Posts with tag arcade
Missile Command Launches onto XBLA
Missile Command arrives this week on XBLA
Well kids, we knew it was coming. Yes, it was prophesied long ago that Atari's Missile Command would hit Xbox Live Arcade some day. That day is this Wednesday. This ain't your grandpa's Missile Command either. Nope, this Missile Command comes with fancy new 3D graphics and updated music. Sure, the primary goal is still to destroy incoming missiles, but now it's in kuh-razy 3D and it has achievements! The press release informs us that you destroy said missiles in order to defend planet Zardon (not to be confused with Zordon). The game features 2 person multiplayer locally or over Xbox Live and ... um ... well, that's about it. It's Missile Command. Take it or leave it (for 400 points).
Gallery: Missile Command (XBLA)
Assault Heroes finally patched ... almost
Let's say your game shipped with a horrendous multiplayer bug that prevented many people from connecting to online co-op sessions. Would you fix it? Would you fix it quickly? If you're part of Wanako and Sierra Online, and your game is Assault Heroes for Xbox Live Arcade, then your answer is clearly "no." Yes, Assault Heroes was added to the XBLA library last December and played host to a serious co-op problem, namely that co-op games could not be joined by many people. Now, seven months later, a title update for Assault Heroes has finally been released. There's only one problem: you can't download it. In a particularly delicious bit of irony, you are greeted with an error message the moment you accept the update prompt. Oy vey.
Let's hope the Assault Heroes team gets their ducks in a row and fixes this problem soon.
More Sneaky Soltrio Solitaire DLC
Those sneaky solitaire solicitors! They're at it again. Yet another batch of downloadable content (DLC to the kids) for Soltrio Solitaire on XBLA has hit Xbox Live Marketplace. In fact, it came out yesterday, and we didn't even notice. That's how sneaky it was. The pack includes an entire 10 new solitaire modes, all for a measly 150 points. According to our friends at XBLArcade (the sleuths who uncovered this info), the PC version contains dozens of modes, so more DLC for Soltrio Solitaire is a distinct possibility for the future. We're sure that somebody, somewhere, is very excited about this.
PopCap talks casual game design, XBLA
A few years ago, if someone used the phrase "casual games," you probably would have imagined someone playing darts or shuffleboard in a newly smoke-free bar somewhere. Only recently, aided by Nintendo's DS and Wii juggernauts and download services like Xbox Live Arcade, have casual games become serious business. Everyone and their dog is stumbling over themselves to create casual games. EA, Eidos, Ubisoft: everyone is doing it. Of course, PopCap has been doing it for a while now. Gamesindustry.biz recently sat down to talk with Jason Kapalka, chief creative officer for PopCap games.Speaking to the success of casual games, Kapalka notes that PopCap enjoys nearly a 20% conversion rate on Xbox Live Arcade titles. That's 1 in 5 people who decide to buy a PopCap game -- Heavy Weapon, for example -- after playing the trial version. This is compared to less than 10% rates for the PC and mobile markets. So, yes, casual games can certainly mean big bucks for a smart company.
Encore! Encore! Mad Tracks expansion available
Racing onto the Marketplace is a new expansion pack for Mad Tracks ever so accurately named Encore. The Encore expansion pack will set you back 350 Microsoft points and includes nine additional races and six new mini games. So, the new expansion should give you nearly double the amount of content in Mad Tracks and may just be worth the extra bucks. Unless you're against Mad Tracks, downloadable content, or spending money ... then steer clear of this one.
Carcassonne tiles onto Arcade
X3F hands-on: Band of Bugs
Xbox Live Arcade is finally starting to pick up steam and, as a result, more game genres are being represented. We've got fighters, beat 'em ups, puzzle games, arcade classics, board games, and many more. There hasn't been much in the way of turn-based strategy though. That is, there wasn't until Band of Bugs. Coming to us from NinjaBee, the same folks who brought us Cloning Clyde and Outpost Kaloki X, Band of Bugs takes the same lighthearted, humorous approach to turn-based strategy. Read on to find out how Band of Bugs fares.
Win Band of Bugs from Uncle Gamer
The kind and generous souls over at Uncle Gamer are at it again. This time, they're giving away a redemption code for Band of Bugs, the latest release from our friends at NinjaBee. We've been having a lot of fun with Band of Bugs so far, and that feeling will only be made better when you realize you didn't pay a dime for it, right? If you'd like your shot at some free, lighthearted strategy goodness, head over to Uncle Gamer and enter. They're accepting entries until Friday, so get cracking!
Bomberman Live explosive interview
DAKing240 over at Xbox 360 Achievements got to sit down with Peter Dassenko, Associate Producer at Hudson Entertainment about their upcoming Xbox Live Arcade release, Bomberman Live. The interview covers a lot of interesting points, like the development process for the game, and how they came up with some of the title's more interesting Achievements. It's a good read,and Peter has some uniquely clever ways of answering some of the questions. Check out the full interview by clicking the "Read" link.
Video: New Lumines Live! DLC on display
The next pack of downloadable content for Lumines Live! is being previewed over at GameTrailers and is also available in HD. It shows 5 or so seconds of each skin in what's being dubbed the "SOS Charity Campaign Pack". It will be released on June 27th, and will set you back 350 MS points, but at least you know that it's going towards a good cause. Would you be down with some more content for Lumines, or are you a little wary of Q Entertainment's take on micro-transactions?
Undertow, Puzzle Fighter rated by ESRB
The ESRB database has been updated with several new Xbox 360 titles. Most notable among these are the Xbox Live Arcade releases, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (E) and Undertow (E10+ oh noes!). Also rated was Dynasty Warriors: Gundam, a title with which we are completely unfamiliar. A quick look around the internet reveals that it's exactly what it sounds like: Dynasty Warriors with giant mechs instead of human warriors. Also rated was Hour of Victory, which recently had a (terrible) demo released on Xbox Live Marketplace. We already knew Puzzle Fighter was planned as a July release, but this may mean that Undertow will be coming sooner than we thought. Let's hope so; we can't wait to try out underwater Battlefield.
[Via GameStooge]
Win Band of Bugs from X3F
Update: A winner has now been selected. Click here to see the winner.
Insects. Turn-based strategy. At first glance, these two things don't seem to go together. As it turns out though, Band of Bugs (from our friends at NinjaBee) proves that war and insects are the digital equivalent of peanut butter and chocolate. We managed to snag an Xbox Live Marketplace download code for this delicious concoction and we're giving it away to one lucky reader. If you'd like your shot at winning, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post. We'll pick a random winner today at 4:00PM Eastern, just in time to enjoy the game after work. Get to commenting and good luck!
General contest stuff: only one entry per person. Winner will be contacted via email.
Gallery: Band of Bugs (XBLA)
Wing Commander Achievements step into the Arena
Undertow devs: nothin' but Unreal from now on
Independent developer, Chair Entertainment, has signed an exclusive agreement with Epic to use its Unreal Engine 2.0. Chair is currently in the Xbox 360 spotlight for its Xbox Live Arcade title, Undertow. According to the agreement, Chair will use Unreal Engine on all of its current and future projects. What exactly these projects are remains a mystery, as Undertow is currently the only Chair project of which we are aware. Whatever Chair's future plans, Undertow remains an intriguing project, cramming CTF gameplay, a campaign mode, and Unreal graphics into an impressive 50MB package.
Check out our new Undertow gallery below.
Gallery: Undertow (XBLA)
Update: Chair will continue to use the Unreal Engine for its products, not the Unreal Engine 2.0 specifically.
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