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GDC 07: a quick chat with Aaron Greenberg
After the Microsoft blogger's breakfast (which will be written up shortly) we caught up with Xbox Live's Aaron Greenberg (also known as BIGVIP) for a quick chat. Unfortunately, we lacked the presence of mind to shoot a candid photo, so we present you with this handsome stock photo instead. We can tell you, however, that he was wearing this shirt. Along with Spencer from Siliconera, we had a chance to ask Greenberg a few questions. When asked about specific Arcade releases, in this case Ikaruga, Raiden IV, and Every Extend Extra Extreme. Greenberg said that it's rare for the team to concentrate on distant games. According to Greenberg, in the world of "internet time" he mainly focuses on games coming out within the next 6 to 8 weeks. In other words, don't expect Ikaruga anytime soon. He did mention that the XBLA games on display here at GDC -- Minigolf Adventures, Boom Boom Rocket, Jetpack Refuelled, etc -- will be released within a few months. We should get some hands on time with these games later this week.We asked about the possibility of seeing some RPGs on Xbox Live Arcade, and Greenberg said there was no reason we couldn't see them, citing Castlevania as an example of a deeper Arcade experience, though perhaps not a traditional RPG. When asked about the possibility of Final DOOM hitting the Arcade -- its ESRB entry was recently discovered -- he noted that Id is definitely interested. Talking about DOOM's surprise launch last year during X06, Greenberg said that their were more surprise launches involving famous franchises in the future. So, RPGs heading to Live Arcade ... surprise launches ... famous franchises. Anyone care to make some wild speculation?
Every Extend Extra Extreme Arcade bound
According to the 'stiq, the next title from Tetsuya Mizuguchi expected to hit XBLA is Every Extend Extra Extreme. E4 is going to be an updated version of the PSP's E3. The freebie PC version of Every Extend was originally developed by Omega. From the sounds of the press release, it looks like you'll be able to play with your own music, along with playing a versus mode online. Unfortunately, the schedule for the release is later this year, so don't expect it to be showing up as a surprise download during GDC. Have you played Every Extend before, on either the PC or PSP?[Thanks, Jonah Falcon]
TMNT officially coming to Arcade
Before, we showed you a couple rather suspect looking screenshots for an Xbox Live Arcade version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. At first, we were a little skeptical about its certitude, then a video came out and we slowly began to let our guard down. After all it would be rather depressing to cling onto a rumor you want to be true to only find it was a hoax. Well, thankfully we can finally give you the official word, straight from Ubisoft, TMNT is slated for Arcade, will cost 400 MS points, and will support 4 player co-op (both online and off) on all the original seven levels. Is this a no-brainer purchase or what?[Via GameStooge]
New details on Sensible Soccer for XBLA
North Americans don't get soccer. Europeans don't get American football (and are understandably confused as to why it's called football). Still, both sports have their classic iterations. America has Tecmo Bowl, and Europe has Sensible Soccer. It was revealed some time ago that Sensible Soccer would be making its way to Xbox Live Arcade, and IGN has unearthed a few details about the game. Like many classic Arcade releases, Sensible Soccer will feature enhanced graphics and sound. Codemasters, developer of the series, notes that they intend to maintain the classic feel of the game, and all work will be based on the source code developed for Sensible World of Soccer 96/97. Finally, the game is scheduled to release this summer for both Live Arcade and Windows.Are any of our European readers excited about this?
Telltale talks: Sam & Max on Live Arcade?
Last week, we reported that Telltale Games was looking for an Xbox 360 programmer with a love of adventure games. Speculation ran rampant (rampant, we say!) that Sam & Max was bound for Xbox Live Arcade. Eurogamer caught up with Telltale to see if they could round up any more info. Telltale didn't outright admit that a Sam & Max game is headed to the 360, but a spokesperson did note that Telltale is a proponent of digital distribution and that the company would "look closely" at a service like Xbox Live Arcade.So, Telltale is definitely looking to produce something for the Xbox 360, and if they do make something, they would seriously consider releasing it via Xbox Live Arcade. Do with that what you will (not something gross, please).[Via Joystiq]
Video and screens of Wing Commander Arena
Hot on the heels of the announcement of Wing Commander Arena for Xbox Live Arcade, GameVideos has posted the first video footage of the game in action. The video showcases some free-for-all action and a game mode that is literally a glorified version of Asteroids. The ships are positively tiny, too. We're a little disappointed that the game is completely 2D in nature, although it is vaguely reminiscent of Subspace which isn't a bad thing. Check out the video after the break.
