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100,000 Gamerscore broken!
The next milestone in Gamerscore points has been reached ... the 100,000 mark. StripClubDj has surpassed the 100,000 Gamerscore point! It looks like Superman Returns was the game that finally put him over the magic number and what a perfect game to choose. Now I'm not saying he cheated at all, whether using game saves or having friends logon for him, but that's a crazy amount of not only time, but money spent. He can't even be human. Cheers to you Mr. StripClubDj, you've surely glued yourself to that TV for way to long and I commend you for it.
XBLA title War World confirmed
War World, that mech based PC game, has been greenlighted to hit the XBLA in mid 2007. PALGN got the inside scoop from the CEO of Third Wave Games, where he stated that the game has been approved by Microsoft, that it should be released within six months, and that the hardest part of getting the game on the 360 was compressing it to under 50mb. Anyone uber excited about this one?[Thanks, un1qu3 n3wy0rk]
XBLA Poker to get update, leaderboard reset
Xbox 360 early adopters everywhere were thrilled when Microsoft announced a free, 48-hour download window for Xbox Live Arcade's Texas Hold 'Em Poker. They were less than thrilled when the actual game turned out to be a slow-paced, cheating-riddled, broken mess of a poker game. Oh, well, you get what you pay for, right?Apparently not. Tomorrow, Microsoft will be uploading a free update for the game that fixes many of the problems that have plagued would-be betters. The most important fix by far is the elimination of some well-known cheating methods and an accompanying leaderboard reset "to eliminate inflated scores as a result of these exploits." Other new features include improved matchmaking and interface, prettied up in-game art, and general speed enhancements.Will the update be enough to transform Texas Hold 'Em Poker from an unplayable mess into a playable, um, non-mess? We'll find out along with you when the patch is release at 4 a.m. Eastern tomorrow morning.
Small Arms debuts in XBL top five
Gears of War may be king of the hill for the second week in a row, but it isn't the only game making statistical waves on Live. Small Arms, you know, the game we've talked about incessantly for months, debuted at number four on the overall 360 Live charts -- and number one in Xbox Live Arcade specifically. It's really no surprise that the latest XBLA title would debut at number one in the Arcade list, but making number 4 overall is very impressive. For our part, we probably played Small Arms for 4 hours straight the night it came out (and that was just me). As long as you're not stuck in a room full of Unit 51 electricity gun spammers*, there's a lot of fun to be had. How many of you spent time with Small Arms this weekend? *Seriously, that gun could use some tweaking.
Mad Tracks interview and screens [update 1]
In an interview with the Mad Tracks team, Xbox Elite Team Belgie's very own YLA G gets some answers on why the game has been delayed since September, how far development has come along, and most importantly when we'll get our grubby hands on this cartoon looking game. And for the multi-lingual Xbox 360 fans there is good news, Mad Tracks is the first Xbox Live Arcade game to offer multiple language options. So, now you can brush up on your Spanish, German, Japanese and Russian all while racing around Mad Tracks style! Who said video games weren't educational?[Thanks, YLA G]Update 1: Fixed my reference to who "got the answers" ... sorry man.
Small Arms impressions, it's real splodey [update 1]
I downloaded Small Arms this morning and played it for a good solid hour. I managed to fight our way through single player and played a few Live matches, too. What was the experience like? Is Small Arms worth 800 points? Read on to find out.
Small Arms hits XBLA, shoots it in face
It has been a long time coming, but Small Arms has made it (after all) to Xbox Live Arcade. Sure, it brings 4-player rapid-fire blasting action to the Arcade, but we all know that its major innovation is the introduction of psychotic Mexican chickens to videogames. It's a milestone that is long overdue. We're getting on in just a few minutes to try this puppy out, so all the working stiffs out there can rest assured we'll have impressions soon. While we're at it, we'll see if we can't find a Gastronaut employee so we can grab the awesome "Six Degrees" achievement. With any luck, the whole readership of 360 Fanboy will be "infected" in no time!See Also:X360F Interview with Small Arms' GastronautDonSmall Arms Archive
It's official: Small Arms this Wednesday!
Microsoft has officially confirmed what we had all hoped, Gastronaut Studios' Small Arms is finally hitting Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday for 800 points. Small Arms, for those of you who have somehow missed our near continuous coverage, is a 4 player fighting game featuring crazy characters that use any means necessary -- from molotov cocktails to sniper rifles -- to blast each other to smithereens. Described by many as Metal Slug meets Smash Bros, people (especially us) have been salivating for its release. The wait is almost over, folks. This Thursday, eat some turkey and look for some 4 player action on Live. That's what we'll be doing. Full press release after the break.
