Rondo of Blood Menu: Stages - Manual - Walkthrough - Passwords
Secrets - Weirdness - Opening - Ending - Translation

Dracula X: The Rondo of Blood
Manual translation by Hiroshi Kawai


Prologue

In the days of old, the people thrived on peace and prosperity. Indeed, fears of unrest were not among their thoughts...

Everpresent, however, is the underside of tranquility, evil. Evil, which spurns prosperity and disdains peace.

Gather they did, those who wished to summon the powers of darkness and cleanse the decadence of the world. And, with smiling countenance, they anxiously awaited the coming of their era.

A hundred years had past, and he was resurrected. Able to become bat, wolf, or mist at will, he lived in the night. He drank the blood of young maidens and lived an eternal life. The lord of Demon Castle, the god of evil, Count Dracula was reborn.

PGS. 2 & 3


How to Start the Game

Please set the CD-ROM disc correctly, and at the "SUPER CD-ROM2 SYSTEM" screen, press the RUN button. The opening demo will begin after the Konami logo is displayed.

If you press RUN at the title screen, you will be presented with a menu screen. Otherwise, another opening demo will begin, followed by a demo of game play.

The Menu Screen

In addition to being able to play the game with any registered characters, the menu screen presents you with options for "NAME ENTRY," "NAME CHANGE," "FILE DELETE," and "FILE COPY."

[NAME ENTRY]
You must register before starting the game. Move the cursor using the direction pad and select "NAME ENTRY". Pressing button I will bring up the name entry screen.

Now, select any empty slot among slots for player 1, 2, or 3 and press I to specify the player's name. Use the direction pad to choose desired alphabet characters and button I to confirm them. If you make a mistake, you can correct using the II button. When you are done, move the cursor to END and press I to return to the menu screen.

If the damage sustained is not too great, you can hold your stance by crouching.


[NAME CHANGE]
To change the name of registered players, use the NAME CHANGE option. Select the name to be changed with the cursor and press button I. When you have finished making changes, select END at the character entry screen to finalize the change.

[FILE DELETE]
Use FILE DELETE to erase the data file for a player. Place the cursor over the player to be erased, and cofirm the delete using button I. Select END to return to the menu screen.

[FILE COPY]
FILE COPY duplicates a player's data file into another data file. Choose the player to be copied with the cursor and button I; then specify the destination with the cursor and confirm with button I.

The File Screen

When you choose one of the registered players with cursor and I button, you will be presented with that player's data file screen.

The file screen presents you with options for "GAME START," "PLAYER SELECT," "STAGE SELECT," "TECHNIC," and "SOUND TEST."

Note: "PLAYER SELECT" and "STAGE SELECT" will not be available until you have progressed to a certain degree in the game.

Maria does not have the stamina of Richter, so beware of heavier damage.



Directions for Movement

[BASIC MOVEMENT]
Direction pad - Movement in left and right directions. Stairs are climbed using the up and down directions. Crouch by pressing down.

I Button - Jump.

II Button - Attack.

II Button + Up Direction - Item attack.

SELECT Button - "Item Crush."

RUN Button - Pause.

[ADDITIONAL MOVES]
Press Up while in air to land on stairs. Button I + Down Direction will let you drop from stairs.

[ADDITIONAL MOVES FOR MARIA]
Perform double-jumps by pressing Button I during a jump. Down Direction + Button I lets Maria slide.

Pressing SELECT with RUN depressed resets the game.





Screen Information and Directions for Play

(*) I can't reproduce graphics here, so bear with me. (The top graphic shows you the status information presented when the game is paused. The number beneath the word "CREDIT" tells you the amount of money you possess, while "REST" shows the number of lives that remain. The second graphics is displayed during normal game play. The number in the upper left corner in green indicates the number of hearts owned. The icon beneath it is the item that is currently active. The bar on the right is the player's life meter. Finally, the number beneath "SCORE" is your score!)

When the player uses the whip/weapon items to defeat monsters or destroys candles, items will appear. Items provide power-ups and special attacks. Special attacks are limited in use by the number of hearts you possess.

When the player sustains damage, the life meter will decrease. If the life meter becomes completely empty or you fall into "pits," the player loses a life. Even when all player lives are lost, you may replay starting at the beginning of the stage with the CONTINUE option.

The game is divided into 9 stages, but there are additional hidden stages which offer split paths through the game. Each stage presents the player with boss character at the end. You must defeat the boss to obtain the magical orb necessary to clear the stage.

Meat and parfaits are hidden within walls. Try breaking suspicous looking places.



Stage Overview

There are a total of 9 stages, but split paths may be accessed through hidden stages. Investigate suspicous surroundings -- you might find the entrace to a hidden stage!

Stage 0 - Path Through the Woods
You travel a path through the woods on a horse carriage. Though there are no minor enemies at this point, Richter will come face to face with Death (literally).

Stage 1 - The Village Ruins
Richter must make his way through the burning village. The boss here is the Wyvern. To proceed to the alternate stage, you must confront the Serpent.

Stage 2 - Entrace to Demon Castle
Fight your way through the front garden to get to Demon Castle. Maria is held hostage somewhere in this stage.

Stage 2' - The Lake Bridge
Battle takes place over the bridge which spans the lake.

Some doors open once you defeat all the monsters on the screen; others require you to find a certain item.


Stage 3 - The Chapel
The presence of evil monsters juxtaposed with the beautiful stain glass windows of the chapel. The Minotaur awaits you at the end.

Stage 3' - The Cemetary
An eerie cemetary in the midst of a swamp.

Stage 4 - Inner Corrider of Demon Castle
Evade the trademark traps of Demon Castle to challenge Dyulahan.

