Official Xbox Live Arcade Thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
I'm a soon to be 360 owner and haven't paid any attention to XBLA til now, I had no need to. What games would you recommend me?

I already have my eyes set on
Pacman CE
Ikaruga
Rez HD
N+ maybe
 
Gryphter said:
I'm a soon to be 360 owner and haven't paid any attention to XBLA til now, I had no need to. What games would you recommend me?

I already have my eyes set on
Pacman CE
Ikaruga
Rez HD
N+ maybe

Those are fine choices. I'd also recommend Geometry Wars, Prince of Persia Classic and Assault Heroes. Alien Hominid, Castlevania: SOTN and Puzzle Quest are good too if you've never played them before.
 
Gryphter said:
I'm a soon to be 360 owner and haven't paid any attention to XBLA til now, I had no need to. What games would you recommend me?

I already have my eyes set on
Pacman CE
Ikaruga
Rez HD
N+ maybe
I would add Poker Smash to that list. You might also enjoy Aces of the Galaxy if you're a fan of Rez.

Other titles worth checking out:
Carcassone
Undertow
Eets
Wik: Fable of Souls
Mutant Storm
Super Puzzle Fighter HD
Lumines
 
Gryphter said:
I'm a soon to be 360 owner and haven't paid any attention to XBLA til now, I had no need to. What games would you recommend me?

I already have my eyes set on
Pacman CE
Ikaruga
Rez HD
N+ maybe

Yes to all of the above.

Also recommend Assault Heroes 2, Catan, and Carsaconne
 
Also get Metal Slug 3 if you've never played it before. It's not a perfect port, but it has online and craploads of fun.

Also, Streets of Rage 2.

In terms of original content, I fully endorse Aces of the Galaxy. Heavy Weapon is also crazy fun.

These apply mostly if you're into co-op gaming.
 
Gorki247 said:
Would you care to elaborate? I love the look and concept of Schizoid, so it would be a real shame if it was no good.
SapientWolf said:
How could Schizoid possibly suck? It looks like an even purer version of Ikaruga.
But it doesn't play like Ikaruga at all? It's a co-op Geometry Wars with a forced co-op-based color scheme thing going, where you crash into shit of the same color.

What me and my colleague didn't like was how slow it is. It was just painfully slow to us, but the enemies are faster than you and your partner! That was just frustrating, especially if you didn't know the patterns of the level.

I don't know; we just didn't like it at all. It was so slow, had such simple graphics and so on that it actually felt like My First GeoWars more than anything else... Rocket Riot was played a whole lot more during that session, with many more laughs.

Shard said:
Ticket to Ride Achievements suggest a change is coming in the current structuring of XBLA Achievements.
Slipping, Shard! :P

We've known about that one for like a year, War World has the same deal going on.

(And, yeah, whatever happened to that steaming pile? Did MS finally realize how much it sucked? Maybe the finally found the employee they've needed all along; someone to pick out fun games before they launch, so they don't have to come up with stupid schemes for backtracking!)
 
aku:jiki said:
We've known about that one for like a year, War World has the same deal going on.

(And, yeah, whatever happened to that steaming pile? Did MS finally realize how much it sucked?

What is wrong with War World?
Could it be taking so long because they're fixing whatever problems you had with it?
 
Gryphter said:
I'm a soon to be 360 owner and haven't paid any attention to XBLA til now, I had no need to. What games would you recommend me?

I already have my eyes set on
Pacman CE
Ikaruga
Rez HD
N+

Alien Hominid
Catan
Assault Heroes
 
Sweet, I went to youtube and found some videos of the recommendations above, and am really interested in Aces of the Galaxy now. As for Bomberman Live, weren't there all sorts of issues with it when it was released? Have they been fixed?
 
