Worms is certified for XBLA - Time to Rejoice!

"We're not sure of the date just yet - it's only been certified for about six hours! - but I imagine it'll be a few weeks given the line up,"

"A few weeks given the line up", I hope that line up includes Castlevania. March could end up the best month ever for Arcade games.
This is great news all around. Sounds like Worms is on the way shortly, and it also sounds like we should be getting something next week regardless.

Also Alien Hominid is looking to be a must have for me this week.

Source: Eurogamer

Penny-Arcade Enjoys flOw / Burns in Hell.

I love Penny Arcade.

Les Mots Dangereux

They talk about REZ, and how people like myself have a similar attraction to games like these. It is like a mixture of game play and direct audio manipulation. You aren't just playing a game, you are creating and manipulating the soundtrack. REZ works more like a momentum building remix of a techno track. What you do, and how you perform builds the tempo of the track. flOw is much more like an ambient direct response. Kinda like Electroplankton with a purpose. I wish I would have held on to Elekroplankton. I regret selling it.

Here is the first Level of REZ. I rented this game way back before I got bored with my Ps2. I would die if this came to to XBLA.

Random Coke/Crack/Alien News

Apparently Coke is about to release a new can design, and marketing campaign to go along with it.

Hmmmm.. "The Coke Side of Life" .. I am currently more interested in the "Crack side of life".

Meanwhile in unrelated news, I am listening to Major Nelson's new "blogcast" for the week.

So far he read the "riot Act" once again about us not getting a game every week on the Arcade, meanwhile he seems to think we had two weeks of no new games(Paperboy came out the week before), and makes a somewhat annoying remark about school being out as a reason behind the larger than normal ruckus.

Fact is the dissapointments with the XBLA are numerous and piling up. We grow more frustrated, less patient, and don't find things humorous at all. No matter how hard he tries to roll back expectations, I won't be satisfied with less than 1 game a week average. The word "satisfied" is important. Although if they could hit 3/4th of that goal, or deliver only the highest quality I would probably be willing to end my person complaining.

XBLA is failing expectations in pretty much every direction. So I do find it annoying when people seem to simplify the complaints as being based on one or two weeks.

Also interesting in the interview is the discussion with Kristofor Mellroth,one of the guys behind the audio in Crackdown. I find the audio in Crackdown to be a mixed bad. The overall design of the Sound Effects of the city is top notch, although the roar of the cars means I have to keep the volume lower than I would like. The problem I have is with the in game music. I just feel like they failed with the soundtrack and how they handled it. A chunk of the soundtrack is great, I love DJ Krush, and Amon Tobin. I just feel like how they used it was limited, and it pales in comparison to GTA and Saints Row. You never really notice the music, and some of the tracks are annoying. Too many repeated artiest on the soundtrack as well.

Also the Alien Homid game sounds better and better. Apparently they are planning to send out "trophies" to people topping the leaderboards. Sounds awesome. I would probably support this game just based on the DIY qualities of the developers. True awesome indie spirit.

Oh, and BTW the Graw 2 Multiplayer Demo is up.

In Before Lock Nine : The I wanna go play Crackdown some more right away edition.

Here is this weeks Show. It isn't more "mature" than normal, but I feel like I haven't mentioned the mature language in a while, so this is a warning for anybody who doesn't know.

nb4l9.mp3 (right Click Save target as)
nb4l9.mp3 via Yousendit.com (Temporary link)

This weeks show:
Strange Days

XBLA section
Boom Boom Rockets
Alien Hominid
Gamerscoreblog makes video about lack of Arcade Game.
Gamerscoreblog podcast after "response"

Political Section
Original CNN story about Teens Beating up the homeless.
Gabe from Penny-arcade response #1 Letter from Step-mother

No More Heroes Interview on IGN
Killer 7

Action Games improve Eyesight
Gamers Better Surgeons, sadly not better spellers, I had to retype surgeons twice.

Crackdown Section
Dabrye Two/Three
DJ Krush - Zen
Amon Tobin - Splinter Cell Chaos Theory OST

Another chance at a true indie game.

Alien Hominid is "hopefully" going to be our arcade action this week.

This game really seems like it should have always been made for the Xbox Live Arcade.
Not really sure if the final product is going to turn out "decent", but the legendary flash "prototype" gives me hope. I would have never bought this game as a full retail game, but it begs to be "tried" as an arcade download. Let us all cross our fingers.

Play the old flash demo here for a taste.

Blah Blah Rockets

I am pretty notorius for not enjoying any game of this type. From PaRappa, to Guitar Hero, I basically can't stand any game based on hitting buttons at a certain time.

