Dracula's Castle (Dungeon) - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Guide - IGN (2024)

The Dracula's Castle (Dungeon) is an interior dungeon zone in the World of Light Adventure Mode. It is located in the Dark Realm - East once you have completed the Light Realm and arrived at the Dark Realm. It is located past the ruined clockwork area by taking the winding paths around to the bottom area.

This dungeon is one of three main dungeons that needs to be cleared to engage the new boss of the Dark Realm, Dharkon, and you will need to defeat Dracula himself in this dungeon.

The dungeon is Castlevania themed, and in order to traverse the dungeon, you will need to utilize strategically placed cannons to fire Silver Cannonballs at Phantoms that block your path. Touching a Phantom will send you back to the start of the room you are in, and you can also use hourglasses to reset a room and reacquire all Silver Cannonballs and reset the Phantoms in the room.

Certain barriers can also be moved via switches to create new openings, or new angles to bounce cannonballs off and hit new targets. For information on cannonball trajectories, Spirits, and paths to take, see the image below

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Spirit Battle - ReDead

This battle pits you against four slow-moving Mewtwos that will favor the disabling move to stun you before following up with heavy attacks. Because of this, it's best to keep your distance and take advantage of their slow movement to hassle them with projectiles, or use aerial attacks to stay mobile. Each Mewtwo only starts with 50HP, so it won't take long to finish them off.

Spirit Battle - Houndoom

A straightforward battle, Wolf is imbued with the power of spicy-hot curry. This will make attacks facing him more difficult. It's recommended you go into battle with a Franklin Badge equipped to reflect the fires back onto him, or get a Spirit that can imbue you with super armor to power through the fire and keep attacking.

After defeating this Spirit, you can use a Silver Cannonball in the nearby Cannon on this ledge to destroy the Phantom guarding the stairs up to the next level.

Spirit Battle - Knight Man

In this battle, Simon starts with 120HP and is encased of metal. Since his smash attacks are usually strictly vertical or horizonal, they can be dodged easily, though you may want to use a Spirit with the Metal Killer effect to deal more damage - or invest in more Spirits with additional stamina for yourself.

A large platform blocks the past past this Spirit, but you can climb up a ledge near the stairwell to find a lever, and pulling it will alter the platform allowing you to continue your path to the next battle.

Spirit Battle - Medusa Head

This battle involves a larger than normal Meta Knight, flanked by several tiny Mewtwo. Defeating the Mewtows will bring on a few more reinforcements, but as the main Meta Knight moves slowly you can try and out-maneuver them and use wide sweeping attacks to clear out the Mewtwos.

When this battle is complete, move up the stairs to collect another Silver Cannonball above, before moving up the stairwell at the end of the hall to the western balcony.

Spirit Battle - Dry Bowser

Note that in this battle all of the platforms are on fire - not just the main lowest platform, so you will need to expend two support slots on lava immunity. Pick your stronger legend-tier Spirits with three support slots and pick an offensive boost for the remaining slot to punch through Bowser's improved defenses.

After this Spirit is defeated, climb up to the platform above to shoot at the Phantom down below to clear a path to the Captive Fighter.

Captive Fighter - Daisy

Spirit Battle - Reaper & Reapette

In this battle, you will be fighting multiple Ganondorfs - one will be normal size and the rest will be tiny - but all of them are equipped with Death's Scythe. Since they can all dash into you to deal damage, try and evade them by using aerial attacks, and fight defensively to keep your damage percent under 100 to avoid getting KO'd by Death's Scythe.

After defeating this spirit - you can pull a lever nearby to rotate a platform up on the eastern balcony allowing access to a Captive Fighter.

Spirit Battle - Inspired

In this battle, each of the Mewtwos will be strengthened and able to float around - consider bolstering your aerial attacks with Spirits to knock them out of the air quickly.

Spirit Battle - Skull Man

A Mega Man themed battle, Samus will start with 140HP. Imbued with the power of reflect, you may want to consider using melee-focused fighters like Captain Falcon, and avoid ranged attacks at all costs, as they can hit you for even more damage.

Spirit Battle - Mummy

This battle pits you against two Sheiks who start with 80HP each. They also will move fairly slow, and since most of their attacks have limited range you may want to favor ranged fighting to take them out safely at a distance.

Defeating this Spirit will open up a new path down the tower and into the underground.

