Top 10 Video Game Castles

Top 10 Video Game Castles

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Whether you’re searching for an elusive artifact, a kidnapped princess, or just trying to track down the evil last boss, chances are you’re gonna do it in a castle. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Video Game Castles. For this list, we’ve selected the most iconic and impressive castles in video games based on their design and notability, along with how well they stand out compared to their contemporaries. As per the usual, we’re sticking to our usual one castle per franchise.

#10: N’s Castle “Pokémon Black/White” (2011)

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A castle built on the backs of over-worked Pokémon; N’s Castle is the headquarters for Team Plasma and the final challenge for your trainer in Pokémon Black and White. This castle can only be accessed after defeating the Elite Four and becoming the Pokémon champion in the Unova region. At the top of the castle you find and battle N, the leader of team Plasma, and you will also find a legendary Pokemon here depending on which version you have: either the mighty Reshiram or the powerful Zekrom.

#9: The Salazar Castle “Resident Evil 4” (2005)

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Resident Evil 4 eventually brings you out of the rural Eastern-European style village you had been exploring for the first chunk of the game and threw you into a giant castle filled with angry cultists. Salazar’s Castle is memorable because it threw the fantastic Resident Evil 4 on its head by switching up the game’s atmosphere entirely. This isn’t a castle for the faint of heart, filled with devastating monsters, the mysterious Los Illuminados priests and monks with all sorts of deadly weapons, and most importantly, the creepy Napoleon wannabe caretaker: Ramon Salazar.

Castle Wolfenstein has made appearances in most entries of this long-running series. Any castle that acts as a hideout for robotically modified Nazis toting miniguns, spectral Hitler envoys and hundreds of Nazi grunts deserves a spot on this list. As American spy B.J. Blazkowicz, you are initially held captive in Castle Wolfenstein, and must stage a daring escape so you can regroup and begin the resistance against Hitler, who is in the midst of creating an army of undead soldiers. In case you were curious, these games aren’t historically accurate.

“Dragon’s Lair” was well ahead of its time by using laserdisc technology to provide arguably the first cinematic experience in gaming. As Dirk the Daring, you are tasked with rescuing the beautiful Princess Daphne from an evil dragon Singe, who has trapped her in the wizard Mordroc’s castle. Though the gameplay was limited to quick-time-events and single button presses, “Dragon’s Lair” did an amazing job of showcasing a fully living, breathing castle environment filled with monsters and death traps at every turn. Seriously who would live in a place like this?

In a game that’s packed with impressive structures and mighty castles, it’s difficult to pick out one that stands above the rest. With unique architecture The Blue Palace in Solitude stands as the one of the memorable structures in the entire Elder Scrolls series. Built upon an immense stone arch that bridges over the Karth River, Solitude and it’s castle can be spotted from a great distance.

#5: Hyrule Castle “The Legend of Zelda” series (1986- )

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The geographical centerpiece of most Zelda games, Hyrule Castle is home to Princess Zelda. Depictions of Hyrule Castle vary, but it usually plays an important role in the story and sometimes acts as a playable dungeon. Hyrule Castle first appeared in the Super Nintendo classic, “A Link to the Past,” in which the evil Ganon uses it as his hideout after kidnapping Zelda. Though the coolest depiction of Hyrule Castle is in “Wind Waker,” where the castle has been submerged underwater for eons and all of its inhabitants are frozen in suspended animation.

#4: Dr. Wily Castle “Mega Man” series (1987- )

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The hideout of insane robotics scientist Dr. Wily – this castle is the only one on this list in the shape of a giant, malevolent human skull. Wily’s castle makes an appearance as the final stage in most of the original “Mega Man” games. Given that said games are notoriously difficult, you can expect the final stage to be nearly impossible, filled with tough enemies, lots of precise platforming sections, re-matches against the game’s earlier robot bosses, and Dr. Wily - usually piloting some kind of machine of mass-destruction.

Drangleic is the land in which “Dark Souls 2” unfolds, a massive and treacherous place that, though formally prosperous and peaceful, has fallen under hard times with the advent of a nasty undead curse. Drangleic Castle, the royal family’s former headquarters, acts as the gateway to the Throne of Want – a source of extreme power. As you can imagine – the monsters and traps in this massive castle are insanely difficult, but then again, this is “Dark Souls” we’re talking about – is there anything that’s NOT insanely difficult?

#2: Bowser’s Castle “Super Mario” franchise (1985-) and “Mario Kart” franchise (1992-)

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The “Mario” series is likely responsible for popularizing castles in video games: from the end-stage castles in “Super Mario”, to Princess Peach’s castle acting as the central hub in “Super Mario 64”, and most notably - Bowser’s Castle. Is there a villain with a worse princess-kidnapping track record than Bowser? Before rescuing Princess Peach, you’ll find tons of lava, spikes, koopas, goombas, and Bowser himself; patiently waiting to have his head stomped in. In “Mario Kart”, Bowser’s castle acts as a series staple in each game, as an infuriating track filled with lava pits, thwomps, and sharp turns. Before we climb the ramparts of our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Fortuna Castle “Devil May Cry 4” (2008) Creepy Castle “Donkey Kong 64” (1999) Un-Named Castle “Ico” (2001) Masyaf Castle “Assassin’s Creed” (2007) Stormwind “World of Warcraft” (2004)

Dracula’s Castle has made appearances throughout the “Castlevania” series, but is at its most iconic in the classic PS1 Metroidvania classic “Symphony of the Night.” Packed to the gills with monsters, bosses, treasures and secrets, Dracula’s Castle feels like one of the most expansive environments in gaming history. The protagonist, Alucard, is tasked with destroying the castle and its owner, Dracula, but his mission gets turned upside down – literally. As when you think you’re about to reach the end of the game, you realize you’re only halfway when you have to go through the castle again upside down. Is this a cheap design trick or brilliant gameplay choice? Meh, it can be both. Do you agree with our list? Which Castle would you want to live in … err once the lurking monster problem has been fixed? For more well crafted Top 10’s published Daily, be sure to subscribe to watchmojo.com