Rondo of Blood, my favorite Castlevania, is a unique mixture of the different approaches the series has gone through. It follows the "classicvania" controls but also gives you a backflip and extra mid-air movement. It's also the first installment where the graphics and music have a 90s anime flair, but still with that distinctive gothic horror inspiration. When it comes to difficulty, the game follows the intensity of the original but also offers Maria as a more relaxed playstyle option. If you're playing as the starting character Richter though, every enemy demands planning and timing to move forward. Whether checking out Rondo of Blood for the challenge or the vibes, it's a beautiful experience any way you play it.

If you're a TurboGrafx-16 fan, a Castlevania fan, or just an action-platformer fan in general, this is the #1 game to play for the spooky season.