This basically looks like a simplified DDR. I hope there is suprise element to the gameplay, because this vid basically just turns any potential hype I had down to zero.



What is Boom Boom Rockets? via 1up
Boom Boom Rockets Hands on via IGN
People don't expect it to be 400 points, but it sure sounds like a 400 point title.

Enjoy Crack, Smoke Wang

Got my copy of Crackdown. My gamercard is needs an update badly. I haven't been connected for days. Really enjoying the game, no suprising since I really enjoyed the demo.

Picture of Mr. Wang included incase you didn't get the joke. Phalic shaped blow up Wang dolls for the win!. There is also Wang T-shirts.

So far I have just been running and jumping for green orbs, although I did cap a few of the crime bosses that I ran into. I got sick of the in game music pretty quick. I hate that random music bumping by in a car stuff that seemed clever in Grand Theft Auto, but now just seems annoying. Plus I have spent a whole five mins driving in cars so far. I love Custom Soundtracks. I don't think there is a possibility of me regretting buying this game, but I will probably end up recommending it as a rental for budget minded gamers. The Halo 3 beta could ultimately make it a worthy investment though.

Random Self-indulgent R-type Post for teh win!

R-type Delta just hit the Playstation 3 "store" in Japan. That is the one where you Download Psone games via your Ps3 to play on your Psp, for roughly 5 bucks. Source : joystiq

This is one of the many side scrolling shooters from this era that I adore, and want to see on the XBLA. If I had a Ps3, a PSP, and if this was available here.. I would probably buy it.

Heres a little vid.

*Sigh*

"We're very close to being able to celebrate it's release though, although it's almost happened twice before, so we better keep quiet and hope that we get the green light soon." - Team 17 boss Martyn Brown. Source: Eurogamer

Not the first developer to seem frustrated and dissapointed with the XBLA certification process. Seems very likely that Worms was the delayed game this week. I hope this port ends up very good. There has already been bad news about content getting cut to make the game fit under the limit.

To make matters worse, here is an excellent "new-ish" look at Castle Crashers.

Photo Source

A collection of related things.

Some more updates relating to today's XBLA "news"

Via Kotaku No Xbox Live Arcade News is Bad News

Or is that good news? Not sure. But, this is the one post where it's safe to post "This is not news" in the comments. It will most likely be the only one. Ever. Why? The Xbox Live Arcade forecast this week is calling for... nothing. Zip. There will be no Xbox Live Arcade game released this week. No Alien Hominid. No Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. No Worms.

Via Destructoid Sorry Kids no XBLA Title This Week

So much for that weekly Wednesday release program Microsoft had planned for Xbox Live Arcade. Since announcing the "promise," we've been slighted by not only not getting new games to download each week but we also get crap like Kameo Uno packs.

My post on Xbox.com Currently up to 113 replies

Gamerscoreblog's original post is up to 140+ comments.

Majornelson's Post already caught up and passed the gamerscore blog.

What’s up with Arcade this week? Well I am glad you ask (or about to) so I’ll give you the straight
deal-eo:

There will be no Xbox Live Arcade release this Wednesday, as the scheduled title was delayed. We have a very high bar that each title must pass over in order to be released on Xbox Live Arcade and unfortunately, no titles were ready in time.

More than enough you say?

"We certainly have enough games in the pipeline – more than enough, in fact – to achieve that goal on a weekly basis." - Ross Erickson

Joystiq is reporting that Ross Erickson is leaving the XBLA team.
The now former XBLA Worldwide Games Portfolio Manager is going over to take the position of Vice President, Content Acquisition at Vivendi Games' Sierra Online division.

Somewhat Old Joystiq Interview

That is really not funny.

2 weeks of nothing followed by 2 weeks of 80's arcade ports, and all we get this week is another bad joke attempt by Microsoft employees.

Wow, F*** you guys. I really wanted to say that nicely, but then I would be lying to you and myself about how annoyed that makes me. Seriously, Go to hell. You guys actually managed to find a way to troll your own customers.


Gamerscoreblog thinks it is a joke to disappoint customers.

Joystiq doesn't think its is funny either.

An interview to read while waiting for a decent game to show up on the service.
XBLA Games Portfolio Planner David Edery via Gamesutra Feb 15th


Video: Xbox Live Arcade Forecast

Good rumors = Easy to start, hard to kill! -Updated!

Oh my. This one is perfectly juicy, because it makes sense in a twisted logic sort of way, and it would be completely awesome if true.

Xboxic reports Microsoft Buying the Chrono Series, and then retracts it.

