Double Dragon, 3D Ecco The Dolphin Hit Nintendo Consoles This Week

The weekend is finally upon us, which means it is once again time for gamers to take a gander at the latest batch of digital entertainment being made available for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U consoles. Warning: Sega 3D classics, martial arts-wielding brothers and a bunch of randomness lie ahead.

A couple of weeks ago, Sega pulled back the curtain on an upcoming collection of 3D classics from consoles of old. This week, two more offerings join that particular roster, including 3D-ified versions of the original Ecco the Dolphin and Galaxy Force II. As the first game’s name implies, players take on the role of Ecco the dolphin in Ecco the Dolphin. Shocking, I know. Truly earning its “classic” status, Ecco is an underwater adventure featuring a heroic dolphin on a quest to save his family, which just so happens to have been swept away by a mysterious storm.

And then there’s Galaxy Force II, the forward-flying shooter that will actually probably look pretty cool if they pulled off the 3D effects properly, as this particular game tried to look 3D back when it was originally released by having players flying into combat zones and blasting enemies in a sort of third-person FPS where your gun is replaced by a pimped-out spaceship.

Along with those two new 3D remasters, the Nintendo’s handheld will also be getting its usual selection of random games this week, including Jump Trials Supreme, Life With Horses 3D, My Style Studio: Hair Salon and Orion’s Odyssey.

Over on the Wii U, only one new game will be hitting the eShop this week, and that’s RUSH.

“RUSH is the third and last of the Two Tribes classics to arrive in the Nintendo eShop,” reads the Nintendo announcement. “RUSH is a three-dimensional puzzle game played entirely on the Wii U GamePad controller. Players guide cubes to color-coded exit points with the stylus by placing conveyor belts, warps, stop signs, splits and many other helpful tools.”

Finally, both the 3DS and Wii U will have a new addition to the Virtual Console this week in the form of the original Double Dragon. A group of thugs known as the Black Warriors have kidnapped Billy’s girlfriend, and now it’s up to Billy and his brother to fight through the city, jungle and more in order to save her. If you’re interested in the history of beat-em-ups, Double Dragon was one of the genre’s forefathers and holds up pretty well for fans of classic gaming.

And that’s going to just about do it for this week. Boot up your Nintendo console of choice and head to their respective online markets to grab anything above that catches your interest. Otherwise, look for even more games, including the final two Sega 3D classics, to arrive late next week.