This week, after announcing the arrival of MLB Stickball, Microsoft surprised us with two additional titles, Beat'n Groovy and Shadow Assault / Tenchu. Of the three games, let us tell you that Beat'n Groovy is definitely the standout title this week. Let us tell you also that it's the standout title for all the wrong reasons. That should really be the takeaway from this week's XBLA In Brief, even if the other two are decent (particularly Shadow Assault) games. Hear our take on all three in the video above.
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The Gametrailers folks posted a comparison video that pits upcoming Banjo-Kazooie on the Xbox 360 versus old-school Banjo-Kazooie on the N64. After our expert analysis (watching the video) we can attest that the 360 version is nearly identical to the N64 version in terms of content, but has the added benefit of crisper models and a deeper color palette. The other bonus is the replacement of all Nintendo references with Microsoft Game Studios logos. Huzzah!
Freshly picked from Microsoft's massive library of Tokyo Game Show press kits comes brand new screenshots from a handful of the recently announced Xbox Live Arcade titles. You can view all the new screens in the galleries after the break for XBLA games including Arkanoid Live, Meteos, Space Invaders Extreme, Shadow Assault and R-Type Dimensions. There's a lot of screenshots to be viewed and you know your mission, so you best be getting to it!
On the Xbox Live Arcade news fronts, Microsoft just announced that Taito's Space Invaders Extreme and Arkanoid (with 120 stages and online play) will release to the XBLA this Winter. Also announced was old school racer R-Type and that SNK Playmore's The King of Fighters '98 UltimateMatch will release Spring of 2009 and Metal Slug 7 will be releasing to the Arcade at a time yet to be determined.
Now those, friends, are a few nice Xbox Live Arcade titles to look forward to.
Here's some random Arcade news for you. Today being new release Xbox Live Arcade Wednesday, we're being treated to the only Arcade game that was announced, MLB Stickball. Or so we thought. Magically and mysteriously, Microsoft decided to release two additional XBLA games, making today an XBLA threefer!
The three new releases include the already mentioned MLB Stickball, Voltex Inc.'s rhythm game Beat'n Groovy, as well as the game formerly known as Tenchu: Shadow Assault, Shadow Assault/Tenchu. All three games can be purchased for 800 Microsoft points and we have a hunch that you won't find all three games to be equally enjoyable. All we can say is that, this week, XBLA in Brief is going to be a fun one.
Capcom has announced that the first wave of downloadable content for Mega Man 9 will land on XBLA this Tuesday, not even a week since the game debuted on the service. The content available will include a playable Proto Man and a new gameplay mode called Endless Attack (you can probably guess how that one works). Official prices haven't been announced, though Proto Man and Endless Attack cost $2.00 and $3.00, respectively, on Nintendo's WiiWare service. Of course, we can't properly gauge what it costs to convince yourself that Capcom isn't screwing you by charging for modes that should have been included with the game in the first place.
The remaining bits of DLC are expected to arrive the week of October 20.
Well this one came right out of left field. After two weeks of big name games hitting Xbox Live Arcade, we are greeted this Wednesday with MLB Stickball from 2K Sports. We know next to nothing about the title, though a pair of screenshots reveal what looks like stickball featuring super-deformed versions of familiar players from Major League Baseball. Gamescore Blog also notes that players can unlock baseball cards and earn extra points for hitting certain objects. So, breaking a window will earn points then? Count us in.
MLB Stickball will be available this Wednesday for 800 Microsoft Points.
This is a pretty interesting week for Xbox Live Arcade. One one side of things, we have Mega Man 9, a brand new game in the series done in a retro style. On the other, we have War World, which the developers originally announced was scheduled to arrive last August. And yet, even a year from its missed debut, it's still one of the best looking XBLA games out there. So which is worth the dough, tough-as-nails platforming or online twitch multiplayer? Check out the latest installment of XBLA in Brief to find out.
