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'Splosion Man Avatar awards unlocked; delicious steaks to be distributed

by Griffin McElroy { Oct 27th 2009 at 12:28PM }

We've got good news all around for fans of Twisted Pixel's 'Splosion Man, as well as advocates for tender red meat. The developer has announced that a title update has fixed laggy online multiplayer sessions and added those unlockable Avatar awards to the highly combustible Xbox Live Arcade platformer. To unlock all four shirts seen above (two for female Avatars and two for males), you must accomplish two feats: break a single pane of glass (easy!) and beat the entire co-op campaign (considerably less easy).

Oh, right, the meat thing. In one of the greatest nonsensical partnerships in the history of civilization, Omaha Steaks has teamed up with Twisted Pixel to give away "hundreds of top-quality steak filets" to 'sploders across the nation. To register for the giveaway, just download and equip a special 'Splosion Man gamerpic, and then play a few online multiplayer matches before November 22. If you win, you get steaks. If you're vegan, you give them to us.

Source – Title Update for Splosion Man [PDF]

Telltale discusses XBLA wait times, possibility of XBLA Monkey Island

by Xav de Matos { Oct 26th 2009 at 4:40PM }

In an interview with Shacknews, Telltale Games CEO Dan Connors said long wait times between episodic content releases on XBLA are "over." When asked why the XBLA follow-up to the first Wallace & Gromit episode has taken over five months, Connors said Microsoft's second-annual Summer of Arcade promotion had kept the second episode off the virtual store shelves, allowing Telltale to develop new episodes of the series to keep release dates between episodes close. "I think our goal, going forward, is to launch on as many platforms as we can simultaneously," Connors said.

With two episodic franchises under its belt on Microsoft's downloadable service, Connors said he "would love" to see Tales of Monkey Island -- its best selling episodic franchise based on the classic adventure series -- on Microsoft's downloadable platform. "I know they had great success with Monkey Island: Special Edition. We think there's definitely an audience there and we definitely want to get the game to them." Thankfully we're able to hold our breath just as long as Guybrush Threepwood, so the wait for a possible release shouldn't be too painful.

This Wednesday: Inferno Pool burns up XBLA with Rainbow Islands

by Alexander Sliwinski { Oct 26th 2009 at 4:00PM }

This week's XBLA releases are ... well, they're games. The two downloadable titles sent to the fourth quarter slaughterhouse – a terrible place dominated by triple-A retail releases – are Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure! and Inferno Pool, both costing 800

($10).

We almost feel obligated to post The Charge of the Light Brigade after the break for each story about a downloadable game without a high profile beginning now until next year ... actually, next year isn't looking too open for downloadable games either, is it?

Matt Hazard trailers put out-of-work characters back in the game

by David Hinkle { Oct 23rd 2009 at 7:00PM }

It must be tough being a video game character. They always have to be "on" -- ready to go should we boot up our systems or pump more quarters into the machines. But what happens when we stop turning them on? A two-part trailer for the second-chance Matt Hazard: Blood Bath & Beyond (now a side-scroller!) explores the more desperate side of the digital beings we've so carelessly abused and sold back to GameStop.

Head past the break for the two trailers and see if you can spot all of the cameos! (You know it's hard times when even a certain mustached plumber can't find any work.)

Continued →

Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure ascends to XBLA next week

by JC Fletcher { Oct 23rd 2009 at 10:15AM }

Taito has revealed that not only is the Xbox Live Arcade version of WiiWare's Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure! real, but it's coming out in Japan on October 28, which means it could be out worldwide at the same time.

A Japanese press release contained a single screen (pictured above), confirming that the game looks pretty much just like the WiiWare version with bigger UI elements -- it's still kind of a mess, visually, and it still features those weirdly human-sized characters; instead of the adorably round Bub and Bob we grew up with. Towering Adventure also differs from the arcade classic by making the ascent up the game's tower a continuous pursuit, even during boss battles.
[Thanks, sacra]

Source (PDF link)

French dev bringing Toki back with HD remake

by Xav de Matos { Oct 22nd 2009 at 3:00AM }

The classic shoot 'em up platformer Toki is getting the HD treatment, with an upcoming enhanced version from French developer Golgoth Studio. The studio -- which currently consists of six members -- intends on bringing the adventure back to life in with a "full 2D remixed version" based on the 1989 arcade original. In Toki HD, players must rescue his princess Miho from the evil sorcerer Vokimeldo, and reclaim his human form.

Toki HD producer Anthony De Sa Ferreira told Joystiq via email that -- while the game has no official platform as of yet -- the game has been submitted for approval for Games for Windows Live and Xbox Live Arcade. If its goal of resurrecting a classic arcade title isn't enough to get you on its side, Golgoth's motto of "2D refuses to die" might rope you in. Way to tug at our nostalgic heartstrings, guys. Check out the first gameplay footage of Toki HD after the break.

[Via GameSetWatch]

Continued →

Winterbottom devs think you're tired of 80-hour games

by Justin McElroy { Oct 21st 2009 at 11:15PM }

As we get older, we find we'd typically prefer a great 10-hour game to a pretty good 20-hour game. The Odd Gentlemen – the devs behind upcoming XBLA puzzle-platformer The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom – have realized that as well and it's part of the reason they think indie devs are focusing on smaller, more easily consumable experiences.

As studio co-founder Matt Korba told Gamasutra, "People are tired of 80-hour games ... so, I think the other thing about these indie experiences and these vignettes is you get something that's really good and really satisfying in a short amount of time."

Even if the game length discussion isn't particularly interesting to you, the full interview is worth a read if you're curious at all about the indie perspective.

