Honest question about Rondo of Blood

[lukester]

So from what I understand, a large number of people got into the PC Engine over the years, for one single reason.

They were Castlevania fans who heard about the "holy grail", Rondo of Blood, and just had to import a PC Engine or try out the game on their PSP.

Questions for those who this situation applies...
 
Is Rondo still your favorite PC Engine game? Have you been let down by every other game on the console? Was the bar set too high for your enjoyment of other games on the console? Or maybe just platformers?

In other cases, I think some people have only played Rondo and nothing else on the PCE, except maybe Ys. I've always been curious about this.

[Black Tiger]

I guess everyone here heard of the PC Engine before Dracula X.

Two or three EGM spreads hyped the game for me before I was finally able to get a copy (importers kept selling out). But it still greatly exceeded my expectations. It's hard to remember which games I definitely got before Drac X, because it was over 30 for sure, but as cool as it is, it was just another amazing Turbo/PCE game for me by the time I got 100% on it. I had Kabukiden, Ys I - IV, Neo Nectaris, Snatcher, Gate & Lords around the same time, so it it was hard for it to become my favorite game. I was certain that Ys I & II would always be my favorite game of any library, but Kabukiden took the crown and it doesn't look like that is going to change before I die.

[poponon]

not being a fan of castlevania I was never too interested in rondo. That being said, after getting into pce and clearing about 20 games I finally decided to give rondo a shot after those nicely pressed discs were being distributed here. I've gotta say it's easily one of the best games for the system so far if not the best. very high quality in every regard. Doesn't really dampen my enjoyment of other pc engine games at all though.

[seieienbu]

If memory serves, I've had 3 friends who were Castlevania fans that I let play Rondo who had absolutely no other interest in the system.  I showed them some stuff I find cool since, but none of them were at all interested in the system's other offerings.

[WoodyXP]

Have you been let down by every other game on the console?

I'm not qualified to answer your first question, but I will say I was let down by Rondo.  It's a great game, but when I first played it I thought to myself "So this is the game everybody is bouncing off their cocks about?  Give me a break!".

[Digi.k]

not my favorite but one of the best platformers on the pc engine just basically from a technical and artistic point and it has great playability and game design.

It wasn't the game that sold me on the pc engine CD-Rom initially that went to Wonderboy III simply because at that time it was one of my favorite arcade games and the new music tracks just elevated the game so I saved up a lot for it.

Anyway I think I have said this before but initial impressions of Rondo of blood I was disappointed with it because super Castlevania IV came out earlier and had flashier graphics, music and the whip mechanics even though it was a lot slow in gameplay I found it much more relaxing and tone very atmospheric.

When Rondo arrived I wasn't impressed with the anime intro, the music was standard synth all the way without any variety and the whip mechanics went back to the older gameplay styles.  But the level designs, the sprite animations, some amazing level designs especially the raft falling water level stage and the ship level, and sound effects all add up to the sum of it's parts even though it was really tough game especially with Richter Belmont.

I think I am more appreciative of now than back then and pretty greatful we got a game like this for the pc engine.

[exodus]

I like the game a lot, but I had the PCE for maybe 15 years before I got a copy. Because of my game playing history, I'm more likely to play an "inferior" game like Valis III than Rondo - I've probably played the former 50x more than the latter, even if rondo is a great game!

[Necromancer]

I got my Duo at least a year before I'd seen anything on Dracula X, and 'twas nearly a decade before I actually got a copy to play, but I've never been disappointed.

[SignOfZeta]

I was a big Turbo fan before the game was released and I don't think you're going to find too many people from my generation who discovered PCE via a Castelvania game. 1992 was honestly getting kind of late for the system so I think it's fair to say that the vast majority of people who bought a PCE system new did so before the this game was released. Your question really only applies to late comer "retro" types so maybe you'd get more relevant responses aiming that way specifically.

"How many of you noobs only have a PCE because of a "holy grail" that you don't even actually like?" Something like that.

[Medic_wheat]

?

Discovered PCE from Rondo?



No for me learning that the SNES port was a watered down copy of Rondo. The. Learning that a castelvania game existed on the PCE/Duo was mind blowing.


I didn't grow up playing this system. I fell into it looking for something new and different. Was pleasantly surprised I had a small childhood connection to the system from playing one of the Bonk games at a older cousins house.

I got into the system more so braise of all he OTHER games I heard about and wanted to play.


I didn't even have a interest in Rondo until I leaned that copy of Dracula X I enjoyed as a kid had a better original game for the PCE that was CD based. Where as previously I thought the first cd based castelvania games where the two PS games Symphany and (that remake of the first game from the NES) chronicles? 

[Black Tiger]

Is Drac X why you got a PC Engine lukester?

[lukester]

Is Drac X why you got a PC Engine lukester?

My first game was on a pc compilation of bomberman games when I was 10 years old

When I got a Wii, I experimented with virtual console. I played a bunch of stuff but was not good enough to beat anything at the time.

I had the bonk games, jj and Jeff, bravoman, ordyne, galaga 88, rondo, bomberman 93, and a number of other stuff.

My favorite PC engine platformer is Bonk 2, though I understand rondo is a better game. To be honest, I actually prefer bloodlines! I'm not a big genesis fan either.

I'm not a big rpg guy, but I love the wonder boy games. Monster world IV especially. I have yet to play Ys IV and am excited for legend of Xanadu series. I hope blood gear gets a translation someday.

I have yet to play the spriggan series. I hate snes Aleste, love musha and gunhed. Same for castlevania.

[Sarumaru]

The bar was set too high when Ys I&II was put on CD for the first time.... but Rondo's aight, I guess... was def worth the 40 bux.

[Johnpv]

I was into the TG16/PCE before Rondo.  That said I think Rondo is a great game, I don't know if I would say it's the best game on the system but it's up there.   I've really come to love the Japanese library because there's so many awesome shooters on it.  I really wish we got more of these back in the day on our shores.  The library for me is so not a disappointment. 

[nopepper]

I always wanted a TG16 for Blazing Lazers and Dungeon Explorer, but could only have one console growing up, so it was the Genesis. I also didn't know anybody with the system, so it was always in my TODO list to get one once I "grew up".

In the late 90s, I was able to source myself a PCE Duo R, so I could play those 2 games, as well as the much talked about Dracula X. IMHO, Rondo of Blood more than lives up to the hype, as it's essentially perfect at what it sets out to do. It's got great presentation, fantastic level design and it is a decent challenge, without being unfair or frustrating; it's just fun to play. I'm not sure how people can be let down by the game, unless perhaps they were expecting 3D graphics or other unrealistic crap.

To me, this game and Lords of Thunder are reason enough to own a PCE.