Official Xbox Live Arcade Thread

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Toy Soldiers—XBLA, Facebook Games Have Connections

http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/22098/Toy-SoldiersXBLA-Facebook-Games-Have-Connections/

Ken Lobb, a creative director for Microsoft Game Studios, gave us a little more insight into the Toy Soldiers: Match Defense game that’ll be launching on Facebook on Friday. It will support and cross-promote the Xbox Live Arcade title, which hits on March 3 as the first entry in the “Block Party” promotion, but there’s also some connectivity between them.

At today’s X10 showcase in San Francisco, Lobb told TeamXbox that Toy Soldiers: Match Defense is “a Match-3 game with tower defense elements.” This has similarities to how Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords uses the Match-3 format as the main gameplay mechanic in a deep RPG, while Namco Bandai’s Gyromancer uses the Bejeweled Twist-style board to drive the RPG in that XBLA game.

Lobb said that the Facebook and XBLA versions of Toy Soldiers will be standalone games, which will both center on the “meta war” at the center of the Toy Soldiers story. There are a number of connection points in the XBLA version, such as the appearance of a pointer to the Facebook game from the XBLA game’s title screen. Additionally, Lobb said that you’ll be able to “monitor the war”—and how the Facebook game influences it—from the XBLA game, while being able to see XBLA scores from the Facebook app.

Even more exciting, though, is Lobb’s statement that you’ll be able to “earn a buff” in Toy Soldiers if you’re active in both games. Much like how owning the Wolfenstein XBLA added gold to your coffers in the Wolfenstein boxed release, it’s interesting that you’ll be able to receive a benefit in the XBLA title for playing on Facebook.

That’s all the info we have now, but you can count on TeamXbox bringing you new details as we get them leading up to Toy Soldiers’ March 3 release, as well as tomorrow’s appearance of Toy Soldiers: Match Defense on Facebook.
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Tonight was the first night I've ever really looked at the Indie Games section of XBLA, and holy shit at some of that stuff. I mean, Don't Be Nervous When Talking To a Girl, really? :lol

For the hell of it I downloaded the trial of I made a game and put zombies in it or whatever. The song that starts the game is hilarious.
 
I'm pretty excited about Game Room. I don't know exactly how much money/time I'll spend on it, but I will be checking out the games every week and surely buying some. Kohler is, IMO, is a pretty trustworthy source of opinion on retro/classic games. If he thinks it's worth a look, that says something, at least until I can get my own hands on it.

What's most significant to me is what is mentioned in the last paragraph of that piece: It's not just re-releases, it's an attempt to add value. It's really regrettable that even when we get great classic compilations on disc, you never get anything extra besides a lame 2-minute vid of the developer answering obvious questions, or an even lamer still photo of the original packaging. Game publishers hardly ever treats classics with the same reverence the players do. A little bit would go a long way, and god forbid they give us something akin to a Criterion Collection. I guess the Sega Ages series in Japan is the closest it's ever come.

Not saying Game Room approaches that level, but it at least it's more than a ROM dump.

toythatkills said:
I have never been less interested in XBLA :(
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Hey man, it's not our fault you hate fun.
 
charlequin said:
Have you... looked at some of the stuff that's coming out? :lol
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Yeah, I didn't just make that statement based upon nothing. As far as I can tell everything is dull, overpriced, old, or an awkward combination of all three.

I can think of Joe Danger, and whatever NinjaBee are doing, but aside from that, rubbish.

Indie Games is putting XBLA to shame right now, has been for months.
 
New Game Room Screenshots

http://media.xbox360.ign.com/media/056/056752/imgs_1.html

game-room-20100212104517909.jpg


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New Scrap Metal Screenshots

http://media.xbox360.ign.com/media/029/029604/imgs_1.html

scrap-metal-20100212104851823.jpg


scrap-metal-20100212104853573.jpg


scrap-metal-20100212104855244.jpg


scrap-metal-20100212104857276.jpg
 
X10 Game Room Impressions

http://www.gamepro.com/article/previews/213995/game-room-at-x10-authenticity-rules/

Xbox Live Arcade and all-around DLC junkie Dave Rudden has had his doubts about Game Room, the new virtual arcade from Microsoft. Will getting to try the service hands-on change his mind?

