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June 14, 2009 - June 20, 2009 Archives

June 14, 2009

XBLA: XNA Roundup #22 - Unrevolutionary & Angry Barry

This week Nick takes a look at Unrevolutionary - a twin-stick shooter with RPG elements, and Angry Barry - a thinly veiled political satire action game involving the current U.S. president.

Click here to download Unrevolutionary through Xbox web marketplace.

Click here to download Angry Barry through Xbox web marketplace.

June 15, 2009

WiiWare: NA Nintendo Update - Eduardo The Samurai Toaster, Rainbow Islands, Let's Catch, Space Harrier

edwardosamuraiwiiw.pngEduardo the Samurai Toaster

Wii Points: 800
Game Type: Arcade
Control Type: Wii Remote, Classic
Players: 1-4
Publisher: Semnat Studios

"Fight your way through 13 diverse locations on your own or with up to three friends in this frenetic and stylish side-scrolling action game. Play as Eduardo and his fellow toaster buddies as you fire an assortment of pastries at all kinds of dastardly food products. Hop onto laser-mounted scooters and fly across the screen in rocket packs, and learn to cooperate with your teammates or simply annoy each other in an awesomely fun way by throwing each other around the screen. The choice is up to you."

letscatchwiiw.pngLet's CATCH

Wii Points: 1,000
Game Type: Sports
Control Type: Wii Remote
Players: 1-4
Publisher: SEGA

"Play catch with friends in multiplayer party games and compete for high scores using your Mii character and others. Choose from six different single and multiplayer modes such as Speed Catch, which tests your ability to catch a fastball, and Bomb Catch, an elimination party game for up to four players. Select from a variety of characters or use your Mii character to play other favorite catch games. Unlock special features when you own both Let's TAP and Let's CATCH."

rainbowwiiw.pngRainbow Islands: The Towering Adventure

Wii Points: 800
Game Type: Puzzle Action
Control Type: Wii Remote
Players: 1-2
Publisher: Taito Corp.

"In Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure!, players control the rainbow-magic-wielding Bubby or Bobby as they climb the seven seamless areas of a tower reaching the heavens while defeating enemies with their rainbow powers. Bosses controlled by the scientific genius Dr. Crescent await players at the end of every area. Race through every area within the allotted time to meet the rainbow-colored Holly's Comet. There are three game modes: Story mode, which tells the tale of Holly's Comet; Challenge mode, where players attempt to climb as high as they can; and Time Attack, where players select an area and see how fast they can climb it. Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure! is an exhilarating action game where you use rainbows to climb into the heavens."

virtualconsole.pngSpace Harrier

Original platform: Virtual Console Arcade
Publisher: SEGA
Players: 1
Price: 800 Wii Points

""Welcome to the Fantasy Zone. Get ready!" This is the greeting given to you as you start Space Harrier, but you don't have much time to take this advice. Even as the words are being spoken, your Harrier warrior is already charging into battle. Toting a huge laser gun under his arm, the Space Harrier can either run along the checkerboard ground or freely fly through the sky. Either way, he's always heading forward into the hostile 3-D world. As you progress, hordes of strange creatures and robots fly toward you. Fast reflexes are required to dodge their incoming fire. Environmental hazards can be a problem, too. Take care not to run into any trees or stone structures. If you need a bit of a morale boost, just defeat a boss, and the narrator will remind you that "you're doing great!""

PSN, XBLA: E3 Catchup - Tecmo Reveal Puzzlegeddon Is Coming To Xbox 360 and PS3

Being at E3 was hard work, but the worst part was there just wasn't enough time in the day to check out the games and write about them, so several games fell through the cracks. One such title was Puzzlegeddon, a multiplayer puzzle-strategy game from Swedish developer Pieces Interactive coming to Xbox Live Arcade and (possibly) the PlayStation Network courtesy of Tecmo.

