"So let me get this straight, you think Dracula X is a really solid addition to the series?"
I do, and I'm tired of pretending it's not.

The music takes a hit from Rondo of Blood, obviously, but visually, it clears in pretty much every area. Some really nice pixel art in this game.
The controls are basically the same except you move a lot slower now, which I don't think gets in the way too much as you're gonna be jumping a lot, which retains a faster speed.
There are a couple screens I can't defend, but for the most part, the level design and enemy placements are perfectly fine and even interesting in my opinion, and there are fun speedrun tricks and various bits of tech to employ throughout all of the routes. The bosses are just as good as they are in Rondo, too, and I definitely prefer this game's Dracula fight compared to Rondo's boring one. Not to mention this game has the best power/usefulness balance in the subweapons out of any game in the series.
Dracula X is a fun time in my opinion. Tricky to learn, but feels great to master.