Gryphter said:
As for Bomberman Live, weren't there all sorts of issues with it when it was released? Have they been fixed?
You're thinking of Mr. Driller Online, i think.
Broken as hell but is now fixed [obviously no one plays it]

Bomberman LIVE worked perfectly from day-one and is the best Live Arcade game as of today.
 
http://www.joystick.com/2008/06/24/double-d-dodgeball-coming-to-xbla-on-july-30/

Double D Dodgeball coming to XBLA on July 30

5 Comments by Justin McElroy Jun 24th 2008 9:10AM
Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Sports
It's rare that we find out Xbox Live Arcade release dates this early, but it's right there in green and black in the above trailer: The July 30 release for XBLA will apparently be Double D Dodgeball. So, the question we have to ask ourselves now is, "Should we care?"

Let's do pros and cons. Pro: Yuke's Future Media Creators is a really wonderful name for a video game company. Cons: The gameplay-free trailer above is really terrible and DDD is competing against another dodgeball game that pits pirates against ninjas. Well, that equals one pro and two cons ... looks like you can begin the forgetting about Double D Dodgeball process whenever you're ready.
 
Wizpig said:
Bomberman LIVE worked perfectly from day-one and is the best Live Arcade game as of today.
LAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWL WUT

There was lag all over the place and the dead guys' little revenge kart things would often seperate from the border and roam around the middle of the playfield. I don't know if they ever fixed it but I know people were complaining about these issues not being addressed well after it was released.
 
Gryphter said:
I'm a soon to be 360 owner and haven't paid any attention to XBLA til now, I had no need to. What games would you recommend me?

I already have my eyes set on
Pacman CE
Ikaruga
Rez HD
N+ maybe

Those are all quite good. I personally wouldn't get Ikaruga unless you're really planning on being hardcore about it. I put it away after it broke my spirit, but I'm still happy to spend 10 bucks supporting this kind of game if it means we won't get Buku Sudoku shoved at us everu week.

Just make absolutely sure you get PMCE. And don't just play it for a few minutes at a time. Really dig into it. Like the best albums or movies, it truly rewards repeat plays.
 
New Achievement List: Double D Dodgeball

http://www.360sync.com/2008/06/24/double-d-dodgeball-achievements


Achievements

Finisher
Knock out an opponent using a Super Shot.
5

Destroyer
Knock out opponents using each character’s Super Shot.
10

Party Time!
Play in a game with eight players on Xbox LIVE.
15

50 Wins
Win 50 games in any mode.
25

20 MVPs
Be the MVP player 20 times in any mode.
25

Double KO
Knock out 2 or more opponents at once using the Shooter’s Super Shot.
15

Perfect Player
Win a match on Xbox LIVE without getting knocked out.
25

Perfect Team
Win a 6 vs 6 Xbox LIVE round without any teammates getting knocked out.
35

Arena Master
Play at least once on each arena.
15

Ball Master
Use each ball in a game at least once.
10

Line Master
Play at least once with each line and each ground variation.
10

Ranked Veteran
Win at least 5 ranked matches on Xbox LIVE.
10

Winifred Philips Composes Soundtrack For The Maw

http://www.360sync.com/2008/06/25/winifred-philips-composes-soundtrack-for-the-maw

Twisted Pixel Games will be announcing later today that The Maw, the company’s first Xbox LIVE® Arcade game, will feature an all-original, interactive soundtrack by Interactive Achievement Award-winning composer Winifred Phillips.

Phillips has composed music for such well-known game titles as God of War, Speed Racer, and The Da Vinci Code. For The Maw, Phillips has created a vibrant jazz soundtrack that highlights the progress of the main characters, Frank and Maw, while simultaneously responding to the player’s actions as the game unfolds. Music that changes as you play, sounds pretty sick!

“Winifred is a fantastic, top-tier composer with a real vision for how to score interactive content,” explained Twisted Pixel’s CCO and Director, Josh Bear. “We wanted the music to play an active role in the gameplay by responding to characters and situations, so Winifred provided a brilliant musical blueprint and we implemented her design. She is great to work with and we couldn’t be happier with the results!”