Although I wouldn't call it a retraction, so far it is just a missing story. Nothing more than a link going nowhere.

Why this makes alot of sense is MS backs Mistwalker creaters of the JRPG semi-hit for Xbox 360 in japan Blue Dragon. Mistwalker features the talents of a few of the major people behind the original Chrono Trigger game.

Meanwhile Square basically let the Xeno franchise go with the creator over to Namco. Although I couldn't find any specifics that lead me to believe they sold the entire franchise. I always assumed they did.

Sadly, this could all be nothing more than some mistake, but this is a rumor that might have feet, because of fans like me wanting a sequal. I wish I could easily toss in a pun like "it's only a matter of time", but I wouldn't want to get my hopes up.

Update-
Apparently the Source of this false rumor was a faked IGN clone.
http://www.freewebs.com/xdox360/articles/765/765536p1.html

Small Xbox.com thread about this.

Some Rare guy talks about stuff, but doesn't say much

Does he really say anything with substance in this video?

Filled with Fun = Viva Pinata
Funny = Seeing Gears of War pop up in the middle of a Rare interview.

I don't remember my sprites being so blocky?

When the Virtual Console just doesn't give you enough of that warm fuzzy nostalgia.

I hope the kids of today have the same joy in the future with todays games.


Head over to this random guys flicker page to see more. Don't know who he is, but his legoized video game pictures are teh hotness.

In Before Lock Eight - The Ninja One

Here it is.
This is updated with Unedited's marketplace update somewhere in the middle. It was posted earlier without it.
nb4l8 (Right click save target as)
Yousendit for people that use it (temp)
This weeks ramblecast = Ninjas, Ninja Gaiden, Ikaruga, Metal Gear Solid, Call of Duty 3, Final Fantasy III, Q*bert, flOw, Motorstorm, Gran Turismo, Wipeout Fusion, Wipeout XL, Ridge Racer 4, Mario Kart, Crash Team Racing, Psp, Lumines, Lost Planet, Paperboy, The Departed, My brother, The Abandoned, Jim Carrey, The Number 23, The Premonition Trailer,Worms, Space Giraffe, Thunder Force V, Silhouette Mirage, G Darius, Einhander,
stuff
more stuff

I hate Q*bert, seriously

Honestly I have always hated Q*bert. Not one of those "meh, I don't like this game", kind of things but hate with a passion. Like instant aggrivation when I think about the game. Also this has nothing to do with it comning to the PS3. I actually want to play Fl0w, MGS4, and Ninja Gaiden Sigma.

I just really wanted to let out a big @!#?@! To Q*bert for being a game I really hate from the 80's. I remember playing it on NES as a child and thinking, "man this sucks".

Dear Ikaruga, Will you be my valentine?

I hope this is true. Apparently Ikaruga Popped up on the debug version of the Marketplace. If you don't know what Ikaruga is, don't feel bad you are not alone. Ikaruga is possibly the coolest top down shooter ever. Obviously these types of games are a dying breed, special at full retail price. Thankfully these download services like XBL arcade came along. Basically this is the type of awesome old school game in a new glossy package that XBLA was made for.

CVG has the story.

We were just talking about old Dreamcast games we would like to see, and this is one of the ones that tops my list. This instantly became my number 2 most anticipated XBLa game, after Castlevania SOTN.

Lets hope it comes soon.

This weeks arcade action.

Paper Boy finaly shows up. Via the Gamerscoreblog
Well it is a game, and it is one I enjoyed wayyyy back in the day.
I probably had more fun creating the image for this blog, and posting all the extra "y's" up there trying to show how old I feel.

Thats 2 weeks of misses, and 2 weeks of retro crap.

In Before Lock : Seven

Here we go again.

Nb4L7.mp3 (right click and save target as)
Nb4L7.mp3 via yousendit

On this weeks show:

Doug Lowenstein Exit stage Right via gamepolitics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Lowenstein

Wii-murder simulator also via Gamepolitics

Nintendo Lies!! Apparently the Ds has a much longer range for pictochat, and thats just the start of this insane Fox news report.
Penny Arcade Responds.
They also have the pics of the 60-ish new gamerpics you can buy from them, and the new theme.

UNEDITED is back with a Marketplace update

Also, Ninja Gaiden still pwnes.

Squaresoft Fanboy test #1 Does this picture make you drool?

OMG YES!!

I really wish stuff like this would come stateside more often.

I guess there is always the chance at I could be buying a Halo Edition Xbox 360 in the future, but this is far more interesting for me at least. If they would do this for one of the PSP FF games, I might pick one up finally.

More from Kotaku...

