From today, November 28th at 9AM GMT (2AM PDT), you can play Atari’s Asteroids Deluxe on Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360. Asteroids Deluxe will be available worldwide for 400 Microsoft Points (that’s US$5 / €4.80 / £3.40 / CAN$6.20 / AU$6.60).
Save the earth from a deadly deluge of asteroids and re-experience the beloved arcade classics Asteroids and Asteroids Deluxe on Xbox Live Arcade. Players control a spaceship in an asteroid field and shoot to destroy asteroids and saucers, all while trying to avoid a costly collision. Complete with re-mastered HD visuals and the whiplash inducing high-speed “throttle monkey” mode, players will be hooked for hours! “Asteroids” and “Asteroids Deluxe” will be available worldwide as a joint download.
All I could find was this really old Asteroids game video, I’ll update once I spot a video the Xbox 360 version.
Key features include:
* The original Asteroids: Released in 1979 by Atari, the simple black and white game was a masterpiece of vector graphics game design, and had millions of arcadegoers entranced by its simple mechanic of controlling a spaceship firing at and destroying asteroids.
* The release of Asteroids Deluxe: The sequel to the original, released in 1980, Asteroids Deluxe featured the same classic gameplay but added a new shield feature and dangerous satellite enemies. Play both the original and its sequel in all of its classic old-school style.
* Next-gen evolution: But now, both games have evolved. Support is provided for both 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios, including HDTV. Full-screen anti-aliasing and Dolby Digital surround sound complete the gaming experience.
* Throttle Monkey mode: Both game versions come with a high-speed version known as Throttle Monkey. Can you survive?
* Achievements and leaderboards: Twelve new achievements for you to earn, and new leaderboards to conquer. Show your friends who is the master at Asteroids and Asteroids Deluxe.
Gripshift is an arcade racing puzzle game that was first released on the PSP back in 2005, then earlier this year a visually updated version appeared on the PS3 Store as a download with online play, similarly it will now drive to Xbox Live Arcade. The developers Sidhe Interactive are saying the Xbox Live Arcade release is “the definitive version of Gripshift”.
Similar to the PS3 version, if you buy the Xbox 360 game, you’ll get 120 challenge mode levels and updated graphics. Xbox 360 owners on top of this will get: achievement points, leaderboards, four-player online racing (25 tracks), and deathmatch modes (20 maps).
Gripshift carries an ESRB rating of “E” for Everyone and will be released in December 2007. While no price has been revealed yet, expect it to cost $10 like the PS3 version.
Tuesday: Boogie (DS)
Cranium Kabookii (Wii)
Cruis’n (Wii)
Disney Princess: Enchanted Journey (PC)
Game Party (Wii)
Geometry Wars: Galaxies (DS)
History Channel: Battle for the Pacific (Wii, Xbox 360)
Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords (Wii)
Speedball 2 Tournament (PC)
From today, November 21st at 9AM GMT (2AM PDT), you can play Chair Entertainment Group’s Undertow on Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360. Undertow will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points (that’s US$10 / €9.60 / £6.80 / CAN$12.40 / AU$13.20).
Undertow redefines aquatic based shooters through a mix of high-definition graphics, intuitive controls and multiple modes of game play action. “Undertow” features a story driven single player campaign, on and offline co-op, and multiplayer for up to 16 players over Xbox Live. Players battle for control of the oceans as one of three selectable races, each with four unique, upgradeable units.