“I was tremendously inspired by the personality and charm of The Maw,” said Winifred Phillips. “Twisted Pixel has created an exciting and unique game set in a wonderfully bizarre universe populated by lovably zany characters. I enjoyed creating an interactive soundtrack for such a fresh, original project, and I think that the responsiveness of the music helps draw the player more fully into this one-of-a-kind experience.”

We are excited here at 360Sync, since we just found out about this game a few weeks ago, and already they seem to be taking good care of this new IP. So, if you have any questions about the game, and want us to get some answers, now is your chance. Make sure to comment below, and we’ll do some diggin’. Also, some new pictures were added to the gallery, they will be the first pictures to load in the slideshow, with the older pictures showing up after. Enjoy!

N+ Downloadable Packs In Submission - 750 New Levels!

http://www.gamerbytes.com/2008/06/n_downloadable_packs_in_submis.php

N+ developer Metanet Software have updated their blog with some good news - The 3 downloadable level packs are now in submission over at Microsoft!

We just submitted three downloadable levelpacks for N+ XBLA (one of which is free), we’ll be posting with more details as soon as we get a launch time. In total there will be over 750 new levels! The multiplayer maps in particular (over 300 of them) are a lot better than the ones that came with N+, since we’ve had more time to learn what works. We made sure to include more co-op maps, since they’re apparently quite popular.. these ones are even harder, so start practicing!

There’s also a small bonus in each pack which will remain secret for now.. or will it?!

I assume they won't come all out straight away, probably separated by a few weeks each. Might be time to get back into N+ again. I got up to the 42nd group of levels I think, quitting out of frustration. Might try and get those multiplayer achievements too...

XBLA Top 10 for week of June 16th

Top Arcade Titles (Full Versions)
1 Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3
2 Elements Of Destruction
3 Sealife Safari
4 UNO
5 DOOM
6 N+
7 Worms
8 Marble Blast Ultra
9 Sonic The Hedgehog 2
10 Street Fighter II' Hyper Fighting
The above arcade list is based on full versions purchased.
 
Right, let me give a quick word of introduction to the uninitiated, these mini-pages that pop-up periodically of upcoming games on the Xbox.com are basically the best barometer one has in gauging nearby release dates of an XBLA game onto the Grand Duke of Donwloadable Services. To put it simply, 9 times out of 10, when a splash page of a certain game pops up, there is a high probability that said game will be releseing next week.

Anyway, the Splash Pages:

Schizoid

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/s/schizoidxboxlivearcade/default.htm

bannerdefault.jpg


Cooperative gameplay is redefined in the fast-paced and unique Schizoid! Control red and blue ships, ramming them into enemies of the same color to destroy them. But be careful, because if you hit the opposite color, you will be destroyed. Quick thinking and quicker reflexes help you seize victory, but sharp teamwork provides the best chance of earning gold medals along the way. Schizoid offers more than 120 levels of challenge, playable in either single-player or co-op mode, plus the brain-melting Uberschizoid hardcore mode, in which one player controls both ships!

* Co-op gameplay to the max: No other multiplayer co-op game has such tight cooperative gameplay. The two players (or one player with a computer A.I. partner, or one player controlling both ships in Uberschizoid) must work together closely in order to defeat the hordes on each level.
* Uberschizoid mode: For perhaps the most challenging and "brain-melting" challenge yet, try Uberschizoid Mode. Control both red and blue ships, matching them to each enemy color in order to succeed.
* Tremendous graphics: The glowing, flashing, megabursting graphics add to the game's inherent chaos.
* Xbox LIVE® play: Play co-op over Xbox LIVE and team up with players worldwide to see how far you can advance!

