It's Wednesday, time for ... an UNO deck? [update]
by Richard Mitchell 
{ Nov 1st 2006 at 10:30AM }
Microsoft sent out a press release yesterday trumpeting the latest UNO deck for Xbox Live Arcade. We didn't get around to posting it. So, we start typing up this post when we notice something:
"This week's Xbox Live Arcade Wednesday release brings the award-winning Kameo franchise to everyone's favorite card game, UNO." [Emphasis ours.]
Now, we like UNO. It's one of our favorite games to use for editorial "meetings." But an UNO deck is not, we repeat not, an Arcade Wednesday release. It's new content for a game that we already have. Yeah, yeah, a new deck introduces new rules, so you could argue that it's like a new game, but why would you?
Ah, we're just pissed it wasn't Small Arms. If you're interested, the Kameo deck contains a card that lets you swap hands with another player. Seems kind of mean really. Should you desire this deck, it will only set you back 100 MS points. Now, if you'll excuse us, we're going back to the Rainbow Six demo.
Update: This deck has been pulled from Marketplace. Apparently there's a bug in it. Sorry to get your UNO hopes up.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
rooot @ Nov 1st 2006 10:36AM
they should update uno instead. features like ingame player kick, country/language filter and some other stuff are missing.
zaksheskyman @ Nov 1st 2006 11:00AM
How about the ability to filter out ball sacs from the vision camera, I want that a lot more that an Kameo UNO deck.
Jazza @ Nov 1st 2006 11:45AM
It's been pulled, as it's buggy ;)
http://www.majornelson.com/archive/2006/11/01/Arcade-Kameo-Uno-Theme.aspx
Darren Cornwell @ Nov 1st 2006 11:05AM
What a crock of shit! 'Oh, thank you Microsoft, another wednesday with another crappy release'. Where's the games - where the hell is Small Arms and when are you going to release Space Giraffe?
I brought my box the day it came out, (and ebay ain't to friendly I tell ya), I got all the games that rock, but why 'o' why can't you keep on schedule and release a new game every wednesday!
Tony @ Nov 1st 2006 11:12AM
It's still morning. There's some potential that something else might be added.
Particularly since they took the Kameo deck down since it had a problem.
Atomhead @ Nov 1st 2006 11:37AM
Cheap. I was expecting Contra (which i don't care for tbh), which would've made Small Arms next in line (taking a stab here). Now i'm afraid that SA is being pushed back for another week. Game updates aren't usually counted as a Wednesday release, so why is this one?
Deano @ Nov 1st 2006 11:43AM
@Darren
Minter is still in development on Space Giraffe so don't hold your breath. You can read his blog at http://stinkygoat.livejournal.com/ (if you didn't already know).
I feel that XBLA has died a death. Releases have been sporadic, with some long gaps, and generally of poor quality. I'm only interested in Sensible and Space Giraffe, everything else in the pipeline seems derivative or dusted down old retro tat again.
Remember how we were told there would be 50 or 60 titles by the end of the year and how some weeks they might release 2 or 3 games?
I never bought that and they will not make that target. What is most dispiriting is that there is no sign of independent developers making inroads. Maybe they will get a little section with XNA and be forced to downscale their games and prices. Meanwhile the big boys gouge us for crap like Lumines.
I'm far more excited by Nintendo's virtual console service - the thinking is they will actually release one or two games each week.
beardsly43 @ Nov 1st 2006 11:57AM
@Deano
So you are complaining about "everything else in the pipeline seems derivative or dusted down old retro tat again,' yet you say "I'm far more excited by Nintendo's virtual console service."
Last I checked, the virtual console was for retro games...
Small Arms & Roboblitz are not "dusted down old retro tat."
Alex Keen @ Nov 1st 2006 12:07PM
Let me get this straight. Nintendo announces 30 games at launch on their arcade... and we can't even get one for the 360? Microsoft needs to streamline their process and get that taken care of soon or Nintendo will lap them. Nintendo already has them on actually game content. If they can beat Microsoft on speed than consider the 360's marketplace advantage nil. Here are some quick tips if Microsoft really cares about their service:
1. RELEASE SCHEDULE - Gamers are more likely to buy a product if they know when it is coming out. Don't just give me one month of information - give me 6 months. If something changes let me... but give me some kind of idea what is in the works.
