BoomBoomRocket
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Boom Boom Rocket update live, joined by five free tunes
Revealed earlier this month, a title update to Xbox Live Arcade's rhythmic detonator Boom Boom Rocket is now available, bringing with it some bug fixes, added peripheral support and, most importantly, bigger and better 'splosions. In addition to supporting dance mats and fake guitars, we've found that the game also works with Rock Band's drum set, yielding an activity both challenging and utterly embarrassing. Arriving in tandem with the update is the game's long awaited downloadable content, announced by EA to be a set of five new songs: "Eine Kleine Rochtmusik" "Cannon in D" "Sugar High" "Sting of the Bumble Bee" "Explode to Joy" Yes, it seems someone's gone and shoved five more classical tunes through some sort of Eurotrash bastardization device, but we managed to enjoy the game despite that last time. Oh, and they're free until December 16th, after which they'll set you back 250 MS Points (an awkward $3 and 12.5 cents).Update: The DLC is now live.
Boom Boom Rocket update adds guitar, dance pad support
Because clearly, a music game simply isn't complete until it can turn mild-mannered button pushers into gyrating vessels of awkwardness. Not that we mind -- we're quite eager to stomp our way through Bizarre Creations' fun rocket-based rhythmer again. In a recent studio update, Bizarre reveals a new Xbox Live Arcade title update for Boom Boom Rocket has made its way through the certification gauntlet, bringing with it the following changes (the most important ones highlighted): Guitar and dance pad peripheral support. Japanese and Korean language support. Tweaked scoring system focusing only on accuracy. The huge loud "noise" which popped up occasionally on endurance mode is now gone. Occurrences of scores getting overwritten with a lower score when playing with 2 profiles signed in is now fixed. Display updates when viewing the game through a VGA cable. Friends leaderboard now shows extra information such as grade, accuracy, etc. Multiplayer endurance mode fix for player colors swapping sporadically. Slightly bigger and better explosions. Now if we could just get our arthritic hands on some new downloadable songs (actual music this time, please), we'll really see some fireworks.[Via 1UP]
New Boom Boom Rocket DLC is on its way
Bizarre Creations has confirmed that they are currently working on downloadable content for their firecracker of an XBLA game Boom Boom Rocket. The specifics like price and release date are still unknown, but what we do know is that the DLC will include five new songs. Which new songs? Well, that also has yet to be confirmed, but they did hint that the new tracks will be harder and should pose a challenge to even the most experienced Boom Boom Rocketers. We'll be sure to keep our ears open and our eyes peeled for any new info that heads our way concerning the new Boom Boom Rocket DLC. Boom!
Bizarre's Boom Boom Rocket firework blow out
Bizarre Creation's latest Studio Update goes into the mechanics of Boom Boom Rocket's fireworks. While it has no effect on the gameplay, it's cool to see the amount of detail that went into creating the different types of standard fireworks. On top of that, the details on what purpose they have in the musical timing, and when they are most frequently seen is also cool. Beyond the description for the types of fireworks, Bizarre also shed some light on the size of the title (around 73 MB), the level of detail in the city, and even a few of the easter eggs found in the environment. If you want to get the full skinny, click the "Read" link.
Live Top Ten: Symphony of Fire
This week's Live Top Ten is actually very similar to last week, with one minor exception. Gears of War, Rainbow Six Vegas, Guitar Hero II, CoD 3 and GRAW 2 all hold their previous standings in the top half with pride. Boom Boom Rocket makes an explosive appearance at the top of the bottom half, with Crackdown, Oblivion, Pro Evolution Soccer, and Madden '07 all shoving down a spot to make way for the Celebration of Light that is BBR. Full list available after the break, although with such a simple change from last week, you almost don't need to. Almost.
Electronic Arts opens Live Arcade website
With Boom Boom Rocket available now and Wing Commander Arena on the way, EA has thrown its proverbial hat into the Xbox Live Arcade ring. It looks like EA is planning to be in for the long haul, as the company has launched an official site dedicated to Xbox Live Arcade projects. Right now, the only games spotlighted are Boom Boom Rocket and Wing Commander Arena, though there are two vacant spots left. So, expect at least two more titles from EA to land on the Arcade. The site also hosts forums and allows users to sign up for email spam updates. Each game also has its own mini-site with requisite videos and (surprisingly low res) screenshots. Hit the "read" link to check it out.Is anyone out there enjoying Boom Boom Rocket so far?
Is Boom Boom Rocket the new Geo Wars?
As the second Xbox Live Arcade title from Bizarre Creations -- creators of Geometry Wars -- and the first Arcade title published by Electronic Arts, Boom Boom Rocket comes with considerable expectations attached to it. Geometry Wars is arguably the best title on Live Arcade and it's certainly one of the best values. It is also one of the most difficult. Boom Boom Rocket, by comparison, is a much simpler affair (for twice the price). Anyone who has played Dance Dance Revolution (or even Guitar Hero to a certain extent) will be instantly familiar with Boom Boom Rocket. As multicolored fireworks race towards a line at the top of the screen, it is the player's task to press the appropriate buttons as they pass the bar to the beat of the music. See, simple.Boom Boom Rocket mixes up the formula slightly by sending fireworks in multiple directions, rather than straight up as in DDR. Half the challenge is seeing which firework will cross the line next. Thanks to the varying trajectories, the firework that appears on screen first won't necessarily be the first to cross the line. When multiple button combinations are flying all at once, it can get pretty hectic. Another edition to the DDR formula is the Bonus Run feature. Once your Bonus Bar is full, the Bonus Run can be activated with a pull of either trigger. This bumps the point multiplier up to x16 and makes your fireworks have more dazzling explosions. It's a simple addition, but it makes those moments a little more thrilling.
Boom Boom Rocket explodes onto XBLA
In a surprisingly late announcement, Bizarre Creations just released their second big arcade title to the XBLA ... Boom Boom Rocket! BBR offers crazy colorful visuals while you master setting off fireworks in rhythm to various music tracks. This fireworks show will set you back 800 Microsoft points and be released to the US, Canada and Europe initially with other territories to follow. We're excited to see if all the exploding fun is worth the 800 points, but knowing full well that there is no online multiplayer makes us a little cautious. No matter, that's what demos are for, so there is no reason not to give it a download. But remember fanboys, always have an adult nearby when exploding your fireworks. We don't want to hear about one of you accidentally blowing off your arms. Now, where's our lighter?[Thanks, to everyone who sent this in]
Boom Boom Rocket fires onto XBLA this Wednesday
Serious Cat is in severe danger of losing his home this month, but do you care? No, of course not. You're about as giddy as a 13 year old girl at a Cheetah Girls concert, what with all your Xbox Live Arcade releases as of late. Is that how you get your kicks? He's got a family you know. A whole litter of em'. But don't let that prevent you from enjoying this EA Pogo rhythm title.Boom Boom Rocket will be available this Wednesday (see: tomorrow) and will cost 800 Microsoft Points. We here at Joystiq love pushing buttons really fast to music when a game instructs us to do so, but we're a bit cautious with this one. Dance Dance Revolution for your fingers and fireworks? Sure, sounds great. We only hope that by "ten original tracks" they mean there are ten tracks on top of the classical music turned eurotrash we've already heard. Otherwise, a certain cat who's known to be serious may just earn a check this week.%Gallery-1637%
BBR achievements explode to the beat
The obsessive types over at Xbox360Achievements have uncovered the full list of achievements for Boom Boom Rocket. X3F readers will recall that BBR is the second XBLA title created by Bizarre Creations (with the first being the excellent Geometry Wars) and the first Arcade title to be published by Electronic Arts. Boom Boom Rocket is a rhythm game akin to Dance Dance Revolution. Players match the appropriate button to the beat, trigger fireworks that are oh so pretty. The title contains the standard 12 achievements and 200 gamerscore points. Most of the achievements come from things like completing songs on a certain difficulty level or with a certain rating.With the achievements revealed, could this mean that Boom Boom Rocket is close to release? We'll have to wait and see. Hit the "read" link to check out the achievements.
