Video and screens of Wing Commander Arena
by Richard Mitchell 
{ Feb 23rd 2007 at 2:30PM }
Hot on the heels of the announcement of Wing Commander Arena for Xbox Live Arcade, GameVideos has posted the first video footage of the game in action. The video showcases some free-for-all action and a game mode that is literally a glorified version of Asteroids. The ships are positively tiny, too. We're a little disappointed that the game is completely 2D in nature, although it is vaguely reminiscent of Subspace which isn't a bad thing. Check out the video after the break.
Our friends at Gamertag Radio scored a few screen shots, too. Hit the "read" link to check them out. Having watched the video, what do you think?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
DjDATZ @ Feb 23rd 2007 2:35PM
that looks WAY cool.
definetly a purchase. :D
MightyTACO @ Feb 23rd 2007 2:47PM
A little disappointed actually. Give me a revamped original wing commander.
J.Goodwin @ Feb 23rd 2007 2:52PM
I'm a bit disappointed.
Maybe it's not all bad though, remember Armada on Dreamcast? If they add in that sort of single player action, it could easily be a buy.
boog @ Feb 23rd 2007 3:34PM
Looks great. This is imo, what the classic games on XBLA should all do. No one wants to play the "exact" frogger game they played 20 years ago, but I re-envisioned version of frogger could be great.
boog @ Feb 23rd 2007 3:34PM
Looks great. This is imo, what the classic games on XBLA should all do. No one wants to play the "exact" frogger game they played 20 years ago, but I re-envisioned version of frogger could be great.
Scott @ Feb 23rd 2007 4:42PM
I don't mind it "re-imagined" but I would like to see some of the gameplay elements that made the original fun there.
The original Wing Commander was a terrific arcade-sim that sat you in a cockpit. I was hoping for that over a 3rd person pure arcade space shooter.
Oh well...will be interesting to see how the Battlestar Galactica game will compare to this.
Dadidito @ Feb 23rd 2007 4:45PM
If its anything like Armada its a definate buy.
Subspace was fun too. I like these open ended games as long as you get good upgrades along the way. Seems perfect for XBLA.
boog @ Feb 23rd 2007 4:47PM
I didn't realize the original was an in cockpit view, having never played it. I guess that is a big departure. Still looks fun though. Maybe they should call it asteroid.
liverhead28 @ Feb 23rd 2007 5:02PM
Was looking forward to revisiting an old fav, but I guess Ill have to blow the dust off my ps2 to do that. I'll still try this version tho.
TheCash @ Feb 23rd 2007 5:48PM
"Video after the jump?" "Even if it's 2D?"
Uh... editors... those are pictures, not video, and the action looks to be 3D to me. Actually, it looks a lot like WC:3 with the invisible cockpit view selected. I always used this view as I was able to see more of what was going on around me, especially when taking on cap ships and asteroid. Watching the little animated man move his control stick when I moved mine was cute and all, but not enough to make me want to sacrifice 30-35 percent of my forward view.
I think this game looks sweet, and as far as I am concerned ANY new WC game is a step in the right direction. I was missing the WC universe so bad the other day I climbed through storage boxes I haven't touched in years just to get my Super NES out so I could play Wing Commander again. I forgot how freaking hard a 2D sprite flight sim could be.
J.Goodwin @ Feb 23rd 2007 11:11PM
Check it again TheCash.
It's doing the planar equivalent of mode7 there. The 2d plane that you're fixed to is slanted upward in the distance, but you're stuck to it. All the bullets are travelling along it, all the asteroids.
IIRC Armada was straight up top down, which I would actually prefer to this view...I feel a bit of vertigo watching it.
h0mi @ Feb 23rd 2007 8:30PM
Never played armada but this looks like subspace.
I think I'd get tired of constant deathmatching... I'd hope there was some missions/clan/co-op type gameplay
Jcarpio @ Feb 23rd 2007 8:57PM
@Goodwin
thanks for bringing back those fun, frustrating memories of "Armada". Man, I'm missing that dreamcast now
Mark Buehner @ Feb 26th 2007 3:35PM
Its definately 2D, which is entirley inexplicable. EA could have taken the Prophecy mechanics and figured out a way to convert to 360, and just slapped a multiplayer arena on and had a huge hit. Instead we are stuck with this mildly retarded version of Galaga. The entire premise of WC was reasonably realistic space mechanics. How could that possibly alienate new players?