Dead Cells: How to Start the Return to Castlevania DLC

Roguelike fan-favorite Dead Cells just got better with the Return to Castlevania DLC. This new, officially-licensed expansion adds characters and locations from Konami’s iconic series, such as the Belmont clan and Dracula’s Castle. But before you see any of this new content, you’ll need to know how to start the Dead Cells Return to Castlevania DLC.

How to Access the Return to Castlevania DLC in Dead Cells

When you first boot up Dead Cells after purchasing the Return to Castlevania DLC, you’ll see a short cutscene featuring red bats, indicating it’s time to return to Dracula’s Castle. If you’re starting from a fresh save, this will play after three runs and unlock the DLC. 

Once you are in the Prisoner’s Quarters, clear the area and get all the power-ups you can. From there, run around until you find Richter Belmont standing on a staircase.

The vampire hunter will tell you where to go: down the stairs and to the Castle Outskirts. Doing so will lead you to the Path to the Castle Outskirts, which acts as the hub of the Return to Castlevania DLC. 

Here, you’ll still have access to the Forge and Mutations NPCs. The DLC remains self-contained in terms of its levels and content, but character progression counts and works just like any other Dead Cells run. 

On repeat runs, once you start the Return to Castlevania DLC, you’ll still have to start at the Prisoner’s Quarters, though Richter will no longer be there waiting for you. However, now you know that there will always be an entrance to the Castle Outskirts in the first area of the game. 

That’s everything you need to know about how to start the Return to Castlevania DLC in Dead Cells. Once you know where to go, you’ll be able to cruise through all the nostalgic new levels and fight iconic Castlevania bosses. Keep an eye on GameSkinny for more Dead Cells guides.

Featured image via Motion Twin.