Captive Fighter - Wario

After defeating Wario, it's recommended that you return to the balcony lever and move the platform back to its original vertical orientation, as it is needed for another cannon shot later in the castle.

Spirit Battle - Zora

This straightforward battle pits you against a Greninja that has increased power to its water shuriken, which it will use often, but isn't especially formidable otherwise.

After defeating this Spirit, a new shortcut will open up back to the entrance to the castle allowing you to bypass going up and over through the battlements.

Spirit Battle - Allen

This battle will have you face off against several opponents in a row, with Shulk being your primary target. If having trouble surviving the gauntlet, consider using Spirits that grant health upon KOs or otherwise bolster your endurance to finish the fight.

Spirit Battle - Knuckle Joe

In this battle, both Ryu and the hostile Knuckle Joe assist trophy are formidable opponents and have increased attack power. You may want to bring on Spirits that can bolster your defenses, and if you can, try using an Assist Killer and focus on KOing Knuckle Joe first, then focus on taking out Ryu.

Once this Spirit has been taken down, grab the first Silver Cannonball at the top platform, and use it on the left cannon to fire at the two Phantoms guarding 30 Skill Spheres and another Silver Cannonball. Then use the second Silver Cannonball on the top right cannon to hit both Phantoms guarding the exits.

Spirit Battle - Maria Renard

This Spirit Battle is a team one, pitting you against several opponents - though Falco, Charizard, and Incineroar are all tiny and will knock back farther when struck. Your main concern is to evade Zelda throwing her Cucco at you - then counter and take her out.

After clearing out this Spirit, look for the lever to the right and flip the platform above, then climb up the ladder to find another Silver Cannonball and a chest. Use this Cannonball and fire it from the top right cannon to bounce it upwards to clear out a Phantom guarding the path to a Captive Fighter.

Spirit Battle - The Creature & The Flea Man

This Spirit Battle puts you up against a formidable giant Mii Brawler. Even if he tends to move slow, he still hits hard, and his shot put special attack can hit you with a hard-hitting projectile without warning. Try getting rid of the more mobile Diddy Kong first - and even though only the bottom platform is electrified, you may still want to nullify the effects with a Spirit just to be safe.

Defeating this Spirit will summon the Captive Fighter Ridley back down below, through the bottom right cave where a new ladder system appears.

Captive Fighter - Ridley

Spirit Battle - Akuma

Much like other Street Fighter themed battles, you'll face off against Ryu who starts with 180HP, and your jumping power is reduced while his special move power is increased. Use some Spirits to bolster your own stamina and pick a fighter who can still fight well without aerial maneuverability, like Little Mac or Captain Falcon.

If you angled the platform down in the caverns below to lob a cannonball upwards, you should now have a clear path to the Captive Fighter on the balcony.

Captive Fighter - Ken

Spirit Battle - Hugh Baldwin

A straightforward battle, Marth has better melee damage and jump height, but little else to aid him.

Be sure to grab the Silver Cannonball after defeating this Spirit

Spirit Battle - Calista

There are no extra conditions in this battle, you need only defeat both opponents to win - so bring on some offensive bolstering Spirits.

Like the last battle, be sure to grab the other Silver Cannonball here.

Spirit Battle - Draug

In this battle, King K. Rool can be tough to knock away, and starts the battle with 120HP. He also starts the battle with a Killing Edge, so be sure to keep your distance when you see the blade glow, and avoid smash attacks that leave you open afterwards as he'll be able to power through your biggest hits and strike back.

Before continuing up the stairs, look for a fireplace near the next battle and head up through it to the roof.

Spirit Battle - Boo

In this battle, Kirby isn't especially powerful, but can be hard to track down as he'll occasionally turn invisible. Look for the subtle clues and distortions when he turns invisible, or wait for him to shield and run in and grab to counter his defensive tactics.

Captive Fighter - Dark Pit

Spirit Battle - Death

This battle can be a tough one, particularly because after a short while, you'll automatically take 100% in damage, which means a direct hit from Death's Scythe that Robin has will mean an instant KO. To counter this, use a Support Spirit that comes equipped with the Fairy Bottle, and keep it in your hands until you take the 100% damage to quickly replenish your health, then take out Robin.

Spirit Battle - Leon Belmont

This spirit battle pits you against Richter who can heal from shielding attacks. Because of this you may want to employ Spirits that deal more damage to shields, or even go right into increasing the damage and range of your throw attacks and pummel your foe before he can react or use his enhanced melee weapons.

