Maria Mode

Maria Mode is a gameplay mode featured in several Castlevania games, in which the player can play as Maria Renard.

Game specific information[]

Castlevania: Rondo of Blood[]

Maria becomes playable as soon as Richter (the starting player character) releases her from her cell. The Key located at Stage 2's corridor – where the Behemoth is first encountered – must be picked up from one of the candles and used at the cell found at the underground area immediately after the corridor. After saving her from Shaft and activating a cutscene, Maria can be selected upon a Game Over or within the main menu of the game.

Many players consider that playing as Maria makes the game much easier than playing as Richter. She has her own set of sub-weapons – based on the Four Symbols from Chinese mythology – each with their own item crashes. She is slightly shorter than Richter, which allows her to dodge certain attacks easier. Her main weapon is summoning doves to attack her enemies and she can throw two of them at a time. She can also slide and roll in order to move faster and dodge attacks. Her special ability, called Guardian Knuckle (performed by pressing ↓ ↑ ↘ + II when facing right), deals quite a large amount of damage if used correctly. Finally, she can double jump, which is very useful for dodging enemies and their attacks, and also to reach certain platforms. However, she has far less health than Richter.

Maria has her own ending, a cutesy and slightly shorter version of Richter's ending. She has her own Game Over screen as well, made of colored letters and flowers.

When she is defeated, she falls down, hits the ground and lies for a brief moment before fading out of existence.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (Saturn)[]

Main article: Maria Renard/Symphony of the Night/Saturn

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin[]

See: Richter Mode

Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles[]

In The Dracula X Chronicles, Maria still plays the same as in the original Rondo of Blood version, without any major gameplay changes added. However, some cutscenes were specifically rewritten to take into account her presence, instead of reusing the original game's dialogues to her (with a notable example being her confrontation with Dracula).

Since The Dracula X Chronicles is a remake and not an exact port, many of the enemies' behaviors and placements have been slightly changed, overall making this game easier than the original. As a consequence to this, Maria's sub-weapons can often defeat enemies more easily. Their Item Crashes have received a graphical overhaul as well (particularly the Dragon, which instead of repeatedly lashing its body across the screen like in the original game, it now flies about the screen for a brief moment while dealing damage to everything in it).

Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles: Symphony of the Night (PSP)[]

Main article: Maria Renard/Symphony of the Night/DXC

Move list[]

Weapons[]

Item Data: Weapons (edit)
Image	Name - Game Type - Users Description	Attributes / Consume	Statistics / Sell	Found	Notes
	Dove - Rondo of Blood (unofficial name) Weapon - Maria				[edit]
				Find: Starts out with
	Guardian Fist - Rondo of Blood Weapon - Maria				[edit]
					Sequence: ↑, ↓→ + II

Sub-weapons[]

Item Data: Sub-Weapons (edit)
Image	Name - Game Type - Users Description	Attributes / Consume	Statistics / Sell	Found	Notes
(RoB/DXC)	Cat - Rondo of Blood Sub-Weapon - Maria				[edit]
(RoB/DXC)	Charges at the enemy. Effective against enemies on the ground.	Consume: 3 Hearts (20 by using her Item Crash)
(RoB/DXC)	Turtle - Rondo of Blood Sub-Weapon - Maria				[edit]
(RoB/DXC)	Covers the player in a turtle's shell, leaving them slow but invincible.	Consume: 3 Hearts (10 by using her Item Crash)
(RoB/DXC)	Dragon - Rondo of Blood Sub-Weapon - Maria				[edit]
(RoB/DXC)	Sends a powerful dragon flying forward to attack enemies.	Consume: 5 Hearts (50 by using her Item Crash)
(RoB/DXC)	Cardinal (jpn) - Rondo of Blood Sub-Weapon - Maria				[edit]
(RoB/DXC)	Two light-hitting red birds fly upwards at an angle to attack foes.	Consume: 1 Hearts (20 by using her Item Crash)
(RoB/DXC)	Egg - Rondo of Blood Sub-Weapon - Maria				[edit]
(RoB/DXC)	Release a chick when dropped that flies away through the enemy.	Consume: 3 Hearts (5 by using her Item Crash)
(RoB/DXC)	Book of Music - Rondo of Blood Sub-Weapon - Maria				[edit]
(RoB/DXC)	Though relatively weak, Maria can use her singing voice as a weapon.	Consume: 3 Hearts (10 by using her Item Crash)
Special (edit)
(RoB/DXC)	Key - Rondo of Blood Sub-Weapon - any				[edit]
(RoB/DXC)	Opens normally sealed doors, but disappears after one use. Maria can also use keys by commanding her doves to carry it.	Consume: none		Find: 2. Entrance, 7. Clocktower