Bonus Tailer : I have no idea whats going on, but it looks like a real time version of Final Fantasy Tactics. RTS FFT? Sign me up.

So who will be in charge of hearing us complain now?

A regular on Major Nelson's "blogcast", Greg Canessa (former GM, XBLA) usually shows up and tries to feed us some B.S. when people like me lose patience with the trickle of games getting squeezed out of the XBLA team.
That is what I will remember him for.
I hope this change means they will have a real stream of games soon.

Xbox Live Arcade group manager Greg Canessa has quit Microsoft to join casual games outfit PopCap. PopCap looks likely to further extend its interests from the PC to consoles and mobile devices. Canessa spoke to Next-Gen about the move, claiming that PopCap could be “the next Blizzard” More...

Next Blizzard you say? I lol'd
Apparently the "or EA" part of that quote was so ridiculous they cut that from the headline.
The funny thing is Greg could potentially be involved now with bringing these Pop Cap casual games to the Sony or Nintendo Consoles.

Don't remember who Greg is? Here is a pair of Interviews on IGN from July 06
Part 1 Part 2

EDIT: Better Source. Yahoo news

One Step Closer to Trippy Game Goodness

So close, yet so Far. Space Giraffe is hitting Alpha Stage.
At least we know MS isn't sitting on this one, but it worrys me that this is still months away. OMG I want this game, it is right up my ally.

http://stinkygoat.livejournal.com/96738.html

We're going for an alpha release to MS on Wednesday, then as soon as possible after to our alpha team, at which point I'll get a lot more feedback which I am looking forward to. The release to MS is a little bit scary because we effectively get the go/no go for the whole thing on this submission, but damn me if it doesn't look gorgeous and I think it plays really nicely so I would be very surprised if we have any problems there. Sure we probably aren't going to hit every TCR with alpha but we're not going for full cert yet, this is just show and tell so I think we should be ok :).

Earlier Youtubery: BTW, The Song is "Milkman" By Aphex Twin

I rather be Playing Beer Pong

Root Beer Tapper is this weeks Arcade Action.
Here is a list of webpages that care.

Kotaku Live Arcade Taps Root Beer Tapper

Joystiq Root Beer Tapper Brings Non-alcoholic fun to XBLA

IGN Now On Tap: Root Beer Tapper

It pretty much caries on with variations of the same stupid pun over and over. Good things somebody gets paid to care about this game.

If you are old enough, do yourself a favor, skip this weeks arcade game and go play some real beer sports, or just go drink some beer. Hell the kiddies are better of with a gass of Root Beer.

Advanced Moogles have been unleashed. Run Away!

Quite simply, my all time favorite game ever. Gets re-re-release via Gameboy Advance today (this week?).

This game delivered on all fronts like no other. The "timeless" graphics where some of the best, the art direction was amazing, the story was a mixture of disturbing gothic drama mixed with magic, opera, steam punk, and a bad ass ninja, a samurai that gets to speak to his dead family on a train heading to the after life, oh yes and the white furry creatures known as moogles (see my gamercard). The incredibly evil villan known as Kefka actually managed to destroy the world and become a god, and thats just the first third of the game. Add in the amazingly long ending (15 mins?), wonderful soundtrack, and tons of Hidden Secrets to find, and you have the perfect game for me back in High School when I got suspended for a week right when I got the game. Best week ever.

I wish I had my Gameboy player(and cube).

Here is the amazing CGI opening developed for the PS1 remake.

I Love Super Mario World.

In my opinion, Super Mario World is the definitive Mario classic. The best of the best. I spent endless hours trying to play this game on my friend's Snes console while waiting to get mine for Xmas.

I spent hour after hour trying to fully find everything in this game, without any help from anything or anybody. Unlocking the final map was bitter sweet, as I had finished my quest to master the game, but the fantastic ride was over. What was the last place I couldn't find? The small island that connects to the bridge near the top middle of the map. Star World was cake compared to finding that. I still remember the epiphany I had when I realized the red dots ment it had a second exit.

Oh, BTW it is on the Virtual Console (wii) now, along with two other "not-so" classic games.

Super Mario World - Super NES, 800 Wii Points
VIGILANTE - TurboGrafx-16, 600 Wii Points
Gain Ground - Sega Genesis, 800 Wii Points
I guess if you haven't played them, "it's new to you".

My Vault Soda is Emo, but not yet dead.

