • Lack of modern customization options
  • No multiplayer or social features
  • Some frustrating sections and boss fights

What to play next

Top picks

Games that feels the closest overall

  • 8BitBoy™

  • Cathedral

  • Terrian Saga: KR-17

  • Castle of no Escape 2

  • Cyber Shadow

  • Alwa's Awakening

More expressive

Games that feels like Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon but with more self-expression and customization

  • Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove

  • Spark the Electric Jester

  • Panzer Paladin

  • Dunjungle

  • Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment

  • Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope

More relaxing

Games that feels like Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon but with a more relaxing feel

  • Spaceport Hope

  • Cally's Caves 3

  • Janosik

  • Super Panda Adventures

  • Astalon: Tears of the Earth

  • Momodora III

Choose your own criteria ->

From the same developer

From the same developer, ranked by motivational fit.

  • Blaster Master Zero 2

  • Blaster Master Zero 3

  • Mighty Gunvolt

  • Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2

  • Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX 2

Similarity map

How to use the graph

Similarity map

Each dot is a game placed from its motivation profile relative to this page’s game. Direction shows which motivation differs most; distance along that axis shows how large the gap is.

  • Purple star: this page’s game at the centre — everything is relative to it.
  • Direction: each axis is a main motivational difference vs this game (e.g. more / less competitive).
  • Distance on an axis: how large that difference is (ring scales show +/− points).
  • Coloured chips: click to highlight games that mainly differ on that motivation; click again to reset.
  • Dotted line: link between this page’s game and the one selected for comparison.
  • Hover a dot to preview that game in the panel on the right; click to keep that comparison.
  • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom.

How to read the map This is a polar difference map: direction = which motivation differs, and distance = how much (same units as the sidebar deltas).

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon: A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Expression, Fellowship, Cooperation, Leadership. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Violence, Continuation. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Relaxation.

Last update: 04/08/2026