Castlevania: Circle of the Moon Cheat Codes & Secrets
Complete collection of cheat codes, passwords, unlockables, and hidden secrets for Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (2001).
Name Entry Mode Codes
Circle of the Moon’s primary cheat system operates through the name entry screen when starting a new game. Entering specific names unlocks alternate gameplay modes with dramatically different stat distributions and mechanics. Enter these exactly as shown (all caps) at the name entry screen.
| Name to Enter | Mode Unlocked | Effect |
|---|---|---|
FIREMAN | Magician Mode | Start with all DSS cards already collected; lower base STR/DEF |
GRADIUS | Fighter Mode | Greatly increased STR and DEF; cannot use DSS card system at all |
SHINNING | Shooter Mode | Sub-weapons deal massive damage; hearts are rarely consumed on sub-weapon use |
DAGGER | Thief Mode | Drastically increased movement speed and LCK stat; very low HP and DEF |
Notes on Mode Access: Some modes require completing the game at least once before the name code takes effect. Magician Mode (FIREMAN) is widely reported to require a prior clear. If a name code does not work on a fresh cartridge, complete a normal playthrough first and retry. These modes function identically on cartridge and emulator.
The name GRADIUS is a reference to Konami’s own shoot-em-up franchise — one of several internal Konami nods buried in the game.
Dual Setup System (DSS) Power Combinations
The DSS card combo system is the game’s core mechanic, and certain pairings are so powerful they function as practical cheats. These are not secret — they use cards found legitimately — but players treat them as essential exploits.
| Action Card | Attribute Card | Effect | Why It’s Broken |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | Mandragora | Continuous HP regeneration when activated | Negates most attrition damage entirely |
| Pluto | Cockatrice | All attacks inflict Petrify status | Most enemies are instantly disabled |
| Mars | Serpent | Fire whip attacks | Heavy damage boost for the whip |
| Jupiter | Thunderbird | Thunder barrier that damages nearby enemies | Passive area denial, no input required |
| Saturn | Any familiar card | Summons an orbital familiar | Varies by Attribute card; Thunderbird familiar is especially aggressive |
| Pluto | Black Dog | Summons a familiar that auto-collects hearts | Functionally removes resource management |
| Neptune | Manticore | Ice-elemental charged attacks | Freezes most standard enemies solid |
To use DSS: hold L and press A to activate the currently equipped combo. Cards must be equipped in the DSS menu (Select button) before they take effect.
Secret Unlockables and Hidden Modes
Beyond the name codes, Circle of the Moon gates content behind completion milestones:
Hard Mode: Completing the game on any normal run unlocks a harder difficulty with increased enemy damage and HP. No code is needed — it appears as a selectable option after a clear save is registered.
Boss Rush (Noted Variant): Some regional versions include a time attack variant accessible after completing Hard Mode. Check your regional cartridge’s clear screen for availability.
DSS Card Drop Manipulation: Thief Mode (DAGGER) significantly raises the LCK stat, which governs enemy card drop rates. Players who want to complete the DSS card collection will intentionally start a Thief Mode game solely for faster card farming, then restart in normal mode once collected.
Beneficial Glitches and Sequence Breaks
Early Underground Waterway Access: Using the Roc Wing (double jump) and precise positioning near certain wall edges in the Catacomb area, players can clip into geometry to access rooms before the intended ability gate. The exact wall varies by version — look for thin collision walls near vertical shafts in the lower Catacomb.
Dash Slide Cancel: Pressing B to dash and immediately pressing Down + B executes a slide that carries forward momentum from the dash, giving Nathan significantly more horizontal distance than a normal slide. This is used to cross gaps that normally require the Dash Boots upgrade, enabling sequence breaks in the Abyss Stairway area.
Sub-weapon Freeze Stall on Bosses: The Axe and Cross sub-weapons can stagger certain bosses on every hit due to a hitbox timing issue. Against bosses like Cerberus, repeatedly throwing sub-weapons while maintaining distance can permanently stall their attack animations, making the fight trivial. Hearts drop frequently enough from nearby rooms to sustain this indefinitely.
Mercury + Mandragora Infinite Sustain: While technically intended behavior, pairing this DSS combo with a slow-moving area and farming enemies creates a state of practical invincibility — the regen rate outpaces damage from standard enemies completely. Many players consider this the closest the game has to an invincibility code.
Wall Clip via Slide Timing: On specific staircase transitions, sliding into the bottom corner while transitioning rooms can push Nathan one tile into the adjacent wall. From inside the wall, navigating left or right can sometimes skip room boundaries entirely. This is inconsistent and version-dependent but is documented in speedrun routes for the any% category.
Developer Easter Eggs and Hidden Details
Konami Self-References: The GRADIUS name code is the most overt, but the game’s enemy roster and item descriptions contain multiple puns and internal Konami references in the Japanese script that were softened in localization.
Dracula’s Dialogue Variants: Defeating Dracula on a completed-all-DSS-cards save reportedly triggers a slightly extended ending cutscene variant in some regional versions. The change is minor — a single additional text box — but is documented by players who have completed the DSS collection.
Card Name Typography: Several DSS Attribute cards have names that are misspelled or inconsistently capitalized in the English release (notably “Thunderbird” vs the internal data string). These were not fixed in any known print run of the GBA cartridge.
The “Shinning” Spelling: The Shooter Mode code SHINNING is itself a developer joke — “Shining” is misspelled deliberately, likely referencing Konami’s internal naming conventions or a specific developer nickname. It is not a typo of the English word “shining.”
Quick Reference: Controller Inputs for GBA
For players on original hardware or emulators using GBA button mapping:
| Button | GBA Label |
|---|---|
| Confirm / Attack | A |
| Jump / Cancel | B |
| Dash | R (shoulder) |
| Activate DSS | L (hold) + A |
| Sub-weapon | L (tap) |
| Menu | Start |
| DSS Menu | Select |
| Slide | Down + B (while standing) |
| Backdash | Left/Right + B (rapidly) |
All name codes are entered using the on-screen letter grid navigated with the D-pad and confirmed with A. The name entry screen appears immediately after selecting “New Game” from the title menu.