While I still like disc-based games, I've fallen head over heels for downloadable games. They're innovative, cheap, fun achievement/trophy fodder that are often easy to learn and hard to master. Plus, it doesn't hurt that I can change games without having to get up and walk the longer-than-it-seems 8 feet between my futon and console. So when the Game Room was announced, I was pretty darn skeptical, since these aren't the kind of DLC games I typically gravitate towards, and the entire interface is based on making my Avatar schlep through many arcades. While Game Room hasn't wholeheartedly earned back my favor just yet, a few small things are working in a big way to change that.

Game Room is set to launch with roughly 30 classic arcade games, including the likes of Pitfall, Tempest, and Asteroids, but my mission was to seek out the obscure titles that were never found on the carpet of my older brother's room or in the dank arcades I visited in my youth. The first game was a fairly popular title that was nonetheless new to me called Astro Smash (Demon Attack was my chosen Space Invaders knockoff of that era). It was... a Space Invaders knockoff, but I was able to focus on the cool tweaks available for the game, including changing the game to a nostalgia-inducing "black and white mode" as well as the medals that are awarded for hitting top scores, surviving for certain amounts of time without dying, and playing the game for a set period.
Game Room at X10 -- authenticity rules

Before I move onto the next game, let me quickly address Achievements in Game Room, since I've been curious about that for a while and think you might be, too. There are 1000 Microsoft Points up for grabs spread across the entire service, and a large portion of them are awarded for earning a certain amount of bronze, silver, or gold medals -- none are tied to any specific game. Other Achievements encourage exploring and decorating the Game Room. You can't unlock every Achievement with just one game, and when I asked how many games would be necessary to be able to unlock everything, the Game Room developer stated that it would cost "roughly the price of a retail game," which seems to be around the 10-game mark, given the fact that single platform games cost $3 and PC/360 versions are $5. Fair enough, given the Achievement point number -- and way better than hearing "all of them."

After that, I moved onto an Intellivision title called Mountain Madness Super Pro Skiing. It became quickly obvious that this system won't be the Game Room's strong suit. The PS2-era Intellivision collections didn't have a standout way to emulate the Intellivision's massive multi-button pad, and the Xbox 360 suffers some of the same maladies. The game involved a lot of programming and choices to start, but it played fine and controlled decently once the gameplay started thanks to the fact that each game has a handful of control options. It's worth noting that these games have an extremely high barrier of entry, especially compared to the pick-up-and-play style of the arcade titles, particularly...
Game Room at X10 -- authenticity rules

Jungler, a Konami coin-op that I've never seen in my life before, and wish that I had consumed during my youth, as it's an amalgamation of so many of the best arcade games of the 80s. It's got Pac-Man style mazes met with Millipede-style shooting and characters. You control what looks like a large, segmented creature as it chases other large segmented creatures. In order to remove your enemy's segments, you must shoot it from behind. It's easier said than done, since these things can get loooong. Thankfully, the "Classic" mode has a rewind function, which allows you to undo mistakes, VHS-style. It's hardly realistic, but it's still a blast to use.

There are a couple of cool little extras that may make this service better than "PlayStation Home with Avatars." You can send customized challenges that up to eight players can engage in, and any games that you own that a friend has the high score in will be decorated with a banner bearing their name, giving you incentive to try to beat their record. Purchasing a game on its first day of availability (or spending $.50 later on) will unlock sprite accessories that will run through your Game Room. It doesn't seem like you can really do anything with Pitfall Harry cavorting through the halls, but it's a neat little addition that serves as a cool freebie for the hardcore. I know I'm buying Keystone Kapers on day one. I just hope it gives me a sprinting British policeman hopping in my Game Room.

