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Super Meat Boy PC launch joined by headcrabs, goo
Super Meat Boy will land with a squelch on PC on November 30. Pre-orders will open on November 23 for $10, after which the game will launch for $15. Early buyers should have enough money left over to pick up a pound of prime ground chuck at the market for burgers. If you buy Super Meat Boy through Valve's Steam service, you'll receive Half-Life's hideous (but sort of adorable) headcrab as a playable character. All non-Steam purchases on PC and Mac will receive a Goo from World of Goo. Either character will replace Gish as the first unlockable (via bandage collection) bonus character. As for which version to purchase, Team Meat is apparently very fond of Valve's digital distribution service, saying, "We LOVE Steam...like...a lot. MS is the hot chick you hook up with, Steam is the girl you spend your life with." We wonder where WiiWare must sit on that spectrum after those development challenges?
Super Meat Boy claymation intro won't spoil, will dry out
If you were to remake the Super Meat Boy intro, what would you use? You'd need something squishy, that's a given. What's that? Clay? That's a brilliant idea. Unfortunately, YouTube users iheart2embalm beat you to it. Sorry to spoil your plans. Maybe you could use cheese or something?
Super Meat Boy XBLA sale expires on Nov. 21
Super Meat Boy's XBLA launch sale will conclude in six days, on November 21. After that (barring deal of the week promotions) the difficult and rewarding platformer will cost $15/lb. (one pound minimum order). Even if you have a backlog of titles at the moment, it's worth picking up the excellent game for $10 and putting it in the Xbox freezer until you're ready to play. It won't get freezer burn and thaws just as fresh. %Gallery-103429%
Super Meat Boy PC adds Machinarium's robot to roster
The impending PC release of Super Meat Boy continues to amass an all-star team of indie game heroes, as Team Meat has revealed the identity of the PC version's third "exclusive" character to Big Download: Josef, the charming robot lead from Amanita Design's Machinarium.
Super Meat Boy XBLA update submitted, more PC characters teased
Team Meat has posted a rather lengthy update on all things Super Meat Boy. First, the upcoming update for the XBLA version of the game "is being submitted" to Microsoft and the team hopes it will be available by November 21. The update should fix all known bugs in the game, wipe out all 0.0 clear times from the Xbox Live leaderboards and add a new music track. It will also add 20 new levels to 'Teh Internets,' all designed exclusively for the sticky black ball of goo, Gish. Entitled "The Sewers of Dross," the levels range from "medium to soul crushing" in difficulty. On the PC front, Team Meat has revealed the silhouette of another exclusive character. We're not sure who it is, though it kinda looks like Penny Arcade's Fruit F**ker without any legs (we'd hate to imagine what his special ability would be). Team Meat also dropped a few hints on the remaining characters: "one of them sticks, one of them dashes, one of them changes form and one of them isn't organic." Finally, the team hopes to release the PC version of Super Meat Boy in the last week of November. The level editor -- including "some kind of portal enabling players to easily view and rate user made levels" -- should follow in December.
Super Meat Boy PC's first eight 'rejected' Achievements revealed
Above, you can find eight images representing new Achievements in the Steam version of Super Meat Boy, revealed via the @SuperMeatBoy Twitter account. The mesmerizing exercise in frustration and pleasure in attempting to safely escort a small meat object through the worst real estate ever is available on Xbox 360 right now. Eventually, it will come to the PC, boasting additional characters and levels, but also 30+ Achievements to unlock on Steam, "most rejected by MS for their difficulty." Today, the @SuperMeatBoy account revealed the above image, asking fans to guess which each represents. A later tweet provided hope of a Steam launch date "in a week," while a subsequent tweet offered clues for unrevealed characters.
VVVVVV's Captain Viridian dropped into Super Meat Boy PC
Another indie hero has joined the Super Meat Boy collective: VVVVVV's blocky, gravity-ignoring explorer Captain Viridian. Viridian will join Mr. Minecraft as one of the new characters exclusive to the PC version of Super Meat Boy. You've killed him thousands of times in VVVVVV (and if you haven't, you should totally check out the demo), now you'll get to watch him fail fatally over and over again in a new venue! It sounds like you'll manipulate Viridian in the same manner as VVVVVV, changing gravity to allow him to walk on either the ceiling or the floor. "He has one of the most game breaking powers yet," Team Meat said about the new character on Twitter. "He flips." As a result, he will require "a ton" of bandages to unlock.