Stage 4' - The Mountain Range
This stage is filled with suspended bridges over rivers and waterfalls.

Stage 5 - The Ghost Ship
Combat takes place on a decrepit ghost ship.

Stage 6 - The Guardians
The loyal minions of Count Dracula await you.

Stage 7 - The Clock Tower
As fate ticks away, make your way to the top of the clock tower.

Stage 8 - The Count Dracula
The destined confrontation with the king of evil, Count Dracula.

You can climb onto certain monsters, like Skelton Shafts.



Items

(*) Again, I'm going to improvise because of the graphics.

Normal Items
(Effective just by picking them up)

Heart - Small, Large, Extra Large
Increases the number of times you can use the special items.

Rosario (Ornamented Cross)
Eliminates all minor enemies that appear on the screen.

Invisibility Potion (Flask with purple liquid)
You become invinscible for a short amount of time.

Money Bag
Collect these to....?

Food - Large, Extra Large
Increases the player's health.

1UP
An extra life.

Magical Orb
You must obtain this to clear a stage; it will completely revive the player's health.

Special Items
(Engage by pressing Button II + Up Direction. The numbers in the parentheses indicate the number of hearts required for use.)

Richter's Items

Knife (1)
Weak, but has great speed.

Axe (1)
Though hard to aim, it inflicts the greatest damage.

Cross (1)
When you throw it, it flies a distance and then returns. Easy to aim and highly effective, the cross is a favorite weapon.

Pocket Watch (5)
Slows down the movement of all monsters appearing on screen. Note that it may not be effective against certain enemies.

Holy Water (1)
Rises into flames once thrown onto the floor. Although it has a wide effective range, its intensity is weak.

Book of Magic (3)
Its mystical pages turn into a whirlwind enveloping Richter.

Key (0) [Used by Maria as well]
Opens the locked doors and disappears when it is used.




Maria's Items (Maria is held hostage somewhere, being prepared for a sacrificial ritual. Resecue her and she becomes a second character your player can use!)

Cat (3)
A small, white cat charges out toward enemies. Effective against monsters on the ground.

Turtle (3)
Maria becomes invincible, surrounded by a turtle shell. However, movement becomes severely restricted. Press Button II + Up Direction again to disengage.

Dragon (5)
A baby dragon is summoned to attack enemies. It has the greatest intensity of all items.

Red Bird (1)
Two birds, one in the horizontal direction, the other in the vertical direction, fly out to attack your enemies and then return. Its effectiveness is rather weak.

Egg (3)
Once thrown to the floor, 6 chicks emerge and charge at the enemy. The egg itself inflicts medium damage, while the chicks, small damage.

Book of Music (3)
Maria's singing voice shrills through the monsters ears; only inflicts a small amount of damage.

1UP
The number of remaining lives increases by one.

"Item Crush"

(*) Appears in the bottom right corner of page 11.

When the heart number indicator appears green and your press the SELECT button, your player is able to call forth the hidden powers of special items! Although the number of hearts exhausted is quite large, the damage inflicted on your enemies is paramount!





Introduction of the Characters

Richter Belmont
Descendant of Simon Belmont. Vampire hunter.
Age: 19. Blood Type: B.
Very righteous and dislikes unfairness. His weapon of choice is the time-honored Belmont family whip. Able to use axes and knives as well.
Voice Actor: Tadashi (Jin ?) Horikawa

Maria Larned
Daughter of distant kinship with the House of Belmont. Held hostage somewhere in Stage 2. Once rescued, may be used by your player instead of Richter.
Age: 12. Blood Type: AB
A honest personality and tough fighter.
Voice Actor: Yoko Teppotsuka.

Some doors open once you defeat all the monsters on the screen; others require you to find a certain item.


Annette
Richter's lover. Held hostage somewhere in Demon Castle.
Age: 17. Blood Type: A.
Strong-willed and also dislikes the unfair. Has a very pleasant personality and is nice to all.
Voice Actor: Atsuko Honda.

Tera
A nun at the Village Church, also held hostage in Demon Castle.
Age: 19. Blood Type: O.
Warm hearted, lively, with a passionate soul.
Voice Actor: Hiromi Murata.

Irisu
Daughter of the doctor and held captive in Demon Castle.
Age: 17. Blood Type: A.
A Bright and caring person, she looks out for others.
Voice Actor: Akie Yasuda.

Count Dracula
Lord of Demon Castle and the root of all evil.
Age: 800 (?). Blood Type: ?
Though his cold character is without equal, he maintains the dignity telling of his royal lineage.
Voice Actor: Hironari (?) Ishimaru.

Opening Narrator
Voice Actor: Hans Gunter Kraude (sp ?)

Even enemies which deflect knives and crosses with their shields can be easily defeated once they are disarmed.



Enemy Characters

(*) Here, I will give the names of the monster in clockwise order beginning with the one in the upper left corner.

Page 14
Wyvern, Giant Bat, Great Armor, Skeleton Warrior, Camilla, Werewolf.

The effectiveness of items may differ based on the enemy.


Page 15
Skeleton, Gargoyle, Big Ghost, Behemoth, Armored Knight, Skeleton Giant, Death.

Richter's Secret #1: Press Button I twice rapidly to do a back flip!


Page 16
Medusa, Serpent, Crow, Dyulahan, Minotaur, Shaft, Skeleton Shaft.

Richter's Secret #2: If you keep Button II depressed, you can move without changing the direction you face.


(*) ROLAND SOUND SPACE

For those of you with cool stereo systems hooked up to your Turbos, you can take advantage of the (small amount of) RSS-encoded sound in the game. Just set up your front two speakers as shown on the inner side of the manual's back cover. It is suggested that you keep the speaker backs close to the wall and their sides away from any reflecting walls. Enjoy!

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