Dialogue[]

Dialogue Data: Maria Mode (edit)
Image / Participants	Game / Location / Title Details Transcript(s) (click Expand to view when necessary)
Tera Maria	Castlevania: Rondo of Blood / 3'. Cemetery / Saving Tera When: After saving Tera with Maria (In the Caves, Tera senses someone while praying and turns) Tera: Who's there? Oh... (Tera runs towards Maria) Maria: Sister... Tera: Surely you're help sent from heaven. You are an angel. Maria: Please hurry back to the village. And be careful. Tera: Wait, what's your name? Maria: (smiles) Maria Renard. Vampire hunter. Tera: Maria, I know God is watching over you. (Tera prays for Maria) Video: Japanese version:
Iris Maria	Castlevania: Rondo of Blood / 4'. Mountains / Saving Iris When: After saving Iris with Maria (Iris senses someone and turns) Iris: Oh, what's this? Come to save me? Maria: Uh-huh. (Iris sees Maria's wounded arm) Iris: Oh, my. You're injured. Maria: Yeah. But I'm just fine. Uh-oh, you gotta run! See you! Iris: Wait! My father is a doctor. (Iris tears off her dress and treats Maria's wounds) Iris: That should do it. Maria: Wow! Thank you so much, Miss! Iris: Oh, no. It's I who should be thanking you. Thank you. It's very dangerous here. Be careful. Video: Japanese version:
Maria Annette	Castlevania: Rondo of Blood / 7. Clock Tower / Saving Annette When: After saving Annette with Maria (Maria calls Annette) Maria: Annette! Annette: Oh, Maria! (The two meets each other) Annette: Are you all right, Maria? Maria: Yeah. I'm just fine because I have the same vampire hunter's blood flowing in me as that man, Richter. I think he's fighting someplace else right now. Annette: Richter's coming. Maria: Oh, my. Looks like you hoped it wouldn't be me who came to save you. Annette: Oh, no. That's not what I meant. Thank you very much, Maria. (smiles) Come on, let's go home. Maria: Not yet! There's still something I have to do. You go back without me. I'm gonna beat that vampire to a bloody pulp! See you! Annette: Maria! (Maria takes her leave) Annette: For heaven's sake, she can be as reckless as Richter! Video: Japanese version:
Dracula Maria	Castlevania: Rondo of Blood / 8. Count Dracula / Ending When: After defeating Dracula with Maria (Dracula is on his knees) Dracula: Once again, the blood of Belmont has defeated me... Perhaps this, too, is part of my fate. Maria: It's your fault. For being so mean to everyone! (The cat growls) Dracula: It is not by my own power that I am resurrected. It is a greed of humanity which calls me back. And thus, by might, I rule. Might becomes the one and only justice in this world! Maria: I don't understand what that means! No matter how complicated you make it, a bad thing is still bad thing! Dracula: So long as greedy humans exist, I shall be reborn. That's all you need to remember. (grins) You proved amusing to me. We shall meet again, blood of Belmont! (Dracula laughs at Maria and fades away) Maria: What's he think is so funny?! (The castle starts to collapse) Maria: Oh, it's crumbling! Everyone, run for it, quickly! (Maria escapes from the castle with her familiars) Video: Japanese version:

