Set a century after the events of Dracula Densetsu and a century before the events of the original Castlevania, the player controls a descendant of Trevor Belmont and an ancestor of Simon Belmont named Christopher Belmont who goes on a quest to defeat Dracula.

The game consists of four stages, and unlike other Castlevania games, there are no sub-weapons, but hearts are used to restore health. The player has three lives, after which the player must restart the level. Weapons can be upgraded, such as the whip into the chain whip and flame whip, but any enemy damage will downgrade an upgraded weapon. At the end of each level, there is a "primary evil" (boss) to confront. The four bosses are: A knight (who later appears as a normal enemy in stage four), a group of "Fleamen/Igors" from previous installments, a gargoyle, and finally Dracula himself, who turns into a bat when his humanoid form is defeated.  Players can utilize crystals, hearts, and crosses of gold. There is a point counter, and at 10,000 points, a player receives an extra life, and receives one for every 20,000 points after that. Each stage has a time limit in which to complete the level.