Retro Arcade stick releases next month
IGN has the skinny on the retro Arcade stick that was revealed a few months ago, including a few tidbits that we didn't know about in August. The biggest of which is the addition of a "spinner" control around the smaller analogue stick on the right side of the controller. Older fanboys will recognize the spinner as a "paddle" controller, allowing accurate control in games like Pong and Tempest. Unfortunately, the stick still doesn't look well suited to old school fighters like Street Fighter II, Mortal Kombat, or the announced Fatal Fury. On the other hand, it looks like it would be great for older titles like Pac-Man and Defender. The stick will be bundled with Frogger, Time Pilot, and Astropop for a suggested price of $49.99. Assuming the build quality is up to snuff, it sounds like a good deal for retro Arcade buffs. Anybody want one?
Small Arms in time for Turkey Day?
We know, we know. We just won't shut up about Small Arms, but Mike from the Xbox Domain just sent us an interesting find. Check out this list of the official Live Arcade game forums at Xbox.com. Look closely, and you'll see that Small Arms is the only unreleased Arcade game with a forum. What's more, it looks like both the Defender and Small Arms forums were created last night. Is it possible that Microsoft had Small Arms on deck to release and hit a snafu? Was Defender on standby for just such an occasion? We don't know, but we suspect that MS has a pretty large catalog of old arcade titles that are ready to be published at a moment's notice, just in case a bigger game hasn't made it through certification (and of course there are the UNO decks to fall back on). The upshot of all this is that Small Arms just might be releasing next week -- or maybe even as another surprise Friday release à la UMK3. Will Small Arms see the light of day before Thanksgiving? We hope so, because it sounds like the perfect way to wind down after a turkey dinner.
XBLA's retro fad continues: Defender
Another Xbox Live Arcade Wednesday is upon us, and this week's entry brings us yet another retro title, Defender. Yay, Defender. Granted, I'm all about Contra and maybe I'm not old enough to have fond memories of Defender, but every week that XBLA gets another Atari/Pac-Man era game, I die a little inside. When I write the headline, all I want to write is: "This week isn't Small Arms" or "Still no RoboBlitz." Where are all these exciting, independent titles? We've only got six Wednesdays left MS! Are you expecting people to buy Arcade titles as Christmas presents? Again, I apologize to all the Defender fans out there, but it's high time we got another indie release on XBLA.
RoboBlitz T-shirt contest: Day 5
This is it folks, your last chance to win a RoboBlitz T-shirt. As usual, before we get into today's contest, we must announce yesterday's winner. And the winner of yesterday's fine T-shirt is ... Cth, for a very creative weapon idea: the pen is mightier than the sword. It's kind of a complicated idea, so we suggest you read Cth's description for yourselves. So, here we are ... the final day of our RoboBlitz contest extravaganza. Today is the day that many of you have been waiting for, a chance to win a men's XL RoboBlitz T-shirt. The other puny large men's shirts and the tiny women's shirts would never fit your manly girth. Well now is your chance, because today, we're making the contest easier than it's ever been. RoboBlitz is about tackling your objectives in any way you want. You can do it however you please. In the spirit of this freedom, today you can choose to leave a comment about anything. Just comment on this post. It doesn't matter what you say, you'll be entered to win this mythical T-shirt. So, leave a comment and make history.General contest stuff: Only one entry per person. Winners will be contacted via email in order to obtain shipping information. This contest is open to residents of the United States only
RoboBlitz T-shirt contests: Day 3 [update 1]
The RoboBlitz contest train keeps a-rollin' along. Now, before we get started with today's contest, it's time to announce Friday's winner. And the winner of a women's large T-shirt is ... Jack Lukic for his Green Eggs and Ham inspired quote: "Look a box,inside is a fox!"Congratulations, Jack. Now for today's contest. RoboBlitz has cool robots. We like robots. We're betting that you like robots, too. So, today we'd like you to make one. No, you don't actually have to build one -- this isn't BattleBots. Just leave a comment about your dream robot. Give it a name and describe what it does. The winner will receive a large men's RoboBlitz T-shirt. Also, we know some of you have been holding out for XL sizes. Well, fear not, for they are coming. We still have a men's and women's XL to give away. In the meantime, start dreaming up robots.Update: This contest is now closed. Please click here to see the winner and enter the latest contest.
Xbox Live survey leads to future peripheral speculation
Alright, so we've got Microsoft's HD DVD player finally hitting the hands of elated Xbox 360 owners, rumors of a 100GB 80GB hard drive, and an "all systems go" on the console's forthcoming Live Video service -- how could there possibly be anything else up ole Bill's sleeve? Apparently the company is at least pondering the release of several other goodies in the (hopefully) near future, including a premium (read: black) wireless controller with backlit buttons and rubberized grips ($59-$69), a "traditional joystick" for use with Xbox Live Arcade titles ($29-$39), a "mini-keyboard plug-in device" enabling text messaging and chat ($19-$29), and a long-awaited web browser built into Xbox Live (likely gratis). No, we didn't pull these four niceties out of a hat, but certain XBL members received a hint-filled survey that mentioned each of these devices (and bits of software) in particular, leading us to believe that at least some of these peripherals could see retail shelves before too long. The survey also made mention of an "iTunes-like" music service (Zune Marketplace?) that could offer $0.99 downloads or a $14.99 per month "rental service" similar to Napster and Rhapsody's current gigs. While nobody knows for sure what the (presumably positive) survey results will lead to in Redmond, we won't complain with Microsoft catering to our incessant demands.[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
Small Arms video available in HD
GameTrailers has released a new video of Small Arms, one of the most anticipated games on Xbox Live Arcade. The video shows an entire round of play and gives a great overall impression of what it will be like to play the game. What we love most is how much noise each character makes. We especially like hearing the characters scream when they're on fire. Nice touch, Gastronaut. Now how about actually releasing the game? Let's say, oh, next week? See the video after the break.
