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?
Posts with tag lumines live
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?
Lumines Live add-on packs now available
This morning the Lumines Live add-on packs are available from the XBLM. Last week we found out that these all new add-ons would not only be coming, but would be discounted for a month. The VS CPU Pack and Puzzle/Mission Pack are only 100 Microsoft Points (originally priced at 300) and the Heavenly Star Skin is free (regular price 150). Remember, these prices are only good until February 21st when the original prices will go in effect. Need more info? Head on over to Xbox.com for all the add-on details.
Cheap Lumines content arrives next week

How many MS Points does it take to say, "I'm sorry?" Any 360 gamer worth his or her salt will remember the Great Lumines Catastrophe of '06. Allow us to explain ... no, there is too much. Let us sum up: Lumines Live launched on Xbox Live Arcade for 1200 points. The catch here is that the 1200 point purchase did not get you the full game. There were myriad reasons for this (stay under the 50MB limit, etc...) but the end result was that we were expected to pay for things like Vs. CPU mode and an expanded Puzzle mode and more skins for the solo mode. After the already large asking price, many felt insulted or even outraged. Well, kiddies, it looks like MS and Q? were listening, as new Lumines content arrives next Wednesday, and it's cheap! There are three pieces of content arriving next week. The first is a new video skin called Heavenly Star (sounds familiar) which will be free to Xbox Live Gold Members. The second is the Vs. CPU pack that will be available for 100 points. The third is the Puzzle/Mission pack which will also cost 100 points. These promotional prices are to be offered between January 24 and February 21. After February 21, the two content packs will cost 300 points, and we're not really sure what happens to the Heavenly Star video (presumably it will disappear or cost points).
A tip of the hat to MS and Q? entertainment for heeding our call and slashing these prices. Will you grab this content now that it will be available at a discounted price?
Light and Lumines
True story: I'm a Lumines newb and a conscious sucker for Microsoft's evil pricing strategy for this game. Last night I was just about to unlock the first time attack achievement when the power went out, plunging my once luminous abode into inky darkness. Because life just isn't bearable without electronic entertainment (Even in a blackout, I can't stomach the load times on a PSP) I had to leave the house immediately. Luckily the lights came on this morning, and I erased my 30 blocks. What's your record for the 1 minute time attack?
What are you playing: FINISH HIM edition
Another Friday, another edition of -- say it with me now - "What are you playing?" Personally, I've been playing a lot of Xbox Live Arcade lately. All these titles in the last month or so, it feels like an embarrassment of riches. So, this weekend, I'll be playing UMK3, DOOM, Lumines (yeah, I can't help it), and even getting some achievements for Cloning Clyde. I may sprinkle in some LEGO Star Wars II and some Enchanted Arms, too.On a side note, I don't know how many of you have gotten Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, but I had forgotten how incredibly cheap the AI is. It's terrible. It's not just cheap, it's the kind of cheap programming that allows CPU players to cut corners that human players can't. For instance, computers can skip frames of animation so that they can react faster -- like jump kicking you even though you started your jump kick first, etc. It's maddening. And, for the record, Shao Kahn may be the cheapest boss ever.
How about all of you? Hmmmm? What will you be playing this weekend?
Lumines Live pricing change planned?

The guys at Xboxic obtained this promising message from Xbox Customer Support:
Thanks for contacting XBOX Customer Support,
Luminous Live is known to have some issues regarding unsatisfactory in it's download. Please wait until Monday to see wether we have any updates regarding this issue. Do not download or purchase anything else that has to be dealt with Luminous Live. Until then, feel free to contact us via telephone for any updates of this issue and what we can offer you.
For any questions regarding this issue, please contact Xbox customer support on http://www.xbox.com/support/contact/
Thanks for time and support,
XBOX customer service team.
This communique raises a series of intriguing questions?:
1. Will Microsoft lower, or otherwise alter, the much-hated pricing structure for Luminous, or rather Lumines Live? The unusual step of instructing consumers not to buy an XBLA game indicates that they will.2. If so, will MS reimburse the unlucky saps who alread shelled out for the "complete" game in its current usurious form?
3. Is grammatical English just too much to ask of a certain percentage of the Xbox Customer Service Team?
Our Lumines Live! micro-rant
We know, it seems like all the news is about Lumines lately. It'll subside, we promise. Until then, however, we have to put in our two cents on a hot topic. No doubt you've read some of the reports about Lumines Live! and it's evil downloadable content. Either that, or you've discovered it yourself after clearing one round of Vs. CPU mode. We all knew that there was an "Advance" pack coming, but if you were under the impression that the "Advance" pack would make your game complete, you're wrong. Three times wrong. We think it's time for a rant.
And the Lumines Live winner is...
It's that time. Time to announce the winner of our Lumines Live! contest. We received a digital ton of entries, some good, and some not so good. Some of them were clever, and some not so clever. Find out who we picked and see some honorable mentions after the break.
Lumines, you have (control) issues

