Akumajou Dracula X - Chi no Rondo (Japan) - MAME software

NEC PC-Engine CD published 32 years ago:

悪魔城ドラキュラX 血の輪廻 © 1993 Konami Company, Limited.
(Akumajou Dracula X - Chi no Rondo)

Konami only released a handful of games for the PC Engine system, and Akumajou Dracula X is often considered as the most polished and one of the best Castlevania game ever made. The player starts his long journey as Ritcher Belmont, descendant of the Belmont bloodline whose eternal destiny is to oppose the evil spirit of Dracula. Our hero, like his ancestors did before him, is on a mission to rescue his beloved Annette Renard from the hands of the Prince of Darkness and his minions. As the player ventures deeper inside Dracula's dreaded castle, the adventure quickly proves more challenging than anticipated, with more villagers to rescue and terrible monsters to be feared (and even play as the young Maria Renard if he happens to be skilled enough to find her). The game follows the tradition of its popular predecessors, and Ritcher can strike his enemies with his trademark Vampire Killer whip or secondary weapons such as daggers, axes or crucifixes. However, and unlike other early games in the series, although the path to victory is for the most part linear, various stages are designed with alternate routes and hidden secrets - Akumaj? Dracula X features seven huge areas to explore, but also includes countless alternate routes which bring the grand total to twelve stages! Finally, thanks to the Super CD-ROM² format, a long and full screen introduction sequence feeds the game story with elegance and... German voice acting. Konami put the icing on the cake by also giving players the ability to purchase clues and tactics to beat bosses and the total percentage of game completed.

TECHNICAL
Game ID: KMCD3005

TRIVIA
Akumajou Dracula X was released on October 29, 1993 in Japan for 7800 Yen.

Akumajou Dracula X has an added bonus - if the game is played without a Super System Card, a mini-game featuring a cute and super deformed version of Ritcher Belmont loads instead. It has a text at the end of this extra stage explaining that the game can only be played with a Super System Card.

TIPS AND TRICKS

• Stage Select: To select any stage without the work, enter X-X!V''Q as your name.
• Play as Maria: To play as Maria Renard, you must retrieve the prison key from a candle in the area that you are chased by a zombie bull in the default Stage 2 (do NOT take the alternate path from Stage 1). When you reach the end of the castle sewers later in the level, there will be a locked door just beside the stairs. If you did not exchange the key for any throwing items after picking it up, you can use it to open the door and rescue Maria. Complete the level as normal and the next time you restart the game, the Character Select option will be available on your save file's menu.
• No Damage Bonus: If you go through any stage without getting hit (getting hit and then regaining energy does not count), you will get 1-UP when the level ends.

SERIES

• Akumajou Dracula [Model KDS-AKM] (1986, FDS)
• Dracula II - Noroi no Fuuin [Model KDS-DRK] (1987, FDS)
• Akumajou Dracula [Model GX768] (1988, ARC)
• Akumajou Densetsu [Model RC845] (1989, FC)
• Dracula Densetsu [Model DMG-CVJ] (1989, GB)
• Dracula Densetsu II [Model DMG-CWJ] (1991, GB)
• Akumajou Dracula [Model SHVC-AD] (1991, SFC)
• Akumajou Dracula X - Chi no Rondo [Model KMCD3005] (1993, PCECD)
• Vampire Killer [Model T-95043] (1994, MD)
• Akumajou Dracula XX [Model SHVC-ADZJ] (1995, SFC)
• Akumajou Dracula X - Gekka no Yasokyoku [Model SLPM-86023] (1997, PS1)
• Akumajou Dracula - Shikkokutaru Zensoukyoku [Model DMG-ADNJ-JPN] (1997, GB)
• Akumajou Dracula Mokushiroku - Real Action Adventure [Model NUS-ND3J] (1999, N64)
• Akumajou Dracula Mokushiroku Gaiden - Legend of Cornell [Model NUS-ND4J] (1999, N64)
• Akumajou Nendaiki - Akumajou Dracula [Model SLPM-86754] (2001, PS)
• Akumajou Dracula - Circle of the Moon [Model AGB-AAMJ-JPN] (2001, GBA)
• Castlevania - Byakuya no Concerto [Model AGB-ACHJ-JPN] (2002, GBA)
• Castlevania - Akatsuki no Minuet [Model AGB-A2CJ-JPN] (2003, GBA)
• Castlevania [Model SLPM-65444] (2003, PS2)
• Akumajou Dracula - Sogetsu no Jujika [Model NTR-P-ACVJ] (2005, DS)
• Akumajou Dracula - Yami No Juin [Model SLPM-66175] (2005, PS2)
• Akumajou Dracula - Gallery of Labyrinth [Model NTR-ACBJ-JPN] (2006, DS)
• Akumajou Dracula X Chronicle [Model ULJM-05287] (2007, PSP)
• Akumajou Dracula Ubawareta Kokuin [Model NTR-YR9J-JPN] (2008, DS)
• Akumajou Dracula - The Arcade (2008, ARC)

STAFF
Producer: Y. Yamada
Character Design: T. Furukawa, R. B, K. Yamada, Kuro!
Program: T. Hagihara, Gagensai, T. Shingo
Sound Staff: Akiropito, Jigokusha Nakamura, Sanoppi, Metal Yuuki
Voice Staff: Ryuichi, AKT, NOR, Saushirau, Babitto. K, Sanoppi, OPA
Guitar Solo: Furukawa Motoaki
Visual Staff: Akiropito, Sanoppi, Imohoreimai
Special Thanks: Oozawa Jimusho, AC Kurieito Kabushikigaisha, Sutajio . Oto No Marchenya, CoCo Sutajio
Package Design: Inumari, M. Yoshuhashi
Director: T. Hagihara
Special Thanks: Asuty. S, Axelay Ueda, Elf Tateishi, Fururu, H. Kyomas, Iga, Jef Miura, Kawa, M. Suzuki, Nori.B Sato, Pokopen Itoh, Ponce Yamamoto, Pop The Top Wada, S. Hayashi, To, Unico Satoh, Yada Bon, Yamazaki, Z.A.P, R. Gotoh, T. Hayasaka

CONTRIBUTE
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