It's taken a very long while for this long-lost installment of the Castlevania series to finally be found, in America, on a piece of Nintendo hardware, but it's finally arrived -- and it's been worth the wait. Rondo of Blood really is one of the finest sequels in the series, and Richter's adventure is all the richer for the added perspective these extra years have added to the experience.
Presentation - 9.0
Graphics - 8.5
Sound - 9.0
Gameplay - 8.5
Lasting Appeal - 9.0
Overall -
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood strikes a balance between adhering to Castlevania’s traditional linearity and introducing quiet innovations.
This game is certainly one of my favourites and highly recommended to those who have the means to play it.
As far as classic Castlevania goes, Rondo of Blood is the apex of what can be done with the franchise. Every facet of its design contributes to crafting one of the tightest action-platformers in the genre. Castlevania: Rondo of Blood serves as a natural evolution of the series’ core concepts. In emphasizing Castlevania’s overarching narrative, adding branching paths to stages, and opting for a more dynamic color palette when compared to its contemporaries, Rondo of Blood not only fine-tuned the Castlevania experience, it laid the groundwork for the direction the series would take following Symphony of the Night’s release.
I will always cherish Super Castlevania 4 as the series pinnacle. The audiovisual experience is not surpassed of yet.
By the early ’90s, the Castlevania series had established itself as one of the big-name platformer franchises like Mega Man, Mario, or Alex Kidd. Despite starting on Nintendo’s Famicom Disk System, the franchise made its way onto the Game Boy, arcades, and Sega Genesis as well.
If there’s one Castlevania title that’s become a bit of a cult hit, it is Rondo of Blood, mostly due to the fact it wasn’t available outside of Japan till well over a decade later. Castlevania: Rondo of Blood is the last of the classic Castlevania titles before the series found its new niche in the action RPG genre ala Symphony of the Night, and it’s also one of the best classic Castlevania games.
One of the milestones in an incredible franchise! One of the most hardcore Castlevanias, 2nd to the PS1 Castlevania Chronicles. The only thing I wish was that it didn't take over a decade or two for it to come over here but I guess one can appreciate it even more with the passing of time.