Konami released Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest for the Famicom Disk System in Japan in 1987 and on NES cartridge in North America in 1988. Seven years after defeating Dracula, Simon Belmont discovers he carries a deadly curse, and the only way to lift it is to find the five scattered parts of Dracula’s body – his rib, heart, eyeball, nail and ring – and burn them in the ruins of his castle. Instead of the first game’s linear stages, Simon explores an open world of towns, forests, marshes and mansions, buying whip upgrades and items from villagers and gaining levels from defeated enemies. A day and night cycle changes the world: towns fill with monsters after dark and enemies become tougher. The game is famous for its cryptic hints, many of which were vague or misleading, and it offers three endings depending on how quickly it is completed. It is often cited as an early influence on the open, exploration-driven Castlevania games that followed.