Thrillville
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LucasArts classics coming to Steam this Wednesday, July 8
digg_url = 'http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/06/breaking-lucasarts-classics-coming-to-steam-this-wednesday/'; LucasArts is poised to deliver a one-two ... err, three punch for classic gaming fans, beginning with tomorrow's PC release of the first chapter of Tales of Monkey Island, titled "Launch of the Screaming Narwhal." Today, LucasArts announced not only the release date for Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition – it's next week, on July 15th – but also the availability of ten LucasArts classics from the back-catalog, to be made available on Steam this Wednesday, July 8! We spoke with LucasArts CEO Darrell Rodriguez, who told us that this is "a passion project" for him as well as his team. "This is the first time these titles have ever been on digital distribution, and it's something we're all very excited about," he told us this morning. "And this is just the beginning." That "beginning" includes ten titles from the LucasArts vaults, including adventure gaming classics like Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure, LOOM, and The Dig. Also included in this first batch of games are Armed and Dangerous, LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventure, Star Wars Battlefront II, Star Wars Republic Commando, Star Wars Starfighter, and Thrillville: Off the Rails. The press release calls this the "first round of releases" and Rodriguez promises us they've got more in store, including "some bundles that offer some extra value." Those bundles are Steam-only for now, though; a retail package is "something to definitely consider" Rodriguez tells us, though LucasArts has "no plans for them right now." %Gallery-64659%
The Smash Bros. delay doesn't mean that your wallets are safe
If the Brawl delay has given you some extra time to kill, you might be in the market for a new Wii game. We'd probably recommend saving your money for some new releases coming up, but if paying less is your cup of tea, Amazon is now offering the following games on sale: Thrillville: Off the Rails at $32.99 Rapala Tournament Fishing! at $29.99 Victorious Boxers: Revolution at $29.99 Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire at $29.99 Guilty Gear XX Accent Core at $29.99 Manhunt 2 at $26.99 [Via CAG]
Thrillville: Off the Rails demo rides onto XBLM
A demo for Thrillville: Off the Rails is now available on Marketplace. For those unfamiliar with the franchise, the goal is to design a successful theme park and, more importantly, to design awesome roller coasters. Thankfully, the roller coasters in Off the Rails benefit from not being bound by the laws of physics, so you can make them as crazy as you like. That means you can create loops, jumps, and lots of situations in which the cars literally go off the rails. Apparently, you can even end your roller coaster by catapulting riders out of the cars and having them deploy a parachute. As exciting as all that is, we're waiting for the spin-off series: Thrillville: Insurance Nightmare.
Joystiq impressions: Thrillville Off the Rails
We all know about Thrillville, the rollercoaster simulator ... but what happens when it goes Off the Rails? Sure, we've got over a dozen new minigames (for a total of over three dozen, according to a LucasArts rep), but we now have the ability to ride your coasters without ever finishing them. Look, we know you're thinking, "Hey Joystiq, isn't that dangerous? Doesn't the law of gravity apply to physics engines, too?" Well you're right but remember: virtual death is only virtually sad. And there were virtually no complications with what we saw. Instead of death, you jump to a loading scene and you're back off the ride. As if it was all just a dream. Even if you aren't saved by the great "Now Waiting" sign in the sky, all coaster participants are given jet packs and parachutes. From our initial impressions, there was a 100% survival rate, but you never know when poor clipping might cause pixelated peril.
New games this week
Just as if last week's release lineup couldn't get any better, this week walks in and flexes its launch muscle. Where to begin? With a whopping total of 10 popular gaming platforms, one thing's for sure, you have choices. 145 to be exact. And even if you're not planning to buy a PS3 or Wii this week, existing systems are getting a ton of action. Weeks like this only happen once every five years. Enjoy it friends. PlayStation 3: - Call of Duty 3 - Genji: Days of the Blade - Madden NFL 07 - Marvel: Ultimate Alliance - Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire - NBA 07 - NBA 2K7 - Need for Speed Carbon - NHL 2K7 - Resistance: Fall of Man - Ridge Racer 7 - Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 - Tony Hawk's Project 8 - Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom Nintendo Wii: - The Ant Bully - Avatar: The Last Airbender - Barnyard - Call of Duty 3 - Cars - Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 - Excite Truck - The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy - GT Pro Series - Happy Feet - The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - Madden NFL 07 - Marvel: Ultimate Alliance - Metal Slug Anthology - Monster 4x4: World Circuit - Need for Speed Carbon - Open Season - Rampage: Total Destruction - Rapala Tournament Fishing! - Rayman: Raving Rabbids - Red Steel - SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab - Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz - Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent - Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam - Trauma Center: Second Opinion - World Series of Poker: Tournament of Champions
LucasArts ready to thrill in new park sim
This summer, Frontier Developments and LucasArts will attempt to put the thrill back into theme park simulations with Thrillville -- an amalgam of park building, cart racing, miniature golf, and even first-person shooting contests (against robots, not people). The main objective in Thrillville is to build your park using one of 15 themes, and then enjoy it with your fellow patrons. Micromanagement is supposedly minimized in the game, but there are basic park administration issues that will need to be addressed such as security, sanitation, and fair pricing.The last gen graphics look anything but thrilling, but if the developer's attempt to combine multiple family-friendly genres results in strong gameplay, they could have a hit for all ages. Thrillville will be available on Xbox, PS2, and PSP.