Xbox.com Trailer

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/viewer.aspx?productId=2254&assetTypeId=2&shotId=0&alt=1

Soulcaliber

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/s/soulcaliburxboxlivearcade/

bannerdefault.jpg


Soulcalibur®, the highest-rated console fighting game, has returned to the next generation! Sharpen your blades as you relive old grudges against classic adversaries in new high definition graphics. Prove your mettle against the world with a variety of leaderboards spanning every character and mode, or challenge a friend in local-play Versus mode.

* Nineteen playable characters: All of your favorite fighters are back including Kilik, Ivy, Siegfried, Edge Master, Nightmare, and many more!
* Eight modes of play: Try the different game modes including Story, Versus, and even Museum Mode that allows players to view artwork, character models, and animations.
* Leaderboards galore: Compare stats in sixty leaderboards spanning across each character and mode.
* High definition support: Soulcalibur has been given a whole new coat of beautiful paint to support HD resolutions up to 1080p.
 
Shard said:
Right, let me give a quick word of introduction to the uninitiated, these mini-pages that pop-up periodically of upcoming games on the Xbox.com are basically the best barometer one has in gauging nearby release dates of an XBLA game onto the Grand Duke of Donwloadable Services. To put it simply, 9 times out of 10, when a splash page of a certain game pops up, there is a high probability that said game will be releseing next week.

Nice!

Detective Shard on the case!
 
SapientWolf said:
Don't you mean LakeEarth?

edit: There is no post zero. nvm

edit-edit: Wait, that shouldn't matter in this context. LakeEarth is still post 13000.
I'd like to thank my uncanny ability to always be the last post before a new page. It sucks cause my post usually gets missed.
 
Soulcalibur may be hitting soon? Awesome, so I can play the classic while I watch the series go down the toilet. :D
YODAAAAAAAA!
 
New XBLA Achieevement ListsL

Go Go Break Steady!

http://www.achieve360points.com/game/gogobreakstudy/

Xbox 360 Achievement - All City Champ
1. All City Champ
Complete the "All City Tournament".
20 points
Single Player achievement

Xbox 360 Achievement - The Collector
2. The Collector
Win all the prizes in the "All City Tournament".
20 points
Single Player achievement

Xbox 360 Achievement - Mr. Perfecto
3. Mr. Perfecto
Get a "+10" score multiplier.
5 points
Single Player achievement

Xbox 360 Achievement - Beatnik Smash
4. Beatnik Smash
Crush 10 or more beatniks.
5 points
Single Player achievement

Xbox 360 Achievement - Dance Master
5. Dance Master
Fill the move progress bar with all perfects.
15 points
Single Player achievement

Xbox 360 Achievement - Double Dog
6. Double Dog
Survive 10 minutes in online coop endurance.
15 points

Xbox 360 Achievement - LP
7. LP
Last in endurance mode for ten minutes.
25 points
Single Player achievement

Xbox 360 Achievement - All City All Star
8. All City All Star
Complete the "All City Tournament" with a grade of A+.
35 points
Single Player achievement

Xbox 360 Achievement - Online Heavy Weight
9. Online Heavy Weight
Win 10 ranked versus games online.
20 points

Multiplayer / Co-Op achievement (2+ players)
Xbox 360 Achievement - Break Steady Domination
10. Break Steady Domination
Win five consecutive ranked games online.
25 points
Multiplayer / Co-Op achievement (2+ players)

Xbox 360 Achievement - Puzzle Master
11. Puzzle Master
Win a challenge game by destroying green Beatniks only by combos or bombs.
10 points
Single Player achievement

Xbox 360 Achievement - Coop Marathon
12. Coop Marathon
Last 10 minutes in coop endurance.
15 points
Multiplayer / Co-Op achievement (2+ players)

