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This Wednesday: Star Trek D-A-C, Texas Cheat 'Em
This Wednesday, XBLA fans will receive a double dose of downloads. First up is Star Trek D-A-C, which is based on the new film and supports up to 12 players for online battles. You'll be able to download it for 800 ($10). That comes out to 23.2 Darseks, if you're a Klingon.Joining Starfleet is something a bit less action-packed and frenzied: Texas Cheat 'Em. It's a spin-off from the traditional Texas Hold 'Em, allowing players to steal each other's chips and fold for free by unlocking cheats through a variety of minigames. Texas Cheat 'Em will also cost 800 ($10).%Gallery-49012%
This Wednesday: Virtual On, Banjo Tooie & Sorry! [update]
It's really just a reminder at this point, but we thought you might like to know that Microsoft has confirmed that both Banjo Tooie and Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram are headed to XBLA this Wednesday. If you're up for some giant robot blasting action, we suggest Virtual On. If you're more of an anthropomorphic-bear-jumping-on-things kind of guy, then you'd probably prefer Banjo Tooie. If, however, you like cheap Arcade games, you're out of luck. Both games cost 1200 ($15). Update: As a commenter points out, Sorry! is coming to Hasbro Family Game Night as well for 800 ($10) %Gallery-46149% %Gallery-43257%
This Wednesday: Burn rubber in Outrun Online Arcade on XBLA
click to race into the gallery Racing fanatics will get their fix this Wednesday when Sega releases Outrun Online Arcade on XBLA. Featuring 15 different courses, 10 different Ferraris to drive and support for online multiplayer, Outrun Online Arcade will set you back a cool 800 ($10) worldwide (excluding Japan). Who's planning on putting the pedal to the metal?%Gallery-39659%
This Wednesday: Bust up fools in 'The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai' on XBLA
Announced via Major Nelson's podcast last night, this Wednesday's "Days of Arcade" XBLA game will be the 2D, side-scrolling, three-player co-op beat 'em up (breath), The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai. Coming in at 800 ($10), you might remember Dishwasher from GDC 2008 when, among other XNA titles, it was featured as a free download, showcasing the XNA development tools. Be sure to keep a lookout for the X3F Podcast-born achievement that pays homage to Peter Moore's fake guitar playing prowess! And if you're like us and can't spare the extra spacebucks just yet, feel free to window shop in our gallery below.%Gallery-15513%[Thanks Menno!]
This Wednesday: Put on your CAPS for UNO RUSH
Microsoft has announced that the next game to be released as part of the Days of Arcade promotion will be none other than UNO RUSH. A fast-paced version of UNO, the game requires gamers to assemble their hands ahead of time, as everyone's hand is played automatically. The game features online play for up to four players and includes Avatar support. The game will release this Wednesday for 800. %Gallery-27823%
This Wednesday: Hasbro Family Game Night matches with XBLA
If you, like young Mikey, love matching rows of similarly colored checkers but can't stand being around other people and all their germs, your salvation will arrive this Wednesday in the form of Connect Four, one of the first offerings in Xbox Live's Hasbro Family Game Night series.Other games arriving today include Scrabble, Yahtzee and Battleship with Boggle, Sorry! and Sorry! Sliders coming later in the year. All the titles will be playable in a virtual game room that, in some way, incorporates Avatars. If you'd like to play beloved family games as you replace your friends and loved ones with digital simulacra, you can expect to pony up 800 ($10) a piece. (Yeah, you read that right. A piece.)%Gallery-42087%
This Wednesday: Peggle, Crystal Defenders & NCAA Basketball MME [update]
PopCap Games' alarmingly addictive Peggle and Square Enix's Crystal Defenders will both be releasing to the Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday, March 11 for 800 ($10) each. That is, if Major Nelson and his podcasting co-host, e, can be trusted (we think so!). This week's Peggle release isn't all that surprising, seeing that a recent press release confirmed a March release, but hearing that Crystal Defenders will complete this Wednesday's XBLA twofer, well ... that's just out of left field. Not that we're complaining or anything, we're just overjoyed that Bjorn will be giving our 360 an incurable case of "Extreme Fever." Update: NCAA Basketball MME is out too! (No demo available.) [Thanks, Liam G.]
This Wednesday: 'Watchmen: The End Is Nigh' blows up XBLA
We'd love to be more excited about this week's release on XBLA, Watchmen: The End Is Nigh, but we're having a tough time of it. We're fans of the book and we're sure the movie will be great, but when you combine our lukewarm impressions of the game with the nothing-short-of-indulgent 1600 ($19.99) asking price, we're somewhere between mildly curious and totally unenthused. But if you're the sort that's excited about helping Rorshach and Nite Owl punch and kick a seemingly unending stream of generic thugs, please, don't let us stop you. %Gallery-44353%
This Wednesday: Exit 2 enters XBLA
This Wednesday's Xbox Live Arcade release is Taito's action platformer Exit 2, which (according to Xbox.com) was initially expected to release last week. Exit 2 will be available for purchase from the Xbox Live Marketplace for 800 ($10) and comes packed with 240 stages, ten challenges and an extremely '80s-inspired neon pink logo. %Gallery-45779%
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]
This Wednesday: Death Tank rolls onto XBLA
Prep some ammunition and stock up on military-grade fuel, because Microsoft just announced that Death Tank will launch an attack on Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday, February 18th, at a cost of 1200 ($15).Snowblind Studios' Death Tank is a remake of the Sega Saturn classic hit and features gameplay similar to Worms, but, uh, real-time and way more explosive, as is evident in the video above. With Xbox Live support for up to eight players, eight destructible environments and prettified HD visuals, Death Tank might actually be worth the price of admission. That is, if this week's release of The Lost & Damned doesn't empty our MS point stash.%Gallery-31242%
This Wednesday (also): Minesweeper Flags comes to XBLA
Brace yourself for a Wednesday morning freak-out. We've already done our "This Wednesday" post for this week (3 on 3 NHL Arcade, thank you for asking) and now we're doing it ... again. Because XBLA will be welcoming not one game to the service this week, but two. And the other one ... is Minesweeper ... no, not on your digital watch, on your 360.Technically, TikGames' new release is Minesweeper Flags 400 ($5), which includes a new mode wherein -- get this -- you try to find the mines. We told you, this post is a mindf**k. Dogs, cats, mass hysteria, the whole bit.