Wing Commander Arena confirmed for XBLA
Only one day after its discovery in the ESRB database, Electronic Arts has confirmed that Wing Commander Arena is headed to Xbox Live Arcade. Rather than focusing on story, Wing Commander Arena is purely about space combat. The game promises customized ships and up to 16 player battles (in teams or free-for-all). Wing Commander Arena is expected to release this summer. Considering the Arcade releases lately, we'll take that prediction with a sizable chunk of salt.Given the game's combat centered nature, are the Wing Commander fans out there upset? Would you rather see a full-fledged sequel?[Via Joystiq]
First (blurry) shots of Jetpac Refuelled
Spanish website, Meristation, has posted the first shots of the upcoming Jetpac Refuelled for Xbox Live Arcade. For those with short memories, Jetpac Refuelled was recently uncovered as Rare's top-secret XBLA game. A remake of the original Jetpac, Refuelled looks to be much the same, with the addition of updated graphics, of course. Unfortunately, the shots posted are pretty blurry, but they still give us a good idea of what to expect from the game. Anyone have fond memories of the original? How many MS points would you spend on the XBLA version? [Via Evil Avatar]
Joystiq interviews BHG, Catan in March
In Joystiq's Off the Grid feature, Scott Jon Siegel recently interviewed Brian Reynolds of Big Huge Games. Big Huge Games, as 360 Fanboy readers know, is the developer of the upcoming Xbox Live Arcade title, Catan. The interview focuses on the challenges of bringing the classic board game to Xbox Live Arcade (and the process of computerizing it in general). Reynolds speaks about creating challenging AI and streamlining the interface so that players aren't drowning in information. The last tidbit, probably the one most of you will be looking for, is that Big Huge Games recently sent what they hope to be the final build of Catan to Microsoft. Assuming it makes it through the Dreaded Certification Process®, we could be playing Catan in mid-to-late March. Hit the "read" link for the full interview (including lots of development photos).
New Castle Crashers trailer(!)
It's been a long time coming, but we finally have new Castle Crashers media to share. The last time we had a new Castle Crashers video was in July, and that's just too long. Granted, we know what a beast the Xbox Live Arcade certification process can be, so we're not getting our hopes up that we'll actually be able to play Castle Crashers anytime soon. For now, all we can do is watch this video and dream of co-op hack & slash action with some seriously large bosses. Watch the video, and enjoy.For more intrepid readers, you can even download an HD version, stream it to your Xbox 360, and pretend you're actually playing Castle Crashers!
Alien Hominid invades next week? (no online co-op)
According to a post on an Xbox Live Arcade rumor thread over at jerkface central 360 Arcadians, an Alien Hominid page was briefly available on the Xbox.com Xbox Live Arcade section. Unfortunately, it was later pulled from the directory page. However, through a little trial and error, we were able to discover the URL to the Alien Hominid HD page itself. Which of course, is even better. Since Xbox.com isn't in the habit of posting pages for games that aren't yet available on Xbox Live Arcade, this is a fairly good indication that we'll be seeing Alien Hominid HD in the near future. With any luck at all, we might even see it next week. Hit the "read" link to see the page for yourself, at least until someone at MS decides to take it down.One quick note, according to the page, campaign co-op is only available for two players on the same console. Up to 4 players can play mini-games over Xbox Live, but it mentions nothing about Live campaign co-op.
What it takes to get a game on XBLA
Gamasutra sat down with David Edery, Portfolio Planner for Xbox Live Arcade. The interview focuses on Live Arcade and what makes a good title for XBLA. Edery says that the major factors to consider for a Live Arcade title are ease of playability, Live integration, and innovative gameplay. Considering the recent spate of retro titles, we'll allow you to make what you will of that last sentence. When asked about underrepresented genres on Xbox Live Arcade, Edery notes that he'd like to see more board games, more cooperative games not centered on combat (like this one?), and more experimental titles. Most importantly, Edery notes that Microsoft does pay attention to user feedback, and knows that the Live Arcade audience wants more original titles. Regarding this, Edery says only, "we've heard the message loud and clear that XBLA customers want more original games, and let me tell you -- those games are coming." Let's hope so.The interview is a good read for anyone interested in the inner workings of Xbox Live Arcade, and it even contains a few tips for would be developers. Hit the "read" link to check it out.[Via 1UP]
Ikaruga headed to Live Arcade(!)
Ikaruga, one of the shining jewels in the Dreamcast's farewell tiara, is headed for Xbox Live Arcade. How could we possibly know this? CVG reports that the game has appeared on the debug version of Xbox Live. Unfortunately, upon downloading Ikaruga, CVG was greeted with a Treasure logo and not much else, as the game quickly crashed. That's why it's debug, right? Still, we've already heard that Treasure wants to make some Live Arcade games, so Ikaruga definitely makes sense. After all, it is regarded by many as one of the best -- if not the best -- shooters of all time. As much as we love multi-directional shooters, more classic shooters would be welcome on Live Arcade (speaking of, where's Raiden?)Now all we need is Gunstar Heroes and Guardian Heroes and the Treasure triumvirate will be complete.
