History VideoGame / CastlevaniaRondoofBlood

** Attempting to play the game with a PC Engine CD System Card v1.0 has a creative error message in the form of "Stage X", a very short stage with cutesy graphics and only two enemies that ends in an error message and Maria apologizing.

* FightingSpirit: Maria possesses a secret attack where she fires off a warrior version of herself that unleashes a RapidfireFisticuffs attack, much like a [[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure certain other anime series]].

* EndOfAnAge: Chronologically, ''Rondo of Blood'' is the last time a Belmont would go toe-to-toe with Dracula. After Richter, the next person to deal with the vampire was Shanoa with [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaOrderOfEcclesia the Order of Ecclesia]]. After that, Dracula was tackled by the Morris's (first [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaBloodlines John]], then [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaPortraitOfRuin Jonathan]]) after which Dracula was defeated for good.[[labelnote:note]] Although the Morris's ''are'' distant relatives to the Belmont's, they are not closely related enough to wield the Vampire Killer [[/labelnote]]. The next Belmont in the series, Julius, would interact with Dracula's reincarnation, Soma Cruz in [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow the Chronicles of Sorrow]]. Canonically, Soma remains on the side of good, and Julius only fights/kills him in the bad ending.

*** This was also included in both ''Dracula X Chronicles'' and ''Requiem'', as an unlockable in the former and as an easter egg by inputting the KonamiCode on the title screen in the latter. Both versions also change the error message, with ''DXC'' simply telling you how to exit, while ''Requiem''[='=]s version, for your usage of the Konami Code, tells you there's no [[VideoGame/{{Gradius}} extra]] [[VideoGame/{{Contra}} life codes]] and calls you a "cheater".

''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}: Rondo of Blood'' (originally released in Japan as ''Akumajō Dracula X: Chi no Rondo'') was released for the UsefulNotes/PCEngine in 1993. Initially, [[NoExportForYou it was only released in Japan]] but it was finally ported worldwide to the UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable with ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaTheDraculaXChronicles'', and subsequently to the Wii UsefulNotes/VirtualConsole [[note]]Like all imports, however, this one does not have any English translation other than what was in the game to begin with.[[/note]], to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 as part of the {{compilation|Rerelease}} ''Castlevania Requiem'' and to the PC Engine Mini[=/TurboGrafx=]-16 Mini[[note]]Like the Wii release, the version on the [=Turbografx=] model has no further English translation.[[/note]].

** Attempting to play the game with v1.0 System Card has a creative error message in the form of "Stage X", a very short stage with cutesy graphics and only two enemies that ends in an error message and Maria apologizing.
*** This was also included in both ''Dracula X Chronicles'' and ''Requiem'', as an unlockable in the former and as an easter egg by inputting the KonamiCode on the title screen in the latter. Both versions also change the error message, with ''DXC'' simply telling you how to exit, while ''Requiem'''s version tells you there's no extra life codes and calls you a "cheater".

* StealthPun: ''Akumajō Dracula X'' was literally the tenth ''Akumajō Dracula''[=/=]''Castlevania'' game released by Konami[[note]]That said, the "X" itself isn't "ten"; it's pronounced as the letter X[[/note]]. Before this, there was the original NES trilogy (3), ''Vampire Killer'' for the [=MSX2=] (4), the arcade game ''Haunted Castle'' (5), the two Game Boy games (7), ''Super Castlevania IV'' for the Super NES (8), and the [=X68000=] remake of the first NES game (9).

''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}: Rondo of Blood'' (originally released in Japan as ''Akumajō Dracula X: Chi no Rondo'') was released for the UsefulNotes/PCEngine in 1993. Initially, [[NoExportForYou it was only released in Japan]] but it was finally worlwide ported to the UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable with ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaTheDraculaXChronicles'', and subsequently to the Wii UsefulNotes/VirtualConsole [[note]]Like all imports, however, this one does not have any English translation other than what was in the game to begin with.[[/note]], to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 as part of the {{compilation|Rerelease}} ''Castlevania Requiem'' and to the PC Engine Mini[=/TurboGrafx=]-16 Mini[[note]]Like the Wii release, the version on the [=Turbografx=] model has no further English translation.[[/note]].

* PowerupLetdown: To compensate for her many advantages, Maria has several absolutely worthless secondary weapons. She has the music book, which is like the throwing knife but lacks even a useful Item Crash, and a weapon that sends two birds diagonally upwards, which is totally useless except in certain rare circumstances (although at least ''it'' has a useful Item Crash).

