Enemies Encountered: Shaft.

Expert guide to Castlevania's Clock Room and Shaft area. Learn how to access new paths, collect items, and prepare for Dracula's fight.

Alright, you've made it to the Clock Room! From here, drop down to the middle section. You'll see a flash of light, and the clock hands will spin. They'll stop at six and chime thirteen times, which is your cue – the ceiling above will open up, giving you access to the next part of the castle.

Once you're up there, you'll find three paths. The one on the left has a handy Heart Refresh for you. The path on the right is a save room, which is always good to find. The middle path is the way forward to face Dracula, but we're not quite there yet.

You'll enter a new section with that signature ominous music. At the top, you'll have a choice between left and right paths. Since this game really rewards you for exploring and covering the map, you'll need to visit both sides. You can't cross the gap at the top middle just yet, so you'll have to backtrack and find another way around to get to the other side.

Now, about Dracula – we won't be fighting him right away. The room where the fight actually happens isn't one you discover during normal gameplay, and since you can't save after beating the game, you'd lose that map coverage. To get around this, when you finally trigger the fight, immediately use a Library Card to teleport out and save. Then, you can head back to face Dracula properly.