Boom Boom Rocket blasting XBLA mid-April
Bizarre Creations' Boom Boom Rocket will be exploding its vibrant colors on Xbox Live Arcade in the next few weeks. Speaking to CVG at an event in North London, the developer promised the EA-published game in mid-April.Given Xbox Live Arcade's release schedule is historically on Wednesday, that gives the developer three chances to make it before the end of April: 11, 18 or 25. (By the laws of faulty Geometry, mid-April can span the dates April 2 to April 29.)The game, Bizarre's first XBLA title since their successful launch title Geometry Wars, involves bursting multicolored fireworks in rhythm to the electronic music.%Gallery-1637%
BBR and The Club updates from Bizarre
Aside from mind blowing videos of EA producers with too much time (or skills) on the hands, Bizarre had a nice studio update this week. On The Club side of things, they revealed that several levels are now reaching the standard they set forth graphically to meet, as well as rapidly approaching having all the content present in the game, in one form or another. They also teased about having something special to show us regarding The Club in the near future. Back with Boom Boom Rocket, Ben gave us word that the game has hit Partnernet this week, and is close to launching, though they haven't decided on a date yet. He also showed off the Bonus Run's graphical style with a slew of screenshots, complete with Geometry War style shockwaves, rising water levels and reflecting windows on skyscrapers. Check out the other screenshots by clicking the "Read" link.
Video: Perfect BBR Run blind-freakin'-folded
Sometimes you come across displays of greatness that just cannot go without acknowledgment. Meet Joe, a producer at EA, who has what can only be called an intimate understanding of the game Boom Boom Rocket. This can be demonstrated by his ability to play 1812 Overdrive, on hard, blindfolded, and hit 100% of the fireworks. Damn, we don't know what else to say, but watch the video, and be amazed. Then watch it again. We've got more BBR news for you coming right up, but felt this deserved special attention.
EA announces Wii rhythm and karaoke game, Boogie
With Rayman's musical mini-games and the multi-peripheral DDR franchise already making passes at the Wii, it would seem that Nintendo's system gets along famously with the rhythm genre. The two are like a pair of dazed lovers skipping blissfully through a park, unaware that their uncontrolled flailing and unexpected gyration is leaving everyone in the nearby vicinity with bloody noses and swollen eyeballs. That certainly sounds like the ideal Wii experience, at least according to EA -- they've just announced Boogie, a Wii-exclusive rhythm game that wants you to dance, pose and sing your way to living room stardom.On the heels of XBLA's Boom Boom Rocket and EA's announced intention to bust into music games "sooner than you think" comes a game which, at first glance, appears to be the result of Tim Burton drunkenly colliding with a Singstar demo kiosk. Boogie will see gamers producing the moves and vocals for a music video, presumably making use of that super secret Wii microphone. The nunchuck is also incorporated here, giving rise to the possibility that the microphone peripheral itself may also harbor motion-sensing abilities akin to that of the Wiimote. What's the use of a microphone if you can't twirl it about like a buffoon?%Gallery-2230%
Five new XBLA games shown, no Mizuguchi
Serious cat is looking to make some more appearances in the future for XBLA Wednesdays. For as much as Wednesday is supposed to be all about Microsoft and arcade, we just haven't seen it. In a behind closed door meeting with Microsoft Casual Games' group manager, Bryan Trussel, and product unit manager, Chris Early, they showed off what's coming to the arcade. The Microsoft Casual Games' division name is a bit of a misnomer. With the expansion of 50 MB to 150 MB, the door opens to less-than-casual games, with Castlevania: Symphony of the Night being the prime example. Chris Early says, "From a player's standpoint it's about quick access ... I guess the way we look at a casual or arcade title is more about approachability, not a question of game length. It's do you need a manual to get into it, is it something you can get into and start playing relatively quickly ... something you can get gratification from instantly?" New games coming to the system were Jetpac: Refuelled, a graphically enhanced version of the classic game Jetpac. Minigolf Adventures, which plays like a quirky arcade golf game and certainly has the expansion possibilities already built in. Eets: Chowdown, a port of the PC puzzle game and Pinball FX -- a pinball game. And, of course, Boom Boom Rocket (800 points). BBR is DDR for your fingers. There is a line at the top of the screen and when the fireworks shooting from every direction reach the line you hit the corresponding button and it explodes. Looks great and addictive. Per usual, other than BBR's price, no other talk about cost or announcement on release dates. Although confirmed, Miziguichi's port of Every Extend Extra to XBLA was not discussed. (Image galleries after the break...)