It's similar to PopCap's Chuzzle, where you move rows of colored blocks vertically and diagonally to create combos, however instead of just doing this for points you are obtaining different resources with each color, which in turn allow you to attack or defend yourself against one of 6 different enemies that are attacking you from across the globe.

The game was released back in 2007 for PC and got a lot of good buzz. Even the lowest review, from Eurogamer, cites its low score for a lack of online players, something that will easily be fixed with the XBLA and PSN versions.

In a roundabout way this game has been announced for the PlayStation Network, but as Tecmo mentions in this trailer it has not been concept approved for PSN, so there is a chance that it won't come out on the platform. More than likely it will come to the platform, so don't worry too much.

PSN, XBLA: E3 Catchup: Fret Nice - Ragdoll Rockin' Platformer

From the makers of Puzzlegeddon comes a game that's the complete opposite - Fret Nice is a sidescrolling platformer with the ability to alter the music at any time.

The style of the game is really something else - just watch the trailer. Continue reading for the press release.

Continue reading "E3 Catchup: Fret Nice - Ragdoll Rockin' Platformer" »

XBLA: This Week On XBLA - Rocket Riot, Magic: The Gathering, Sam & Max Season 1

sandmsave.png

"Sam & Max Save the World, which was known as Sam & Max Season One for previous releases, has been enhanced for Xbox LIVE Arcade with achievements, widescreen and HD graphic support, and updates to the gameplay controls. The game is in English with subtitles in English, German, French, Italian, and Spanish. The Xbox LIVE Arcade download will sell for 1600 Microsoft points—less than 300 points per episode."

"Sam & Max Save the World is a sitcom-style game with an overarching story that develops across its six episodes. The series kicks off close to home with a trio of former child stars who propagate self-help video tapes with hypnotic qualities throughout Sam and Max's neighborhood. Each subsequent episode takes the Freelance Police deeper into this mind control plot, from a casino run by unusually cuddly Mafioso to the White House and finally to a disturbingly blissful lunar retreat, where Sam and Max must face down the mastermind behind it all. The Save the World episodes have won a variety of awards, including a "Funniest Game" nod from GameSpot, plus "Editor's Choice" and "Adventure Game of the Year" accolades from publications including IGN, PC Gamer, and GameSpy."

magicbannerdefault.jpg

"An extension of the world's premier trading card game, Magic: The Gathering— Duels of the Planeswalkers brings a pulse-pounding mix of strategic thinking, fantastic artwork, and arcade-style thrills to Xbox LIVE Arcade. Experience an epic game of fantasy and strategy, as never before, when you take on the mantle of a planeswalker—a powerful mage capable of traversing the infinite planes of existence—and forge your destiny!"

Magic: The Gathering— Duels of the Planeswalkers will cost 800MSP.

Click here for the official Xbox.com splash page.

rocketbannerdefault.jpg

"Strap on your bazooka soldier, and get ready for the awesome action-packed side-view shooter Rocket Riot. In this highly stylized eight-bit era style game, blast your way through the environment against enemies or multiplayer foes online. Navigate through a completely destructible environment, uncover special power-ups, or even burrow into different areas of the map. The map regenerates, keeping the action fast-paced, but time doesn't heal all wounds."

Rocket Riot will be 800MSP.

Click here for the official Xbox.com splash page.

June 16, 2009

XBLA: Encleverment Experiment Still On Its Way To XBLA

encleverment.jpg

Over the past few months we've seen Blitz Games' 5 downloadable titles slowly find publishers - Droplitz was picked up by Atlus for XBLA and PSN, and Buccaneer was released for PC. Now we know that Encleverment Experiment is still on its way, now that it has been rated by the German USK rating board.

From what I can tell the game, or at least the concept, was developed by Mere Mortals. It's a puzzle-party style game in the mold of cartoons from the 50's and 60's which can use standard controllers or the Scene It? Big button controllers. You can check out a new video of the game in action here.