Spirit Battle - Happy Mask Salesman

In this battle you will only have 1:30 to win, and the hardest part may just be tracking Young Link down, who will be able to run and jump fairly fast and long - pick a fighter with good aerials to swat him out of the sky.

As you enter the next area - the Clocktower - there will be several Phantoms guarding the way forward, and you won't have enough to Silver Cannonballs to take them all out - unless you perform some tricks.

The top two Cannons will take out Phantoms allowing you to cross the gears, but there is also a lever at the top that will change the orientation of a platform on the bottom walkway. Using this you can fire a Cannonball into the gears to eliminate several Phantoms at once, and cross the gears to get a new treasure.

Spirit Battle - Werewolf

A straightforward battle, Wolf will be bolstered by better attacks and movements speed. Pick Support Spirits that bolster your own character's abilities to compensate.

To reach the Captive Fighter in the Clocktower, be sure you have reset the platform that was blocking the Captive Fighter Wario on the nearby balcony. When the platform is vertical, you can lob a Silver Cannonball from the Cannon near the Spirit you beat, and it will destroy the Phantom guarding Robin.

Captive Fighter - Robin

Spirit Battle - Alucard

This powerful Spirit Battle will bolster Simon's already formidable AI with the addition of a hostile assist trophy. Alucard can be nasty to deal with, as he can turn into a swarm of bats and use combo and ranged attacks. It's recommended you get him out of the way by using an Assist Killer support Spirit, and luring him away from Simon, then focus back on Simon when Alucard has been defeated.

Finding Richter

To reach the Captive Fighter that can appear before the boss, you must destroy all the Phantoms in this stage. If you are having trouble, reset the encounters using the hourglasses. The video below shows you how to destroy all 11 Phantoms and make Richter appear.

Captive Fighter - Richter

Boss Battle - Dracula

Like other Boss Battles, there's no listed power or type for this encounter, but you'll want to bring the best rank 4 Spirit you have, and choose some Support Spirits to bolster your chosen fighter's attacks. You can also choose other abilities like Critical-Health Healing or Healing Shield to last longer against the boss.

Dracula has two phases - the first phase is against his humanoid form, and striking him anywhere besides his head will turn to smoke - meaning you'll want to focus on aerial attacks for this phase. He won't really move - but he does teleport around the arena between attacks, and can also turn into a swarm of damaging bats to move around. His attacks include the following:

• Fireballs: Dracula launches 1-3 fireballs that will usually fly out horizontally along a path - and can be dodged or blocked
• Flame Fissures - Dracula will begin to ignite several pillars that will launch upwards in vertical paths and deal high damage - but won't move, allowing you to safely stand between them.
• Red and Blue Orbs - Dracula summons several red and blue damaging orbs that fly out in various pattern trajectories, but can be dodged both on the ground or in the air
• Fire Orbs - Dracula launches several fiery orbs along a horizontal path similar to the Fireballs, but they are often staggered along two tiers making them harder to dodge.

Much like bosses like Master Hand, Dracula will often pause for several moments before and after launching his attacks, allowing plenty of time for follow up attacks for your own. Don't get too greedy, and patiently wait out or dodge his attacks instead of trying to fight through them.

Once you've depleted his health, he will be reborn in his demon form with a full health bar that is much harder to deplete, but any part of his much larger body can be hit by your attacks. In addition to attacking much faster, he'll have a slew of new attacks:

• Fireball - Demon Dracula will launch single fireballs at you, but these will often be angled towards you. They can still be blocked and dodged with ease as they travel slowly.
• Shockwave Slam - Dracula will take a moment before leaping into the air and then slamming down hard and creating a damaging shockwave. He will also jump around more instead of teleporting, but won't deal as much damage with regular jumps.
• Slash Attack - Demon Dracula will arch his body back before moving a step forward with a lunging downward slash attack that can deal heavy damage - but has low range.
• Skull Blasts - Dracula will summon arcing purple missiles that will eventually turn into skull-shaped blasts that target you directly, and can be hard to predict and dodge. If they hit you, they can deal lingering damage.

You'll have to be more careful in this second form, as the attacks can come quickly and without warning. Get a few hits in, then be ready for any type of counter attack. You can also try and get behind him or above, as not many of his attacks cover the back or the top.