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Not This Wednesday: Exit 2 escapes to XBLA [update]
Update: Looks like Xbox.com let us down, because Exit 2 did not release to the Xbox Live Arcade this week and the release date now reads "TBD." Global warming must be to blame. According to Xbox.com, we'll be witnessing Mr. ESC's entrance into the Xbox Live Arcadethis Wednesday, February 18, with the release of Exit 2 for 800 ($10). All of the game's 240 levels, ten challenges and various puzzle adventures are included. With that, we can put that pesky release date rumor to rest and take comfort in knowing that Death Tank will not have to make this week's XBLA trek alone. It's like the Arcade's version of the buddy system. [Thanks, Clipse]
Rumor: XBLA Exit sequel dropping Q1 2009, first screenshots surface
North America's got something of a puzzling history concerning the sequel to the equally puzzling PSP action-platformer, Exit. While the game hit European and Japanese store shelves over two years ago, we never saw a trace of it -- until the ESRB gave an Xbox Live Aracade-bound U.S. version of the game an E rating, filling us with the hope that we'd be plotting further exoduses from perilous buildings soon enough. Sadly, Taito never confirmed the XBLA'd sequel, and news about the title has been scarce ever since. However, TeamXbox recently produced a number of screenshots for the XBLA sequel, as well as a launch window of Q1 2009. Neither the images nor release info were given any attribution, so take them with a spoonful of trepidation. If they're legit, we fully expect Taito to crawl out of the woodwork and make the least shocking announcment since the revelation of Guitar Hero: Metallica.
VC Tuesday: Bubble Bobble Wii rises to the top
There's a lovely selection of retro gaming available on the Japanese Virtual Console today, including Ogre Battle and one of Falcom's myriad Dragon Slayer games, but the real retro hotness is found on WiiWare. Lucky Japanese Wii owners will get to play Bubble Bobble Wii, and we certainly hope it isn't terrible. The last Bubble Bobble on Nintendo hardware wasn't so great, but that was back when Taito was licensing its properties out to whomever. We also hope Okiraku Slot Car Racing isn't terrible, if only because a game about slot car racing sounds kind of hilarious. After Family Glide Hockey, we're not holding out too much hope. Tactics Ogre (Super Famicom, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points) Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes (Mega Drive, 1 player, 700 Wii Points) Winning Shot (PC Engine, 1-4 players, 600 Wii Points) WiiWare: Okiraku Slot Car Racing (1-2 players, 500 Wii Points) Let's Play with Kappa: Kappa and the Three Kittens (1 player, 600 Wii Points) Board Warriors (1-4 players, 1,000 Wii Points) Bubble Bobble Wii (1-4 players, 800 Wii Points)
Rating suggests that Bubble Bobble Wii will journey out of Japan
We knew if we believed hard enough (and probably also if we didn't), Square Enix would bring Bubble Bobble Wii to the world. Now it is the beginning of a fantastic story! The first evidence of SE's plans to release the WiiWare game outside Japan has appeared in the form of a rating on the German USK database.The game, which we had no idea used 3D character models until just now, is listed under the new title Bubble Bobble Plus!, with that very appropriate exclamation point. Of course, this rating is no guarantee that the game will be released in Germany, nor is a German release firm confirmation of a release anywhere else, but it certainly seems likely! Besides, those "world rankings" work a lot better if the "world" isn't limited only to the area within Japan.%Gallery-43668%[Via Siliconera; screens via Inside-Games]
Warning: Space Invaders Extreme 2 screens approaching
Finally! After NCSX pretty much confirmed its existence, Famitsu has come to our rescue with some new details and screens for Space Invaders Extreme 2. We know the game's power-up system is getting the once-over and being fleshed out a bit more in the sequel, and that a Bingo Fever mode is being added. Considering how great the first game was, you can bet we're extra excited about this.Hit up Famitsu here to check out the screens and details. Or click here if you want the Japanese translated for you (badly).