Previous attempts at this style, such as Wits & Wagers and Rocky & Bullwinkle, have not done so well. Whether this game can do better is still up in the air. From this article it sounds like the game is finished, so look out for it in the coming months.

XBLA: Le Tour De France 2009 Officially On Its Way To XBLA

tourdefrance.jpg

Back in September we revealed that the rating for Le Tour De France 2009 was on its way to the Xbox Live Arcade. It's safe to say that the game didn't come out on time, but now the official website has been revealed, and Le Tour De France is sporting a new date.

Tour de France 2009 is a console version of Pro Cycling Manager, a long running PC title where you give orders to your team during the Tour De France legs. You can also take direct control of your cyclists during time-attack phases and will be able to compete against 3 others online through Xbox Live.

While it may not be the most amazing and fantastical game for consoles - it's something different, and while it may not be for the American audience, Tour De France is huge in Europe and many other places in the world, it could surprise us all.

We assume Le Tour De France 2009 is set to come out this year, so if you're a fan of the most popular bicycle race in the world, keep a look out for it soon.

Source: Tour de France 2009 - Cycling-Manager.com

WiiWare: Chronos Twin DX WiiWare Bound

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European developer EnjoyUp Games have revealed a new title slated for WiiWare - Chronos Twin DX.

You would not have heard of Chronos Twin - it was a Nintendo DS title released in Europe back in 2007, but it never came out in North America. While not much is known about this WiiWare title, we can judge by the screenshots that it plans to be a sequel or a remake, with 2D sprites ontop of a 3D world.

The original Chronos Twin put the two Nintendo DS screens to good use, with the player controlling two instances of the one character, but in alternate worlds with different platform elements. This new title appears to use both the full screen for some instances, and a split screen to have the same style of puzzle solving that the original game did. You can check out a trailer of the original game here for a good idea on what to expect.

It's nice to see more platformers come to WiiWare, though right now I'm a little worried about the color palette used - purple is not a good texture choice for any game, but according to the EnjoyUp website they plan to release by Christmas, so hopefully we'll see more video and screenshote before then.

June 17, 2009

XBLA: XBLA Update - Sam & Max Season 1, Rocket Riot, Magic: The Gathering and Taito DLC

*Update: All downloads are now working - get to it!

This post will be updated as Xbox.com starts to feel better.

boxrocketriot.jpgRocket Riot

Developer: Codeglue
Publisher: THQ
Genre: Action
File Size: 77 MB
Price:800MSP
Availability: Worldwide

Click here for the official Xbox.com splash page.

Click here to download the trial version through Xbox web marketplace.

boxmagicthegatheringDOB.jpgMagic: The Gathering – Duels of the Planeswalkers

Developer: Stainless Games
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Genre: Strategy and Sims
File Size: 281 MB
Price: 800MSP
Availability: Worldwide

Click here for the official Xbox.com splash page.

Click here to download the trial version through Xbox web marketplace.

boxsammaxstw.jpgSam & Max Save The World (All 6 Episodes)

Developer: Telltale Games
Publisher: Microsoft
Genre: Action & Adventure, Puzzle & Trivia
File Size: 475 MB
Price: 1600MSP
Availability: Worldwide

Click here for the official Sam & Max: Save The World site.

Click here to download the trial version through Xbox web marketplace.

cboxspaceinvadersextreme.jpgSpace Invaders Extreme Expansion Pack

Price: 240MSP
File Size: 108 KB

"You'll be able to enjoy the original Space Invaders and the now legendary Part II with this action-packed purchasable content!" This content also contains 3 new stages.

Check out the trailer for the new DLC here.

Click here to add to your queue on Xbox web marketplace.

boxarkanoid.jpgARKANOID Live! Episode Add-on Pack 1
Price: 240MSP
File Size: 4 MB

This DLC will add the third chapter to Arkanoid Live! - 31 new levels.

Click here to add this to your queue on Xbox web marketplace.

ARKANOID Live! Episode Add-on Pack 2
Price: 240MSP
File Size: 3 MB

This DLC will add the fourth chapter to Arkanoid Live! - 31 new levels.