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Looks like someone jumped the gun at XBLA HQ. One of our tipsters just discovered that the recently revealed Zombie Wranglers, yet to be released, Xbox Live Arcade title is available on the service now through the promotional Shocktober pages on the Marketplace.
Clicking through the Arcade recommendations for the Halloween themed promotional page reveals Zombie Wranglers is intended to be released in October but clicking on the title actually reveals it is already available for purchase on the service for 800MS points. Unfortunately no demo is available, which is why we assume the title was accidentally placed on the service.
Looking forward to Zombie action? Get it while it's hot ... because as soon as Microsoft discovers it, it will most likely be pulled for the actual planned release date. More images of the menu after the jump.
Ed. Note: When searching through the Xbox Live Arcade titles normally, Zombie Wranglers is not listed and can only be found if you come across a promotional banner for Shocktober - which pops up randomly among other ads. We've only had the ad appear on accounts in the USA.
[Update: The content is listed but not available for download at this time.]
Apparently when Duke told gamers to "come get some," they took him up on the offer. According to Major Nelson, after a four week stranglehold as the most played Xbox Live Arcade title available for the popular downloadable service Castle Crashers has dropped to second place following the release of Duke Nukem 3D, last week. Is it possible the clichéd 90's hero has a place in the industry again? Maybe Duke Nukem Forever is more important that we initially thought. Maybe Duke Nukem Forever will actually be released! Okay, let's not go crazy now.
Duke Nukem 3D on the Xbox Live Arcade transports gamers through the way-back machine to a simpler time of first-person action with nipple tassels and pigs dressed as police officers. Originally released on the PC in January 1996, Duke Nukem 3D follows the title character as he battles an evil horde of enemies through movie theatres, strip clubs and fast food restaurants (to name a few). Rated M for Mature, the Xbox Live Arcade release of the title includes the ability to rewind sections of gameplay, create saved films and boasts numerous multiplayer options.
Retro and war fans unite. Now available on the Xbox Live for is the retro-sytle adventure Mega Man 9 and the 3D mech action of War World. At 800MS points a piece this week's XBLA releases offer two completely different experiences in another double-shot of Arcade goodness. Survive as Mega Man in the classically designed adventure that is sure to leave a pile of broken controllers strung about your room -or- jump into a giant mech and battle it out in a stylized 3D world against ... you know, other mechs in War World. What are your initial impressions of this week's newest titles?
We promised we would write this entire post without making a single lame pirate joke and we're sticking to it. Capcom announced yesterday that its Xbox Live Arcade real-time strategy pirate game, Age of Booty, would land on the service on October 15 and will be priced at 800MS points. Capcom, hot off the heels of the successful Bionic Commando Rearmed release and prepping for a Mega Man 9 launch this Wednesday, promises a great experience on the boardgame-esque high-seas.
Age of Booty from developer Certain Affinity, which once went by the less risqe title Plunder, has already received positive impressions from our sister site Joystiq from preview code in the past. Hopefully the multiplayer-focused, real-time downloadable title will be able to set itself apart when it releases among some of the most anticipated games of the year. Gather ye Microsoft Sea points and prepare for the adventure... Arrr! Well, we almost made it.
Microsoft just announced that Third World Games' War World, an Arcade title that was revealed in 2006 and was supposed to release last August, will be kicking off October's Xbox Live Arcade goodness with its release this Wednesday.
War World, an explosive 3D mech shooter, will be available for 800 Microsoft points this Wednesday, October 1st and is releasing with all kinds of bells and mechanical whistles. The game supports 4 player Live co-op, online multiplayer, over 100 campaign levels, numerous multiplayer modes and "full HDR rendering". This title has been cooking in the development for far too long, hopefully it hasn't burnt to an unplayable crisp and will be worth the wait.
According to the Microsoft PR folks, during that five week period, the Arcade saw a 58% increase in unique member purchases and during August, the monthly Arcade revenue record was shattered by 67%. We guess there's a correlation between an XBLA sales spike and the XBLA seeing the release of fun, interesting, original and unique games. We say, keep the Arcade goodies coming!
