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The video game pinball wizards at Zen Studios are bringing Pinball FX 2 to the Xbox Live Arcade, with free graphical updates and new achievements to every Pinball FX table released so far. More »
I don’t know about you folks, but one of the most exciting bits of information I gleaned from McWhertor’s masterful live blogging of the Microsoft presser during the Tokyo Game Show yesterday had to be the announcement of Arkanoid Live! Xbox Live Arcade is sorely lacking in block-busting goodness, and Arkanoid is the definitive block-busting experience, no matter what Atari tries to tell you. Add online multiplayer to the mix and I will be dreaming of paddle-ball destruction until the game’s 2009 release. Check out these first screens of the game, and hit the jump for a fact sheet full of juicy info. galleryPost('arkanoidlive', 3, 'Arkanoid Live');
Those of you adding Microsoft points to your account for the upcoming releases of Braid and Castle Crashers this month might want to add a few more than the 800 a shot we’re used to. According to the official Japanese Xbox 360 blog, August 6th’s Braid will be setting gamers back 1200 Microsoft Points ($US 15), with Castle Crashes weighing in at 1800 Points ($US 22.50?) – the most expensive Live Arcade game yet. Note that these are Japanese prices, while also noting that they generally coincide with European and North American prices.
Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One has gone gold and will be going on sale via digital distribution later this quarter, Hothead Games said today.
The Windows, Mac and Linux game will sell for $US20 and the 360 arcade version will go for 1600 Microsoft Points.
Hit the jump for the full release.
The world of Eternity’s Child sounds very depressing. Once a vibrant planet teeming with life, pollution cause the ice caps to melt, flooding the planet and killing a majority of life. In the aftermath, the wingless began a campaign of genocide against the winged creatures fuelled by jealousy. Mechanical automatons were created to make the world seem less empty, but as all robots do they eventually turned, destroying life instead of imitating it…or maybe they just learned from watching their masters? The social commentary is thick in this former Xbox Live Arcade title, now making the switch to the Wii and DS due to size constraints. You play Angel, an orphan whose wings were amputated to ensure his survival, as he sets out on a quest to find others like himself. Rescued from XBLA limbo by UK publisher Alten8, the Wii version sports completely hand-drawn graphics and orchestral soundtrack, as well as two-player co op. Eternity’s Child could end up the most beautifully depressing game ever.
Labor Day weekend is so close I can taste it, and it tastes like half-price Xbox Live Arcade games! From Saturday the 1st at 5PM PST to 4:59PM PST the next day, Small Arms and Zuma Deluxe will cost you only 400 MS points, while arcade classics Gauntlet and Dig Dug will go for a mere 200. The sale was announced alongside next week’s Live Arcade Wednesday titles, Cyberball 2072 and Fatal Fury Special. While better Fatal Fury games have come and gone, I cannot begin to count how many quarters I’ve spent over the years on Cyberball’s robotic football goodness, and the promise of multiplayer over Xbox Live just sweetens the deal. Both will be available starting Wednesday for 400 MS points. A fine price for excellent football without any of the dog cruelty guilt. More »
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix has landed on Xbox Live Arcade, and it is everything you’d expect it to be. The game looks highly polished and crisp, with the odd exception of the actual characters you play who look like blurred versions of the same old sprites from the original PlayStation release. Still, 800 Microsoft Points is a small price to pay for SPF goodness. Joining it on Arcade this week is Streets of Rage 2 for 400 points, which proves that you should never make friends with Blaze and Axel because it’ll only get you kidnapped. I’d be amazed if anyone returns their calls anymore. Hit up Xbox Live for demos of the two titles, or just skip that bit and download Super Puzzle Fighter. More »
As a long-time fan of the Bomberman franchise as well as one with a deep obsession for all things bunny related (don’t ask), it is with great pleasure I bring you the announcement of Bomb-Up Pack 1 for Hudson’s Bomberman Live for Xbox Live Arcade. The add-on, which weighs in at a modest 350 Microsoft Points, will feature two new environments (casino and zeppelin), a new game mode called Frag which allows you to set the number of enemies that need to be offed in order to win a match, as well as ten new characters. Among the new characters…Little Bomby Foo Foo. A bunny. With bombs. Y’all need to give me a minute here. Go read a press release or something. More »
You won’t find any rehashes of decades-old arcade games popping up this Wednesday on Xbox Live Arcade. This week sees two all new original games kicking your ass at 800 points a pop. Street Trace: NYC is a new entry in my what could be favourite genre of all time: the hoverboard racer. Something about travelling at high speeds on a stylised plank while leaving a glowing trail in your wake appeals to me. Street Trace features several game modes, different arena and street tracks, and online multiplayer for up to 8 players via Xbox Live. Then there’s Space Giraffe, Jeff Mintner’s tribute to Tempest, with 100 levels of colourful shooting goodness with special moves and power ups thrown into the mix to keep things interesting. A couple of really nice titles for sure. Me? I’m just glad I don’t have to use the phrase ‘enhanced graphics and sound’ this week.
Space Giraffe Page on Xbox.com Street Trace Page on Xbox.com More »