Dialogue Data: Maria Mode (edit)
Image / Participants	Game / Location / Title Details Transcript(s) (click Expand to view when necessary)
Maria Tera	Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles / 3'. Cemetery / Saving Tera Background Music: Demo Scene 01 When: After saving Tera with Maria (A nun senses someone while praying and turns) Maria: Are you okay? You're saved now! (The nun approaches Maria) ???: Oh, God in heaven! You've answered my prayers! Maria: Hey, thank Him later. Come on, we've got to go! ???: You are truly an angel. May I ask you your name? Maria: It's Maria Renard. What's yours? ???: Maria, the Holy Mother... My name is Tera. Sister Tera. Maria: Holy Mother...? Do you need help getting out of here? Tera: I'd be unworthy of such attention. Please, let me find my own way out, and see your mission through. Maria: But... Tera: Oh, and please accept this. It's nothing compared to your power, I'm sure, but if it helps...then there's been a purpose to my time here. (Maria obtains Tera's Necklace) Maria: All right, I understand. Now run for it before things get too dangerous. See you! Tera: A thousand bleesings, oh holy Maria... Video: Japanese version: (dialogue at 4:41)
Maria Iris	Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles / 4'. Mountains / Saving Iris Background Music: Demo Scene 01 When: After saving Iris with Maria (A young maiden senses someone and turns) ???: ?! Who's there? Maria: It's okay! I'm Maria! Maria Renard. I'm here to save you, Miss. ???: Saved by a little girl...? I-I'm sorry. My name's Iris. Thank you for saving me. Maria: My pleasure. See you later! Iris: Wait a minute! Maria: ?! Iris: Let me see your arm. Maria: Okay. Iris: I thought so. You're injured. Maria: Not really. Iris: Oh, believe me. If we don't treat that right now, you're looking at infection, and then putrification. Maria: What?! W-W-What do we do? Iris: (smiles) I'm joking. Here, just let me bind that up. My father's a doctor. (Iris aids Maria) Iris: There you go. All better. Maria: Phew. Thank you, Miss Iris. Iris: No problem. Here, let me give you this too. (Maria obtains Iris's Charm) Maria: What is it? Iris: Just a good luck charm. To help keep you safe. Maria: It feels...powerful! Well, time to go. See you! Video: Japanese version: (dialogue at 7:50)
Maria Shaft	Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles / 6. Guardian / Undying Melody Background Music: Former room When: Before the battle with several bosses (Maria avoids Shaft's attack) Maria: !! What are you doing?! I know you! You're the bad man! Shaft: And I know you. I know your power. If that Belmont man hadn't interfered before, then... Maria: You're going to pay for what you did! I'll show you! Shaft: Ha! Will you? Servants, come forth from the gates of Hell! Attack! Rid my master's castle of this pest! (Shaft moves away with laughter) (Shaft returns) Shaft: Hmm, intriguing. Strong indeed. Very well, then. Face me! Shaft's last line to Belmont is not depicted in the dialogue box, it instead is heard during the FMV where he stands up to confront Richter or Maria. Video:
Maria Annette	Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles / 7. Clock Tower / Vampire Annette Background Music: Demo Scene 03 When: If Annette is not saved (Maria sees Annette is on her knees) Maria: !! Annette! Annette: M-Maria... You're safe! ...What took you so long? Maria: Annette... You're bad now, just like them! (Annette turns into a vampire) Annette: It's not bad, Maria. It's wonderful. Come here. Play with us. Maria: No! I came to beat the bad man! Not join him like you! Annette: You're turning your back on me, just like Richter! You stupid little brat! Very well! I'll teach you to respect your elders! (The battle begins) Video: Japanese version: (dialogue at 14:23)
Maria Annette	Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles / 7. Clock Tower / Saving Annette Background Music: Demo Scene 01 When: As saving Annette (Annette hears Maria is calling her and turns) Maria: Annette! Annette: !! Maria, what are you doing here? Maria: Richter saved me. He's strong, just like you said! Annette: Thank goodness. Richter's all right. Maria: Mm-hmm! And I've been helping him! Annette: Hmm? With what? Maria: You know, fighting the bad man. Annette: Maria, that's... You can't! It's much too dangerous! Maria: No, no, I'll be fine. Really, it's okay! Anyway, time to go. (Maria leaves) Annette: Maria, wait! Richter... Please protect that girl. Please... Video: Japanese version: (dialogue at 12:10)
Dracula Maria	Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles / 8. Count Dracula / The Brink of Death Background Music: Demo Scene 02 When: Final battle with Dracula (Maria enters Dracula's Throne Room) Dracula: Are you lost, little one? Maria: I know exactly where I am! I've come here for you! Dracula: Ah, your blood sings with power! Such a treat, and on the eve of such a glorious feast! Come, girl, and feed your master! Maria: Uh-uh! You want blood, come get it yourself! (Dracula stands up from his throne and raises the wind to Maria) Video:
Maria Shaft	Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles / 8. Count Dracula / Bad Ending When: After defeating Dracula (without rescuing maidens) (Dracula is on his knees) Maria: All right, Mr. Bad Man, ready to die? (Suddenly, Shaft shows up) Shaft: I will not allow this! Maria: What's going on?! Shaft: Count Dracula must not be allowed to lose! (Shaft and Dracula vanishes away) Maria: They got away... And I almost had him, too! (Ending credits) Video: Japanese version: (dialogue at 16:08)
Dracula Maria	Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles / 8. Count Dracula / Good Ending When: After defeating Dracula (with all maidens are rescued) (Dracula is on his knees) Dracula: Completely impossible! Beaten by a little girl! Maria: Ha! Didn't you know? Good always wins! Dracula: Child... It's power that always wins. Good and evil are only words, illusions created by the powerful. Maria: I don't know what you mean, but I know you hurt a lot of people. No matter what you say, that's wrong! Dracula: So even as the world decays, innocence endures in eyes like yours. Fascinating... (Dracula fades away with screaming) Video:

Maria Mode

Contents