Here’s a list of this weeks US game releases. This is the third huge release week this month with many awesome blockbuster games. The most popular games are Mass Effect on Xbox 360, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune on PS3, Unreal Tournament 3 on PC, Rock Band on Xbox 360 & PS3, Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings on DS, Geometry Wars Galaxies on Wii & DS, and there’s even a little love for the arcade shooting games Link’s Crossbow Training that comes with the Wii Zapper and Time Crisis 4 that includes the Guncon 3 lightgun. On the downloadable games front we’ve got today’s Wrecking Crew, Sonic 3D Blast, Super Air Zonk on the Wii Virtual Console and Undertow on Xbox Live Arcade (updates Wednesday). No word on any PlayStation Store (updates Thursday) games yet. Monday:
CSI: Dark Motives (DS)
College Hoops 2k8 (PS2, PS3, Xbox 360)
Eschalon: Book 1 (PC)
Link’s Crossbow Training (Wii)
Mario Party DS (DS)
Medal of Honor: Airborne (PS3)
Sonic 3D Blast - $8 (Wii Virtual Console)
Super Air Zonk - $8 (Wii Virtual Console)
Time Crisis 4 (PS3)
TimeShift (PS3) Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune (PS3)
Unreal Tournament 3 (PC)
Wrecking Crew - $5 (Wii Virtual Console)
Tuesday:
7 Wonders of the Ancient World (PS2)
AMF Bowling Pinbusters! (Wii)
Cabela’s Monster Bass (PS2)
Final Fantasy XI: Wings of the Goddess (PS2, PC, Xbox 360)
Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings (DS)
Geometry Wars: Galaxies (Wii) Ghost Squad (Wii)
Godzilla Unleashed (PS2, DS)
History Channel: Battle for the Pacific (PS2, PC)
Indoor Sports (Wii)
John Deere: Harvest in the Heartland (DS)
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men (PC)
Luxor: Pharaoh’s Challenge (PS2) Mass Effect (Xbox 360)
Monster Jam (Wii)
Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of the Illuminus (PC, Xbox 360, PS2)
Rock Band (Xbox 360, PS3)
Showtime Championship Boxing (Wii)
Soulcalibur Legends (Wii)
Strawberry Shortcake: The Four Seasons Cake (DS)
Trauma Center: New Blood (Wii)
Wednesday: Undertow - $10 (Xbox Live Arcade)
Friday:
Black College Football Experience (PC)
Fire Pro Wrestling Returns (PS2)
Petz: Dogz 2 (PS2)
Petz: Hamsterz 2 (DS)
The King of Fighters XI (PS2)
Undertow (Xbox 360)
Microsoft has released the Xbox Live activity up to last week this month. These top 10 lists for the original Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox Live Arcade games count global unique users connected to Xbox Live or in the case of Arcade, full versions purchased.
Xbox 360 Top Live Titles: 1. Halo 3
2. Call of Duty 4
3. Gears of War
4. Guitar Hero III
5. Madden NFL 08
6. Guitar Hero II
7. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas
8. Guitar Hero III Demo
9. Assassin’s Creed
10. Forza Motorsport 2
Top Arcade Titles: 1. Switchball
2. Word Puzzle
3. Sonic The Hedgehog 2
4. UNO
5. Screwjumper!
6. TMNT 1989 Arcade
7. Shrek-n-Roll
8. Bomberman LIVE
9. Worms
10. Tetris Splash
Original Xbox Top Live Games:
1. Halo 2 2. Battlefield 2: MC
3. Star Wars: Battlefront 2
4. Counter-Strike
5. Madden NFL 08
6. Call of Duty 3
7. Madden NFL 07
8. Rainbow Six 3
9. Ghost Recon 2
10. Forza Motorsport
From today, November 14th at 9AM GMT (2AM PDT), you can play THQ’s Screwjumper on Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360. Screwjumper will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points (that’s US$10 / €9.60 / £6.80 / CAN$12.40 / AU$13.20).
In Screwjumper you rocket down perilous enemy mineshafts, destroying everything you can smash into along the way.
Also available today is Activision’s Shrek-n-Roll on Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360. Shrek-n-Roll will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points (that’s US$10 / €9.60 / £6.80 / CAN$12.40 / AU$13.20).
In Shrek-n-Roll you join Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, Puss in Boots and 20 other twisted fairy tale friends in this addictive and hilarious puzzle game designed for ogres of all ages! Navigate through 16 challenging mazes across four unique evironments in Far Far Away’s newest competitive tournament. Test your tilting and rolling skills in Single Player mode, challenge others in Versus mode, work together with friends and family in Co-op mode, or gain bragging rights with the highest points in Score Attack mode.
Tomorrow, November 15th, Microsoft are celebrating their five-year Xbox Live anniversary by giving away the Arcade title Carcassonne for free from November 15th at 12:01am PST to November 16th at 11:59 PST. And those of you that have been on Xbox Live since 2002 will see 500 Microsoft Points credited to your accounts.