360 Fanboy reader, Franky Digital, whipped up a little Lumines comic this week (you never told us you had a webcomic!). Follow the read link to see the punchline. It brings up a good point though: is anybody out there having issues controlling Lumines Live? We haven't played it extensively yet, but the d-pad certainly has a bad track record (Street Fighter, anyone?). Frankly, our biggest problem is keeping track of everything on such a big screen (compared to the PSP). What do you think? Is the d-pad totally suXXorz?
Oh, and don't forget to stay tuned for the winner of the Lumines Live contest. It could be you.
X360F Contest: Win Lumines Live! [update 1]
Last night, the overlords at Joystiq bestowed upon us a free redemption code for the long awaited Lumines Live. We were faced with a serious moral dilemma. Do we keep the code for ourselves so that we can "review" the game, or do we give it away in a fantabulous contest. In the end, our "good" side won out, and we've decided to give it away! How do you win? Find out after the break.Update: The contest is now closed and the winner has been announced. See the winning entry and some honorable mentions here.
Continue reading X360F Contest: Win Lumines Live! [update 1]
Lumines denied, Live still buggy
Maybe you're like us. You woke up this morning, eager to download Lumines Live or see if the Phantasy Star beta is still running. You may have been disappointed, then, to see that Live is still pretty buggy. We received errors in Marketplace when trying to download Lumines Live, random disconnects, and an inability to accept voice chat requests. Looks like whatever they're still doing to Xbox.com is affecting Live in some way. Consider this a place to complain. And if any of you have managed to successfully download Lumines, let us know.
Lumines Live hits tomorrow [update 1]

A day with no Live. Thousands were faced with a difficult proposition. Do nothing ,or go outside. Fear not, pasty gamers, Microsoft understands what you have gone through. As a reward, you can download Lumines Live tomorrow! It's finally here! Starting tomorrow at 8:00 GMT (1:00 AM PDT), it's yours for the downloadin'. Remember that constant whining sound reverberating across the internet? That was all the fanboys (us included) just waiting for Lumines to finally drop. You should all be grateful that the constant droning will finally cease. Just in time for the new whining to begin: "1200 points! Whaaaaa!" And that's before we get into the soon-to-be-controversial 600 point "Advance Pack." Oy.
But seriously, it's Lumines. Hooray, Lumines!
Update: Major Nelson has let the world know that the "Advance Pack" is not available yet. It will come out later, presumably when everyone's addiction will force them to purchase it.
Lumines to hit it October

Those of you hoping to see Lumines Live and Dig Dug hit on the same day (it could happen, right?) are about to be sorely disappointed. In a recent interview, Lumines creator, Tetsuya Mizuguchi, was asked when Lumines Live will release on XBLA. His answer: "Next month. The middle of next month. I think so." Not exactly the hard confirmation many of us were hoping for, but at least you don't have to stay up late checking Marketplace for Lumines tonight. Of course, we can't stop you from waiting up for Dig Dug.
More XBLA lovin', Time Pilot, Lumines!
For those of you who missed it on Joystiq, the Official Xbox Magazine (UK) revealed the next batch of games for Xbox Live Arcade Wednesdays. The list reads thusly:- Aug. 16: Texas Hold 'em
- Aug. 23: Time Pilot
- Aug. 30: Scramble
- Sept 6: Lumines Live!
Bonus points for anyone that can point out the connection between Konami's Time Pilot and Capcom's XBLA smash hit, Street Fighter II.
[Via Joystiq]
Sunday at X360F: arcade madness results

The results from last Sunday's poll are in and it was a major upset to say the least. In a come-from-behind victory that nobody was expecting even in their wildest of wild dreams, Street Fighter II -- the plucky underdog that nobody believed in -- has come out on top with an astonishing 32% of the poll totalling 763 votes.
Now, with the sarcastic statement of the obvious out of the way, let's look at the results. It seems SFII has a monopoly on gamer nostalgia, as the other retro classics, Galaga, Pac-Man, and Frogger gather a paltry 11% of the vote with 242 votes combined. It should be noted that Galaga seems to be the favored retro hit outside of SFII, though.
By far the most interesing aspect of this poll is the performance of Lumines Live, Small Arms, and Texas Hold 'em, with a combined 47% of the vote. This is evidence that the real strength of Live Arcade is its ability to bring us original content (just as Cloning Clyde project lead, John Nielson told us earlier this week). No doubt had titles like Castle Crashers and RoboBlitz been on the poll, they would have shown a strong performance as well.
So, to wrap up, Capcom is the king of selling us our youth, and people want to see more games that you can't get anywhere else. Here's to the 360 for making Wednesdays a little brighter. Cheers.



