Originally released in 1989 on the home computer Amiga with the title of Pipe Dream, and having seen release on more platforms than you can shake a stick at, Pipe Mania is now on it's way to Live Arcade. Now we've commented before on the tendency of developers to use the Arcade to make a quick buck. And this one seems just a bit obvious, as anyone who owns Bioshock already has played Pipe Mania to death; it was the hacking mini-game. Now the idea of paying more money to play that via the Arcade (especially when there are freeware versions of the game) just feels strange.
Even if Empire Interactive makes good on their promises of new game modes, new themes, new play mechanics and new pipe pieces, the underlying gameplay is still rather played out. There will still be the folks who buy it of course, but if it wants any kind of large scale success Empire Interactive needs to price this one right, say ... 200 points maybe, we'd definitely buy it as that price.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-10-2008 @ 7:40AM
Boff said...
1989? Christ!
I remember when this came out back in the day! Had it for my trusty A500 with 512k RAM upgrade! Oh yes. Full meg of RAM. I was rolling with the big boys.
Reply
3-10-2008 @ 8:08AM
Crazed Geek said...
Empire Interactive, you say? They made a really crappy version of this game for the PSone. I own it, and regret even having it (it was a present).
http://psx.ign.com/objects/017/017214.html
Reply
3-10-2008 @ 8:59AM
Deezul said...
Guess what? Not everyone played Bioshock. Are you also saying that since I played Mass Effect, I shouldn't bother with Boom Boom Rocket? After all, "underlying gameplay is still rather played out." And yet people keep buying Guitar Hero games and DDR games...
Reply
3-10-2008 @ 9:33AM
Kizzle said...
"And yet people keep buying Guitar Hero games and DDR games..."
Uh, probably because because Guitar Hero games and DDR games DIDN'T COME OUT IN 1989 ON TECHNOLOGY THAT IS LONG OUTDATED, AND IT's NOT "PLAYED OUT" BECAUSE PEOPLE STILL BUY THEM LIKE CRAZY. Jesus, what's wrong with some of you?
Reply
3-10-2008 @ 9:55AM
MDJ2010 said...
Yeah I had this on my Atari St, It was a very pleasant surprise when it appeared with such significance in Bioshock and well worth the purchase if you havnt played it before.
Reply
3-10-2008 @ 10:06AM
J said...
Nothin like layin pipe.
Reply
3-10-2008 @ 10:17AM
Daniel said...
too bad the lowest price microsoft makes arcade games is 500 Microsoft Points
Reply
3-10-2008 @ 10:20AM
HazyCloud said...
@ Daniel
Try 400 MSP here in the states.
Reply
3-10-2008 @ 10:20AM
Deezul said...
People keep buying movie tie in games. That doesn't make THEM good.
Take the guitar out of guitar hero, and what do you have? SIMON, a game that came out in the 70s.
Reply
3-10-2008 @ 10:55AM
Jeramy said...
oh man you gotta love the expression on the boxart dude's face.
Reply
3-10-2008 @ 11:32AM
Tony said...
Honestly, what was in Bioshock reached a certain level of difficulty and never went beyond that, I could see some people wanting to play more of it.. There are people who like Pipe Dreams (Mania, whatever), which is clearly exemplified by how many versions there are and that there at least two free fan-made versions now.
Reply
3-10-2008 @ 11:45AM
AnOffday said...
Why is that guy screaming on the cover? The boxart would have done just fine without that. It's creepy. I mean seriously, is he that angry that his pipe broke? Or perhaps that he actually bought this game?
Reply
3-10-2008 @ 11:57AM
Anthology said...
Got it, its called bioshock.
Reply
3-10-2008 @ 12:07PM
Dick said...
Wait a minute, I thought 2K bought the pipe game and needed it something to do with it?
Amiga - Who Knew?
Reply
3-10-2008 @ 12:55PM
doug said...
There used to be a Parker Bros. card game called Waterworks back in the late 70s that may have started all of this.
Reply
3-10-2008 @ 1:32PM
Deezul said...
Why buy any new game? Want a FPS? Doom. RTS? C&C or Warcraft. RPG? Paper based D&D. Turn based Strategy? Chess. Just because YOU played it to death doesn't mean no one else will get their fill. Because NO ONE bought Halo 2 or Halo 3, or CoD 2-4. Just too much of the same thing, right?
Reply
3-10-2008 @ 2:14PM
ryan said...
^
dude, people play those games for the story regardless of how similar they play. this pipe game is just like playing the Bioshock mini game. no story, same game mechanics.
Reply
3-10-2008 @ 2:21PM
Deezul said...
My original point was I didn't PLAY BioShock. So I should drop $60 on a game I'm not interested in instead of $10 on a Arcade game I am interested in? Makes sense to me!
Reply
3-10-2008 @ 10:11PM
mcwattersm said...
From now on I think ALL bloggers should post dully, with little expression, cutting straight to the chase, and definitely NEVER make jokes, because there is always some chump that doesn't get the joke and gets all defensive over it.
Reply
3-11-2008 @ 4:34AM
Deezul said...
Not only that, but remember, compare every game to every other game in existence, and make the comparisons longer than the true substance of the post. Go on, it's much funnier that way.
Reply