a lot of good stuff in this topic. one thing we can really take from this is that just about every CV game is at least above-average. the standards for this series are high, though, leading to a lot of expectations which have changed as time has gone on, our perspectives looking back now are certainly different than when these games originally launched. but i think time has shows that this series is remarkable is how it has so many games with different attributes on different systems, and somehow they are all still good. overall i've played every game except for judgement, the ios game, and Lords of Shadow, and i've enjoyed every game. but here's my list.
1. legacy of darkness. N64 - really one of the top-10 or at least top-20 N64 games. big, varied environments/objectives, fun but nerve-wracking platforming (clock tower is amazing), good bosses, lots of replay value, decent item system. this is the direction 3D CV games should be going in. funny thing is, CV64 got very good reviews when it came out, so there must have been some redeeming qualities to it. and then legacy actually greatly fixed/improved many of the camera/control/slowdown problems and added a whole bunch of new content, and yet those games are now generally remembered as failures... doesn't make sense, and i hope more people come to appreciate the many good qualities of those games.
2. Haunted Castle, arcade - this is one of the weaker CV games, but it is so poorly regarded that i felt i had to include it in the list. it is exceptionally difficult, but can be mastered with patience and practice, and the level design, enemies, and atmosphere are actually very good. start off with the easier ROM set and even lower the difficulty if you like. once you get the hang of it, it's actually a really fun game. the key is to add quarters at the beginning of the game to boost your health way up to 400% - this means you only have 1 life, but believe me, it is still possible to win, and there aren't many bottomless pits to kill you anyways. collect all the hearts you can, there are some spots where getting a couple of those tricky hearts means all the difference in the world (excess hearts boost your health at the end of the level). also use the stopwatch, it is by far the best weapon.
3. Vampire Killer, MSX computer - a fun oddity that has the same physics/graphics of CV1, but some very unusual gameplay, which involves searching short, 4-5 screen levels for keys and items. it's actually pretty fun, but you'll need to use the infinite lives cheat, as the game is nearly impossible otherwise.
4. Castlevania Dracula XX, SNES - this is a good CV game, and it is really more of a sister game to rondo rather than a port. the levels are completely different, though the enemies are largely the same. the end boss is one of the best in the series as well. based on its own merits it's a good game, though not great, and is worth playing for any CV fan whether you've played rondo or not.
5. Bloodlines, genesis - this is one of the best CV games in the series, but is rarely mentioned as such. i love the fast gameplay, it's a nice departure from the belmonts' normal slower speed. the bosses are also exceptional. i do wish though they'd abandoned the limited continue system and just made the game harder but with infinite continues.
honorable mention: CV chronicles, CV rebirth