Pipe Mania anounced for XBLA
by Terrence Stasse 
{ Mar 10th 2008 at 7:00AM }
Originally released in 1989 on the home computer Amiga with the title of Pipe Dream, and having seen release on more platforms than you can shake a stick at, Pipe Mania is now on it's way to Live Arcade. Now we've commented before on the tendency of developers to use the Arcade to make a quick buck. And this one seems just a bit obvious, as anyone who owns Bioshock already has played Pipe Mania to death; it was the hacking mini-game. Now the idea of paying more money to play that via the Arcade (especially when there are freeware versions of the game) just feels strange.
Even if Empire Interactive makes good on their promises of new game modes, new themes, new play mechanics and new pipe pieces, the underlying gameplay is still rather played out. There will still be the folks who buy it of course, but if it wants any kind of large scale success Empire Interactive needs to price this one right, say ... 200 points maybe, we'd definitely buy it as that price.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Boff @ Mar 10th 2008 7:40AM
1989? Christ!
I remember when this came out back in the day! Had it for my trusty A500 with 512k RAM upgrade! Oh yes. Full meg of RAM. I was rolling with the big boys.
Crazed Geek @ Mar 10th 2008 8:08AM
Empire Interactive, you say? They made a really crappy version of this game for the PSone. I own it, and regret even having it (it was a present).
http://psx.ign.com/objects/017/017214.html
AnOffday @ Mar 10th 2008 11:45AM
Why is that guy screaming on the cover? The boxart would have done just fine without that. It's creepy. I mean seriously, is he that angry that his pipe broke? Or perhaps that he actually bought this game?
Deezul @ Mar 10th 2008 8:59AM
Guess what? Not everyone played Bioshock. Are you also saying that since I played Mass Effect, I shouldn't bother with Boom Boom Rocket? After all, "underlying gameplay is still rather played out." And yet people keep buying Guitar Hero games and DDR games...
Kizzle @ Mar 10th 2008 9:33AM
"And yet people keep buying Guitar Hero games and DDR games..."
Uh, probably because because Guitar Hero games and DDR games DIDN'T COME OUT IN 1989 ON TECHNOLOGY THAT IS LONG OUTDATED, AND IT's NOT "PLAYED OUT" BECAUSE PEOPLE STILL BUY THEM LIKE CRAZY. Jesus, what's wrong with some of you?
MDJ2010 @ Mar 10th 2008 9:55AM
Yeah I had this on my Atari St, It was a very pleasant surprise when it appeared with such significance in Bioshock and well worth the purchase if you havnt played it before.
J @ Mar 10th 2008 10:06AM
Nothin like layin pipe.
Daniel @ Mar 10th 2008 10:17AM
too bad the lowest price microsoft makes arcade games is 500 Microsoft Points
HazyCloud @ Mar 10th 2008 10:20AM
@ Daniel
Try 400 MSP here in the states.
Deezul @ Mar 10th 2008 10:20AM
People keep buying movie tie in games. That doesn't make THEM good.
Take the guitar out of guitar hero, and what do you have? SIMON, a game that came out in the 70s.
Jeramy @ Mar 10th 2008 10:55AM
oh man you gotta love the expression on the boxart dude's face.
Tony @ Mar 10th 2008 11:32AM
Honestly, what was in Bioshock reached a certain level of difficulty and never went beyond that, I could see some people wanting to play more of it.. There are people who like Pipe Dreams (Mania, whatever), which is clearly exemplified by how many versions there are and that there at least two free fan-made versions now.
Anthology @ Mar 10th 2008 11:57AM
Got it, its called bioshock.
Dick @ Mar 10th 2008 12:07PM
Wait a minute, I thought 2K bought the pipe game and needed it something to do with it?
Amiga - Who Knew?
doug @ Mar 10th 2008 12:55PM
There used to be a Parker Bros. card game called Waterworks back in the late 70s that may have started all of this.
Deezul @ Mar 10th 2008 1:32PM
Why buy any new game? Want a FPS? Doom. RTS? C&C or Warcraft. RPG? Paper based D&D. Turn based Strategy? Chess. Just because YOU played it to death doesn't mean no one else will get their fill. Because NO ONE bought Halo 2 or Halo 3, or CoD 2-4. Just too much of the same thing, right?
ryan @ Mar 10th 2008 2:14PM
^
dude, people play those games for the story regardless of how similar they play. this pipe game is just like playing the Bioshock mini game. no story, same game mechanics.
Deezul @ Mar 10th 2008 2:21PM
My original point was I didn't PLAY BioShock. So I should drop $60 on a game I'm not interested in instead of $10 on a Arcade game I am interested in? Makes sense to me!
mcwattersm @ Mar 10th 2008 10:11PM
From now on I think ALL bloggers should post dully, with little expression, cutting straight to the chase, and definitely NEVER make jokes, because there is always some chump that doesn't get the joke and gets all defensive over it.
Deezul @ Mar 11th 2008 4:34AM
Not only that, but remember, compare every game to every other game in existence, and make the comparisons longer than the true substance of the post. Go on, it's much funnier that way.