Xbox-Live-Arcade posts (Subscribe to this feed)

Xbox Live deals of the week: Turtles, Tiger and Marvel vs. Capcom

by Griffin McElroy { Feb 8th 2010 at 4:00PM }

We're guessing that the person at Microsoft whose job it is to choose the discounted XBLA games of the week is a huge New Orleans Saints fan. Filled with the overwhelming spirit of victory from last night's engagement, this person couldn't stop him or herself from repeatedly hitting the price reduction button. We're afraid of what might have happened if they were a diehard Colts fan. Can XBLA prices be increased?

Fortunately, things panned out in our favor. During the discounting spree, three titles got their prices reduced: Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is now 800

($10, down from 1200

), TMNT: Turtles in Time Reshelled is 400

($5, down from 800

) and Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao is available for 800

($10, down from 1200

). Basically, if you've got an itch to watch ninjas or superheroes beat the snot out of things, Xbox Live has you covered for the next seven days.

This Wednesday: Chime for charity on XBLA

by David Hinkle { Feb 3rd 2010 at 12:00PM }

Today's lone Xbox Live Arcade release is Chime, the not-for-profit project from Zoe Mode and OneBigGame. 60 percent of proceeds from the 400

($5) game will go to Save the Children and Starlight Children's Foundation, so consider it a surprisingly entertaining chance to stop being such a selfish jerk.

If you're looking for a pre-purchase glimpse, check out the trailer above or download the demo on Xbox Live. We'd ask you to chime in with your opinions, but that joke's been done. Just now.

Shortcut: Add Chime to your download queue [Xbox.com]

Gallery: Chime

Behemoth's BattleBlock Theater coming to XBLA

by Justin McElroy { Feb 2nd 2010 at 9:05AM }

It's hard to say just how good The Behemoth's newly announced BattleBlock Theater will be when it launches (no release date yet!). Even with all the clips and screens we've seen and all the time we've spent with the title (previously codenamed Game 3), we still don't have a deep understanding of what, exactly, is going on. But the team's got a pretty good track record with Castle Crashers and Alien Hominid, so we're willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

None of that matters, however, because what we do know is that what follows after the jump is probably our favorite trailer so far this year. It's actually -- and don't tell any advertisers or con-men this -- a little sad and scary just how easily we can be manipulated.

Continued →

Reminder: 'Splosion Man is $5 this week

by David Hinkle { Feb 1st 2010 at 12:00PM }

We told you last week, but with a certain something likely taking up every ounce of delicious brain juice you've got right now, we felt it prudent to put out a reminder. 'Splosion Man, Twisted Pixel's game of splodey splendor, is 50 percent off this week on Xbox Live, bringing it down to a very reasonable 400

price tag. If you haven't bothered to check it out yet -- it is one of 2009's best games, y'know -- then there's really no excuse now.

Shortcut: Add Splosion Man to your download queue [Xbox.com]

ESRB: After Burner Climax is a go for US and Europe

by Justin McElroy { Jan 28th 2010 at 11:00AM }

We have mixed feelings about utilizing the ESRB as a source for upcoming US releases. On the one hand, we're thankful that their rating practically assures that Sega's After Burner Climax will be coming to the US on Xbox Live and PSN (it was previously only announced for Japan). On the other, they always manage to make games sound so boring, and this is a game that includes both the words "Burner" and "Climax" in its title. Here, see it in action if you don't believe us.

Listen to this: "Most of the jets-even the missiles/gunfire-appear somewhat fantastical." And yes, those italics are theirs. The only cool word in the whole thing is "fantastical" and even that's softened by a "somewhat." But don't worry, ESRB, we've taken the liberty of awesoming-up your listing.

[Update: Just because MrXile asked: Yes, it's coming to Europe.]

Continued →

Retro XBLA games must be repurchased for the Xbox Game Room

by Mike Schramm { Jan 26th 2010 at 10:20PM }

Bad news for those of you who have picked up some classic arcade titles on Xbox Live and can't wait to play them in Microsoft's new Game Room: It looks like you will have to repurchase anything you want to play with your avatar in the 3D environment. Game Informer learned this recently from a Microsoft rep, who went on to say that it's because the Game Room titles are different from the XBLA versions -- in fact, it sounds like they're more old-school and not "revamped," as the rep puts it.

Fortunately, you will get a small price break: As previously announced, the games will sell for 400

($5) to play on Xbox 360 and PC, 240

($3) for the game on one platform or 40

($0.50) for "two quarters'" worth of playtime. But for those of us who've already shelled out 400

for the Centipede/Millipede combo, it looks like we'll have to pull out the wallet yet again.

'Splosion Man 'splores $5 price point next week

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Jan 26th 2010 at 6:00PM }

Twisted Pixel's highly combustible Xbox Live Arcade platformer and object of Joystiq adoration, 'Splosion Man, will headline the upcoming Marketplace schedule (as relayed by Major Nelson) with a temporary 50-percent price reduction. After dropping to 400

($5) for the week of February 1, 'Splosion Man should prove more challenging to blow off than up.

Other highlights include Chime, February 3's non-profit Xbox Live Arcade release from Zoe Mode and OneBigGame, the Halo 3 Mythic 2 Map Pack, and the first part of Assassin's Creed 2 downloadable content, "Battle of Forli." Expect a Joystiq review on that closer to its January 28 launch.

The Raskulls screens break on through to the other side

by David Hinkle { Jan 25th 2010 at 3:15PM }

Click image to go from half-size to full-size

Halfbrick has uploaded a slew of new screens for its upcoming XBLA puzzle-platformer, The Raskulls, to the game's official site. There hasn't been much on the title yet, save for a brief trailer showing some gameplay and thoughts on the game from its art lead during our interview with Halfbrick, but these new shots show the game is coming along nicely. We have yet to get our hands on it, but if the recent trailer is any indication, it looks like a frenetic, friendship-endangering good time. Hit up the gallery below for the new screens.

