Castlevania 2 Questing On Nintendo Virtual Console This Week

The weekly Nintendo eShop update is once again lacking in content during a slow early 2014 ramp-up, but at least we’ve got an entry from the whip-crackingest franchise in games history to enjoy on both the Wii U and 3DS. Get ready for some classic Castlevania goodness as Simon Belmont pays a visit to the Living Castle.

Compared to the Xbox and PlayStation family of consoles, Nintendo’s weekly launch lineup has always been on the light side. These past few weeks have been especially slow, though, with only a couple of new games, demos or discounts popping up for gamers to take advantage of. This week is no different, but at least we’re seeing a decent amount of quality in lieu of quantity with some pretty snazzy games making their way to the digital storefronts.

First up, Nintendo Entertainment System classic Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest is arriving on the Virtual Console for both the Wii U and the 3DS. Not only one of the best games for the NES, Castlevania II features some of the best music in the entire series, serving as a perfect backdrop for Mr. Belmont’s journey to give Dracula a stern talking to. With your trusty whip at your side, as well as flying crucifixes, axes and holy water, you’ll take on the legions of darkness in an effort to rid the world of Dracula’s curse forever…Or, at the very least, until some satanic monks decide to once again raise him from the dead.

And if you’re gaming on the 3DS, that’ll just have to tide you over in the new games department for the next seven days. But while Castlevania II is the only new release this week, maybe something in the sales department will entice you to spend a few extra dollars.

Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl will be marked down by $20 this week, available at a big discount from Jan. 20 through Jan. 27. If you haven’t taken this JRPG for a spin just yet, it might be worth a go in an otherwise lackluster week for Nintendo’s portable console.

Things are a little brighter over on the Wii U, though. Another two games are available for download this week, including F1 Race Stars Powered Up Edition and Unepic. Race Stars puts you behind the wheel of some super-fast F1 cars for $29.99 while Unepic brings the indie Metroidvania action of a normal Joe sucked into a D&D-esque world for just $9.99. It’s oddly fitting to see Unepic hit the Wii U alongside a Castlevania game, a series that clearly had a big influence on the folks behind the game.

And that’ll about do it for this week. Hopefully we’ll have a bit more to talk about in seven days but, until then, crack that whip.