R.B.I. Baseball
http://www.achieve360points.com/game/rbibaseball/

1. Home Sweet Home
Score a run in a single player or Xbox LIVE game!
10 points
Single Player achievement


2. Crafty Pitching
Strike a batter out in a single player or Xbox LIVE game!
10 points
Single Player achievement


3. Petty Theft
Steal a base in a single player or Xbox LIVE game!
10 points
Single Player achievement

4. Going, Going, Gone!
Hit back to back home runs in a single player or Xbox LIVE game!
14 points
Single Player achievement


5. Golden Glove
Turn a Double Play in a single player or Xbox LIVE game!
14 points
Single Player achievement


6. Rookie
Win a game in a single player or Xbox LIVE game!
14 points
Single Player achievement


7. Hot Hitting
Score 10 Runs in one game in a single player or Xbox LIVE game!
18 points
Single Player achievement


8. Ace
Pitch a shutout in a single player or Xbox LIVE game!
18 points
Single Player achievement


9. Grand Slammer
Hit a grand slam in a single player or Xbox LIVE game!
18 points
Single Player achievement


10. Home Run King
Hit 10 home runs in a single player or Xbox LIVE game!
22 points
Single Player achievement


11. MVP
Score at least 1 run in every inning in a single player or Xbox LIVE game!
22 points
Single Player achievement


12. Master of the Mound
Pitch a perfect game in a single player or Xbox LIVE game!
30 points
Single Player achievement
 
Almost all the issues of Bomberman have been addressed. Actually many of the games with intially bad lag have been fixed overtime due to updates. Contra was pretty unplayable at first, and now it runs great whenever I play it with friends. And I'll second that Bomberman is one of the best games on Live and one where you an almost always find a good multiplayer match.

Also, I'd move N+ from a "maybe" to a definite. Especially if you have friends to play the co-op with. When I first tried the game, I though it was crap. But I went back a month ago and gave the demo another shot and convinced a couple of friends to do the same and we have had probably more fun with the co-op level 4 player than just about anything on Live. I just started messing around with the level creator a few days ago and it also has great potential. It's definitely one of the best value son Live Arcade even if doens't look like much. There is a lot of great gameplay there once you get past the minimalist graphic style.

On an unrelated note, I tried the Happy Tree Friends demo. Crap like this is the best argument for the delisting nonsense. I don't know why they ever approve this junk on Live or why anybody ever greenlights these types of project. I sure to hell hope it doesn't actually make money. It's awful.
 
EternalGamer said:
On an unrelated note, I tried the Happy Tree Friends demo. Crap like this is the best argument for the delisting nonsense. I don't know why they ever approve this junk on Live or why anybody ever greenlights these types of project. I sure to hell hope it doesn't actually make money. It's awful.

I'm surprisingly enjoying it. There are problems - the occasional time where a HTF will decide to run the wrong way from fire - but I've still enjoyed it.

It's a little confusing at first since you don't know what does what. You have to look for buttons or levers and how to avoid them. The demo level is one of the medium levels, but would have been a poor choice purely because those Samurai Sword guys are almost completely unavoidable and I can't beat it without one guy killing themselves :|

But yeah, not too bad, honestly.
 
I can't remember, but didn't the NES RBI baseball have offical baseball players? And then RBI Baseball 2 did not? I assume there are going to be made up of fictional players and teams...
 
Soul Calibur: The IGN XBOX 360 Review

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/885/885060p1.html

Quote:
8.0 Presentation
Each character has their own story ending and there are loads of options.
7.5 Graphics
A good-looking game even after all these years. If only it were in 16:9... sigh.
6.0 Sound
There are 30 music tracks, which is astounding, but they also sound outdated.
9.0 Gameplay
Even after nearly a decade, this is still one of the best fighters around.
6.0 Lasting Appeal
With everything unlocked from the start, there's nothing to work towards and the lack of online play is a killer.
8.1

(out of 10 / not an average)
 
I'm gonna have a 360 again, and RBI Baseball sounds like a good thing to pick up. But man, do some of those achievements seem really tough to get.
 