X-Entertainment posted a Tribute to Dead Sodas. One of peticular note is Surge, a soda that has basically been reborn as the incredibily similar tasting "Vault Energy Soda", or what I like to call "green liquid crack". Not terribly poetic, but true.


http://x-entertainment.com/articles/0961/?1

Collecting old cans and bottles of soda, preferably full, is one of the things about me that I try to hide from those closest. It's a shameful hobby, I admit, but it's not my fault God wired me in such a way that I cannot live without two sealed cans of Surge serving as bookends for six or seven really light books. Because sodas obviously grow rare when they're discontinued, they aren't exactly the cheapest thing to collect. So, let's try to squeeze an article out of them to justify the fact that I can't afford new soda because I bought too much ten-year-old soda.

Read the entire article.

flOw Trailer

The "could be" kilker ap for Sony's unnamed (arcade?)downloadable games service..

Reminds me of Electroplankton mixed with spore, with a goal.

In Before Lock : Six (the technical difficulties show..)

This weeks show is ready.

Nb4L.mp3.com (file likes to randomly not work...Right click + Save target as)
or
Nb4L.mp3 via Yousendit.com

Not on this weeks show:
Cythia Sommer found guilty with no evidence and tons of reasonable doubt because a snobby jury thought her conduct after the death of her husband was suspicous. via CBS news.

Jack Thompson Soon to be pwned.. Hopefully via Gamepolitics

Unedited's weekly marketplace update.. Technical Difficulty Number 1.
EDIT: This just in ... UNEDITED's weekly update (via yousentit) Sorry it missed the show, he put alot of work into it.

and topics with links.

On this weeks Show however
Algebra questions.. I + B4 = L?
Missing words haunt gamers .. where did "the", and "da" go?
ATHF Pwns Boston
New Achievement Rules
Lumines Live!
Senior Marketplace Analyst Lunatic Core's Marketplace Update.
GRAW2 errrr.. G.R.A.W. 2? GR2AW .. hmm...
Sarah Silverman
Custom Soundtrack of the week..
& Chemlab

Enjoy

Lost Planet Story Mash-up

What What What!?!?! Did you just say 40 ma ma ma million dollars to get Lost Planet out?, and 20 million was for ads?

http://members.forbes.com/global/2007/0212/022.html?partner=yahoomag

Beaumont's marketing prowess has already pushed Lost Planet to near-blockbuster status: Capcom shipped 1 million copies before the game went on sale Jan. 12. A game that sells 3 million units globally is generally considered a smash hit. Capcom has spent $20 million developing the game and will spend another $20 million promoting it. In the past that ratio tilted heavily toward development. Lost Planet anchors Capcom's quest to capture share in North America and Europe, which account for 80% of the world's $16.3 billion game market.

More via Forbes....

I love that last sentence.. Japan who?.

Meanwhile the picture is from Joystiq.com's Lost Planet Photochop contest. Enjoy.

HUGE Explosion in Crackdown

This game is amazing, and co-op is teh pwnage.

Achievements get updated for 07

I think these are great changes, so I will pass them on to you minus a rant.

Via Gamerscoreblog

With the ever increasing craze and excitement around Gamerscore and Achievements, we have recently worked with our publishing partners to implement some new policies for new games coming out. Here are the basic rules:

1. All regular disc-based games MUST have 1,000 Gamerscore in the base game. This means that any consumer who buys a retail game will have the opportunity to unlock the full 1,000 Gamerscore without having to pay for any add-on content. Note that a publisher may decide to deliver a portion of this Gamerscore via add-on content, but the add-on content will always be free to the consumer.

2. Game publishers will have the option to deliver another 250 incremental Gamerscore on top of the 1,000 via add-on content from Marketplace. This add-on content could be either free or paid. So if you complete a game and earn the full 1,000 GS, you could by getting new add-on content earn up to a total of 1,250 points from a game.

3. Xbox Live Arcade games will operate in similar fashion, but given the size of these titles they will allow you to earn up to 200 Gamerscore from every game and up to another 50 points from add-on content.

More....

Ad terrorists talk hair in Boston

Remember Aqua Teen Hunger Force the Movie comes out in March.
ATHF 1
Boston 0

Novadrome review on IGN 3.7

Can we go back and mark DEC 20th as a miss as well?

I don't know anybody that actually liked this game, and I doubt the quality can be directly attributed to any level of "rushing". Not to mention this was originally going to be a full Xbox title.

Here is a quote from IGN:
It's a big waste of money and time, not to mention winning the non-existent award for most generic, milk toast XBLA game on the system.

I know what your thinking, "Isn't this Review a month late?"
Well if the arcade had something to play for the last two weeks, maybe we wouldn't be looking back to see if there was any games we missed to play.

Don't let your thirst for a new Arcade game make you look to this game for your refreshement, it is like drinking sand.