January 6^th, 2005 (2:40pm) - A week ago GamersMark reported the very first details regarding Castlevania DS for the Nintendo DS. Today, Konami of Europe officially confirmed the game’s existence and has even released the very first screenshot of the game in action on the Nintendo DS along with a few new details.

This new Castlevania game will be set in the year 2036, in which the game’s protagonist Soma Cruz finds himself at the center of a mysterious cult’s plan to resurrect their evil lord and master, Dracula. In order to save himself and protect the lives of those he loves, Soma Cruz must infiltrate the enemy’s home base, a towering replica of Dracula’s castle that is teaming with monstrous creatures. Players’ abilities grow and develop as they collect items and gather experience points by defeating enemies.

"The game’s rich storyline and strong characters coupled with the adoption of the new technology in the Nintendo DS has allowed us to bring the series to a whole new level" says Hans-Joachim Amann, Head of Product Management of Konami of Europe. "By utilizing the Nintendo DS’ sophisticated capabilities such as the Dual Screen functionality and Touch Screen technology, we are able to bring a fresh new dimension to this title and provide a truly unique gameplay experience for the gamer."

For more information on the game, readers can check out our previous report here. The tentatively titled Castlevania DS is scheduled for a release in Europe in Autumn 2005. A North American release date has yet to be officially announced.