Super Meat Boy XBLA patch near completion, includes 20 new levels
Team Meat is wrapping up the Super Meat Boy patch that addresses the auto-save glitch and, in fact, "all known bugs" in the Xbox Live Arcade game. The free title update will also include 20 new levels and a new music track, Team Meat tweets, and it's expected to be completed this week and "hopefully will be up soon" (pending Microsoft's approval). Also, if for some really stupid reason you haven't picked up the game yet -- those few bugs be damned -- the launch sale is still "going for another week" (from yesterday). In other Meat Boy news: The Steam release for PC is still being targeted for the last week of November (with the Mac version coming "after" that). Over the past few days, Team Meat has peppered the @SuperMeatBoy feed with irresistible morsels plucked from the Steam game: 30-plus achievements, "most rejected by MS for their difficulty"? Check! Level editor? You betcha. Mr. Minecraft and five additional "exclusive" characters that'll make you change your pants? Uh-huh -- and that's not even counting the returning warp zone unlockables. Yeah but, how about a launch sale for this Steam version? No doubt. Okay, that does it! We're buying Super Meat Boy ... again. Yes, "buy em both!" agrees Team Meat. "2 almost identical games for 1/3rd the price of Fallout New Vegas! So worth it .... (no seriously it's worth it)." [Pictured: "Mr. Minecraft" unlock screen character art (PC version); source: Twitpic]
Team Meat considering retail for Super Meat Boy on Wii
Sure, we appreciate the fact that Team Meat's Super Meat Boy was conveniently downloaded onto our Xbox 360, but that doesn't do much to satisfy our unending urge to lovingly squeeze the game box ever so tightly. At the moment, there's nothing we can do about this (and no, not any old game box would do) -- but this may change. Tweeting from the Super Meat Boy account, the game's devs publicly wondered, "If we decided to try to find a publisher and do a boxed version for $20 (with extras) but come out later on the Wii, would you hold out?" It seems that the tweet was at least partially in reaction to the game's WiiWare delay, said to be due to size constraints. One thing the folks at Team Meat certainly won't be doing? Splitting the game into chapters for digital release. "No split. It isn't as easy as 'cut it into parts.' The logistics of that are insane. That would push it out farther than a retail release," the devs also tweeted. "We will figure this WiiWare issue out soon," Team Meat assured. "Should have official updates in a few weeks." Until then, well, we'll be playing ... Super Meat Boy.
Super Meat Boy won't make Nov. on Wiiware, PC still on track
Bad news, Super Meat Fans. Team Meat has tweeted that Super Meat Boy will not make its planned November release on WiiWare. The team notes that a November release would be "impossible" and that the game hasn't been compressed beneath the WiiWare file size limit. Team Meat is shooting for a final size of 39MB, though it has yet to compress it down to 50MB. Another tweet states that the Team is looking to compress 700MB worth of data, and it's worth noting that the XBLA version released last month clocks in at just over 90MB. Meanwhile, the PC version (with Minecraft guy!) is still set to arrive on Steam during the last week of November. We realize it won't make up for the lack of meaty goodness on Wii, but perhaps you could console yourself with a Meat Boy plushie? [Thanks, John. Above: Our unofficial Meat Boy expresses his disappointment.]
Super Meat Boy soundtrack now available
We love having the exquisite torture of gaming masochism on the go, but John Law and his rules like "at least one hand on the wheel" make it tough. But now we've got vicarious rage at our fingertips with the recently released soundtrack to Super Meat Boy! At $4 minimum (you can pay more if you think it deserves a bonus), there's no better bargain on porta-fury.
If you think Super Meat Boy is hard, try developing it
You must excuse Team Meat for looking a little loony upon the completion of the duo's Game of the Year contender, Super Meat Boy. "I can't even count the amount of times I had breakdowns and my wife had to convince me that I need to finish the game and I'll be okay," co-CEO Edmund McMillen told Eurogamer of the development of the game (which eerily echoes our experience of playing it). "We get five or six hours of sleep a day, max," McMillen recounted. "As time drags on and you get sleep-deprived things get really crazy" -- perhaps explaining some of Super Meat Boy's loopy brilliance. Despite the grueling development process of the two-man team's first commercial release (currently available and on sale for Xbox Live Arcade), Team Meat has no plans to hire more staff nor seek a publishing deal (which "seems like the most awful thing ever") for the next game -- and it "won't be Meat Boy," McMillen insisted. "It'll be totally new." "We'd be lying if we said we hadn't talked about the next game, because we very much have," a pooped out McMillen confessed. "But thinking about it right now makes me want to stab myself in the stomach as hard as I can. With a gun."
Minecraft character digging into Super Meat Boy PC
Need another reason to re-buy Super Meat Boy? Neither did we -- we have plenty already, thanks -- but apparently the forthcoming PC iteration includes another bonus character: Minecraft's main man. A Destructoid tipster spotted Team Meat's Twitter account putting Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson on the spot, asking, "How's about you let us use Mr. Minecraft as a playable charater in the PC version?" The ever affable and accommodating Persson responded in turn, saying, "Permission hereby granted!" Persson also noted that he needs to "add meat blocks" to Minecraft. While you're at it, may we also suggest heat-seeking missiles, enormous buzz saws, and piles of epidermic needles? Thanks!
