There’s a well-hidden retro world in Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, and we’re going to explain how to find it. The bonus level, called the 8-Bit Nightmare, features a totally new boss and a bunch of new impressively rendered pixel-art enemies. These flat foes even reward you with special bonus shards, letting you summon (or shoot) 8-bit enemies in the fully 3D world.
This wacky extra level has a double-layer of secrecy. It’s not just in a secret room, it’s in a secret room’s secret room. Finding it is actually pretty easy if you know where to look, but actually completing it will be tough. Even hardcore players recommend waiting until after you’ve completed the main game — and we’re talking about the true ending here.
Check out lots more pictures of the 8-Bit Nightmare world, and learn how to visit in the full guide below.
More Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night guides:
- Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night – How To Get The Best Ending | True Final Boss Guide
- Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night – How To Collect Every Movement Power | Progression Guide
How To Find The Secret 8-Bit Nightmare Level | Easter Egg Guide
To find the 8-Bit Nightmare, exit the Hall of Termination fast travel portal, and destroy the breakable ceiling at the top of the stairway.
At the top, through the breakable ceiling, there’s a room filled with chests and bonus keys. On the far left, you can destroy a second breakable wall that leads to an odd bookshelf. Interact with the bookshelf to enter the 8-Bit Nightmare.
The area is full of unique 8-Bit monsters with their own 8-Bit Shards to collect. Enemies like 8-Bit Zombie, 8-Bit Ghost, 8-Bit Skull all appear in this area — they drop shards that let you launch 8-Bit Fireballs, or summon 8-Bit Ghosts. The final boss of the area is the 8-Bit Overlord, and he’s extremely tough. You might need to return to this area later, once you’ve leveled up.
This area is heavily influenced not just by the classic Castlevania series, but also a weird spin-off — Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon is a retro platformer that shares more than a few similarities with this Easter egg area. That game is absolutely worth checking out if you haven’t already.
