Xbox Live ARCADE Games... definitive thread

[scooby_dooby]

This weeks XBLA title is Band of Bugs. The developer was also responsible for two other quite original XBLA games (Cloning Clyde, Outpost Kaloki X), so this one is bound to be at least somewhat interesting.

Ahh, I really like these guys, both Cloning Clyde and Koloki were cool little games.

Thanks for the headsup, I'll check this out now, I wasn't going to otherwise.

 

[AzBat]

Carcassonne, based on the European board game of the same name, is next up this Wednesday for 800 MS Points.

http://gamerscoreblog.com/team/archive/2007/06/25/551619.aspx

Tommy McClain

 

[Tap In]

ok for all you true futball players... Eurogamer has new info on
Sensible World of Soccer 96/97


remake of the Amiga 96/97 version coming to XBL Arcade later this year

Sensible World of Soccer
Publisher:
Microsoft
Developer:
Codemasters

Those coming to the game for the first time might stare at the screen with a look of bemusement that something like this can still cause so much fuss after all this time. The cute but utterly rudimentary little men parading with minimal animation across the pitch are endearingly hilarious in the light of today's uber-realistic players, but no less capable of banging in spectacular goals after a 15-move passing extravaganza.

As ever, all you can do to anyone who thinks it looks like a pile of old crap is hand them a pad. And a pizza. And a few cans of beer. Your Friday nights might never be the same again. (Unfortunately the build shown to us wasn't functional in the classic mode, but we were assured that the visuals were left exactly as they were in the Amiga version if users really want to play it as Jon Hare and co. intended.)

Now, just as it was then, any lingering doubts about how such a simple-looking game can be any good generally melt away once the controller's in your hands. The ease of passing, the satisfying ability to cross and lob at will, and the wicked aftertouch quickly contribute toward its being one of the most satisfying interpretations of football you'll ever see. Interpretation is a key word here, because it's a game within a game: true fantasy football come to life and more fun, in my opinion, than any simulation has managed since.

 

[<nu>faust]

Lumines Fights Global Warming

Microsoft and Q Entertainment are giving gamers the opportunity to play with blocks and fight manmade climate change.
The companies will donate a portion of the sales from the downloadable Tokyo Club Mix Pack (a.k.a. SOS Charity Campaign Pack) to non-governmental climate protection organizations and related causes.
The Tokyo Club Mix pack will be available via Xbox Live Marketplace for 350 Microsoft Points ($5). It will have Tokyo club scene-themed skins and bring music from Genki Rockets, Sugiurumn, Techriders and Muku.
The benefit coincides with the participation of the Genki Rockets at the Live Earth musical event.
All purchases made between June 27 and July 17 will apply.

There will also be an additional booster pack (600 Microsoft points), a new gamer pic pack (100 points) or a theme pack (150 points). All new content will be available beginning Wednesday, June 27.

i have downloaded and played the new packs this morning and my initial impressions hint all kinds of lumines awesomeness. tokyo club mix might be too over the top for some (creates visual sensory overload at times) but most of the new skins are plain awesome. more interactivity, more craziness/variety, better music..inshort nufaust is a one happy camper now i wish q entertainment could deliver a better sku/downloadable content/pricing structure for this game so that more people could enjoy what i 'd call one of the finest experinces on xbla.(next to pacman:ce and geo wars)

 

[AzBat]

OXM Reviews and Previews

My latest issue of OXM came in today: Aug 07 #73. In it has some previews of Battlestar Galactica, Undertow, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix(whew that's a mouthful), Happy Tree Friends False Alarm and Every Extend Extra Extreme. Man, when are companies going to start going back to 1 or 2 word names for their games? LOL

Game reviews:

Wing Commander Arena: 8.5
Prince of Persia Classic: 7.5
Missle Command: 7.0 - Huh? When's this coming?
Carcassonne: 8.0
Xevious: 5.5
Spyglass Board Games: 7.0 - Huh, another one? At least we finally get chess.
Street Trace: NYC: 6.0 - Another one? They must be anticipating the whole month of August
Rush'n Attack: 5.0
Centipede & Millipede: 3.5

Double Dragon, Jetpac: Refuelled and Luxor 2 are the demos on this month's disk.

Tommy McClain

 

[Cyan]

Along with Forza 2, some XBLA games will keep my gaming time busy. Excellent thread Tap In.

FINAL DOOM headed for Xbox Live?

http://www.gamestooge.com/2007/06/21/final-doom-for-xbox-live-arcade/

I hope so. It's by a long shot my favourite Doom game ever -I never managed to finish it back in the time, though-. I loved the new textures and environments, along with the increase in difficulty.

