Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin is an action-platformer developed and published by Konami for the Nintendo DS, released in 2006. The game takes place during World War II, where Dracula's castle has risen again under the influence of a dark painter named Brauner, who seeks to claim the castle's power for himself. Players take control of Jonathan Morris, son of the legendary vampire hunter John Morris, and his childhood friend and magician Charlotte Aulin. The two characters form a compelling duo at the heart of the game's design. Jonathan brings raw physical combat power, wielding whips, swords, and axes, while Charlotte channels powerful magic spells. What sets this entry apart from others in the series is the two-character system, which allows players to swap between Jonathan and Charlotte on the fly or call one in as a partner attack during combat. This mechanic creates satisfying and varied gameplay that rewards players who learn both characters well.
Updated: Jun 22, 2026
Screenshots

64 MB · NDS ROMs
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Specifications
| Platform | NDS ROMs |
|---|---|
| Genre | Action |
| File Size | 64 MB |
| Release Year | 2006 |
| Developer | Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo |
| Updated | Jun 22, 2026 |
Overview
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin is an action-platformer developed and published by Konami for the Nintendo DS, released in 2006. The game takes place during World War II, where Dracula's castle has risen again under the influence of a dark painter named Brauner, who seeks to claim the castle's power for himself. Players take control of Jonathan Morris, son of the legendary vampire hunter John Morris, and his childhood friend and magician Charlotte Aulin. The two characters form a compelling duo at the heart of the game's design. Jonathan brings raw physical combat power, wielding whips, swords, and axes, while Charlotte channels powerful magic spells. What sets this entry apart from others in the series is the two-character system, which allows players to swap between Jonathan and Charlotte on the fly or call one in as a partner attack during combat. This mechanic creates satisfying and varied gameplay that rewards players who learn both characters well.
The game offers two main modes of play: a solo adventure through Dracula's castle and a cooperative multiplayer mode where two players can team each character via wireless local connection. Portrait of Ruin takes its name from a key gameplay hook where Jonathan and Charlotte dive into magical paintings scattered throughout the castle, each one leading to a self-contained world with its own theme, enemies, and boss. These worlds include settings like an ancient city, a sandy desert, and a haunted forest, giving the game a wide range of visual and mechanical variety that breaks up the central castle exploration. Jonathan grows stronger by mastering weapons through repeated use, while Charlotte learns new spells by absorbing them from defeated enemies. Combined with deep boss fights, hidden secrets, and a lengthy quest, Portrait of Ruin delivers a full and rewarding Castlevania experience that stands as one of the strongest entries on the Nintendo DS.