xbox-live-arcade posts (Subscribe to this feed)

If dynamite comes in small packages, it's fair to assume that lots of dynamite comes in BIG packages. Enter: a new teaser video for the "BIG Pack," an upcoming downloadable add-on to Xbox Live Arcade's bone-breaking bike-'em-up, Trials HD. It's an explosive montage of two-wheeler stunts that fly by too quickly for the brain to process, so be sure to make use of that pause button on the video embedded after the break.


[Thanks, billymagnum]

Microsoft's Major Nelson has announced that Qix ++ is headed to Xbox Live Arcade this week. Apart from the price (800 / $10), that's really all we know. The "++" in the title might be a clue, though, given that Jeff "Why'd you buy Frogger" Minter seems to have an affinity for throwing plus signs at the end of retro game titles. It's also worth noting that Minter worked on the XBLA version of Space Invaders Extreme which, like Qix, is a Taito (via Square Enix) game. For now, with no assets of the game available, you'll have to settle for a video of the original Qix posted after the break.

In other news, the Xbox Live Deal of the Week is Rock Band DLC, specifically No Doubt's The Singles 1992-2003 album. The DLC has been discounted from 1600 ($20) to 1200 ($15).

Shortcut: Download The Singles 1992-2003 [Xbox.com]

There's good news and bad news about Metal Slug 7 on Xbox Live Arcade. The bad news is that we're pretty sure it's not coming out. The good news is that Metal Slug XX, the upgraded, multiplayer-capable PSP remix of the DS game, is replacing it in SNK's 2010 lineup. SNK also announced XBLA ports of two of its fighting games: King of Fighters 2002 Ultimate Match and Neo Geo Battle Coliseum. All three will join the weird King of Fighters shooting game, The King of Fighters Sky Stage, on XBLA in spring 2010.

These games have, so far, been announced only for Japan, but we are sure SNK will release them all worldwide -- if only because it would be a waste of effort to develop an XBLA title just for the few people in Japan who would buy it.

[Thanks, sacra!]

According to one AceyBongos -- think of him as Europe's Major Nelson -- this week's Xbox Live Arcade game will be none other than Call of Duty Classic. Those who picked up the Hardened or Prestige editions of Modern Warfare 2 have already had the joy of ignoring their packed-in copy of the game, and now the whole world can ignore it! If, by some bizarre chance, you're just not into all this newfangled, modern warfare, Call of Duty Classic will set you back 1200 ($15).

Again though, this message really only applies to the five people that aren't playing Modern Warfare 2.

[Thanks, DarkSynopsis]

We're not too proud to imagine we're the only video game blog you read (no, really ... it's okay, we understand). As such, earlier today, you might have read a story elsewhere speculating that Gearbox was busy working on an XBLA game. The rumor began as the result of a Twitter update from Gearbox level designer Zach Ford, which mentioned that he had just seen "our XBLA character rigged." We decided to contact Ford to see just what it was he was talking about, and he was nice enough to clear things up.

"This is just a side project where we're trying to expand our skill sets," Ford told Joystiq. "The project is in no way affiliated with GBX. Just something to play around with after work." So there you have it, no XBLA games on the way from Gearbox -- at least not officially. Now go back to Borderlands.

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]

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.

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]

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.

It's possible that you'll be put off by Death by Cube when you notice the phrase "twin stick shooter" in its description; however, quick-to-judge players will miss out on one of the most creative titles in the genre's recent history. While Death by Cube doesn't revolutionize an overdone genre, Square Enix has provided one of the more memorable experiences I've had on XBLA since first playing Geometry Wars.

We wish for a million dollars!

...

Well, after the return of classic adventure games -- and now Sparkster -- our magical roll of granted wishes was bound to come to an end. 1UP and Konami have revealed a brand new game for the powerfully propelled opossum, set to debut on Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network and Steam in early 2010. The 2.5D sequel (not a remake!) comes 15 years after the last game, which is a period more wasteful than the gap between the original Star Trek TV series and the first feature film.

Sorry, our nerd analogies flare up when we get excited.

Hidden in the back of its large TGS booth, Square Enix had three Xbox Live Arcade titles on display last week, one of which was 0 Day Attack on Earth.

A twin-stick shooter -- finally! -- 0 Day puts players in control of a fighter jet fending off an alien attack. Throw darts at a board littered with game premises and this is where many of them land. The problem isn't that the game mimics the mechanics of so many other titles available on XBLA -- because twin-stick shooters can still be good -- it's that 0 Day Attack on Earth just isn't compelling.

There are three new titles available to anxious Xbox Live Arcaders this week, and even though your usual host is off gallivanting around some spooky hotel, we wouldn't dare dream of not highlighting them in a new XBLA in Brief video. So strap yourself in and prepare for quite the eclectic mix of titles -- Military Madness, Football Genius and Bust-A-Move Live -- in this week's XBLA in Brief!

Shortcuts:

• Download the trial version of Military Madness
• Download the trial version of Football Genius
• Download the trial version of Bust-A-Move Live

[iTunes] Subscribe to X3F TV directly in iTunes.
[Zune] Subscribe to the X3F TV directly.
[RSS] Add the X3F TV feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.