Official Xbox Live Arcade Thread

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http://www.gamerbytes.com/2008/08/magic_the_gathering_duels_of_t.php

XBLA: Magic The Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers Confirmed For Xbox Live Arcade
duelssplash.jpg

Way back in February it was announced that Wizards Of The Coast and Stainless Games were working together to create a Magic The Gathering game for Xbox Live Arcade. Today it has finally been given a title, and it will be playable at the Penny Arcade Expo this weekend.

Developed by Stainless Games, Ltd., Duels of the Planeswalkers lets players simulate the Magic: The Gathering Trading Card Game through an interactive digital experience. Players take on the role of a Planeswalker, a powerful wizard who battles others for glory, knowledge and conquest.

Each Planeswalker has an arsenal of spells and creatures showcased by virtual cards. Players can either choose to battle against the computer or compete online against real life opponents using Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE service offerings. With endless game play scenarios, including multiplayer game mode, Duels of the Planeswalkers offers an unrivaled depth in which each game is different from the last.

MTG: DOTP is scheduled for official release in Spring 2009, and can be demoed at PAX at Wizards of the Coast’s booth. Any hardcore Magic fans out there? Let us know what you think.
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PAX 2008: Gamespot Hands-on preview with The Maw

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/act...6197055&mode=previews&tag=top_stories;title;2

The PAX 10 booth at the Penny Arcade Expo 2008 was an excellent collection of indie games where consumers got a chance to play and then vote for their favorite game. One game that grabbed our attention was The Maw, an action-puzzler that starred Frank, an unassuming alien with little skills and Maw, a one-eyed purple blob. The premise of the game seems simple but what stood out was the amount of care placed in ensuring that these two loveable characters exude a lot of charisma--and they did.

Frank and Maw have crash landed on a vibrant planet filled with creatures that are equally bizarre. Frank wants to get home, so in order to move from one level to the next, you play as Frank who has found a way to control Maw using a plasma leash. Maw is an indestructible and rather dangerous blob, but he's timid and a total coward, making obstacles a challenge. Frank's job is to drag Maw around to eat smaller aliens until he gets big enough to eat a larger creature that has a special ability.

One level required Frank and Maw to move past these dangerous plants. Maw refused to go near them so you had to get Maw to eat things and eventually eat a fire lizard so he could breathe fire for the remainder of the level. Watching the animations unfold is a treat because you learn more about the characters. Maw will act scared and shy away from the plants. When he tried to eat a lizard, his mouth caught fire and he jumped around frantically until he ended up in the river where he could cool off. When not on leash, Frank can access other areas that Maw may not necessarily be able to go.

In another level called Blurb Valley, we came across some floating aliens which Frank could dangle and swing from one flying creature to the next. By doing so, he ended up in an area with electricity-infused aliens which he could then leash and slam into objects. Since Frank really has nothing but his plasma leash, you have to figure out how the two can work together along with their environment to move on.

Other than adorable character design, the environments that we saw also felt alive and lush. It does look kid-friendly but there's enough of a draw to entice gamers of all backgrounds to play. There will be eight levels that will take anywhere from three and a half to five hours to complete. Achievements will be available and The Maw is expected to hit the Xbox Live Arcade soon. No date has been announced, but we hope to be able to spend some more time with the dynamic duo that has made an endearing and lasting impression.
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New Achievement Lists:

Tenchu: Shadow Assault

http://inside.mygamercard.net/2008/...ssault-achievements-flip-out-and-kill-people/

Neophyte
Finish Mission 1 without being spotted by anyone except Echigoya. 10
Apprentice
Finish Mission 28 without being discovered by anyone. 10
Footsoldier
Finish Mission 8 with at least 90 seconds left. 10
Genin
Finish Mission 21 with at least 60 seconds left. 10
Spy
Finish Mission 11 without taking any damage. 15

Chunin
Finish Mission 26 without taking any damage. 15
Oniwaban
Pull off a 15-hit combo.(Solo Play) 15
Jonin
Pull off a 20-hit combo.(Solo Play) 15
Veteran Ninja
Pull off a 25-hit combo.(Solo Play) 20
Expert Ninja
Unlock Kagura. 20
Master Ninja
Unlock Onikage. 25
Legendary Ninja
Unlock all available characters. 35
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Beat 'n Groovy

http://inside.mygamercard.net/2008/08/30/you-just-got-served-some-beatn-groovy-achievements/