Shard said:
Soul Calibur: The IGN XBOX 360 Review

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/885/885060p1.html

Quote:
8.0 Presentation
Each character has their own story ending and there are loads of options.
7.5 Graphics
A good-looking game even after all these years. If only it were in 16:9... sigh.
6.0 Sound
There are 30 music tracks, which is astounding, but they also sound outdated.
9.0 Gameplay
Even after nearly a decade, this is still one of the best fighters around.
6.0 Lasting Appeal
With everything unlocked from the start, there's nothing to work towards and the lack of online play is a killer.
8.1

(out of 10 / not an average)
I will never understand why people want lag-induced online in fighting games. I never touched the online component of VF5...
 
twinturbo2 said:
I will never understand why people want lag-induced online in fighting games. I never touched the online component of VF5...
"All beat 'em ups are laggy as fuck!"

"Did you even play one online?"

"No! I refuse to!"

If you actually played Virtua Fighter 5's online portion, you would've known that its netcode was pretty excellent. But hey: you obviously knew better, right?
 
I called it Internets, I called it first, only thing that changed was we are back to one game per week, so Shcizoid next week most likely.

SOULCALIBUR hits Xbox LIVE Arcade this Wednesday, and trivia party game Wits & Wagers gets new downloadable content!

Fighting game perfection returns when “SOULCALIBUR” hits Xbox LIVE Arcade this Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. GMT (1:00 a.m. PDT).

“SOULCALIBUR,” the critically acclaimed and highest rated console fighting game of all time, has reached the next generation! Sharpen your blades as you relive old grudges against classic adversaries. Prove your mettle against the world with a variety of Leaderboards spanning every character and mode, or challenge a friend in local-play Versus mode. All of your favorite fighters are back: Kilik, Ivy, Siegfried, Mitsurugi, Nightmare and many more! Play as one of the 19 characters on a mission to acquire the Soul Edge. “SOULCALIBUR” for Xbox LIVE Arcade is completely revamped with high definition graphics, HDTV support and challenging Achievements.

Developed by NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., “SOULCALIBUR” will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points and is rated T for Teen by the ESRB.

Also this week on Xbox LIVE Arcade, energize your “Wits & Wagers” trivia experience with 280 new questions and fun facts, providing up to 10 additional hours of unique gameplay. The new questions are for local and select online games, and are used automatically for everyone on the same local console, or when everyone in an online game owns the same question packs. The new downloadable content will be available Wednesday, July 2 in the US, Canada and the UK for 320 Microsoft points.

For more details on “SOULCALIBUR” and “Wits and Wagers,” please visit http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/livearcadexbox360.
 
Dabanton said:
Does anyone know what other DC games will be released through Xbox Live?

No more have been announced yet, still, given that we have gotten four this year, I would not discount the idea that we will be getting more DC games.
 
Is Catan worth getting? Are kids still playing online? I've heard good things, and I kind of want a strategy/board game to play online.
 
MechDX said:
Powerstone Collection HD with online play.

In my fucking dreams of course!


DO WANT. If I can't have Powerstone 3, I want this. Also while we're taking a trip down unreasonable-ness lane, I want the first two Bushido Blade games with redone graphics and online play.

jon bones said:
Is Catan worth getting? Are kids still playing online? I've heard good things, and I kind of want a strategy/board game to play online.

Yes, and I believe so. You occasionally get the random dick that tries to make the leader lose by trading away all his resources to second place, but by and large I found that the community was good for an Xbox Live title.
 
jon bones said:
Is Catan worth getting? Are kids still playing online? I've heard good things, and I kind of want a strategy/board game to play online.

I still play it regularly, and I never have problems finding a game. Go for it.
 
womp said:
No online = no sale for Soul Calibur.

Talk about taking the "Live" out of Xbox Live Arcade.

Pathetic.

I would have settled for 16:9 support, but they've got to give us something, especially with Mission Mode gone. Scaled graphics do not equal something.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom