Level 0: Prologue - Path Through the Woods

The Prologue of the game. Richter rides toward the town of Veros on stagecoach, while Death drops by to pay him a visit. After a small fight, Death will run away, leaving Richter's path free of danger.

Level 1: Village Ruins

Richter's Stage Name: Dinner of Flames
Maria's Stage Name: Birthplace of Tragedy

The town of Aljiba from Castlevania 2 is under attack by Dracula's evil friends. Everything is on fire and baddies are lurking everywhere. Near the middle of the Stage the path splits...if you take the normal path you will fight large stone creatures and then find the gates to Castlevania where you will fight a Wyvern. If you find the hidden exit, you'll find an underground cave that leads to the well, and soon to the lake bridge. You'll fight the Serpent here.

Level 2: Entrance to Castlevania

Richter's Stage Name: God, Grant Me Strength
Maria's Stage Name: O Lord, Please Give Me Strength

Another familiar Stage, it is a recreation of the first stage from the original Castlevania. After fighting through the courtyard, the bridge will open for you and lead you into the halls of the castle. A short while through it, a gigantic hellhound will chase you through. Fall down one of the pits in this area, and you'll find you way into lower depths filled with fish fiends and eventually the end of the Stage. If you manage to elude the hellhound and find a key, you can unlock a hidden cell where Shaft is about to sacrifice Maria. Shortly thereafter you will fight the Werewolf by the light of the moon.

Level 2': The Lake Bridge

Richter's Stage Name: Breaking Through the Front
Maria's Stage Name: I Hate Taking the Long Way Around

Made of stone, this bridge was most likely built by members of the Tepes clan in order to cross the gigantic lake near the castle. Gargoyles will come to life, and bits of the bridge will fall apart, so keeping on your toes is essential. If you fall down in a certain place, you will find the Ferryman who will take you across to Stage 3' (but you'll still have to dodge of gauntlet of Mermen.) The normal exit will have you fighting the Werewolf...if you manage to drop down into the depths of the lake and find some hidden ruins, you'll attack the Bone Golem.

Level 3: The Chapel

Richter's Stage Name: An Evil Prayer Summons Darkness
Maria's Stage Name: The Vengeful King of Bloodshed

Beautifully decorated, the chapel was intended as a place of worship before Dracula made a deal with the devil. Now it is a place of desecration. Skeletons swing from the ceiling on ropes, and fiends spread around the pews and altar. After running up a large stairway, you can fall down to the basement of the chapel to play through a hidden area and getting to the boss. If you choose not to, you'll meet a very large skeleton with the church bell overhead (ring it for some goodies.) Then fight your way through a room with scores of candles. A thief will attempt to steal your weapon at the end of the Stage, right before a pulley that will take you to the alternate Stage. If you don't go up the pulley, you'll fight the Minotaur.

Level 3': The Cemetery

Richter's Stage Name: Release from the Thirst for Blood
Maria's Stage Name: Let Thy Soul Be At Peace...

The alternate Stage here is just as the name suggests...the place where the dead are buried. At first you'll be attacked by a gigantic three-eyed skull, and then you'll wade through mud, fighting Mudmen. After fighting some nasty Grave Keepers, you'll jump past some spiked balls. If you manage to find the secret exit, you fight the Dogether. If not, climb further up the mountain, where hands will grab up from the ground, and if you get to near, they will pull you into the grasps of Hell. Wade through some more mud, and you'll find the exit to the Stage. Tara is hidden somewhere here.