Music Maniac
Complete every song in Arcade Mode. 10
Superstar
Earn a perfect rating on every song in Arcade Mode. 25
Dance Master
Score 90,000 points or more on every song in Arcade Mode. 15
Normal Clear
Complete every song in Arcade Mode in 5-Button Mode. 15
Easy Clear
Complete every song in Arcade Mode in 3-Button Mode. 15

Entertainer
Get a combo of 100 or more in Arcade Mode. 20
Ranked Veteran
Play 100 ranked matches. 10
Dance Pwnage
Win a ranked match by 5,000 points or more. 10
Dancin’ All Night
Complete Endless Mode. 30
Ranked Master
Win 10 consecutive ranked matches. 25
Ranked Match Newbie
Win a ranked match. 5
Veteran Dancer
Earn a total lifetime score of 10 million points across all of your games. 20
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UGO.Com XBLA Games Blog goes hands-on with Magic: The Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers

http://gamesblog.ugo.com/index.php/...ic_the_gathering_duels_of_the_planeswalkers1/

ands-On Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers
Posted by Locke Webster on 08/31 at 12:08 AM


Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers has been revealed for the first time at this year’s PAX. The XBLA title is based on the enormously popular Magic the Gathering Trading Card Game, and it manages to recreate the feeling of playing Magic with a speed that casual gamers can come to appreciate.

Picking up the controller and jumping into a match was as easy as picking the color of deck that I wanted to play with. Back when I used to play Magic, I’d usually focus on Green or Blue--counterspells are the best! But since this is an early build of the game (I’m told that the developers, Stainless Games, are still in alpha), I was only able to pick a single colored deck. I decided to go with Green for simplicity’s sake.

There’s one important distinction that I need to make before delving any deeper into the TCG simulator. Duels of the Planeswalkers is not the ultimate recreation of the Magic system. If you want a “complete” Magic experience, then you should stick with the PC version of the game that allows you to construct your own deck from scratch. Planeswalkers only allows you to customize pre-made decks.

By traversing the single-player campaign that comes with the game, players will unlock new decks and individual cards that can be used later to alter your current deck. The cards in the game include a number from the yet-to-be-released “Shards of Alara” edition, as well as some older cards that former players will definitely recognize. During my demo the computer put “The Rack” into play. Isn’t that from the first edition? Does anyone remember?


Playing the game was a cinch. It’s Magic the Gathering through and through. The only difference to playing “real” Magic, is that the computer actually does a bunch of the work for you. If you can’t block an attacking creature with “fear” then it doesn’t give you the option. There’s no bickering over rules, and that’s what sells it for me.

New players (or learning players) can hold either trigger anytime to blow up any card on the table and read its description. Furthermore, pressing the Left Bumper brings up a “dummy” description of what the sometimes confusing terms actually mean. I had forgotten that a creature with “fear” could only be blocked by other black creatures. But with the Left Bumper I was back in action in a matter of moments.

Ultimately, I did end up losing to the computer (and then I was told it was set to “easy.” That’s depressing…), but I enjoyed my time getting reacquainted with the TCG I had left behind so many years ago. The final game will ship with both single player and co-op campaigns. The co-op, I’m told will pit players against “two-headed” monsters of sorts--each player facing off against a different deck. And of course there’s an online mode that will surely take off when the game releases. It’s important to note though, that players can only unlock cards by playing the single player campaign.

With no solid release date in sight (it’s got a tentative spring ’09 at the moment) we have plenty of time to wait for Duels of the Planewalkers. But I’m honestly ready for it now. I’ll definitely give in to the game whenever it happens comes out.
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First Screenshots of Magic: The Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers


DotPDeckManager.jpg


AbyssalSpecter.jpg
 
Stumpokapow said:
Yeah, that's a dealbreaker for me.
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By traversing the single-player campaign that comes with the game, players will unlock new decks and individual cards that can be used later to alter your current deck. The cards in the game include a number from the yet-to-be-released “Shards of Alara” edition, as well as some older cards that former players will definitely recognize. During my demo the computer put “The Rack” into play. Isn’t that from the first edition? Does anyone remember?[/QUOTE

Sounds like its like Culdecept, you have a premade deck and you change it with cards you win.

Thats fine by me. Wasnt looking forward to 240 space bucks a pack
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Watched the Shred Nebula videos -- the game looks a lot better than it did in screens somehow. I don't exactly dig the palette choices, but I'll certainly give it a try.
 
Grecco said:
Sounds like its like Culdecept, you have a premade deck and you change it with cards you win.

Thats fine by me. Wasnt looking forward to 240 space bucks a pack
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If I can't recreate decks I played in the 90s, I'm not going to play the game. I realize that might be an unreasonable request, but that's my standard for buying a Magic game.
 
http://www.gamerbytes.com/2008/09/sierra_lives_the_incredible_ma.php

Sierra Lives! The Incredible Machine And 3D Ultra Mini Golf 2 On Their Way
3dultra2.png

The Australian classification website has updated, with a selection of brand new ratings that show Sierra is still somewhat alive - The Incredible Machine and a sequel to 3D Ultra Mini Golf are coming to what we can assume are Xbox Live Arcade, and possibly the PlayStation Network.

The Incredible Machine for Xbox Live Arcade was revealed a long time ago - in fact, it was announced back in June 2006 during Vivendi Game's Investor Presentation along with Mega Force (which we also haven't heard from) and Red Baron Arcade (which now seems to be PSN exclusive). Since then we've not heard a peep about the game, until now.

While not particularly considered a good game by many reviews 3D Ultra Mini Golf ended up being a star of the Xbox Live Arcade, being the 6th best selling title of 2007, and the best selling Sierra title on the platform (Ed. note: should have been Switchball). It's no wonder that Sierra green lit a sequel, but it seems a bit odd considering Activision have released their own golf game Golf: Tee It Up for the XBLA as well. Can the two coexist? Could it possibly use Avatar support like Wii Sports? Hopefully something pops up soon.

These entries into the Australian Classification database specifically mention both Sierra Online as well as Activision Blizzard - so these were not set in place by the old Vivendi Games that got its games cut down to size. These games I assume are also being made by Wanako Studios or internal development studios unlike Terminal Reality, who are creating the Ghost Busters 2009 title.

It's great to know that The Incredible Machine is still on track for something. I can't wait to throw a bowling ball into a cat to smash a fishbowl.
secretservice.png

Finally, as a side note, a 3rd entry did pop up in the classification site - Secret Service. This title didn't mention Sierra, but is also a sudden pop up for the classification website. Activision does have a series titled Secret Service - a really old 2001 "Activision Value" title that got some pretty bad reviews, but that's already been rated. Does Activision intend on bringing the brand back via downloadable title? Who knows, it's all speculation at this point.
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Age of Booty Priceing revealed

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=228864

Age of Booty to cost just over a fiver News

News by Ellie Gibson

Today 08:46

Capcom has revealed new pirate-themed RTS Age of Booty will cost just USD 10, or around a fiver in the old money. That's according to Choicest Games, and confirmed on the Capcom blog. Apparently the price applies whether you're downloading the game via PC, Xbox Live Arcade or PlayStation Network.

Meanwhile, another blog post states the closed beta for the game should kick off this week. "We have one more kink to work out to make sure all the key registration stuff works properly and we'll be ready to go," wrote a chap working on the game.

"Things are looking pretty good overall... We should be ready to release the real Age of Booty to you all in a few weeks."

There's been no further clarification of what "a few" means exactly, but expect more news soon.
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PAX 08: Torpex talks Schizoid, sales, marketing strategies and XNA development


http://www.xbox360fanboy.com/2008/0...ks-schizoid-sales-marketing-strategies-and-x/

Posted Sep 2nd 2008 3:00AM by Dustin Burg
Filed under: Interviews, Xbox Live Arcade
As part of our PAX 2008 coverage, we had a chance to talk all things Schizoid with Torpex Games' founder Bill Dugan and, in the process, we learned a lot. Dugan talked XBLA development, the troubles with marketing Arcade games and the limitations of working with XNA. He also opened up about Schizoid's game sales, their development problems and even an admittance that he wished Schizoid would have sold as well as Braid. It's a rather candid interview and is one that can be read (in its entirety) after the break. Enjoy!

How happy were you with Schizoid as a whole, from conception to development through release?

Bill Dugan: We are stoked about it and we're sad about it, because you always want to work on a game forever. I'm a glass half empty kind of guy when it comes to being a manager, so all I see is the flaws. We could have worked on Schizoid for another year and made it incrementally better, but you never have time. We're delighted with the way it has come out as a co-op game though.

To the XBLA community, it seemed like Schizoid was in development for a long time. Is there a reason why the development cycle took so long?

Bill: There's a bunch of stuff I could blame it on. Every console game has a whole TCR list of things you have to do to make it work on the console precisely well and if it doesn't hit everything correctly, then you get rejected from manufacturing and you can't publish it on the console. If it would have been a PC game then we would have released it long ago, but it's complicated so we had to polish it up, make it work with profiles and make it work correctly.

You're talking about Microsoft's certification process?

Bill: Not just Microsoft, it would have been the same with any of the consoles.

Speaking of Microsoft, how involved were they in the development of the game, especially seeing that Schizoid was an XNA title?

Bill: Well, it's not like they did any coding for us or anything like that, I mean we did all the work. Though, we did work closely with them in finalizing a version of XNA that would work on the Xbox. Since we're the first XNA game to ship on the Xbox Live Arcade, they had to make a version of XNA that worked on Live Arcade a little bit earlier than they had been planning. So, we were going over there and meeting with them all the time and talking with them about performance and stuff like that. But they didn't write any part of the game if that's what you're wondering. Though, it would have been nice. Not that I'm saying they didn't cooperate or help us, because they were really awesome.

Now that Schizoid has been released, can you talk about the game's success in terms of its sales?

Bill: We're pretty pleased with it, though I would have been a little bit happier if it would have sold as many copies as Braid, but it didn't. The sales also were steady, so it might be that sort of thing where, since it's a multiplayer game, it might have longer legs instead of being a single player game that you get sick of quickly.

Like you said, you wish Schizoid would have sold as many copies as Braid. Knowing this, do you find it hard for developers to make a "big splash" on the Xbox Live Arcade or do you feel like you could have done something differently to market Schizoid to the Arcade community?

Bill: We spent 100% of our marketing money on PR and didn't spend any on marketing or promotion. Maybe that was a mistake and if we had to do it again maybe I would have spent more money on promoting it. You gotta roll your own, all the developers on the Arcade have to do their own marketing and it's just an area where, being a small studio, we don't have a large marketing budget.

What's your opinion on how Microsoft splits up the money for Xbox Live Arcade games between them and developers. Specifically, what do you think about the Arcade pay schedule?

Bill: All that stuff is under NDA so, obviously, they're really uncomfortable with us talking about it at all. As far as improving it, I could say we should get more money, but that doesn't talk about the success of the platform and how much they support it. So it all gets complicated.

How about downloadable content, do you have anything planned for Schizoid?

Bill: We can't do it for Schizoid, because the first version of XNA game studio is a version that doesn't support downloadable content. Schizoid is what it is.

So, it's a technical issue?

Bill: It is with us using the first version of XNA game studio, but I understand that they may have changed that by now, but I'm not really sure. When we look at 3.0 we'll have to look at the feature list.

Do you have any information to share with us regarding Torpex's next project, which platform it's being developed for, which genre it's based on or when we'll see it release?

Bill: We're working on a prototype right now for a publisher and is something we'll talk about at some point in the future.

Do you agree with us that Schizoid's "Sploderific" achievement is the best achievement to unlock out of the 360's entire game library?

Bill: There is no doubt in my mind.
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Shred Nebula”

Outerspace is about to get crazy.

“Shred Nebula” is bringing incredible graphics, blisteringly fast action, challenging levels and 8 person multiplayer to Xbox LIVE Arcade this week. The deep multiplayer space combat system with weapon vs. weapon counters, defensive maneuvers and special attacks takes this game beyond your average space shooter.

“Shred Nebula” also comes packed with 3 different modes of play: Adventure, Score Attack and multiplayer Deathmatch. For a real rush check out the split-screen guest live deathmatch and co-op score attack modes.

Developed by CrunchTime Games Inc, and published by Microsoft, “Shred Nebula” will be available for 800 Microsoft Points worldwide and is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB.

For more details on “Shred Nebula” please visit:http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/b/sh...boxlivearcade/

Or http://www.shrednebula.com/

“Pirates vs Ninjas Dodgeball”

Sure, you’ve played dodgeball before. Just never like this.

In this fast-paced action game from Blazing Lizard, Pirates, Ninjas, Robots, and Zombies battle across unique arenas with one goal in mind... knock each other senseless with a rubber ball! Perform powerful special abilities, melee attacks and multiple throws to eliminate your opponents, and play through each team’s unique story mode to learn the truth behind their rivalry.

Of course, no dodgeball battle royale is complete without teaming up with your friends, so make sure you hop online and compete in up to 8-player, competitive matches over Xbox LIVE.

Developed by Blazing Lizard, and published by Gamecock Media Group, “Pirates vs Ninjas Dodgeball” will be available for 800 Microsoft Points worldwide and is rated E 10+ for Everyone over the age of 10 by the ESRB.

For more details on “Pirates vs Ninjas” please visit http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/b/Pi...boxlivearcade/

“Gin Rummy”

Get ready to scream “Gin Rummy!” at the top of your lungs, because the card classic is coming to Xbox LIVE Arcade.

Players will need to strategically select the right cards to complete combinations of sets and runs, minimizing the risk of getting caught with a poor hand in all 6 of the challenging variations of the game. Knock out your opponent with high scores and bonus points, and video chat with players from around the world for endless hours of casual card game fun.

This version of Gin Rummy isn’t just a deck of cards…6 Popular Game Modes come packed in the game including, Classic Gin Rummy, Speed Gin Rummy, Oklahoma Gin, Hollywood Gin, Three-Hand Gin. You can event customize your own rules. And with 4 player multiplayer matches and Xbox LIVE Vision support, you’ll never go back to the normal card game again.

Developed and published by Sierra Online, “Gin Rummy” will be available for 400 Microsoft Points worldwide and is rated E Everyone over the age of 3 by the ESRB.

For more details on “Gin Rummy” please visit http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/b/ginrummy xboxlivearcade/

*************

Finally, be sure to check out the downloadable content for “Poker Smash,” including a new in-game environment pack. The pack features two new action mode environments each with an original song, all of for the price of 100 Microsoft Points. New Gamerpics will be available as well.
 
320 points for a single course ?


When I read the news I wanted to finally buy this game since the content was a problem but now ... 320 extra points ...
 
Hmm, i'd have bitten for 200 but 320? I'll pass for now... as im going to uni in a few weeks I want to save my points and i've not bought Braid or Castle Crashers which I probably would've done...

Gowans! We still need to wh0re the achievements on that :(
 
Eh, I bought it. While I don't mind the game, my brother seems quite addicted to it. 800 for two courses isn't far off. 250 would have been the sweet spot though.

Man those holes are hard! Some of them have such bitches of greens on them with steep hills. One of the holes is on the top of a Casino building - it's certainly more the harder, wackier courses, like the final few for Parkland. :lol
 
Some quick demo impressions:

Gin Rummy - If you like the card game, this version seems pretty well done. Though personally I only play card games with real cards.

PvN Dodgeball - What's the point of having a fixed camera that doesn't let you see everything? Awkward, much like the controls. I'm sure it'll be fun in multiplayer, but it could really have been better done. The AI is pretty bad also. Reminds me of Kung Fu Chaos in more than just looks.

Shred Nebula - Controls take a little getting used to, but the game is pretty cool as a top down fighter, though there's something strange about the turning that was throwing me off the whole time, like it could never quite turn in the direction I was pointing. It also feels like it was designed for small TVs with the way the too large hud is set up. Loading times are also surprisingly long. Still worth a try.
 
Rlan said:
Eh, I bought it. While I don't mind the game, my brother seems quite addicted to it. 800 for two courses isn't far off. 250 would have been the sweet spot though.

Man those holes are hard! Some of them have such bitches of greens on them with steep hills. One of the holes is on the top of a Casino building - it's certainly more the harder, wackier courses, like the final few for Parkland. :lol
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New achievements added? How many points? (I ask to know how many extra DLC will come in the future (based on the 50 point limit).

I think I will grab it, although 350 pts is a little too much. As said, 250 points would be the sweetest spot. Is the course good like Caribean one or messy like the Hihglands one?
 
It's a pretty good course, but as I said there are some very hard and frustrating points to it. Like the last few points of parklands which have some crazy floating island esque points.