Whatever the reason is Doom 1 was my 2nd favourite of the series and Doom 2 lacked certain something for me compared with its siblings.... although I am talking about sibling rivalry because Doom 2 alone is one of the best games in history, that's for sure.

 

[Cheezdoodles]

i Want Bomberman

 

[<nu>faust]

i Want Bomberman

the word is july....the question is when in july .i'll go out on a limb and say both final doom & bomberman live will be out by the end of e3.

 

[Rockster]

This looks promising. War World by Ubisoft: http://e3.gamespot.com/story.html?sid=6173554&pid=941825&tag=top_stories;title;5

Also, I found some new Speedball 2 shots over on Firingsquad for those that were interested in that title.
http://www.firingsquad.com/news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=16393

 

[Malibu]

This looks promising. War World by Ubisoft: http://e3.gamespot.com/story.html?sid=6173554&pid=941825&tag=top_stories;title;5

That is one impressive looking XBLA title.

 

[Tap In]

That is one impressive looking XBLA title.

indeed

 

[AntShaw]

indeed

I mean seriously. I look at that and wonder how they do that within the XBLA consraints and I am amazed.

What else is there to say?

 

[AzBat]

According to the Xbox Live Arcade trailer here are the next titles up for this year...

Bomberman Live!
Undertow
Hexic 2
Sonic the Hedgehog
War World
Sensible World of Soccer
Every Extend Extra Extreme
Geon
Wign commander: Arena
Feeding Frenzy 2: Shipwreck Showdown
Track & Field
Spyglass Board Games
Golden Axe
Space Giraffe
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
Word Puzzle
Marathon: Durandal
Poker Smash
Switchball
Tetris Splash
Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords
Boku Sudoku

Not a bad list. Would put the list of titles at 91. Library is getting huge. Hopefully the fall update will do something to help sort them out.

Tommy McClain

 

[Arwin]

I'm glad to see these games finally get proper (3D) graphics treatment. So far I thought the Live Arcade was really lacklustre, Geometry Wars excepted. But stuff like the Prince remake I do like. Speedball could be good, although the style of graphics so far is a bit of a letdown (would have liked something that looked closer to the rounded graphics of the original). And War World is heading in the right direction also - though a little disappointing that they couldn't find more original gameplay dynamics. Live Arcade and PSN should be the best place to experiment with new gameplay (Super Rub-a-Duck and Fl0w are heading in the right direction), and hopefully we'll see more of that! (on either system, heck throw in the Wii as well)

 

[Arwin]

Nonsense, and pulling the Geometry Wars card is too easy, simply because it has highly favorable reviews and is easy for people who don't actually care about the platform to use to seem "fair and balanced". Have you played (m)any of the games on Live Arcade?

Sorry, I had the Pacman game in the text originally too, but I guess it somehow slipped out while I was shuffeling the words to make them easier to read. Even Prince, for all its nice graphics, is a remake, so maybe I gave the wrong impression by mentioning it (I didn't mention Super Stardust, for instance, which is also an excellent remake).

I am really looking for new, experimental titles though, preferably some that make good use of the hardware. I know some of the games on Live are pretty good in themselves, but that's not what I'm looking for.

I guess that in the context of all the stuff put up there that's really a lame rehashing or even plain old rerelease of old games, even just 3D remakes of those old games stand out amidst the 2d drearyness.

I think Live Arcade is one of the best things Microsoft has brought to the table, but don't give me the kind of experience that I can have better in other shapes or form, often closer to their original (the free of licence games on Atari ST emulators stand out). Yes online leaderboards are cool, but they are even cooler for 'real' games.

Microsoft need to get rid of their download limit altogether.

 

[CEO]

Tetris Splash should be fun puzzle quest, that puzzle quest is availible for Nintendo DS isn't it?

 

[Chisholm]

Having seen the trailer of the upcoming Arcade Live games, I believe things are looking much better now, with a combination of -mostly- revamped classics and new IP. The line-up certainly looks promising. That being said, there are already some fantastic games out there such as Boom Boom Rocket, Geometry Wars, Worms, POP and quite a few others.

 

[AlNom]

Uh...Helloooooo! Marathon 360!

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/803/803291p1.html

Revamped graphics and four player splitscreen.

 

[<nu>faust]

one of my most anticipated, one of the best multi player games ever created is finally coming out on xbl next week
joy to the gamer nation, bomberman live has come!!!!!!
link

 

[StefanS]

I can't believe there is no love in the thread for yie-ar kung fu, yes I have it on my DS, but so what...of course, looking at my friends list and seeing the complete lack of respect for Pac-Man Championship Edition it's no wonder

I used to play the shit out of Yie Ar Kung Fu on the C64. Awesome game much better than Inter Karate It took me quite a while to figure out how to beat Pole