1990s
Dracula X: Rondo of Blood
1993 · Action Platformer · TurboGrafx-16
Overview
Dracula X: Rondo of Blood is widely considered the finest classical Castlevania — a CD-ROM TurboGrafx exclusive that combined the linear action of the original series with multiple routes and unlockable characters.
Deep Dive
Released exclusively in Japan on TurboGrafx CD, Rondo of Blood is the direct predecessor of Symphony of the Night. Richter Belmont's quest has multiple routes through each castle section, a secondary playable character (Maria Renard), and CD-quality audio.
Developer Story
Dracula X: Rondo of Blood was developed by Konami for TurboGrafx CD and released in Japan in 1993. Its Western unavailability made it legendary among import collectors.
Did You Know?
- Rondo of Blood was Japan-exclusive for fourteen years — Western fans couldn't play it legally until the PSP remake Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles in 2007.
- The game is directly connected to Symphony of the Night — its ending triggers Symphony's opening.
