spring-2010
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New family-friendly Xbox 360 Arcade bundle and game discounts at Amazon
There's still over a month of spring left -- that's plenty of time for a new "spring 2010" Xbox 360 bundle to join the Spring 2010 Elite set! Amazon has taken the wraps off a new Arcade bundle, featuring two of Rare's recent, weird 360 games: Viva Piñata and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. The family-friendly package, shipping May 7, sells for the same $199.99 as the standalone Arcade unit -- which makes it a good deal even if you would only use the games as trade-in or eBay fodder. But if it's family games you're after, you can get them on the cheap right now. Amazon is also offering a buy one, get one half-off deal on a selection of family-oriented 360 games, including Pure, Lego Rock Band, and Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection. [Thanks, Tom!]
Go into a Fruit Frenzy with Space Ark
We weren't sure what to expect from Space Ark when it was first announced, but with this trailer out, we can certainly say it looks colorful. Something called an "Arkonaut" is tethered and bouncing off of a moving platform called a "Bounce Pad," and then there's a Fruit Frenzy, and then the Pad can shoot fruit for a Super Combo, and then there's even a Bonus Stage after that. Whew, there's a lot going on there! But it does look (and sound) like fun. You can also see a "Level Up" score multiplier on the side of the screen -- and, as we all know, multiplying your score is always the right thing to do. The trailer puts the game's release on XBLA in spring 2010, which, last we saw out the window, was right about now. So you probably won't have to wait too long to get your daily dose of space fruit from Strawdog Studios. %Gallery-63907%
Zeno Clash XBLA release shifted to 'Spring 2010'
With April already halfway over, it looks like Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition has once again missed its expected release window. According to the latest update from publisher Atlus, the XBLA game is now scheduled to be released during the nebulous "Spring 2010" period. Just to make sure we don't forget about the bizarre first-person brawler, Atlus has equipped its delay announcement with a new trailer (seen above), featuring Ultimate Edition's new Zeno Rush mode. Zeno Rush tasks players with fighting through certain sections of the game as fast as possible, with their clear times posted on an online leaderboard. To make things interesting, the mode also introduces a new weapon, the Time Hammer. While being a nasty implement in its own right, the Time Hammer also knocks a few seconds off your completion time for every successful whack.
Zen Studios' Planet Minigolf will be Move-enabled
Add one more title to the list of PlayStation Move launch games -- Zen Studios has announced that its Planet Minigolf game, set for a release as soon as this spring, will be "Move-enabled." Of course, Move isn't released until later this fall, but Zen promises that their game "will be fully-compatible" with the motion controller anyway. Presumably, that means you'll be able to swing the controller like a putt-putt club, but who knows -- maybe the game will incorporate any number of other minigolf-associated motions, from throwing your club in anger when the clown blocks your shot to stealthily nudging the ball with your foot when your opponent isn't looking. The possibilities are endless!
After Burner: Climax looks like Aurora-ing good time
It remains to be seen just how well After Burner: Climax will translate from its arcade greatness over to a downloadable form on consoles, but at least it still looks purty. And we mean everything about it, from the clean and simple Sega UI, to the well-designed dynamic lighting on the planes and explosions, all the way out to the great-looking vistas that catch your eye just as you fire up the 'burners and race for the horizon ... What? Oh, sorry, we got a little carried away in the Climax there. To see what we mean, lock your targeting reticule onto four new screens from the official Sega America blog in the gallery below. %Gallery-84185%
Konami publishing Ninety-Nine Nights II this spring in North America
Konami, which picked up the publishing rights for the Xbox 360-exclusive N3II: Ninety-Nine Nights in Japan, has announced that it'll also publish the feelplus-developed sequel in North America. In fact, the North American release is slated for the same spring 2010 window as the Japanese version. N3II features five different storylines telling the three sides -- humans, elves and goblins -- of a "free for all" battle. Prepare your thumbs, because that sounds like a lot of button-mashing! But you know, if all those storylines can maintain the kind of epic narration featured in this new trailer, N3II is guaranteed to be a multi-million seller. Wouldn't you agree? %Gallery-85843%
PlatinumGames' Infinite Space docking in Europe on March 26th
Infinite Space, the upcoming DS space RPG from Platinum Games, has gotten itself a European release date in the form of March 26th (or as you might call it in Bangladesh, "Independence Day"). Strangely, we still haven't heard an official US date yet -- the closest we've got is Spring 2010, which despite all of the snow you might be seeing lately, is approaching quite quickly. Assuming that the EU and US dates aren't too far off from each other, by the end of March you too might be saying, "I'm... in space!" just like the wince-worthy voice acting we've experienced so far.