This Wednesday: 3 on 3 NHL Arcade on XBLA
Lace up your skates and grab a stick, because EA's over-the-top hockey game, 3 on 3 NHL Arcade, is this week's Xbox Live Arcade release. Fetching the tidy sum of 800 ($10), EA's title features more than just big heads, as it promises a "no rules, fast paced" version of the popular sport. Planning to hit the ice this Wednesday?
This Wednesday: R-Type Dimensions blasts XBLA
Microsoft just sent official word that the Xbox Live Arcade will receive Tazai's R-Type Dimensions this Wednesday, February 4th. Dimensions is a remake of classics R-Type and R-Type II, both mashed together in 2D and 3D flavors that can be switched between at will. With 14 stages, cooperative play, a new camera mode, plenty of game stats and the inclusion of checkpoint saves (woohoo!), R-Type Dimensions looks to be a winner. But before you commit to an XBLA purchase, know that Dimensions will cost you 1200. We're sure that will deter a few.
This Wednesday: FunTown Mahjong melds tiles on XBLA
After originally being announced last Wednesday, only to be delayed seven days, the ancient Chinese tile game, in the form of FunTown Mahjong, is now available for download on Xbox Live Arcade. This 800 (yowch!) version of mahjong features one-player local or four-player Xbox Live play, a game tutorial, "vivid audio and visuals" as well as the option to "change background images and tiles." Even better: you can expand the tile fun with a Chinese Festival DLC expansion for 160 points. Why aren't you playing yet?Download FunTown Mahjong from the XBLM
This Wednesday (yeah, today): The Maw and FunTown Mahjong hit XBLA
This week's first XBLA release is FunTown Mahjong. Protip: If you wander into a village marked by a big sign that says "FunTown," and the first guy you see tells you that they've only got one game in town, that it's Mahjong and it costs $10 to play it ... then you're not in FunTown. You're in Awfulville, and the Chamber of Commerce has just changed the name.On the bright side, we're also getting The Maw, a very pretty action-platformer that has us quite intrigued. You can also pick that one up for 800 ($10).
This Wednesday: Castle Crashers DLC hitting XBLA
We've got new Castle Crashers DLC coming to Xbox Live Arcade this week for 160 ($2), according to Major Major Major Major (Nelson). As of this writing, no other details were available on his site nor on the Behemoth's blog, but we suspect it's probably the new characters and weapons we heard about in September. Sure, it's not technically a new title, but we'll let them slide this time. After all, it could be worse. As for the week after, you've got The Maw.
Wednesday This: Merv Griffin's Crosswords on XBLA
19 Across: Game that's fairly overpriced at 800 ($10).Answer: Merv Griffin's Crosswords, only available in the United States.Oh well, at least the price isn't totally insulting (see: Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader's at 1200 ($15). Still, XBLA deserves better game show adaptations than this. Talk about ending a solid year of Arcade releases on a low note.
This Wednesday: Puzzle Arcade solves lack of XBLA jigsaws
The jigsaw puzzle, a decidedly non-digital form of cooperative entertainment, is going all electronic and competitive on XBLA this week with the release of Puzzle Arcade. The game features 35 puzzles and downloadable picture packs (see Lara Croft in the above image), with publisher Eidos promising that "players are sure to have a brain-busting experience." (Note to the ESRB: you might want to add "brain-busting" to your descriptors.)Up to four players can simultaneously race to complete the puzzles in normal or "turbo" modes (undoubtedly where the "brain-busting" would most likely occur), while watching each others' expressions (and, presumably, brains busting) via the Xbox Live Vision camera. Puzzle Arcade is priced at 800 ($10). Brain. Busting!%Gallery-39931%
This Wednesday: A dash of advergaming
If this looks like a game that should be free, well, it's because it is free. The game, you may recall, is Dash of Destruction, the winner of last year's Xbox Live Arcade Doritos promotion. After a year and change in the hands of developer NinjaBee, tasked with the rather expensive Flash-to-XBLA conversion (it costs your credibility, you know), the "game" is regrettably here. Unfortunately for NinjaBee, thirteen months of stalling was not enough time for the higher power to forget. See what happens when you bet your soul? And lose.Thankfully, continuing in the proud tradition of Yaris (R.I.P.), Dash of Destruction will be offered to us for exactly 0. This one's on Doritos -- muchas gracias little golden ones!