2. HIRE - Microsoft is generating plenty of revenue from Marketplace and micropayments... how about reinvesting in your staff. The system has been on the market for nearly a year and we Marketplace still lacks coordination.
3. INDIE GAMES - Microsoft is never going to compete with Nintendo on retro games. Why download Dig Dug when I can get Donkey Kong Jr.? Games like Geometry Wars are successful because they are great NEW properties.
4. VIDEO - There is no reason that the Marketplace shouldn't have new video content every day. The 360 should be the premiere outlet for High Def movie trailers and music videos. If Microsoft is partners with MTV, why not leverage more music video content out of them. Don't let Apple corner the market on movie trailers... why would I ever want to watch a movie trailer on my PC when I can see it in wide screen glory on my 720p LCD? And finally, where the hell is the episodic video content?! Why can't I watch Red vs. Blue or some of the millions of other machinima?
Microsoft needs to take a long look at what they are providing and realize they are not being aggressive enough. The PS3 & Wii will be launching soon and if they don't get their shit together, the 360 will see the same fate as the Dreamcast.
Deano @ Nov 1st 2006 12:12PM
@beardsly43
I think there's a world of difference between the likes of Time Pilot and Nintendo classics like Zelda and Super Mario. To be clear I'm not against old games making an appearance but XBLA seems to subsist on the very worst of them.
I agree with your final comment. But again they are unexciting. Small Arms is I believe a Nintendo knockoff anyway. I saw Roboblitz and while it doesn't look too exciting I'm willing to reserve judgement until we see the demo - lord knows when that will be.
Tony @ Nov 1st 2006 12:34PM
Think about this.
Nintendo is charging you $5 for a NES game like Urban Champion. When you pick the game, you're given a small start menu with a screen grab and maybe some in-game music. When you start it, it runs the game.
It's exactly the same as the NES original. From their announcements and showings thus far of the Virtual Console, nothing has been expanded, nothing cleaned up, nothing added to. Essentially you just paid $5 for a nearly ancient NES ROM. Urban Champion, in particular, cannot top out at more than like 30 kb.
So what is this $5 for? Certainly not bandwidth. Certainly not for new development costs. They're seemingly not even including basic extras like a nice scan of the box art.
The most comparable titles to old NES games are probably the Midway, Konami and Namco arcade games up there right now. Many of them are from the same decade.
Yet, for the same price, I get to play these in HD with custom menus, achievements and leader boards. In some cases sprites and sound have been updated. In a few other cases, there's online play.
What's going to happen when the NES versions of Gauntlet and Galaga hit the VC? They're comparably inferior to their arcade counterparts and it looks like nothing would be added to them in any sense. Yet they'd be the same price as they've been on Live all of this time.
Some games will be worth these prices. I think Dungeon Explorer for TG16 is awesome and I will be downloading that.
But to compare the numbers when you get down to it makes no sense. The amount of work between them is not remotely comparable.
Microsoft could easily throw up old ROMs on there and charge 400 MS Points (which is about the same cost as 500 or so Wii Points for a NES ROM's starting price, given a bit of change). People would prefer that? More games for an inordinate amount of money? I'd rather wait till things are expanded.
Manny Fleurmond @ Nov 1st 2006 1:54PM
There was another update Tuesday: Lumines Live Advnce pak
baby sea tuna @ Nov 1st 2006 3:11PM
Oh rats, no arcade game. Guess I'll just have to settle for playing Marvel Ultimate Alliance (or one of the 4 other retail 360 games I have in the queue)...oh, wait, I was gonna do that anyway.
mietha CAG @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:41PM
The "bug" was that it was free. When it went up, it showed as having been previously downloaded, so I was able to "redownload" it for free. It's only $1.25, but still, free is free. Deck is pretty neat, BTW. Also, they released a press release saying there would be no game this week. Hopefully they will make it up next week. They seriously need to start releasing more than one a week, but they aren't even hitting that at this point. It's been almost a year and there are only 35 arcade titles. That's just not enough. On the other hand, almost all of the releases are quality, except those from namco, unlike nintendo's offering, which is mostly crap.
Palm Software @ Nov 3rd 2006 2:51PM
A skin for a deck of cards has bugs in it? Only on a Microsoft console.