This prototype was leaked in July 2018. It features two playable stages, with lots of differences between it and the final version.

Gameplay differences

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final
The prototype's introduction sequence is only partially complete, featuring a single image. It still seems to feature the same characters from Castlevania III (Sypha Belnades, Trevor Belmont and Dracula) but the sprites are different and there are only a few colors used. The final version adds a lot more to the intro, featuring more images and text that explain the plot of Bloodlines.

Prototype	Final
The prototype's title screen has a black background, and the colors for the logo are different. It also lacks the dripping blood the final version has. The copyright year is also a year behind what the final version has.

Prototype	Final
What was "Pass Word" in the prototype became one word in the final.

Prototype	Final
The password screen is very basic in the prototype, featuring a black background.

Prototype	Final
The prototype's default game level is easy, the final version changed this to normal. You also get four lives be default in the prototype, the final decreased this to three. The sound test is missing a lot of tracks in the prototype, and only has 19 tracks available. In the final there are 30 tracks. There are also only 98 sound effects in the prototype, whilst the final has 208. The quick demo has a on or off choice in the prototype, although it doesn't do anything because of the lack of intermission screens between stages. The final has choices of display or skip.

Prototype	Final
At the character select screen, the background layers and colors behind the text...

Prototype	Final
...are different for both characters.

Prototype	Final
The prototype lacks the map screen the final version has, and it also missing the brief scene showing your character about to enter the castle. When the level does start, your character is placed further to the left than they are in the final. The prototype also lacks the "stage 1 start" message the final has. This prototype also features a time limit, which starts at zero and works up. However there doesn't appear to be a limit on how much time you can take in each stage. The HUD is also different -the side border on the left side is closer to the text than it is in the final, whilst the sub-weapon boxed is closer to the life bars. The crystal counter also has some spacing differences. The crystal constantly flashes in the proto, something that it doesn't do in the final.

Prototype	Final
Now, I may as well get this out of the way: the biggest differences in this prototype are the candle locations, which were all changed for the final version. I've done my best listing all the different locations. I couldn't bring myself to list all the differences for the contents of each candle, that was too much. But if any of the images below lack text it's because they're just showing candle differences.

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final
If John dies in the prototype, he turns into a skeleton. The final version changes this so he flashes into nothing.

Prototype	Final
If Eric dies, his spear doesn't impale him as it does in the final version.

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final
There's a floating eye here in the prototype, which the final version lacks.

Prototype	Final
Instead, the floating eye was moved to here, whilst the prototype features a skeleton.

Prototype	Final
Attacking the wall here reveals a skull book in the prototype. The final changed the sprite for this so the book no longer has a skull on it.

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final
These mermen had their sprites completely redrawn for the final version, and look better for it in my opinion. They also shoot blue projectiles in the prototype, whilst they're green in the final.

Prototype	Final
There's no ghost here in the prototype, whilst the final version added one.

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final
The first sub-boss had its sprite redesigned for the final version. Its flame attack also has different, red sprites in the proto, which were changed to yellow for the final.

Prototype	Final
This boss is much easier to beat in the proto because if you hit it whilst it's using its flames, it stops the attack. So you can take it out pretty fast. This doesn't work in the final version. The final version has the hellhound explode upon death, and you have to hit it one more time to finish it off. This hasn't been implemented yet in the prototype.

Prototype	Final
In addition to the usual candle differences, the prototype has less skeleton enemies here and the bat is in a different place. Part of the wall where a hidden meat item is also slightly different. This is also the entirety of stage 1-6 in the prototype -in the final version, an extra room was added that you'll reach once you've gone up the second set of stairs.

Prototype	Final
One of the background layers for this stage is completely black, the final version made it more interesting. The spiky cog is colored red in the prototype, and green in the final.

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final
The prototype lacks any hanging corpses in this part of the stage, whilst the final version adds a few. Again, the proto's background is black here, the final version's is different.

Prototype	Final
The breakable wall at the top right is slightly different in the prototype.

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final
As you move up this skeleton, the color of the sky doesn't change in the prototype. In the final, it gets darker and darker as you move up.

Prototype	Final
Also, the skull of the skeleton doesn't break away in the proto, but half of it does in the final.

Prototype	Final
This background is different in the prototype, with the moon really lacking in detail compared to what it looks like in the final version.

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final
The first enemy you find in the second stage has a spear in the prototype, but doesn't carry one in the final.

Prototype	Final
This one has a spear, whilst in the final, he has a sword.

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final
Another spear/sword difference.

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final
These mermen have different sprites, just like the ones in the first stage.

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final
The prototype version of stage 2-2 doesn't feature any of the orbs that move around some of the platforms. The final version added several of them.

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final
The prototype version features several golem knights here, which are difficult to kill and make this part of the stage quite tough. The final version replaced them all with minotaurs.

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final
The background for the water magician boss is black in the prototype.