No extra achievement points, strangely. Speaking of achievements, I just got this:

didntplanthat.png


Did not plan that at all :lol It appears to be 1942 which got me that 6 :lol
 
Glix said:
I think the site you linked to may be not allowed.
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Wasn't aware of that... but that's a good reason why mods should explain why they lock some threads instead of jsut doing it and making people wonder...

Anyway I edited the link to different source.
 
SlaughterX said:
Wasn't aware of that... but that's a good reason why mods should explain why they lock some threads instead of jsut doing it and making people wonder...

Anyway I edited the link to different source.
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I think it's because there is a thread on the TGS line-up already.
 
IGN XBLA Reviews Pirates Vs. Ninja Dodgeball

http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/907/907541p1.html

Closing Comments
Some people may have balked at the idea of spending 1200 Microsoft points ($15 US) for games like Braid or Castle Crashers, but when the alternative is this game at 800 points it makes those games look like a complete steal. By adding new rules to the game of dodgeball, Blazing Lizard has removed everything that made the schoolyard game fun and replaced it with a bunch of arena brawling game ideas we've seen done better a thousand times over.

IGN Ratings for Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball (X360)

5.0 Presentation
Pirates and ninjas could be used to much better effect.
6.5 Graphics
A decent looking XBLA game with some questionable visual effects.
3.0 Sound
The music isn't good and neither are the effects.
4.5 Gameplay
Dodgeball should be much more exciting than this.
3.0 Lasting Appeal
There's nothing here to pull you back for more.
4.5
Poor OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)
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Team Xbox reviews Pirates Vs. Ninjas Dodgeball

http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/1559/Pirates-vs-Ninjas-Dodgeball/p1/

Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball Review (Xbox 360)
By: Tom Price - "Tomelet"
September 3rd, 2008
Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball (Xbox 360)

If the title alone had you interested – after all, pirates, ninjas and dodgeball are all in our top 100 things we like of all time lists – then you better think again. Unfortunately, the title alone, Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball is the best part of the game. The cool train ends right there, because the game itself is a misconceived and poorly executed game all around.

The biggest problem is that the game isn’t really dodgeball. The gameplay is more akin to a classic brawler or beat ‘em up, with red bouncy balls in the world as an easy to pick up weapon. Actually, let me correct myself there, the ball is not easy to pick up. Thanks to some weird design choices and bad programming of the controls, picking up balls, or even seeing where they are in relation to you is difficult. The game features a weirdly shallow dynamic camera that makes following the action, especially your character onscreen an exercise in futility. When you’re playing an action game, and it’s confusing and not fun to even take part in the action, you’ve got a big problem.

But back to the issue of the game design. The PvNDM sports three sets of game rules: Combat Dodgeball, Enhanced Dodgeball and Traditional Dodgeball only seem to differ in your ability to cross the middle line or use special attacks. They don’t really offer any variety of gameplay between them. And none of them even begin to resemble the game of dodgeball, not even the Traditional game type.


Being a brawler is fine, there’s nothing wrong with a game that lets you beat on people relentlessly, especially if the people beating on one another are long term rivals; the pirates and the ninjas. But there are also robots and zombies (two more favorites of the internet forum-addicted) and the visual designs of them all are cute enough. They all have weapons and special attacks, but again, what does that have to do with dodgeball? It’s obvious developer Blazing Lizard is trying to be innovative, and we should always give points for doing that. But the innovations don’t really take hold of the gamer, and end up being more “alternate” than “innovative”. It might help if the game was actually enjoyable to play, which it is not.

The biggest problem is that camera. Set at a low angle, it’s nearly impossible to identify the character your controlling when you’re playing anything more than two on two. Everyone on screen just sort of blends into a mass of cute little moving arms and legs. Plus, identifying where the ball is and how to get it is next to impossible; thanks to the job the view does on your depth perception. We should have been able to change the view, or rotate the camera around and up and down.

And even if you do get a handle on where you are and what you’re doing, just controlling your character will be frustrating enough to make you want to give up. Players are very unresponsive, and it’s tough to actually time a catch of a ball being thrown at you. But once again, that’s partly due to the crummy camera.

On paper, Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball sounds like a lot of silly fun. But instead of reinventing the gameplay, maybe the developers should have made more time making the game actually playable. What we’re left with is a clever idea that was not executed to any satisfying end. The pirates and the ninjas (as well as the robots and the zombies) deserved a lot more.
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Overall Rating: 3.1
 
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