Symphony of the Night PS1 Cheats: Name Codes Explained
Symphony of the Night’s best-known PS1 codes are names entered when creating a new file. They are not pause-menu button sequences. RICHTER selects a different playable character, AXEARMOR adds special equipment, and the luck code changes Alucard’s starting setup. The requirements are different, so check the table before starting again.
On this page
The three original PS1 name codes
| Name to enter | Effect | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
RICHTER | Begin a Richter Belmont playthrough | Keep a CLEAR save available |
AXEARMOR | Start with Axe Lord Armor in the inventory | Keep a CLEAR save available |
X-X!V''Q | Start with 99 Luck and a Lapis Lazuli ring, with other starting stats reduced | The PS1 references do not require a CLEAR file for this code |
Enter the letters and punctuation exactly. In the luck code, the two marks after V are two apostrophes, not a single double-quotation mark. The sequence is X, hyphen, X, exclamation mark, V, apostrophe, apostrophe, Q.
Use a new file for the experiment. Do not overwrite the completed file that makes a CLEAR-dependent option available. The game-save guide explains why an ordinary memory-card save is different from a temporary snapshot.
What a CLEAR save means here
The original-PS1 GameFAQs reference ties CLEAR status to defeating Dracula in the Reverse Castle. For the two dependent names, the practical instruction is to preserve that completed save and then create a separate new file. Merely reaching an early ending is not the same reference point.
Some older cheat pages give a map-percentage shortcut or group every name under one completion requirement. That can blur the distinction between the codes. This guide follows the PS1-specific name-code entries and cross-checks the CLEAR requirements against the dedicated name-entry reference.
If RICHTER does not work, check the saved completion status before repeatedly changing the spelling. If the luck code does not work, punctuation is the first thing to inspect. These are different troubleshooting paths.
Richter is a different run, not an Alucard upgrade
Choose RICHTER because you want to explore with another character's abilities. It is not a way to give Alucard a stronger weapon or continue his inventory under a new portrait. That distinction helps you decide whether the code fits your goal before you create the file.
Also remember that the ordinary game's prologue already lets you control Richter briefly. Seeing him in that opening sequence does not, by itself, prove that you activated a full Richter playthrough. Judge the new mode after the opening rather than treating the first familiar scene as confirmation.
For the broader difference between the PlayStation release and the PSP adaptation, see our Castlevania PS1 versus PSP comparison. This page is specifically about the original PS1 name-entry behavior.
AXEARMOR adds an inventory item
The code supplies Axe Lord Armor; it does not mean every moment of the new game will automatically use an armored character. Check Alucard's inventory and equip the item to use its transformation. If you simply continue with the default equipment, you can overlook what the code actually added.
Think of this as a themed equipment experiment. It is useful for a replay when you want a different feel, but it is not necessary to understand the normal equipment progression on your first visit to the castle.
Why 99 Luck is not an easy-mode promise
The luck setup raises one statistic while lowering others. It therefore has a tradeoff from the start. Do not choose it only because 99 looks like a universally stronger character; the rest of the opening setup still matters.
A practical way to compare is to create separate ordinary and luck files, then inspect their status screens. That makes the difference visible without importing a complicated item-farming plan before you understand the game. If you want other styles of exploration, our PS1 platformer selection provides useful alternatives.
Common questions
Where do I enter the code?
At name entry when creating a new file. Typing it into an emulator's cheat interface is a different operation.
Does MARIA work on original PS1?
The documented MARIA name mode belongs to the Dracula X Chronicles version, not this original PS1 list.
Does AXEARMOR immediately replace the character?
It adds the armor to the inventory. Check and equip it rather than expecting an automatic transformation.
Is the luck code one quotation mark?
No. Enter two apostrophes after V, followed by Q: X-X!V''Q.
Are spell commands also name codes?
No. Combat spells use directional commands during play; these three entries are new-file setup options. For more original-console choices, visit our PS1 games guide.
Sources and scope
Codes and requirements were cross-checked against the original-platform references below; they are not claimed as personal gameplay tests.