Tuesday:
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (PSP)
Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader? (DS)
Assassin’s Creed (Xbox 360, PS3)
Baby Pals (DS) Beowulf (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
Black Site: Area 51 (PC, Xbox 360)
Boogie (PS2)
Contra 4 (DS)
Cooking Mama 2: Dinner with Friends (DS)
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 (PS2)
EverQeust: Secrets of Faydwer (PC)
EverQuest II: Rise of Kunark (PC)
Fire Pro Wrestling Returns (PS2)
Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock (PC, MAC)
Jenga World Tour (DS)
Kane and Lynch: Dead Men (PC, PS3, Xbox 360) Medal of Honor Heroes 2 (Wii, PSP)
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus (PSP)
Monster Jam (PC, Xbox 360, DS, PS2)
Need for Speed ProStreet (PS2, PS3, PC, Wii, DS, Xbox 360)
Next Life (PC)
Orcs and Elves (DS)
Petz: Catz 2 (PS2, PC, Wii, PS2, DS)
Petz: Dogz 2 (PS2, PC, Wii, PS2, DS)
Petz: Horsez 2 (PS2, PC, Wii, PS2, DS)
Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 (Wii, DS)
Reaxxion (PC)
Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles (Wii) Soldier of Fortune: Payback (PC, Xbox 360)
Sonic Rivals 2 (PSP)
SpongeBob’s Atlantis SquarePantis (Wii)
The King of Fighters XI (PS2)
Tomb Raider: Anniversary (Wii)
Ultimate Mortal Kombat (DS)
WWE SMackdown! vs. RAW 2008 (PS2, Wii, DS, Xbox 360, PS2)
Warhammer 40,000: Squad Command (PSP)
Wednesday:
America’s Army: True Soldier (Xbox 360)
Crysis (PC) Garfield Gets Real (DS, PC)
Left Behind: Eternal Forces Expanion Pack (PC)
Popcap Arcade Volume 1 (Xbox 360)
Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords (PS2)
Screwjumper - $10 (Xbox Live Arcade)
Shrek-n-Roll - $10 (Xbox Live Arcade)
SimCity Societies (PC)
Spy Games: elevator Missions (PC)
From today, November 7th at 9AM GMT (2AM PDT), you can play Sierra’s Switchball on Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360. Switchball will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points (that’s US$10 / €9.60 / £6.80 / CAN$12.40 / AU$13.20).
In Switchball you transform the marbleball with metal, electric and lighter-than-air properties to solve 3D puzzles based on real-world physics in the quickest time. More than 30 challenging levels! Includes single-player, co-op and competitive multiplayer courses! Guide the ever-changing Switchball through a series of challenging trap-filled mazes.
Key features include:
* Action puzzler: Inventive and fun puzzle-driven play is based on real world physical interactions.
* Exciting game environments: Beautiful and elegant 3-D graphics offer panoramic views of 30 single player levels in five amazing environments: Skyworld, Iceworld, Caveworld, Cloudworld, and Lavaworld.
* Traps and obstacles: Navigate more than 40 interactive objects including wooden blocks, sheets of cloth, spinning fans, magnets, cannons, and many more.
* Transform: Morph your marble to take advantage of the unique physical properties of the dense and heavy metalball, the super-charged powerball, or the floating airball, and find your way through the level.
* Multiplayer modes: Join in the fun with co-op and competitive racing courses.
Also available today is Microsoft’s Word Puzzle on Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360. Word Puzzle will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points (that’s US$10 / €9.60 / £6.80 / CAN$12.40 / AU$13.20). (more…)
Bizarre Creations, the developers of the Xbox Live Arcade music-rhythm game Boom Boom Rocket, have added something really cool through an upcoming title update, which has just passed certification and will be “coming soon”. It’ll add support for guitar and dance mat controllers!
Here’s a list of what’s new in the update:
* Guitar and dancemat peripheral support (oh yes!)
* Japanese and Korean language support.
* Tweaked scoring system to make grade awarded more fair (now purely based on accuracy).
* The huge loud “noise” which popped up occasionally on endurance mode is now gone.
* Occurrences of scores getting overwritten with a lower score when playing with 2 profiles signed in is now fixed.
* Display updates when viewing the game through a VGA cable.
* Friends leaderboard now shows extra information such as grade, accuracy, etc.
* Multiplayer endurance mode fix for player colours swapping sporadically.
* Slightly bigger and better explosions (updates to firework rendering).
Watch the developers try both the guitar and dance mat controls at the same time.
From today, November 28th at 9AM GMT (2AM PDT), you can play Atari’s Asteroids Deluxe on Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360. Asteroids Deluxe will be available worldwide for 400 Microsoft Points (that’s US$5 / €4.80 / £3.40 / CAN$6.20 / AU$6.60).
1. Switchball