BBR Logo & Price announced
The lads over at Bizarre Creation showed off their logo for the upcoming Xbox Live Arcade title, Boom Boom Rocket. They also told us that EA announced the pricing for the game, which is 800 MS Points. They go on to confirm that there are 10 songs, 3 difficulties, 4 game modes and multiplayer. They say that they're happy with the price point, given all that we're getting for the price. What do you think? Should we be paying the same as we did for Geometry Wars, or is there enough added to this experience to warrant double that price?
512MB memory card and exciting XBLA news
It looks like that silly rumor was true as Microsoft just announced a bigger memory card for the Xbox 360. The new 512MB Xbox 360 memory card will be available April 3rd, will retail for $49.99, and for a limited time will come pre-loaded with Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved. Simultaneously, the ancient 64MB memory card will drop in price to $29.99 (be on the lookout for clearance prices). Also, with the announcement of the new 512MB card, the XBLA size limit will be raised from 50MB to 150MB allowing developers to run wild with their creativity. Microsoft also announced that they'll be showcasing XBLA titles Boom Boom Rocket, 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures, Eets: Chowdown, Jetpac Refuelled, and Pinball FX at GDC. Check out the full press release after the break. So, after reading that informative spiel what is your gut reaction? We definitely agree with raising the XBLA size limit to 150MB and find the 512MB memory card to be a much better deal than the old 64MB version. And for curiosity's sake, is there anyone out there who just purchased a 64MB memory card and is kicking themselves?
EA busting into rhythm games 'sooner than you think'
Much like its title implies, Guitar Hero arrived as a sort of savior for a rhythm genre that had grown a little too obsessed with hypnotic arrows for its own good. The rocking success of Red Octane's franchise thrust the genre back into the console limelight, with its financial gyrations quickly drawing the fixation of several publishers. According to a recent interview conducted by Stephen Totilo of MTV News, EA is one such a publisher.Upon being asked about EA's plans in response to the success enjoyed by titles such as Guitar Hero and Dance Dance Revolution, EA's Worldwide Executive of Music and Marketing indicates that the gigantic publisher is already positioning itself on the diving board. "I've been pushing for a long time to be honest with you," says Steve Schnur. "I think you'll see us breaking into the genre sooner than you think."Of course, one could argue that EA is already doing so with the upcoming Boom Boom Rocket, an Xbox Live Arcade title which sees (and hears) players detonating fireworks in rhythm to music. Is the Bizarre-developed title merely the first step in an increasingly complex dance maneuver? And more importantly, will there be an insane peripheral? If anybody's going to exploit the untapped Glockenspiel-breakdancing market, it'll be EA.See also: Electronic Arts mixes on iTunes
Boom Boom Rocket music & modes
IGN got some hands-on time with Bizarre's Boom Boom Rocket, and spilled the proverbial beans on some of the game's elements. First off, with the controls, as you saw from the video, the fireworks are color coded like the A, B, X , and Y buttons on your 360 controller, and the direction corresponds with the the button's placement. The game modes include single songs, endurance mode where you will play a song as long as you can whilst the difficulty ramps up, and practice mode. All of those are available over three difficulties. Local multiplayer is available where a friend can join in and either compete to get the better score in a single song, or outlast you in endurance mode. Players are differentiated by the color of the arrow on their fireworks: black for one player, and white for the other. Continue reading after the break for the song list and other details.
New Boom Boom Rocket details, video
The folks at 1UP scored some time with Bizarre Creations to talk about Boom Boom Rocket, the upcoming title for Xbox Live Arcade. While there aren't too many new details -- Bizarre recently revealed quite a bit -- the interview makes it clear that Bizarre is out to create a simple yet addictive experience. The game will be instantly familiar to any fans of rhythm games, in which you press the appropriate button in tune to the music. The best part of the interview, the pièce de résistance if you will, is a video of actual gameplay. You can find it after the break.