Sega cites 'tweaks' and release position for Alpha Protocol delay [update]
It would have been nice to hear more of an explanation way back in October when Sega's Alpha Protocol was "officially delayed" to the amorphous "Spring 2010," but, unfortunately, that didn't happen. Speaking with MTV Multiplayer this week, though, assistant producer at Sega Matthew Hickman explicitly detailed the reasons for the delay, saying, "We really wanted to polish the game up, make it everything Obsidian planned it to be, and give the consumer a very polished game." He added that there's been some "tweaks in lighting here and there," and the inventory screen has been revamped a bit, but in general the team has been focused on "bringing the whole quality level up." The post's author also notes that the game is set for a "Summer 2010" release window now, and we've reached out to him (and Sega) for clarification. Update: The post's author has responded that, yes, the game's current release window is set for "Summer 2010." Guess that's another delay then, eh? We'll update again if Sega responds. %Gallery-19776%
Nexon bringing Poptag to North America
Hey, you guys know about Nexon America, yeah? The people who brought us MapleStory and Dungeon Fighter Online among many other titles. Well, they've announced that Poptag is coming stateside, which is sort of Bomberman only fully online and with water balloons... So, it's definitely got a specific "thing" going on. While throwing water filled balloons may not quite match up to tossing explosives, the game goes for a fast paced arcade style that should still appeal to people looking for that sort of experience albeit with cutesy water balloon throwing characters. And yes, this will be a free-to-play title with an item store, but that being Nexon's only business model thus far should've had you guessing as much already. But hey! The game also features a "sweetie" system that actually allows players to marry one another in-game proper -- aww. Poptag is scheduled to be released sometime during the first half of 2010, so if you find yourself interested in playing, keep on the lookout.
New Backbreaker trailer promises 'next-level' football
We haven't heard much about Backbreaker in a good year and a half, but the Euphoria Engine-powered football title (thinkThe Force Unleashed, with all of those Stormtroopers flying around) is still hitting first downs. It's now set for a release in spring of 2010 (ah, spring, when everyone's mind turns to football -- oh wait), and 505 Games has screenshots and a brand new trailer to share. The game will boast both online and split-screen multiplayer, Arcade and Pro modes (the tougher one will have AI and visual assists switched off) and full team customization options, including a full logo editor. But of course the real star quarterback here is the physics engine -- while the video hints at some great dynamic tackling and movement, we'll have to wait and see if the gameplay provides some real innovation in the football genre. %Gallery-82057%
BioShock 2 washes up on shore Feb. 9, 2010
If you're planning the playoffs for the video game industry's intramural softball league, you may want to avoid the weeks leading up to Feb. 9. That's when the 27 different development studios involved with BioShock 2 (a full half of the world's developers) will be crunching to finish BioShock 2 for release. After waiting all this time, we're just happy that the game can finally ship, 2K can staff up just a bit more, and work can begin on BioShock 3: Now It's An MMO.
Ubisoft's Guillemot expects some Spring 2010 games to be delayed again
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot finally noticed the trend he helped start: too many games being pushed into an increasingly crowded Q1 of 2010. "We now have a situation where there are a lot of good games due for release in the first half of next year," Guillemot told MCV, "but I think some publishers will move again." Guillemot said that because "the first quarter of 2010 is looking pretty crazy," the "other players" will further delay their already-delayed games. What he didn't say was whether Ubisoft would be delaying its games. To us, this sounds like a preliminary statement to soften the eventual impact of another delay of Ubisoft games.
Peep the pretty worlds of Final Fantasy XIII
At one point we thought that Final Fantasy XIII would be lonely on our Spring 2010 calendar, but with so many delays it looks like Square Enix's big RPG franchise has some hefty competition. Good thing for Square Enix, then, that the publisher employs an army of expert designers with the ability to wow us with screens of the upcoming game's adventure. GAME Watch has a handful of screenshots, including the three bundled above, showcasing the game's beautiful art style and reminding us of how far away 2010 really is. Seriously, it's like a year away or something. Check out GAME Watch (Translated) for more Final Fantasy XIII goodness.