Level 4: The Inner Halls of Castlevania

Richter's Stage Name: Atop Countless Terrors
Maria's Stage Name: Atop the Corpses of Thy Brethren

Dark and desolate, the Inner Halls are filled with many traps and bizarre contraptions. After running pasts some cells, jumping over spikes and dodging arrows that come out of the wall, you can either go up or continue right. If you go up, more bone dragons must be fought and more spiked balls are to be ducked under. Near a spike pit, if you jump on a certain floor switch, Flea Men will fall from the ceiling and attack! If you chose to go right, you'll enter the furnished areas of the castle, where you must go up a set of stairs. Flea men ride iron balls that will impede your progress. If you're smart, you can find a pulley that will take you up automatically. Both of these paths diverge on another bricked area of the castle. Just fight through some bone pillars and axemen, and you'll find the exit of the Stage (and fight the Dullaron.) Right near the exit, if you've beaten Dracula, you can find a large bomb and a hidden room that leads to Stage 5'.

Level 4': The Mountain Range

Richter's Stage Name: Fortress of the Water Demons
Maria's Stage Name: The Final Divergance

After going through a small swamp (where a horde of frogs will attack) the paths will diverge again. If you go down the waterfall (make sure to catch a raft!) you'll fight a daring battle with skeletons as you go downstream. If you fall off right at the end and you've killed Dracula already, you'll be taken to Stage 5'...otherwise you'll die. Jump off the raft, and another small pond will be encountered. The nice old Ferrymen will transport you across (keep bugging him and he'll give you plenty of goods!) and you'll fight Carmilla at the end. However, if you bypassed the whole raft scene entirely, you'll go across a bridge and finally through a forest where skeletons will hide behind trees and jump out. Then you'll fight the Dullaron at the end. Iris is hidden somewhere here.

Level 5: The Ghost Ship

Richter's Stage Name: The Devil Flies By Night
Maria's Stage Name: Toward the Tower of the Final Showdown

The lake near Castlevania also contains the evil that influenced the barbaric pirates around the time that Dracula X takes place. Filled with the spirits of the deceased murderers, you'll fight through the docking platforms into the ship. If you find a hidden area, you'll descend into an engine room and find an extra life. Otherwise, you'll fight a spectral sword (an evil sprit that controls many weapons, also found in Symphony.) Then you'll fight a mysterious painting that, if you come in contact with it, will trap you and kill automatically. Then you'll climb onto the deck of the ship, where harpies and flea men attack. Finally, you'll climb the masts of the ship to do battle with Death.

Level 5': The Hidden Docks

Richter's Stage Name: Wandering
Maria's Stage Name: Shudder

An enigma to many people, this Stage can only be found after defeating Dracula (either by a hidden bomb in Stage 4, or by falling down the river on the raft in Stage 4'.) Starting off on the docks, you must jump on many platforms, kill ravens, and dodge Mermen if you hope to make it to a hidden entrance to the castle. Here you can either jump across large pit (with platforms hovering over) or go through a big hall where you'll meet two of the very tough bad guys known as Guardians. Either of these sequences will lead to another small area of the castle with axe knights, then to the exit. There is no boss or hidden exit.

Level 6: The Guardians

Richter's Stage Name: A Nightmare Reborn
Maria's Stage Name: Undying Melody

A short Stage, the entrance is simply an area to power up. When you enter through the door, the dark priest Shaft will come down, and summon four creatures from Castlevania 1: the Bat, Medusa, Mummy, and Frankenstein. With those bosses gone, Shaft will attack you himself.

Level 7: Clocktower

Richter's Stage Name: Hear Now the Requiem of Blood
Maria's Stage Name: Believe in the Dawn

After crossing a crumbling bridge (followed by a flock of bats, nonetheless) you'll enter the tower. It will look very familiar if you've played Symphony of the Night for the Playstation. This is where Annette is held, if you can get the key away from the hawk guarding it. Soon after you'll make your way through a small chamber (complete with pendulums) before moving onto the final room. You will fight Shaft's ghost, probably the most difficult boss in the game.

Level 8: Count Dracula

Richter's Stage Name: Bloodlines
Maria's Stage Name: The Brink of Death

The final battle! Climbing up the stairs and walking into Dracula's throne room, he will transport out and attack. The fate of mankind depends on you!

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Castlevania Games - Rondo of Blood - Rondo Stages