Castlevania: Dracula X
Introduction
Konami released Castlevania: Dracula X for the Super Nintendo in 1995, a cartridge reimagining of Rondo of Blood, the Japanese PC Engine CD game. Richter Belmont sets out to rescue his beloved Annette and her younger sister Maria after Dracula is resurrected, and the game keeps many of the same story beats, though its stage layouts, bosses and routes are largely new. Richter carries the Vampire Killer whip and can use sub-weapons such as the axe, holy water and cross, with an Item Crash that turns each one into a screen-filling super attack. Hidden paths lead to alternate stages, and whether the sisters are saved changes the ending the player receives. Dracula X is known for its steep difficulty, with enemy knockback and bottomless pits punishing mistakes. For many years it was the only official way for western players to experience a version of Rondo of Blood.