* MagicSkirt: Averted -- Maria is clearly holding her skirt down with her hands when she jumps (though the skirt is ankle-length anyway).

* OminousLatinChanting: Featured in "Kyrie Eleison", the starting menu theme.

** ''Dracula X Chronicles'' played this straight by adding a little black loincloth in both the 2D and 3D versions. The ''Symphony of the Night'' version is still without underwear.
*** It also appears in the western Virtual Console versions released in North America and Europe.

* ShoutOut: The [[CaptainErsatz Dogether]] boss is named in reference to ''Manga/{{Bastard}}'''s Suzuki Dogezaemon, and naturally the original [[Tabletopgame/DungeonsAndDragons Beholder]].

''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}: Rondo of Blood'' (originally released in Japan as ''Akumajō Dracula X: Chi no Rondo'') was released for the UsefulNotes/PCEngine in 1993. Initially, [[NoExportForYou it was only released in Japan]] but was finally ported to the UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable with ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaTheDraculaXChronicles'', and subsequently to the Wii UsefulNotes/VirtualConsole [[note]]Like all imports, however, this one does not have any English translation other than what was in the game to begin with.[[/note]] and UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 as part of the {{compilation|Rerelease}} ''Castlevania Requiem''.

''Rondo'' played similar to previous ''Castlevania'' entries, [[{{Platformer}} mostly linear.]] You could also find hidden exits to reach alternate paths through the stages to find different bosses. The ending [[MultipleEndings depends on which girls you rescue]], and [[SecretCharacter you could play the game as Maria if you found her]]. You could enhance your subweapons into an [[LimitBreak Item Crash]] that usually fills the screen with large projectiles.

The PC-Engine version was released in Super CD-ROM format, so ''Rondo of Blood'' has a redbook soundtrack and voice-acted cutscenes. This bump in production value led to Konami upping the values for their subsequent games.

* VideoGameSliding: Maria Renard in ''Rondo of Blood'' marks the first time a character in the ''Franchise/Castlevania'' franchise has the ability to slide. Richter would not obtain this ability until [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNight the following game]].

* MartialArtsHeadband: Richter wears one along with an asian looking clothes.

''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}: Rondo of Blood'' (originally released in Japan as ''Akumajō Dracula X: Chi no Rondo'') was released for the UsefulNotes/PCEngine in 1993. Initially, [[NoExportForYou it was only released in Japan]] but was finally ported to the UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable with ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaTheDraculaXChronicles'', and subsequently to the Wii UsefulNotes/VirtualConsole [[note]]Like all imports, however, this one does not have any English translation other than what was in the game to begin with.[[/note]] and UsefulNotes/Playstation4 as part of the compilation ''Castlevania Requiem''.

A [[ReformulatedGame remixed port]] was released for the Super Famicom titled ''Akumajō Dracula XX'' (as in "Double X") in 1995, which was released for the Super NES as ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaDraculaX'' in North America and as ''Castlevania: Vampire's Kiss'' in the PAL region. While the basic plot and game system remained identical to the PC Engine, the stages were all-new and a lot more linear (with only two hidden stages) due to the lower memory capacity of the cartridge format, and unlike the PC Engine version, only Richter was playable.

* NoFairCheating: [[spoiler:We dare you to use a Cross subweapon on Death's final form. We dare you.]]

* NoFairCheating: [[spoiler:We dare you to Item Crash Death. We dare you.]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rondo_of_blood.jpg]]

* WhipItGood: As per usual for Belmonts, Richter uses the Vampire Killer.

* BossOnlyLevel: Stage 6, where Shaft resurrects the first four bosses from [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaI the original NES game]] ([[BatOutOfHell Giant Bat]], {{Medusa}}, {{Mummy}}, and FrankensteinsMonster) before taking the field himself.

* TitleDrop: While the [[AlternateCharacterReading furigana]] in the game's subtitle reads ''Chi no Rondo'' for "Rondo of Blood," the literal reading is ''Chi no Rinne'', meaning "Metempsychosis of Blood." The latter is the title of the game's final stage (although the English version of the [[UsefulNotes/PlaystationPortable PSP]] port simply renders it "Bloodlines" to tie in with ''Symphony of the Night'' doing the same[[note]]One of the localisation team for ''Symphony of the Night''[='=]s [[BlindIdiotTranslation many screw-ups]][[/note]], dropping a [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaBloodlines different title]] entirely).