X3F TV -- XBLA in Brief: Tower Bloxx Deluxe, Panzer General: Allied Assault

by Richard Mitchell { Oct 21st 2009 at 6:20PM }

Up for offer on Xbox Live Arcade today are two diametrically opposite titles. Tower Bloxx Deluxe is a puzzle game that requires a grand total of one button to play, while Panzer General: Allied Assault is a strategy / card / board game with more rules than you can shake several sticks at. Depending on your mood, present company or your feelings toward the construction industry, either game might appeal to you. As such, they are both priced equally at 800

($10). Watch the latest episode of XBLA in Brief to find out if either one is for you.

Download the trial version of Tower Bloxx Deluxe
Download the trial version of Panzer General: Allied Assault

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This Wednesday: Panzer General assaults Tower Bloxx Deluxe on XBLA

by David Hinkle { Oct 19th 2009 at 5:19PM }

This week's Xbox Live update wages war on one of humanity's oldest foes: the block. We're sorry it's come to this, but we're afraid we can stomach their shenanigans no longer and, come this Wednesday, we're enlisting the aid of Panzer General: Allied Assault for 800

($10) as we begin operations.

Our first target will be Tower Bloxx Deluxe, with an estimated damage total of 800

($10). It's a good introductory target that should benefit us in the longer conflict to come against the blocks. And if you're having second thoughts about all of this, remember how they're always making us push them here and pull them there -- and have you forgotten all of the climbing? We're standing up for the little guys and those archaeologists who've had enough tyranny from those six-sided symmetrical impeders, so if you can't get behind that, we suggest you pull up those hemp pants of yours and barefoot it back to the treetop commune or wherever else you hippies call home nowadays.

Call of Duty Classic Achievements are pretty achievable

by Richard Mitchell { Oct 14th 2009 at 5:00PM }

Xbox360Achievements.org has uncovered the Digital Accomplitrons for Call of Duty Classic, set to to be bundled with special editions of Modern Warfare 2 and to be release on XBLA "eventually." Much like the most recent iterations of the Call of Duty franchise, Classic doesn't have a single multiplayer Achievement, which should hopefully keep everyone focused on actually playing the game. The Achievements that are there offer points for completing campaign levels, completing the game itself, and accomplishing a few more challenging objectives.

We're particularly fond of "Pea Shooter," which tasks players with completing a mission using only the pistol and no melee attacks. That's hardcore, son.

Magic: The Gathering DLC summoned Oct. 21

by Richard Mitchell { Oct 14th 2009 at 4:30PM }

Wizards of the Coast -- the company, not actual wizards -- has sent word that the previously revealed Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers DLC will hit Xbox Live Marketplace on October 21 (next Wednesday, to be specific). The expansion will include three new decks, three new cards for each of the original decks, new co-op levels and three new challenge levels. The DLC also contains a new single-player campaign. Those who wish to partake of the expansion will have to summon 400

($5).

X3F TV -- XBLA in Brief: Sam & Max Season 2, Axel & Pixel

by Richard Mitchell { Oct 14th 2009 at 4:00PM }

We've got two click-em-ups up for grabs this week. One -- Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space -- is a buddy comedy fueled by crime, conversation and jokes, while the other -- Axel & Pixel -- is a puzzle solving affair rendered with bright colors and quirky animation. We're not sure what we did to deserve two point-and-click adventure games this week but, frankly, we're not going to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially considering these aren't gifts at all.

No, they cost real money. 1600

in the case of Sam & Max, and 800

for Axel & Pixel.

Download the trial version of Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space
Download the trial version of Axel & Pixel

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[Zune] Subscribe to the X3F TV directly.
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Indie title 'Capsized' shows off gameplay; tipping onto XBLA, PC in 2010

by Alexander Sliwinski { Oct 14th 2009 at 3:45PM }

Indie developer Alientrap's Capsized has certainly captured our attention with its art style. IndieGames took note of the title and its early footage, which is giving off an Exile and Metroid vibe, but its lush setting and arcade-like action certainly appears to separate it from that pack. The game is planned for a 2010 launch on Steam and XBLA.

We're currently following up with the Alientrap more details about the game, which is currently seeking play testers on PC. Check out the first trailer, which isn't shy on the gameplay footage, after the break.

[Via GameSetWatch]

Gallery: Capsized

Continued →

Ogle Chair's hand-drawn Shadow Complex map

by Justin McElroy { Oct 14th 2009 at 1:15PM }

It's a sad testament to how much we loved Shadow Complex that we were able to spend several happy minutes simply poring over Chair's hand-drawn proto-map for the game, as obtained by MTV Multiplayer. As an added bonus, we got to hear the story of Chair staffers playing the game with their imaginations, tracing a stick figure's journey through a giant-sized version of the map as they tried to perfectly balance the experience.

Golly! Imagination? Non-electronic games? What will video game developers think of next?

LostWinds dev: Don't treat download services as a 'dumping ground'

by JC Fletcher { Oct 14th 2009 at 11:45AM }

Frontier Developments has used the WiiWare platform to deliver two small, but high-quality games: the LostWinds series. However, according to David Braben (and a quick look at the offerings on any console download service) not everyone has taken the same approach. "One of the things that really annoys me," Braben told Develop, "is when people see XBLA, PSN and WiiWare as a dumping ground, in terms of 'you don't need to put the same amount of effort in.'"

Instead of a place for shallow games, Braben described the download space as the "short story" of game design. "It's a way to try out a radical idea," he said, "It's a way to try out a radical idea, and quite often a lot of those do become novels later on. What I don't like is the idea that people can scratch one out at the bus stop, which I've overheard at conferences." More CUBELLO, less Frogger 2. Of course, the real takeaway from Braben's article is that you should look around at conferences to see if David Braben is nearby.

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