I've been playing the series since the first game on the NES. One of my favorites!
Not to revive a dying thread...(but wouldn't that be kind of appropriate for a Castlevania discussion..?) I too have been playing this franchise since the original was released in the U.S. in the late 80's, but I had no idea there were so many versions. The most familiar to me are 1,2, IV, Rondo, and Symphony, and are all great. Unfortunately I never put much time into 3, and found the Genesis version and all of the 3D versions that followed blasphemous. I will hopefully, eventually, use the list provided by Mumei to catch up. I would like to give the genesis version another shot as well..
Try to appreciate those who live during your own life time, because we'll all be dead soon enough.