XBL Summer of Arcade Preview
Last summer, Microsoft ran a promotional event to highlight several high profile Arcade releases. Called the Summer of Arcade, it ran for 5 weeks & included such notable hits like Castle Crashers, Braid, & Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2. The program must have been pretty successful as they are bringing it back again this summer. Beginning this Wednesday, a new high profile game will be released each week for the duration of the event. Below is a brief look at each title & I’ll be providing you with a review of each one a few days after they launch. From the looks of this list, Summer 2009 is going to be much hotter than last year!
Splosion Man
Out of all 5 games, this one is in my top two. Splosion Man is developed by Twisted Pixel, the same group that brought us The Maw. It’s a 2.5D platformer about a guy who can splode. He’s Splosion Man! You will guide him through 50 single player levels & 50 multiplayer levels, utilizing his sploding abilities to help him escape the lab he was created in. If any of you have played The Maw, then you know what kind of quirky humor Twisted Pixel has in store for us. Look for it to be released tomorrow, July 22nd for 800MP…
Marvel vs Capcom 2
One of the most celebrated 2D fighting games ever is finally making it’s way to Xbox LIVE Arcade! Initially hitting arcades & Sega’s now defunct Dreamcast console back in 2000, this title (the 4th & final in the series) instantly became one of the most popular fighting games ever. Alot of it’s popularity had to do with Capcom going back to the controls & simplifying them, making them more accessible to lesser skilled players. As you begin each fight, you select three heroes to play with. You can jump them in & out, tag team style, until they are defeated. Whoever has all three of their fighters defeated, loses the match. As a testament to the games popularity, aftermarket sales of all the console versions (it eventually was released on the PS2 & Xbox as well) have been known to exceed well beyond $100. It will be available on July 29th for 1200MP.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time Re-Shelled
Anyone who is yearning for the old four the old 4 player co-op arcade games can now rejoice as Ubisoft is bringing back this gem from the 1990’s arcades. It’s by far one of the best TMNT games ever made. Now it’s coming to Arcade with updated visuals & the co-op will be supported both locally & online! The plot is basic cartoon fodder, where the turtles are sent back in time by their nemesis Shredder & now they must fight their way back home. I have heard some complaints about the visuals from some of the purists out there, but personally, I love em! Turtles in Time will launch on August 5th for 1200MP
Trials HD
Remember how I said Splosion Man was one of my top two pics out of the 5? Yeah, this is my other one. I had a chance to mess around with it at E3 & was pleasantly surprised. Most motorcycle games don’t really interest me, but this was was so much fun! It’s described as a “fully-featured, physics-based motorcycle racing game in stunning HD graphics”. But honestly, it felt like a traditional platformer, only on a motorcycle. It’s got 50 tracks, 2 game modes, & a level editor that will allow you to share your creations with other online & download tracks from others. Really, you’ll never run out of tracks to play on. You can get into the physics-based action on August 12th for 1200MP.
Shadow Complex
Last, but certainly not least, is Shadow Complex. This is the first Arcade title from Epic Games, makers of the hit Gears of War franchise. This side-scroller uses the Unreal Engine 3, and boy does it look purdy! The gameplay feels a lot like the old school Metroid titles, where you have lots of side-scrolling action & exploration is key. It’s single player only campaign is set in the Empire universe, based on the book by Orson Scott Card. This game will round out the Summer of Arcade on August 19th & will be available for 1200MP.
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[...] in Time is a redux of the 1990’s 4-player arcade hit. For more info on it, check out my preview of all the Summer of Arcade titles & remember, if you decide to get them all, Microsoft is [...]
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