First screens for Bubble Bobble WiiWare revealed
We may have caught a glimpse at the game already, thanks to some blurry Famitsu scans, but now we have some actual clear images -- and these look nice. We've always been big fans of the simple and charming approach of Bubble Bobble, so a WiiWare update to the franchise seems like a good fit. If you pop over to Famitsu, you can see various screens from the game, which Famitsu reminds us will include 400 unique stages. In fact, the game also features a full recreation of the original Bubble Bobble, for those nostalgic folks out there. And there are even some high difficulty levels if you find capturing enemies in bubbles a bit too easy.On top of that, this new WiiWare installment offers 4-player local co-op and a brand new enemy. It can be expanded further with 2 DLC packs, which will go for 200 Points each, with each individual pack offering 50 stages of high difficulty, quick-moving enemies and a unique boss character. There will also be Wi-Fi leaderboards, if you and your friends want to compare who can Bubble Bobble the best.[Thanks, Fernando]
Space Invaders Extreme 2 is so real you can preorder it
Importer NCSX has begun taking preorders for Space Invaders Extreme 2 on the DS, which means that their distributor has probably started listing it, and it's therefore pretty likely to really be a real game. There's no word yet about a PSP version. NCSX's preorder listing confirms the March 26 release date we previously posted. Who's got $43.90?Thanks to the efforts of ... someone who is better than we are at reading Japanese, the new "Bingo Mode" is detailed as well. In this new mode, an onscreen Bingo card fills up as you shoot Invaders, and you win when ... you know, you would normally win at Bingo. Except, instead of yelling "Bingo", your DS will issue more of a "pew pew pew" noise. %Gallery-14613%
Rumor: Japanese retailers leak Space Invaders Extreme 2
A recent listing on Play-Asia has fans of tightly arranged, slowly approaching extraterrestrials buzzing with glee. According to the retailer (as well as a handful of other Japanese games dealers), Space Invaders Extreme 2, which hasn't even been confirmed by prospective developer Taito, is set to drop in Japan on March 26, 2009. These listings fire off a few of the title's new features, including new boss formations, enhanced multiplayer modes, and much to the delight of the grandmas among us, a "bingo system".We're still calling this a rumor until Taito either confirms or denies it, but with several sites showing the same drop date, and with retailers divulging what seems like fairly believable gameplay features, we wouldn't be surprised if the listings are on the level.
Rumor: Retailers leak Space Invaders Extreme 2, list features
March 26, 2009. That's when this mysterious Play-Asia listing says that Space Invaders Extreme 2 will be out in Japan (and therefore available from the importer). The listing has a DS product number that leads to other Japanese retailers' listings for the same thing -- which contain product descriptions! The most extensive description shows new features like a new "bingo system", boss formations, and enhanced multiplayer modes.With all these details, we're inclined to believe that this is real, and it's coming (to Japan) really soon. We've been playing more Space Invaders Extreme lately, and we're more certain than ever that it was one of the best games of 2008. We are officially entering FEVER TIME! We're totally setting ourselves up for crushing disappointment if it turns out not to be. Won't you join us in getting our hopes way, way up?%Gallery-14613%[Via Siliconera]
New for WiiWare: Bubble Bobble, Crystal Defenders, Pole's Big Adventure
The latest issue of Famitsu reveals three awesome new WiiWare games from Square Enix, Taito, and Sega. Square Enix's Crystal Defenders R1 is a WiiWare version of their mobile/iPhone game Crystal Defenders. The tower defense game will be released on Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network soon too, but Japan's WiiWare gets it first (well, first after cell phones and iPhone) on January 27.Bubble Bobble Wii, due this month in Japan for 800 Wii Points, is a 16-bit-style remake of Taito's arcade classic, featuring play for up to four players in old stages, "arranged" stages, and expert versions of both, for a total of 400 stages. Additional new stages will be available as DLC. We have been waiting to see this game since we first saw the title!Finally, Sega's Chindouchou! Pole no Daibouken (Eventful Journey! Pole's Big Adventure) is the retro-style game at which they've been hinting with a countdown page. The Famicom-esque game, releasing on February 3 for just 500 Points, seems to be riddled with jokes about other games -- the mushroom item seen on the countdown page actually comes out of bricks and increases the character's size just like in Super Mario Bros., but in this game it enlarges the character far beyond the limits of the screen.
