Playing through the Castlevania series in release order for the first time in 2022, Rondo of Blood stands out as a timeless classic. The NES trilogy are amazing games for the time, but you need to compare them to their contemporaries and understand them in context to really grasp what an achievement they are. Rondo is just incredible to play, not just in its historical context but even today, it stands in a class of its own.
Moving onto Bloodlines after this, while it's still a great game it feels like a step backwards tbh.