Worms confirmed and unconfirmed for XBLA
File this one under "They took it down so it must be true." According to 1UP, a 2D version of Team17's Worms series is coming to Xbox Live Arcade. Furthermore, it's actually complete and awaiting certification from Microsoft. To prove their assertions, 1UP posted a link to the Team17 forums, supposedly confirming the game's existence. It went a little something like this: "Plans for announcements are being discussed with MS next week, hold tight. The game is in final certification stages btw, yes it's pretty much all finished apart from any last bugs they find. MS has a schedule of releases and we'll soon find out how we fit into that" It looks like someone spoke too soon (and presumably outside of NDA), as the post has since been, ahem, altered. It now reads, "Tom has a small todger." So, is Worms coming to XBLA? Probably. Will it come out this year? We don't know for sure, but we'd say not, considering MS has a pretty solid lineup, um, lined up. Worms would definitely fit on XBLA. The gameplay is simple yet addictive, and it's turn based, so you won't have to deal with nasty lag. Anybody else up for some Worms on XBLA? [Via Joystiq]
Contra co-op is totally out of sync
The image above contains two screenshots from an online co-op game of Contra. The picture on the left was taken by one player, and the picture on the right was taken by the other ... at the same time. In the words of Wired Game|Life, "XBLA Contra Co-Op Play Is F**ked Up" They're not the only ones who noticed either: IGN seems to be having the same problem. We haven't replicated the problem here at Fanboy Towers, simply because we've been too busy playing Gears to pay for Contra. Has anyone else out there experienced this problem? If you wanted Contra for the online co-op, you may want to wait for Konami to fix this problem before you pay for the full version.
Worms 2D confirmed for Xbox Live Arcade
Team17 has completed a version of Worms for Xbox Live Arcade, returning the multiplayer strategy franchise to its 2D roots. In a recent forum post, creative and studio director Martyn Brown confirmed that the game has entered the final stage of certification and plans for announcing its launch will be discussed with Microsoft next week. But don't hold your breath for a holiday release; XBLA's lineup is firmly in place. Team17's first downloadable title, Lemmings 2, will be available on PlayStation 3's service later this month. [Via 1UP]
X360F interviews RoboBlitz's Tian Mu
We were recently given the opportunity to interview Tian Mu of Naked Sky, developers of the Live Arcade game, RoboBlitz. Chances are you're going to be hearing a lot about this game when it releases on Xbox Live Arcade. RoboBlitz is powered by Unreal Engine 3 (you know, the engine that Gears of War runs on), making it one of the most visually impressive games ever to hit the Arcade. Even more impressive is the fact that RoboBlitz looks fantastic and manages to stay under the 50 MB limit set by Microsoft for Arcade titles. Another standout feature of the game is its use of physics. Everything in the game is based on physics, from environmental objects to character animations. In gameplay terms, this means that almost anything is possible (check out a video demonstration here). Each puzzle can be attacked in different ways, giving users plenty of options and no scripted sequences. Read on to learn more about the world of RoboBlitz.
Contra shoots XBLA with spread gun
What did we ever do to deserve this? Halo 3 info is everywhere, Call of Duty 3 on the cheap, movies and TV on Marketplace, Gears of War, and now Contra all in the same week. There's so much stuff that it's actually hard to take it all in. Like staring into the sun, its radiant beauty is simply overwhelming.Anyway, the point is that Contra is now available. I powered up my 360 this morning just to grab it from XBLA. Lo and behold, it said I'd already downloaded it. It was then that I realized the new Arcade auto-download feature was doing its job. Huzzah! If you thought you died a lot in Gears of War, just see how long you last in Contra. Home to one of the greatest game weapons of all time, the spread gun, Contra is a shooter for the ages. It also helped make co-op gaming one of the greatest experiences in life. If you're old enough to remember the good old days, download this puppy and blast through it with a buddy. It won't take very long, but it's not like you ever would have gotten through the original for under five bucks, so 400 points is a pretty good deal. And even if you don't remember the good old days, you might as well give it a try, right? Contra -- like other retro titles -- has some control issues. It doesn't seem nearly as responsive as it should. The core gameplay is still there though, and that's what counts. The remixed graphics and music aren't that much of an improvement, but welcome nonetheless. Still, as we said above, the amount of gaming you get for five dollars seems adequate. Has anyone stopped playing Gears (or COD3 or Project 8 or Viva Piñata or ....) long enough to try Contra?
