Gargoyle's Quest (eShop)

It's good to be bad. Being evil is far more fun than being a goody-two-shoes, so nobody can blame Gargoyle's Quest protagonist Firebrand for embracing the dark side.

But we can feel sorry for him for being trumped by an even more nefarious character.

Firebrand may well be one of the more annoying enemies in classic platformer Ghosts 'n Goblins, but he's got his own problems in this unique, genre-splicing spinoff.

Stony faced

It's a timeless plot. The Ghoul Realm was once overrun by a race called the Destroyers, but at the very last moment a great fire engulfed them all and saved the demon land.

Now the world is in peril again, as the Destroyers have made their return. Firebrand is the only one who can save the world.

Fortunately, Firebrand is highly capable, with the ability to breathe fire on his enemies, hover with his wings, and cling to walls. He's a beefy protagonist, and he handles remarkably well.

The level design is also well-crafted, with plenty of upgrades to grab for keeping Firebrand ahead of the game.

Virtually brand new

Gargoyle's Quest was well received back in the '90s, and it's easy to see why.

Mixed in with the platforming sections are some great top-down RPG elements. You explore the Ghoul Realm from above, and whenever you enter a level or encounter a random battle it jumps back to the platforming perspective.

It's a great mix, and the game was way ahead of its time back at release. Even now it's a joy to play.

Fire, and lots of it

However, there's one element that hasn't carried over so well - the difficulty. The first time you play, don't be surprised if you end up dead before you even complete the first level.

Fortunately, the Virtual Console save features mean that you can survive just that little bit longer - although it still feels a little jarring.

Gargoyle's Quest is one of the better 3DS VC titles. If you're looking for a reason to pick up your 3DS again after the recent drought, this may well be it.