The Castlevania: Symphony of the Night( or simply aka SOTN) speedruns focus on movement and efficient combat. Alucard, Richter and Maria have their own separate categories and unique playstyles. The runs feature heavy usage of many mobility-based special abilities with complex, fighting game style inputs. This wiki focuses mainly on the PSX, PSN and Xbox360 version of the game for Alucard and Richter and Sega Saturn for Maria. The Saturn and Dracula X Chronicles/Requiem versions of the game work differently and would be covered in separate pages that we will potentially make in the future and link as separate categories.

<!-- {| class="wikitable"!colspan="4"|Upcoming Marathon Runs|-!Runner!Date!Category!Event|-|style= "background-color:#252525;"|Aldriel|style="background-color:#252525;"|Friday, 3rd August 2018|style="background-color:#252525;"|Alucard All Bosses|style="background-color:#252525;"|https://www.speedrun.com/sgus2018/schedule |} --> == Information ==:* '''Main article [[SOTN Alucard /Categories| AlucardCategories]]'''Alucard runs feature the most wide range of mechanics and playstyles as well as the most heavy use of varioius glitches.=== categories ===:* '''[[SOTN Alucard Any% NSC /Techniques|Any% No Save CorruptionTechniques]]''' == Other links ==

:* '''[https://www.speedrun.com/sotn Main Category Leaderboards]''':* '''[https://www.speedrun.com/sotnce Category Extension Leaderboards]''':* '''[https://discordapp.com/invite/wGMdDRG The Long Library Discord]''':* '''[https://www.sotn.io SOTN Alucard All Bosses | All BossesRandomizer]''':* '''[https://www.symphonyrando.fun/ SOTN Compendium]''':* '''[https://github.com/Xeeynamo/sotn-decomp/ SOTN Decompilation Project]'''

== Alucard ==:''Main article [[SOTN Alucard | Alucard]]''Alucard runs feature the most wide range of mechanics and playstyles as well as the most heavy use of various glitches.=== Popular Alucard categories ===:* '''[[SOTN/Alucard_Any%_NSC | Any% NSC]]''':* '''[[SOTN/Alucard_All_Bosses | All Bosses]]''':* '''[[SOTN/Alucard_Glitchless_Any% | Glitchless ]]''':* '''[[SOTN/Alucard_Any%_Requiem | Glitchless Any%Requiem / DXC PAL ]]'''

:''Main article [[SOTN Richter | Richter]]''

=== Popular Richter categories ===:* '''[[SOTN Richter Any/Richter_Any%|Any%]]''' :* '''[[SOTN Richter All Bosses /Richter_All_Bosses | All Bosses]]'''

:''Main article [[SOTN Maria | Maria]]''

=== Popular Maria categories ===:* '''[[SOTN Maria Any/Maria_Any% _Emulator |Any%Emulator]]'''

The game requires every direction of a motion to *Special move inputs are non exclusive and can be inputted exactly, no input approximation is included in the enginebuffered into each other or from other actions. For example J+874126+J would result in a failed wingsmash due to jump can be inserted into the missing 3 diagonal. An exception is the summon spirit spell, which works if you simply return to neutral after Blade Dash / Air Slash move input just before pressing the back direction instead of pressing forward.attack: 823+jump+attack

Special move inputs *Inputs for spells, Wing Smash and Richter special moves are non exclusive and can be buffered into each other or from other actions(stored) for 19 frames. For example a jump can be inserted into You must press the next button in the airslash move input just before pressing attack: 823+jump+attackrequired sequence within that time frame.

Inputs are buffered/stored for 15 *Tetra Spirit requires at least 32 frames or 1/4sof charging up.

After holding *Gravity Boots have a direction for 29 shorter buffer window of 15 frames it stops being counted towards the start of an input with the exception of some hold or charge moves.

Typically *Charge moves require pressing allow you to hold the activation button at least one frame after completing first charge input as long as you want to before finishing the motion input.

Some character states can ignore inputs or clear *Spells require pressing the activation button at least one frame after completing the motion input buffer entirely.

! colspan="2" |Notes

| Xbox 360 XBLA NA || ~59.94 ||Some console models seem to lose additional time, we have not confirmed why yet. |rowspan="2"|Significantly faster loading times. Playing while online causes lag due to xbla time attack leaderboards. No texture mapping glitches. No third outer wall warp glitch.

| Xbox 360 XBLA EU || ~60 ||Significantly faster loading times. Playing while online causes lag due to xbla time attack leaderboards. No texture mapping glitches. No third outer wall warp glitch.

| psxjin|| ~60 || |-| Bizhawk Audio Throtle || ~60 |||-| Bizhawk Clock Throttle / Mednafen || ~59.29 ||