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Castlevania precursor Vampire Killer coming to Wii U Virtual Console...in Japan
One of the earliest entries in Konami's long-running Castlevania series is due for resurrection via the Wii U's Virtual Console service in Japan on December 17, Nintendo revealed this week. Originally released for MSX home computers in 1986, Akumajou Dracula (aka Vampire Killer in European territories) resembles the 8-bit NES Castlevania aesthetically, but takes a more open-ended approach to its gameplay. This exploration-focused style returned in 1988's Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest, and became a defining element of later series entries like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Unfortunately, given that MSX games are not featured in the Virtual Console's catalog stateside, it's unlikely that Vampire Killer will see a North American eShop release. Castlevania fans will have to be content with recent Wii U Virtual Console releases like Dracula X and Aria of Sorrow instead. [Video: World of Longplays]
The evolution of Castlevania's 'Vampire Killer' theme
A wave of nostalgia washes over us when we hear music from our favorite classic franchises. One of those iconic pieces is Castlevania's "Vampire Killer" series theme. The folks at Tiny Cartridge (specifically, Joystiq's own JC Fletcher) stumbled upon a YouTube clip featuring every version the classic track has spawned since the origin of the Castlevania franchise.While musical style and technology has evolved, this video showcases how Kinuyo Yamashita's original piece has lived on throughout nearly two dozen Castlevania games (as well as some non-Castlevania titles). Feel like taking a stroll down memory lane with us? Check out the comparison videos after the break ... but stop holding our hand. It's kind of weird.