Prototype	Final
In the prototype, this boss doesn't get his own life bar so you can't tell how close you are to defeating him. The final changed this. When you hit this boss in the proto, he doesn't flash red like he does in the final. Another difference here is that the screen doesn't lock -you can ignore the boss and attempt to move down the stairs in the prototype, but you'll die if you try it. In the final the screen locks once you get to the boss.

Prototype	Final
Once the boss is beaten, that's this part of the stage done in the proto -move right and head down the stairs. However in the final version, this stage was extended, and features two extra sub-bosses you'll have to beat before you can move on.

Prototype	Final
The prototype's stage 2-4 features a different set of glitchy sprites for the platforms. You also walk down some steps in the proto, in the final you drop into this part of the stage.

Prototype	Final
The Medusa heads have different sprites and colors in the prototype.

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final
In the prototype, stage 2-5 lacks any golem knights...

Prototype	Final
...it instead features harpies. In the final version, these enemies don't appear until the third level.

Prototype	Final
There is a small graphical glitch on the neck of this statue, which was fixed in the final version.

Prototype	Final
The proto version lacks the pillar of bones enemies here, which there are a few of in the final version.

Prototype	Final
There is no skeledragon here in the prototype, whilst one was added in the final version.

Prototype	Final
There are also a few minotaurs with pillars in the prototype, in the final version, you won't encounter these guys until the next stage.

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final
In the prototype, this part is confusing because it looks like you can jump across -but it you do this without attacking the platform to the right first, you'll die. The final changed this so the middle platform is lower, making it more obvious about what you need to do to progress.

Prototype	Final
When you reach the point, the next part of this stage in the prototype is the boss fight -in the final version, stage 2-6 is an extra room, full of minotaurs and candles.

Prototype	Final
When the boss fight starts, the boss can be fully seen at first in the prototype, whilst he can't be in the final.

Prototype	Final
The background colors are different here, the proto's blue was replaced with the final's red. The smaller pillars in the background also have different colors, and the sprites for the blocks between them were redrawn for the final game. The boss doesn't have a working life bar in the prototype.

Prototype	Final
The prototype boss has some differences, as his weak spot doesn't get more and more exposed as he takes damage. Upon defeat he'll cover his eye and sink into the ground. In the final version, his eye will shatter once he's been defeated, then he sinks. When this stage ends, the prototype send you back to the start of the first stage.

Prototype	Final
In the prototype, the third stage can only be accessed via the level select code. Stage 3-1 appears to have the same layout as stage 2-1, but the graphics are all wrong. It does, however, play "The Discolored Wall", which is the same music the final uses for this stage. You can beat this part of the stage in the prototype, but it'll take you to stage 2-2.

Prototype	Final
Stage 3-2 has some misplaced candles and no enemies in the prototype.

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final
Beating stage 3-2 takes you to 3-3 in the prototype (which I'm only mentioning because beating 3-1 takes you to 2-2). 3-3 is a mess in the proto, it appears to show the leaning tower part but you'll just fall and eventually land in more glitchy background sprites. There are a few candles you can whip, but otherwise it's game over here. In the final version, the equivalent to this part in the prototype is stage 3-5, so it seems Konami decided to add an extra couple of parts to the stage here.

Sprite differences

Prototype	Final
John's idle stance only has two frames in the prototype. In the final, this was increased to three frames.

Prototype	Final
Eric's default spear has a much shorter range in the proto than it does in the final.

Prototype	Final
Eric's walking animation has him carry the spear differently between versions.

Prototype	Final
The floating eyes are gold in the proto. They had their color changed to green for the final.

Prototype	Final
The mermen have completely different sprites in the prototype, and resemble their NES sprites more. For the final, they were redesigned.

Prototype	Final
These skeletons have a red outline and slightly different colored bones in the prototype. The outline was changed to black for the final.

Prototype	Final
The hellhound boss was another sprite that was given a redesign for the final version. The paws for the proto hellhound have some small squares on them which change color as he moves. Not sure what those are all about.

Music differences

There are some differences with some of the tracks, this isn't a complete list but these are some of the more notable ones. It seems most of the music was ready at this point in development, as the prototype's sound test features all of the main stage themes, even though most of them aren't used yet.

A lot of the sound effects are different as well.

Notes

-To get the level select, use the Konami code (up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A) at the main menu. In the final version, this code unlocks expert difficulty and gives you more lives.

-Both John and Eric have slower walking speeds in the prototype, they move faster in the final. It also takes Eric longer to charge his high jump in the proto, in the final he can do it nearly instantly.

-The powered-up sub-weapons work in a different way in the proto. You have to collect an item to get one. In the final, you have to press up & the sub-weapon button.

-Collecting certain items has them float up into the HUD in the prototype. They just disappear once collected in the final version.

-If you pause the game in the prototype, there's no on-screen message. The final added the word "PAUSE" for whenever the game is paused.

-Using the Konami code at the main menu brings up a level select in the prototype. In the final, using the code unlocks expert difficulty.

-The music will restart every time a new stage is entered in the prototype.

-The prototype lets you use the second controller. Press up and down with the A button goes either forward or backward a stage, B gives you full life and 99 crystals, and C disables the music.