To unlock the best ending in Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, players must obtain the Judge Arcana, which involves fulfilling a set of cryptic conditions. This process often necessitates revisiting earlier areas of Dracula's castle to acquire essential upgrades, particularly in optional platforming challenges.
Acquiring the Judge Arcana
The Judge Arcana can be found in the Palace of Justice. After emerging from the Catacombs of Paris, proceed upwards and left, passing under a large bridge. Continue past the platform cogs leading to a save point, and instead, head right to the next screen, the Court of Justice. Ascend the multi-story building to find the entrance to the Palace of Justice. Navigate through the building until you encounter a large tree and a set of scales. This is the location of the Judge Arcana.
To unlock it, Rose must have enough upgrades to fill at least four health and four mana hearts. This translates to a total of 16 health and 16 mana upgrades, increasing the maximum HP and MP to 180 each. Once this threshold is met, hold the RB/RT button to absorb the energy from the scales until they are perfectly balanced. This action will awaken the tree, which will eventually grant the Arcana spell.
Navigating for Upgrades
Many crucial health and mana upgrades are hidden within optional platforming sections. Players will need proficiency with skills such as the Arcane Whip, dashing, double-jumping, and Holy Light to access these areas. While these optional paths might also yield relics or weapons, focusing on upgrades is essential for the Judge's test.
When searching for these hidden items, be observant of rooms featuring hazards like spikes or spinning blades, as these often conceal upgrades, especially if they are offshoots from the main path. The in-game map provides valuable assistance; uncolored areas indicate unexplored sections, while gold-colored areas signify that all collectibles, including weapons, relics, Arcana, and health/mana upgrades, have been found. Zooming out the map to its fullest extent reveals the completion percentage for each area.