Click here to add this to your queue on Xbox web marketplace.

June 18, 2009

WiiWare: Icon Games To Bring 3 Titles To WiiWare

aarcadestuntcars.pngIt's surprising just how many unannounced titles pop up on official developer websites, and this is no different - Icon Games' have revealed that they are currently working on 3 WiiWare titles - Arcade Darts, Arcade Sports, and Stunt Cars.

Outside of the logos, seen to the left, we don't know anything else about the games, outside of that Smash Cars has been rated by the German rating board. We can expect to see screenshots and hopefully some video before each game is released.

PSN: EU PSN Store Update - Nothing!

psnnothing.pngWith such a large update last week, the PlayStation Store is taking this week off. No new games have some out today for the European PlayStation Store.

While it's nice to push a quantity of titles out at once, both the North American and European PlayStation Stores should really work to not have this happen. Get at least one game out a week - Galactrix had no real reason to NOT be released this week instead and would work for their benefit.

June 19, 2009

PSN: NA PSN Store Update - Metal Gear Solid, GT Prologue Pricecut

PSOne Classics
psoneclassics.pngMetal Gear Solid

Price: $9.99

"The game that helped make Metal Gear into one of the biggest franchises in video game history has been re-born! Experience the first Metal Gear to appear on the PlayStation platform, Metal Gear Solid, marks the series’ jump into 3D graphics and true stealth action gaming."

Gran Turismo Prologue
gtppsn.pngPrice Cut

"As you may already know, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is now a PS3 Greatest Hits title, and the price has been permanently reduced to $29.99 (originally $39.99)!"

PSN, WiiWare, XBLA: Round Up: Gamasutra Network Jobs, Week Of June 19

In this round-up, we highlight some of the notable jobs posted in big sister site Gamasutra's industry-leading game jobs section this week, including positions from Bungie, Relic Entertainment and more.

Each position posted by employers will appear on the main Gamasutra job board, and appear in the site's daily and weekly newsletters, reaching our readers directly.

It will also be cross-posted for free across its network of submarket sites, which includes content sites focused on online worlds, cellphone games, 'serious games', independent games and more.

Some of the notable jobs posted in each market area this week include:

Continue reading "Round Up: Gamasutra Network Jobs, Week Of June 19" »

WiiWare: EU WiiWare Update - Icarian: Kindred Spirits And Let's Catch

icarian.pngIcarian: Kindred Spirits

Wii Points: 1,000
Game Type: Platform, Adventure, Action
Control Type: Wii Remote
Players: 1-2
Publisher: Over The Top Games

"In Icarian: Kindred Spirits, you take on the role of Nyx, a winged girl from the divine realm of Olympus in Ancient Greece. Your human friend, Icarus, has mysteriously disappeared and you must travel through the scorched and derelict lands in this side-scrolling platformer to find and save him. Use puzzling skills and dexterity to overcome obstacles and fast reflexes to vanquish enemies - and you may succeed in your quest......

Luckily, you receive divine help from the gods of Ancient Greece during your journey and are bestowed with various powers as you search though the wastes. You can control all the action as a lone hero or tackle the adventure with a friend. One of you plays as Nyx, while the other controls the divine powers on a second Wii Remote. So why not share the experience? You’ll need great co-ordination and impeccable teamwork to make it through this mythical mission."

letscatchwiiw.pngLet's CATCH

Wii Points: 1,000
Game Type: Sports
Control Type: Wii Remote
Players: 1-4
Publisher: SEGA

"Play catch with friends in multiplayer party games and compete for high scores using your Mii character and others. Choose from six different single and multiplayer modes such as Speed Catch, which tests your ability to catch a fastball, and Bomb Catch, an elimination party game for up to four players. Select from a variety of characters or use your Mii character to play other favorite catch games. Unlock special features when you own both Let's TAP and Let's CATCH."


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