Gallery: The Raskulls (XBLA)

You've spent 17 billion hours on Xbox Live

by David Hinkle { Jan 21st 2010 at 2:00PM }

It seems impossible, right? Well, this Xbox Live thing is apparently pretty popular. Trixie revealed via her Twitter account that in the seven years since the service launched on the original Xbox, gamers have racked up 17 billion hours on Xbox Live, equal to 2 hours of play time for every person on the planet. And with 20 million subscribers on the service, you're looking at an average of 850 hours for every member.

Another one of her Tweets states that there have been "more than 1.2 billion downloads of gaming and entertainment content," which averages out to about 100 downloads per second. And according to our completely scientific analysis of these figures, we conclude around 750 million of those 1.2 billion-plus downloads were free gamer pics and themes, Rambo stuff specifically.

[Via G4]

The Behemoth DLC revenue going to Haiti this week

by Griffin McElroy { Jan 21st 2010 at 11:15AM }

Not to be outclassed by larger companies in the gaming industry, indie dev studio The Behemoth has announced its own initiative for helping out with recovery efforts in Haiti. Any revenue brought in by DLC purchases for Castle Crashers or Alien Hominid on XBLA will go directly to the Red Cross. The promotion is titled "The Behemoth Super Haiti Chicken Super Charity," because, hey, what else would you call it?

The folks at Behemoth also plan to match this sum of money with some of their own, coming directly from their pockets, wallets and bank accounts. That's quite generous of them -- why not show your own support by picking up some DLC for Alien Hominid or Castle Crashers before the promotion ends next Sunday?

GamerBytes posts XBLA sales analysis for December

by Justin McElroy { Jan 21st 2010 at 9:00AM }

Although the Xbox may have had a great December at retail, it's a little difficult finding a big success story in GamerBytes' recap of Xbox Live sales for the month. Trials HD is probably the closest, with more that 91,000 people picking up the game's "Big Pack" DLC. Sadly, new games fared much worse with Team 17's costly Alien Breed Evolution selling to only 9,001 players all month. 0 Day Attack on Earth moved just 3,336 units in its first two weeks on sale.

It's not a pretty picture, but we're heartened by the fact that somewhere out there on this big blue ball, exactly 700 people are really into Polar Panic. That's nice, isn't it?

Non-profit XBLA game Chime dropping Feb. 3

by Griffin McElroy { Jan 20th 2010 at 12:00PM }

Between your rampant donations to Child's Play and your support with Haiti recovery efforts, you've been stretching your altruism muscles quite a bit over the past few months. We just hope you're not all charity'd out -- Zoe Mode and OneBigGame's XBLA rhythm title, Chime, is due on February 3. In case you've forgotten, 60 percent of the game's 400

($5) price tag will go to Save the Children and Starlight Children's Foundation.

Best of all, the game actually looks pretty fun! Check out the explanation video above to see the title in action -- it's kind of like Tetris meets Lumines meets the beneficence of the human spirit.

After Burner Climax XBLA screens soar into view [update]

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jan 20th 2010 at 9:30AM }

Though we've yet to hear official word from Sega on whether After Burner Climax is jetting to Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network, Gameswire has obtained "by hook or by crook" a plethora of gorgeous screens -- 26, to be exact -- which it reports as coming from the XBLA version.

Late last year, the flight action was rated by both the Australian and Korean boards, with classification applied for by Sony. While you peruse these shots, we'll keep bugging Sega about some proper details.

Update: Sega of Japan has confirmed (via 1UP) After Burner Climax's release this spring for ¥900 ($10) on PS3 and 800

(also, $10) for Xbox 360. We're still following up with Sega of America for confirmation of a North American release.

[Via Kotaku]

This Wednesday: XBLA beset by Cubes and Vandals

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Jan 18th 2010 at 3:06PM }

Aside from being one of the best indie bands to emerge from Champaign, Illinois in recent years, Cubes and Vandals neatly compose this week's Xbox Live Arcade update. As previously announced and reiterated just now, Square Enix's Death by Cube and Konami's Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment join the Xbox 360's download service on Wednesday, January 20.

After missing its original release target in 2009, Vandal Hearts brings the classic strategy franchise up to speed with enhanced visuals, an overhauled interface and a 1200

($15) price tag. Those less enthused by moving squares on a grid might prefer mowing down cubes on a plane -- that's what you'll do in Death by Cube, available for 800

($10). It's also what you'll do at a Cubes on a Plane concert. They're just terrible live.

Rumor: 'Tecmo Bowl Throwback' coming to XBLA, PSN [update]

by David Hinkle { Jan 13th 2010 at 7:30PM }

Update: Our source contacted us with some more info, confirming that Tecmo Bowl Throwback is indeed based on the SNES version of Tecmo Super Bowl.

A trusted source (the same who provided us with early knowledge of Lucidity and NBA2K10 Draft Combine) has just informed Joystiq that Tecmo's planned Tecmo Bowl update for XBLA is also coming to PSN. Dubbed "Tecmo Bowl Throwback," the game is a remake of the ~~NES classic~~ SNES version, complete with HD graphics and an updated soundtrack -- it also retains the original plays and team stats. And for those of you who fear the fancy-schmancy graphics of high-def games, Tecmo is also including an option to play Tecmo Bowl in its original state. There's even team customization, ensuring your lifelong dream of creating a horribly out-of-shape and uncompetitive Joystiq team is a real possibility.

While we were hungry for more news, that's all our source could provide. But, hey, if you're in the know and want to drop some details in our lap, we would certainly appreciate it. Anonymity assured!