Xbox 360 Fanboy

Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo is an interesting game. Unlike many puzzlers out there, Puzzle Fighter never spawned any sequels (despite the "II" in the title, only one game was created). Then again, as any Puzzle Figher fan could tell you, there really wasn't any need. Puzzle Fighter was just about perfect, truly incorporating the fighting mechanic into its core gameplay, rather than simply cashing in on the successful Steet Fighter franchise and the arguably less successful Darkstalkers franchise. Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix brings the game to XBLA along with a few changes and gameplay modes that never saw the light of day outside of Japan. Does the game hold up after all these years? Oh, hell yes.

While speaking with a Hudson representative on Xbox.com, regular X3F reader AnOffday confirmed that new costumes and maps are coming to Bomberman Live. This hardly comes as a surprise, as the promotional materials sent out by Hudson include several levels and costumes not currently in the game. You can actually see some of these levels in our Bomberman Live gallery (which we've thoughtfully attached to this post. Still, it's nice to get official confirmation. Now, if only we knew the release date and price, we could have our bomb and explode it too.

We're always keen to point our readers in the direction of free stuff, and today is no exception. Our friends at GamingTalkHQ are giving away a free copy of Bomberman Live to one lucky winner. So, what gargantuan, time-consuming task must you complete in order to enter this contest? Well, you'll have to deal with the laborious two step process of typing up a comment and clicking the "submit" button. There's always a catch isn't there? If you think you're up to this kind of hard work, we suggest you follow the "read" link for more details. The contest ends at 11:59 EST tonight, so act fast.

For longtime gamers, Bomberman is a staple. Bomberman is synonymous with having fun with your friends. For many gamers, the series introduced the kind of social multiplayer action that has become standard in many of today's games. For this reason, Bomberman Act: Zero was a major disappointment. Aside from the (arguably unnecessary) re-imagining of the classic characters, Act: Zero's glaring fault was the exclusion of local multiplayer. As Bomberman fans know, half the fun of the game is tied to interacting with your friends. Sure, Act: Zero had online play, but nothing compares to playing with buddies on the couch. Bomberman Live attempts to right all the wrongs of Act: Zero in one tiny, inexpensive package. Read on to find out how it fares.

It seems so important to have some presence on YouTube these days. Every company, network, and politician is out to reach all the obsessed YouTubers with their "message," be that "buy my product," "watch my show," or "vote for me." Typically, we don't pay these much mind. Especially those fed to us by game companies. It is somewhat refreshing then, to see Hudson open its making-of Bomberman Live video by admitting that Bomberman Act: Zero was a piece of garbage. Yes, that goes a long way towards restoring our faith in the franchise, for truly it was a festering pile. It's heartening to know that Hudson began with "let's not make another Act: Zero" as a base for their upcoming Xbox Live Arcade offering.

It's okay, Hudson. We all make mistakes. As long as Bomberman Live delivers, all is forgiven.

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Old school gaming fans rejoice! The official page for Bomberman Live has appeared on Xbox.com. Well, to be more precise, it's not published on the Xbox Live Arcade page yet, but it's available for those who know where to look. It's actually been there for some time, but now we have some new reinforcement that the game is on its way to XBLA soon. Yes, the game has been rated by the ESRB, so things are looking good. We're so excited that we just might explode. Get it? Get it?! Oh, never mind.

Bomber-fans rejoice, for we have discovered the price and (rough) release date for Bomberman Live on Xbox Live Arcade. Speaking to the Official Xbox Magazine podcast, Hudson's Joel Breton revealed that the game will release for 800 MS Points. This isn't exactly surprising, as it's becoming the de facto price for all original XBLA content. Breton also reveals that Hudson plans to release the title in early July. Jokes concerning Independence Day and blowing up your friends ensues. If you'd like to listen to the interview, it occurs at approximately 17:15 during episode 68 of the KOXM podcast.

So, will you pick up Bomberman Live for 800 points?

For classic multiplayer fans, there is perhaps no Xbox Live Arcade title as anticipated as Bomberman Live. Published by Hudson and developed by Backbone Entertainment, Bomberman Live looks to properly bring classic Bomberman action into the online arena, and 1UP recently got an extended look at the game.. Sure, many attempts have been made -- even Saturn Bomberman had online play -- but Xbox Live gives Bomberman Live an edge unknown to previous online entries. Bomberman Live allows for up to 8 players online or 4 players locally. The game also allows multiple players on one 'box to venture online (here's hoping the game allows non-Live subscribers as guests). In addition to the traditional deathmatch mode, Bomberman Live also includes other modes, such as the Paint Bomb mode featured in recent titles. The game also features Vision camera support, which will snap a shot of each player the moment they are defeated and also give the round winner a few moments to gloat on camera. Finally, there are loads of costume pieces that players can use to customize their, um, Bombermen (Bomberfolk, Bomberpeople?). Costume pieces are unlocked by collecting Costume Balls during gameplay.

All in all, it sounds like Bomberman Live is everything that old school fans could hope for. Here's hoping the game lives up to its legacy (or, at the very least, better than Bomberman Act: Zero). So, how much would you be willing to pay for "real" Bomberman.

It wasn't long ago that Discs of Tron was leaked as an Xbox Live Arcade title on the ESRB website. Disney has now stepped up to the plate and confirmed that Discs of Tron, along with Tron itself, is heading to Microsoft's download service. Both games will feature enhanced graphics and online multiplayer. The game is being developed by Backbone Entertainment, more commonly known on XBLA under the Digital Eclipse label. Given the age of these games, we hope that Backbone goes the extra mile and really enhances the gameplay rather than merely slapping on a fresh coat of pixels. Either way, we're looking forward to some serious light cycle matches on Xbox Live.