VC Tuesday: Japan celebrates Super Smash Bros. Day
The day is finally here! Well, not here here. But there are people in the world playing vintage Super Smash Bros. on their Wiis right now, and we declare that to be boss. They're paying 1,200 Wii Points for the privilege, but Japanese Wii owners have probably forgotten how much Nintendo 64 games are supposed to cost on the Virtual Console anyway.Poor Champion Wrestler is doomed. This just isn't the week for another 4-player competitive fighting game starring at least one vintage game character (Rastan Saga's title character, in the Ultimate Warrior-esque guise of "Miracle Rastan"). Nintendo All-Star! Dairantou Smash Bros. (Nintendo 64, 1-4 players, 1,200 Wii Points) Champion Wrestler (PC Engine, 1-4 players, 600 Wii Points) There's no competition between the VC and WiiWare this week. Here's Japan's WiiWare lineup: Nothing (Just Play Smash Bros., Seriously)
DS Daily: Space Invaders Moderate
So we were thinking about Space Invaders Extreme, as we often do (it's so dreamy), and a few things occurred to us: first, that a lot of DS owners are really young, and second, that Space Invaders is, in video game years, not young at all. Which means that a lot of people could have picked up Extreme without ever having experienced the original. If you'd never played Taito's epochal 1978 shmup, did Extreme make you curious enough to give it a try? Or maybe you had played it before and the new sequel just inspired you to pick it back up? Does it still hold any appeal to you?%Gallery-14613%
Gaming to Go: Space Invaders Extreme
My fingers hurt. If Space Invaders Extreme is anything, it's an absolute workout for the fingers, a test of endurance, passion, and an opportunity for developer Taito to take an old formula and crank things up to 11. Very rarely does slapping on the word 'extreme' actually mean anything, but this latest incarnation of Space Invaders is an exception to that rule, as my sore thumbs can attest.Did you miss out on the original Space Invaders? The classic was before your time, perhaps, or deemed unworthy for whatever coins you could bleed out of your piggy bank. Dry your tears, friend! This extreme update of a retro classic is your greatest chance to find peace in these discordant times. Come along with this week's edition of Gaming to Go to see why saving quarters all those years ago might have been a good idea after all.**So now you can buy this, see? Not because the original was bad or ... nevermind. #ninbutton { border-style: solid; border-color: #000; border-width: 2px; background-color: #BBB; color: #000; text-decoration: none; width: 100px; text-align: center; padding: 2px 2px 2px 2px; margin: 2px 2px 2px 2px; } .buttontext { color: #000; text-decoration: none; font: bold 14pt Helvetica; } #ninbutton:hover { text-decoration: none; color: #BBB; background-color: #000; } NEXT >> %Gallery-14613%
DS Daily: Publisher of the year
The DS was host to a large selection of extremely awesome games in 2008. Who brought you the most, either in terms of what you bought, or just what you liked? Was it one of the big guys (Nintendo, EA, Activision)? A company with a more specialized catalog, like Square Enix or Atlus? An even more specialized company, like Atlus's distribution partner NIS, or Square Enix's subsidiary Taito?Of all the companies putting DS games into stores, who impressed you the most? And just to get that much more thought out of you, no Ubisoft jokes. That topic was a couple of days ago.
Space Invaders Extreme heading to PlayStation Network
The PEGI watchdogs at Siliconera have discovered yet another PlayStation Network downloadable: Space Invaders Extreme. Taito's re-imagining of the classic arcade shooter got tons of accolades for its psychedelic visuals and music when the game launched on PSP and DS earlier this year. Backbone Entertainment will be responsible for bringing the action from the tiny screens to the big 1080p screen. No other details are known at this time.
