Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles was high on my list of PSP gems. Primarily a remake of the PC Engine game into 3D graphics, it’s known for having one of the best unlockables of all time: the PS1 classic Symphony of the Night, tweaked with a new script and other improvements. I’ll get to that later, but to play it I had to get through the main feature.

In 2D Castlevania land, I haven’t had much experience with the older stage-based style. I prefer the free-roaming RPG ones, but even with my preferences this game won me over. Eventually. To get to the point of appreciation and satisfaction, I had to learn, and death was my teacher. Literally in some cases, because you fight the Grim Reaper. Yes, it was difficult, but mastering the controls and finding the secrets turned out to be fun and rewarding.

I also enjoyed the game much more after unlocking Maria, the second playable character. She’s faster than the sluggish Richter, can nimbly double jump and slide, and has more versatile weapons. I also had to understand the game’s structure: I was expecting to do whole runs of the game, but a portable-friendly stage select can easily take you to any point to find the hidden levels and optional bosses, and you can change character at any time.

I may still prefer the open-world freedom and self-paced experience of the later games, but Rondo is a great example of how a game’s design can deliver a focused, challenging, and fun experience; all of which is more or less identical in this remake to the 1993 original. For what it’s worth, of the 2(!) linear Castlevanias I’ve played, this is the best! Also, check out the Castlevania 4koma I translated; there’s officially translated ones for this game too, linked in that post.