Game Room launches next month with 30 classic arcade, Atari, and Intellivision games from the likes of Konami and Activison. Hopefully we'll see more classic arcade companies like Capcom and Namco jump on board sooner rather than later.
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toythatkills said:
Yeah, I didn't just make that statement based upon nothing.
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Right, and I am judging you for it. :D

What exactly is missing for you? Fez should be showing up soon. Twisted Pixel and Ninjabee both have awesome-looking new games coming. I can buy the idea that the "old" stuff coming to XBLA isn't appealing if you feel like you've spent too much time with it before but both Doom II and PD are extremely exciting from my perspective. Winterbottom ought to be quite a bit of fun. And so on and so forth.
 
Crap, forgot Fez!

It's just all the stuff they're really pushing right now, it's just so bland. I'm sure there's plenty to get excited about, but it's the stuff they aren't bothering to mention, so no one knows it exists.
 
Achievements: Greed Corp

http://www.xbox360achievements.org/game/greed-corp/achievements/

[Printable Version ]
There are 12 achievements with a total of 200 points.

Lost in the Wave 5
Destroy an enemy unit or building with a chain reaction (Freemen campaign)

Island of Doom 10
Destroy an enemy island of at least 3 tiles by strategically placing a harvester (Pirate campaign)

With Cannon, you can 15
Fire a free shell from a free cannon at the enemy you captured it from (Cartel campaign)

Fear of Flying 20
Win a match without using a carrier (Empire campaign)

Global Warfare 25
Complete the entire campaign

Moving through the Ranks 20
Earn 9 titles

Daylight Saving 5
Win a match without the time expiring in any turn (Skilled/Expert)

Got it Covered 10
Build enough armed cannons to cover all remaining tiles in the map (Skilled/Expert)

Financially Independent 20
Win a match before the supporting funds go up (Skilled/Expert)

Use it Wisely 20
Earn a combination of credits, tiles and carriers as an elimination bonus (Skilled/Expert)

One at a Time 20
Win by fighting all enemies 1 at a time (4P, Skilled/Expert)

Manual Override 30
Win while only losing harvesters through self-destruct, own 1 or more each turn (4P, Skilled/Expert)
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Achievements: Fret Nice

http://www.xbox360achievements.org/game/fret-nice/achievements/

[Printable Version ]
There are 12 achievements with a total of 200 points.

Ready to rock 5
Clear the first level

Stabilized 15
Get all medals in any level

All powered up 15
Have all 4 power-ups at the same time

The Per Lundberg syndrome 30
Get 100% of all medals

Hard as Rock 25
Complete the game on Hard difficulty

Ambitiously ambidextrous 15
Clear at least 3 levels with all 3 controller types

Bubbler of the week 15
Get 10 enemies within the same bubble

Skull and crushed bones 15
Crush 10 skulls without touching the ground

Given to wail 20
Clear all levels using a guitar

Firewalker 15
Defeat 100 enemies using the Fire Boots

Incognito 25
In single player, clear each standard level collecting less than 20 points

Secret Achievements


Secret Achievement 5
Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement.
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toythatkills said:
Yeah, I didn't just make that statement based upon nothing. As far as I can tell everything is dull, overpriced, old, or an awkward combination of all three.

I can think of Joe Danger, and whatever NinjaBee are doing, but aside from that, rubbish.
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Stuff I'm tentatively interested in;

February-March:
Darwinia+, PB Winterbottom, Perfect Dark XBLA, Lazy Raiders

Future:
Afterburner Climax, Risk, Joy Ride, Joe Danger, Fez, Toki HD, Zeno Clash XBLA, Spelunky XBLA, Plants vs Zombies, Metal Slug 7, Doom II XBLA, Comic Jumper (next from Maw/Splosion Man devs), Ancients of Ooga (next from Ninjabee), World of Keflings.

I feel pretty good about XBLA 2010.
 
Stumpokapow said:
Stuff I'm tentatively interested in;

February-March:
Darwinia+, PB Winterbottom, Perfect Dark XBLA, Lazy Raiders

Future:
Afterburner Climax, Risk, Joy Ride, Joe Danger, Fez, Toki HD, Zeno Clash XBLA, Spelunky XBLA, Plants vs Zombies, Metal Slug 7, Doom II XBLA, Comic Jumper (next from Maw/Splosion Man devs), Ancients of Ooga (next from Ninjabee), World of Keflings.