VC Tuesday: Shooting cars and Shootanto
It's an extremely low-key week on the Japanese Virtual Console, with only two obscure-ish 8-bit titles available for download. Ninja-kun, the precursor to Ninja Jajamaru-kun, is kind of unique, in that it's a vertically-oriented action platformer. But a vertically-oriented action platformer without the complex level designs of something like Kid Icarus or Metroid just means a lot of jumping straight up. We think it's super-cute, though, and we'd enjoy the opportunity to buy it. S.C.I.(Special Criminal Investigation) is the sequel to Chase H.Q. What's so special about the criminal investigation this time? You can shoot at your fleeing suspects. Ninja-kun: Majou no Bouken (Famicom, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points) S.C.I. (PC Engine, 1 player, 600 Wii Points) We can't help but be envious of Japanese Wii owners who are now able to download the single WiiWare title this week: Shootanto looks hilariously ill-conceived and poorly made, and is probably great fun to play and laugh at. Shootanto (1-2 players, 600 Wii Points)
Virtually Overlooked: Arkanoid
With the 30th anniversary celebration of Space Invaders (probably) coming to a close, celebrated most recently by the release of Space Invaders Get Even on WiiWare, I find myself brimming with happy feelings about anything that falls in the category of "classic Taito." Arkanoid is a perfect companion piece to Space Invaders, sharing the same basic layout as the shooter: a player character on the bottom of the screen, moving left and right and aiming projectiles at obstacles arranged on the top half of the screen.DS updates of both games were released simultaneously, and while Space Invaders Extreme turned out to be one of the best games of the year, Arkanoid DS proved to be merely a pretty good Arkanoid-type game. Arkanoid deserves a lot better than that, and while rereleasing the NES game without the paddle controller isn't ideal, it would at least allow new gamers to familiarize themselves with real Arkanoid.
SackBoy plushies available now on Play-Asia
SackBoy plushies have been the object of desire for LittleBigPlanet fans for a very long time now; however, such a prized possession has yet to be made commercially available -- until now, that is. Japan is getting the official SackBoy squeeze toys this month and they're already available for purchase off Play-Asia. Currently, the online retailer carries four versions of SackBoy: Normal, Pirate, Soldier and Sunflower. They're the 4" dolls we've reported on before, and they're actually cheaper than we thought at the price of $9.90. Import them today, or just wait for those North American plushies that we know are coming.
VC Friday: A question of value
This week's PAL Virtual Console line-up isn't short on quality, but it represents fairly awful value. As dreamy as we find any Metal Slug title, there are cheaper ways to play all three of this week's offerings. Want Metal Slug 2? We'd recommend picking up this. Fancy having your delicate gamer's ego rudely kicked in by Forgotten Worlds? There's an excellent compilation out there for a bunch of platforms that costs peanuts and comes with another 20 or so games. If you can't find Space Invaders for less than £6/€8, you're probably reading the wrong website. Better still: lavish those points on Space Invaders Get Even!. Metal Slug 2 -- Neo Geo -- 900 Wii Points Space Invaders: The Original Game -- SNES -- 800 Wii Points Forgotten Worlds -- Mega Drive -- 800 Wii Points See videos of all three (including footage of one David Hinkle showing off his skillz at Space Invaders and Forgotten Worlds) after the break.
Space Invaders Get Even (with North America) Dec 1st
This Monday, those of us that weren't lucky enough to already receive Space Invaders Get Even will finally be able to download this very awesome game. Square Enix dished out a press release stating as much, assuring those of us who've been biting our fingernails down to the bone whilst waiting for the game that our time is near. For 500 Wii Points, you can bet that we'll be picking this one up.So, who's going to download this come December 1st? Have you read our review yet?%Gallery-25384%
