Game: "Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles"

Console: PlayStation Portable

Developer/publisher: Konami Digital Entertainment Co.

Genre: "Rondo of Blood," action/adventure; "Symphony of the Night," action/adventure/role-playing

Number of players: One or two, via Boss Rush mode

Rated: Teen for mild, suggestive themes, violence, blood, gore

The premise: This game includes "Rondo of Blood," an unreleased "Castlevania" game, with bonuses such as better graphics, sound and unlockable music and games. You can play the updated "Rondo of Blood" only from the start, and hidden in the game are the original version of "Rondo of Blood," "Symphony of the Night" and something called "Chibi Rondo."

Game play: This game harkens back to a time of 2-D movement. This means that the characters can go only in four directions — up, down, left and right.

The bad: It's unfortunate that you have to wade through a difficult unreleased game with better graphics just to find an icon to play a shrunken-down portable version of "Symphony of the Night" and the original Japan "Rondo."

After playing various collections, I'm surprised more games were not included. I know that the UMB disc can hold more data than three games of previous technology.

The good: Finally there's access to an unreleased game that was the prequel to the groundbreaking "Symphony of the Night."

"Symphony of the Night" is an already great game with subtle tweaks: an improved English track, original Japanese-language track and an additional character to control.

Tips: Go on the Internet to find out where "Symphony of the Night" is in the "Rondo of Blood" game.

In "Symphony," do not buy the boss hints because they work only for bosses you have already beaten. In "Rondo of Blood," however, if a boss defeats you, you have the option of buying a movie that shows you how to beat the boss.

In "Symphony," sell all of your duplicate items and useless gear so you can afford better armor and weapons.

My take: "Rondo of Blood" is probably the hardest console 2-D "Castlevania" I have played. All the emphasis seems to be on "Rondo of Blood" and little, if any, on "Symphony of the Night."

For "Symphony," the creators did not improve the graphics, sound or even make it portable friendly, but Alucard (the main hero) is tiny because the game is being played in a rather small rectangle.

The potential of an improved version of "Symphony" was the reason I wanted to play this game. The game, however, felt basically the same.

It you don't like "Rondo of Blood" and/or find it too complicated, you are not getting your money's worth. If you've wanted to play the missing link of "Castlevania" with bonuses, it's worth trying out, but not worth buying.

Jeffrey Davis of Honolulu is a video-game enthusiast.