Paperboy breaks XBLA's window
It's our job to inform you when new games arrive on Xbox Live Arcade. As such, we are compelled to let you know that you can now download Paperboy for your ... um ... paper delivering pleasure. We'd be lying if we said we were excited about it, though. We're sure that some of you have fond memories of the game, but we only remember relentless quarter gobbling difficulty and a premise that's not that fun to begin with. So, if paperboy floats your boat, or, more accurately, delivers your paper, then by all means enjoy it. The rest of us will enjoy the fact that Paperboy was the last remaining "retro" title on the recently announced list of Xbox Live Arcade games. Short of no game at all, we have to get something new next week.Should you desire to subscribe to Paperboy's shenanigans, it can be had for 400 MS points.
This week on XBLA: Paperboy delivers
The hideous noise you hear is the collective shriek of thousands of disappointed Worms fans. This week Xbox Live Arcade serves up yet another retro title, Paperboy. For those unfamiliar with the game, Paperboy charges players with delivering newspapers while trying not to damage property or take a nasty spill on their bicycle. New to the Xbox Live Arcade version is a cooperative multiplayer mode which can be played locally or over Xbox Live. As is the norm for retro Arcade titles, your elation or disgust will be dictated by the amount of nostalgia you feel for Paperboy.Frankly, we'd rather see any of the other recently announced titles hit the Arcade. At least this means we won't be disappointed next week (at least not as much). That is unless XBLA manages to have no new game at all.Let your voice be heard: are you planning to buy Paperboy?
Just the thing for XBLA: solitaire!
Our favorite European ratings board, the Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (say that three times fast), has rated a game called Soltrio Solitaire for the Xbox 360. We're not exactly itching to plunk down $60 for a game of Solitaire, so we're assuming that this title is bound for Xbox Live Arcade. XBLA is already host to several card games, but solitaire is currently absent. Would anyone out there be interested in a solid solitaire game on Xbox Live Arcade?For the record, Track & Field has also been rated.[Via Xbox Archive]
X360F interview: NinjaBee's Band of Bugs
When Band of Bugs was first announced for Xbox Live Arcade last week, we were intrigued. Within minutes, nay, seconds, we were emailing our buddies at NinjaBee to learn everything we could. We managed to snag an interview with Band of Bugs' lead designer, Jeremy Throckmorton. Unfortunately, there are still a few things that we weren't able to pin down (release date, price, etc.) but we did manage to get some tasty info all the same. You may read the interview -- painstakingly reproduced -- after the break.
Catan to hit XBLA this quarter
Big Huge Games has announced that Catan, the Live Arcade version of the classic board game, will be arriving on Xbox Live Arcade in the 1st quarter of this year. While this was somewhat expected, given Microsoft's recently announced lineup of Arcade games, it's still a good sign that the game should show up soon. Also confirmed is that Catan will support three to four players over Xbox Live and that AI opponents will be available. The designer of the original board game and the Arcade version, Klaus Teuber, has been working closely with Brian Reynolds to create challenging opponents. Teuber even admits that he has lost several game to the CPU.If you can't get your fill of Catan, be sure to visit the game's official website, where you'll find screenshots and strategies for the upcoming game.[Via IGN. Thanks, Scott]
Greg Canessa leaves Microsoft for PopCap
Group manager for Xbox Live Arcade, Greg Canessa, is moving on to greener pastures. Specifically, Canessa is leaving Microsoft to join PopCap, purveyors of fine casual games (including the recently released Heavy Weapon on XBLA). Canessa notes a shift in game demographics, saying that games are becoming more culturally accepted and that more people are playing them on more devices. Casual, "broad appeal" games, according to Canessa, make up an important part of this expanding demographic. Canessa plans to help PopCap expand its audience by bringing its titles to more platforms (we'd love to see some of their games hit the DS), and of course we'll see more of them on Live Arcade. Canessa even goes so far as to say PopCap could become the "next Blizzard or EA" (does that mean Heavy Weapon 2 will sell 2.4 million copies in one day?). When asked about his departure from Microsoft, Canessa says that Live Arcade is now a well established business model and has become a success. He now looks forward to working in game development itself and enjoying the versatility that a smaller company provides.We wish Greg Canessa nothing but the best.[Via Joystiq. Thanks, XBLArcade]
Band of Bugs brings casual strategy to XBLA
When Microsoft announced the latest lineup of Xbox Live Arcade games, one game stood out among the rest. Sure, we're as excited about Worms and Castlevania as the next trusted news source, but Band of Bugs marks an interesting departure from typical Arcade fare. As a tactical RPG of sorts, Band of Bugs is unlike anything else on Xbox Live Arcade (though it should be noted that Worms is also tactical in nature). Gamasutra sat down with the boys at NinjaBee to learn about the genesis of Band of Bugs, which is now a finalist at the Independent Games Festival. NinjaBee reveals that they wanted to bring something different to the arcade, and that they wanted to create tactical game that appealed to the hardcore and casual alike. Another unique feature of Band of Bugs, it has a level editor. In fact, NinjaBee intimates that the level editor that ships with the game was used to create every level in the game. NinjaBee also takes time to discuss the importance of independent game development in the industry. It's a good read and worth checking out. We have some special Band of Bugs coverage coming soon, so stay tuned. [Via XBLArcade]