I feel pretty good about XBLA 2010.
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I'm also looking forward to Scrap Metal, Toy Soldiers, Shank, Airburst, Ender's Game, R.B.I. Baseball, and Tecmo Bowl. But I'm not sure if the last two are still coming out.
 
March 31st for Megaman 10? That's a kick in the balls.

I could just grab the Wiiware version but I already have MM9 360 and have barely touched it. Probably gonna do a March of Megaman month or something and shoot through 1 to 9 and cap off with 10.

Not sure what to pick up when 360 Game Room launches. I already have the Activision Anthology so that covers my want for most anything on the 2600. Still though with 7 releases a week eventually something I'll be totally hot for will hit(Hey Konami! Sunset Riders!)
 
Shard said:
One legacy port at a time it seems, they gotta finish up Perfect Dark. Also, at the rate Rare is going, 2011.

2007 Jetpac Refeuled
2008 Banjo-Kazooie
2009 Banjo-Tooie
2010 Perfect Dark
2011 ???????????
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Rare isn't even doing perfect dark and they didn't do the Banjo games. Did they work on jetpac?
 
Stumpokapow said:
Stuff I'm tentatively interested in;

February-March:
Darwinia+, PB Winterbottom, Perfect Dark XBLA, Lazy Raiders

Future:
Afterburner Climax, Risk, Joy Ride, Joe Danger, Fez, Toki HD, Zeno Clash XBLA, Spelunky XBLA, Plants vs Zombies, Metal Slug 7, Doom II XBLA, Comic Jumper (next from Maw/Splosion Man devs), Ancients of Ooga (next from Ninjabee), World of Keflings.

I feel pretty good about XBLA 2010.
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SapientWolf said:
I'm also looking forward to Scrap Metal, Toy Soldiers, Shank, Airburst, Ender's Game, R.B.I. Baseball, and Tecmo Bowl. But I'm not sure if the last two are still coming out.
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Indeed, there are tons of good games coming out.
 
Jetpac Refuelled is the best 400 points I've ever spent. I'm still only halfway thru the game... I hit a wall and I just start sucking.

One day I'll finish it. One day.
 
Noogy said:
Awesome lineup. Perfect Dark for 800 is a steal! And MM10 will be mine.
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Seems like a good time to ask when your game is due ;)

I think I'm finally giving up on ever seeing Things on Wheels..
 
MS should stop delaying JoyRide. Too bad for Sega Racing, Things on Wheels and such.

I want my free kart racer and play with all my friends.
 
Release Dates for all Block Party members have been finalized.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=235151

Microsoft's dated the Xbox Live Arcade games featured in its Xbox Live House Party promotion, which kicks off next month.

Top of the pile is the remake of Rare's excellent Perfect Dark, which will hit Xbox Live Arcade on March 17. Virtual, PlayStation Home-esque arcade, Game Room will follow later on March 24.

Anyone who buys all four of the House Party releases will have 400 MS Points refunded, says MS, and existing Gold members will get an extra month's game time for free. Generous.

Full list follows:

Toy Soldiers - 3 March
1200 MSP
Your army of antique toy soldiers battles it out across five unique maps, all with multiplayer potential. Deploy infantry, pilot zeppelins and fighter planes, or send in the cavalry...whatever it takes to earn victory in this action-packed strategy game.

Scrap Metal - 10 March
1200 MSP
Use rocket-launchers, flamethrowers and more dastardly tricks to ensure you finish first in more than 60 single-player missions. Or challenge friends to a Destruction Derby plus other superb multiplayer modes in split-screen or across Xbox LIVE.

Perfect Dark - 17 March
800 MSP
The celebrated action adventure from Rare, starring Joanna Dark in her landmark first mission. Newly 're-mastered' in high-definition and upgraded character models, you can play this classic shooter solo, 2-player split-screen or 8-player online.

Game Room, 24 March (Free download)
400 MSP dual-platform, 250 MSP single-platform, 40 MSP single play
More than 30 arcade classics in their original cabinets can be yours in your virtual game room. Couch Play mode lets you invite friends for two-player challenges at home, but the fun really takes off across Xbox LIVE with leaderboards to aim for.
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