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Bizarre auctioning off pumpkin car
In the market for a 1988 Ford Granada Ghia? No, well that's not the point. Earlier this year developer Bizarre Creations prettified a Granada (called the "Granzilla") to race in Europe's Scumball 3000 rally to earn cash for the NSPCC charity. They placed 10th in the rally and earned some cash, but they want more. So, they decided to eBay their Granzilla in hopes of earning more cash for the NSPCC. According to Bizarre, the Granzilla has "2 cup holders, an engine, and a steering wheel" and is pimped out with rally stickers galore. What more could a fanboy want other than an advanced copy of PGR 4? If you live in Europe, have some extra cash, and want to help out charity head on over to the eBay auction and bid, bid, bid away. We know you love the pumpkin car.[Via IGN]
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.
New PGR4 features and info revealed
Xboxic got their hands on a Polish magazine with new Project Gotham Racing 4 pics and details. Some of the new features that the busy bees over at Bizarre Creations are implementing include vehicle models using 70 to 100 thousand polygons, improved spectators on the track, 200+ courses, and better physics in online matches to avoid turning the game into Burnout. Other cool tidbits include that the AI you race against have character, with their own styles and personality, a revamped career mode, as well as you create your driver, specifying nationality etc. For the complete list, click the "Read" link. So, is PGR4 shaping up alright in light of the new info?
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]
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%
First look at PGR 4
Over at Xboxygen they've wrangled up a few foreign magazine scans for upcoming racer Project Gotham Racing 4. The magazine scans don't show too much and we really can't tell if they are in game or just rendered goodness, but we're in love with that rainy car shot. With the graphics bar being raised by other racers like Forza 2, we are seriously looking forward to what Bizarre can pull off with the fourth in the series. Our fingers are crossed in hopes that these scans turn out to be what PGR 4 has to offer and the game ends up being one beautiful looking game.
PGR4 The Win
While you patiently await for some other media to be come readily available on the internet, we can tide you over with something completely different. The May issue of Official Xbox Magazine has a cover story on Project Gotham Racing 4 and how it builds on the 360 launch title. The key points to look out for is the wider selection of weather conditions from rain, snow and sleet, with the in-car view taking full advantage of the first person view with added realism. Speaking of in-car view, they plan on sprucing that up with more "involved" animations from the driver, from a shaky cam when going at break neck speeds to pumping their fist after a victory. The game also promises a more robust selection of cars and tracks to ride them on with over 200 courses across 10 locations. The best part is that it's only scratching the surface. Are you looking forward to accumulating Kudos this fall?[Thanks, teknomusik]
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.
More screenshots of The Club
Xboxygen posted up some more pictures of The Club, Bizarre Creations' upcoming action-shooter. Our first shot of the game looked very pretty and the four new ones are no different. The character models look realistic, and very promising considering where the game is in terms of development. Lighting from muzzle flash and other sources also look like they're coming along nicely. Click the "Read" link to give them the once over. What do you think? Can Bizarre Creations make a quality shooter this side of Fur Fighters?
Geometry Wars was 'supposed to be' free
In a recent interview with IGN, Ben Ward of Bizarre Creations said Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved was intended to be a free gift to hardcore gamers. They eventually realized they couldn't pull it off, so they went with the bare minimum price Microsoft would allow: 400 points. As we all know, Bizarre later attacked the free Geometry Wars clone for the PC, Grid Wars, claiming it "impacted the sales" of their game. Why so uptight when they wanted their game to be free in the first place? We understand that operating a business requires you to protect your intellectual property, but if the intention was to give it away, clones shouldn't be an issue. Either the Grid Wars fiasco was Microsoft-induced or these latest comments are nothing more than PR-speak. Something doesn't quite add up. [Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
First screen of the Club
German site Xbox Front got their hands on the first screenshot of Bizarre's upcoming action-shooter, The Club. The cool thing about this is it will retain a "Kudos"-ish system wherein you get points and multipliers for kills done in quick succession. For those of you nay-sayers that Bizarre is incapable of pulling off a shooting game, look no further than their Dreamcast release of Fur Fighters. While that cutesy third person shooter had a couple bugs here and there, it was a fluffing good time. Do you think Bizarre can pull it off? The full resolution screenshot is also available to what the engine can do. [Via Xboxic]
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?
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.
The Club mini-update
This week's Studio Update from Bizarre Creations touches on their upcoming third person action title, The Club. Unfortunately, their update is more about the tech behind the game, but teases that next week will touch on gameplay and all that fun stuff. It gives good insight on how their teams works together and what a studio tour is like from their perspective. Their bits on particle and water effects are rather interesting, and it even has a really cool wireframe screenshot of a explosion of cubes with fire and smoke effects. They also go into the character creation process from concept to modeling. A good read, and it leaves us wanting more, which we'll get next week, thankfully. Are you a Bizarre fan, and been looking forward to another action game from them since Fur Fighters?
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.
Boom Boom Rocket preview
Speaking with Bizarre Creations' Ben Ward, 1UP has stirred up new Boom Boom Rocket details. The developer hopes to follow-up Geometry Wars with another broadly appealing Xbox Live Arcade title (the team has a 3-year-old tester) that's built on deceptively simple gameplay. BBR isn't gonna reinvent the rhythm genre, but it might win over some new fans. Purdy particles, Ian Livingstone's 'classical' soundtrack, and a trippy bonus mode add up to XBLA gold. Let's just hope the price doesn't reflect the quality... (but with EA publishing, don't expect another $5 gem).%Gallery-1637%
Boom Boom Rocket Details and Screens
Bizarre Creations latest studio update gives a synopsis of their upcoming Arcade title, Boom Boom Rocket. It is a rhythm game wherein you hit the indicating button/direction when the symbol hits the line at the top of the screen, thus setting off the firework. The better your timing accuracy, the more points its worth. That's the foundation for any proper rhythm game, and BBR is no different. The thing that Stu stressed was the speed of the game itself, with players be able to hit rapid strings of explosions in no time. Similar to Guitar Hero's multiplier system, Boom Boom Rocket has a bar that fills from 1x to 4x multiplier, and even has "Bonus Runs" where you get 8x multiplier when you activate Star Power pull either trigger when the bar is full and sparkly (pictured above). Due to the limited time of the Bonus Run, strategically activating it will be pivotal to getting the highest score possible.The soundtrack will be comprised of recognizable remixed classical tracks, and really fits the mood and style of the game. Stu says he'll be supplying a track list and go into the graphical style in a future update. We can't wait to see the game in motion, but in the meantime leave you with a couple screens of 1st/4th of July goodness. Enjoy them after the break.
