It's time for a super special demo-only edition of Weekend Download! A number of extremely promising demo games have been released in the past few weeks, showing off some big titles from big indie developers that will soon be released as full-fledged games. And, if you're like most people, you hate waiting like you hate ketchup on ice cream, so these will give you a little taste of the awesomeness to come! Look for more coverage when the full versions of these games hit.

Maldita Castilla (Windows, 4.6MB, demo) - Retro games master Locomalito, creator of Viriax, L'Abbaye des Morts, 8-bit Killer, and Hydorah, is working on an action/arcade game that draws inspiration from super-tough old school platformers such as Ghosts 'n' Goblins, Shinobi, and Trojan. Maldita Castilla puts you in the boots of Don Ramiro as he expels evil throughout the cursed land by tossing swords at everything that moves. The challenge level is certainly high, and the game screams retro from every angle. Locomalito hasn't announced a release window for Castilla, only saying there is a "lot of work" to be done.

Owlboy (Windows, 79.6MB, demo) - D-Pad Studio has been hard at work on this platform adventure for some time, and the results really show in this early-release demo. Owlboy is centered around flight, opening up a wide world of vertical and horizontal exploration to be had. You can also carry around a gunner to help dispatch enemies, something you'll find difficult to do without a real weapon of any sort. The pixel artwork is by far the most appealing feature of Owlboy, and it looks even better in motion than on the screenshots. The full version of Owlboy is expected before the end of 2011.

City (Windows, 9.72MB, demo) - From Ben Chandler, creator of a whole host of retro-style adventure games (Awakener, Annie Android, Featherweight, Eternally Us), comes a demo for the upcoming game called City. City is a cyberpunk-style adventure with some of the most impressive visual sceneries Chandler has ever presented, and the plan is to make its environments some of the largest he has ever constructed to date. City isn't about grandiose plots or saving the world. Instead, it centers around people and their place in a futuristic world. A big adventure game filled with secrets to discover all brought back down to Earth by relatable characters? Yes, please!

Note: All games have been confirmed to run under Windows 7 and are virus-free. Mac users should try Boot Camp, Parallels, or CrossOver Games to play Windows titles, Linux users can use Wine. If you know of a great game we should feature, use the Submit link above to send it in!