Super Meat Boy save fix on the way
Super Meat Boy demands patience and precision from fans, who have shown nothing but adoration for its frantic 2D platforming. While you're grinning from satisfaction after completing an incredibly difficult sequence, don't forget to make sure your progress has been saved -- some players have reported encountering an inconsistent auto-save glitch. According to Tweets from the Super Meat Boy account, the bug can crawl out if you collect the same band-aid more than once in a level. So, um, don't do that. Team Meat's Edmund McMillen assured us that the issue has been identified and will be corrected soon. We'll let you know when the fix goes out on Xbox Live.
Super Meat Boy launches with beefy new trailer
We'd never let you forget that the excellent Super Meat Boy is arriving on Xbox 360 today. Ever. But even if we were to fail you, the dudes of Area 5 and Team Meat would be there to pick up the slack with a special, BurgerTime-esque launch trailer. Hooray for fetus juice! ... Wait, what?
Super Meat Boy 'on sale' for 800 MS points at launch
For as long as Super Meat Boy remains fresh in Xbox Live Arcade's refrigerated aisles, it will be "on sale" for 800 Microsoft points ($10). That's 33 percent off the regular 1200 MSP price. The sale will be for a "limited time only," so once Meat Boy starts smelling a little funky, he'll go back up to the originally intended price. Look for the game this Wednesday, October 20. As we noted in our review, the game will put you through the grinder. So, take those five dollars you saved and invest in some tissues, 'cause you'll need something to wipe away the tears when Super Meat Boy carves off your rump and hands it to you. %Gallery-103429%
Super Meat Boy commercial will destroy your face
To inform ... mid-90s Genesis game audiences (apparently) about Super Meat Boy's "hella tight controls" and "educational" worlds, Team Meat and director James Id have put together this explosive commercial for the XBLA (and eventually PC and WiiWare) platformer. Do the math!
Super Meat Boy review: Into the grinder
There was a time when I thought I was pretty good at video games. I've brought down the likes of Earthworm Jim, Rocket Knight Adventures, Ninja Gaiden (2004), Mega Man 9 and many others without much trouble and only the occasional spurt of profanity. Having completed the story (but not nearly all of the levels) of Super Meat Boy, I can soundly declare that it trumps them all. As of this writing, I have died 1,792 times and several hundred of those lives -- at least -- were spent trying to conquer the last level. Super Meat Boy is tough, as tough as the toughest nails in the toughest universe. I've been maimed, beaten, crushed, devoured, stabbed, sliced and otherwise disfigured over, and over, and over again. I can only thank my lucky stars that my wife wasn't around to witness the frequency, volume and general ferocity of the swears that shook the living room walls. So, yes, it's hard. It's also one of the best games I've played this year. %Gallery-103429%
Super Meat Boy preview: Super masochistic
I almost didn't dare write a preview of the XBLA version of Super Meat Boy. When I approached the demo kiosk at Fantastic Arcade, I started playing the level the previous player had abandoned, and then proceeded to die -- about a hundred times. That's not hyperbole. If anything, that's a conservative estimate. I failed over, and over, and over again. "Well, that wouldn't make for a good preview," I thought, reflecting on the humiliating performance that I just wrote about in this preview. Later, after a brief mourning period, I returned to the game and started the demo from the first level. With the advantage of a bit more experience traversing Super Meat Boy's earlier levels, and having gotten a feel for the dash-jump physics, I was able to triumph over adversity and complete that one extremely difficult level. (Bonus: I could deliver my impressions of the game based on more than just the first three quarters of a single level played repeatedly.) My opinion? Super Meat Boy is an ideal game for people who became addicted to the extreme platforming challenges found in N+ ... unless they're squeamish about blood. %Gallery-103429%
Super Meat Boy to be injected with delicious free levels
From what we've seen from Team Meat's challenging, retro-inspired XBLA platformer Super Meat Boy, the game's already packed with countless hours of missed jumps and gruesome deaths. Still, that hasn't stifled the developer's lofty plans for expansion -- Team Meat's Edmund McMillen recently explained to MTV Multiplayer that the game will have a level called "Teh Internets," a world that can (and will!) be automatically updated with free level packs using the "Title Managed Storage" system we learned about from the release of Monday Night Combat. Each pack will contain 20 new levels, all belonging to a different theme -- for instance, a pack titled "The Butcher Boy" places you in the shoes of an 8-bit Meat Boy, and will be available on launch day, October 20. McMillen explained on the game's official site that the long-term goal is to release the game's level editor "no more than six months after the PC version ships," and start putting player-made creations on Teh Internets. We hope the chosen creators don't have a mean streak -- the game's hard enough as is.
