Kotaku: live arcade wednesday

Fatal Fury, Cyberball, And Special Sales

Mike Fahey — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 13:30:27 MDT

Labor Day weekend is so close I can taste it, and it tastes like half-price Xbox Live Arcade games! From Saturday the 1st at 5PM PST to 4:59PM PST the next day, Small Arms and Zuma Deluxe will cost you only 400 MS points, while arcade classics Gauntlet and Dig Dug will go for a mere 200. The sale was announced alongside next week's Live Arcade Wednesday titles, Cyberball 2072 and Fatal Fury Special. While better Fatal Fury games have come and gone, I cannot begin to count how many quarters I've spent over the years on Cyberball's robotic football goodness, and the promise of multiplayer over Xbox Live just sweetens the deal. Both will be available starting Wednesday for 400 MS points. A fine price for excellent football without any of the dog cruelty guilt.

Puzzle Fighting On The Streets of Rage

Mike Fahey — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 08:30:39 MDT

Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix has landed on Xbox Live Arcade, and it is everything you'd expect it to be. The game looks highly polished and crisp, with the odd exception of the actual characters you play who look like blurred versions of the same old sprites from the original PlayStation release. Still, 800 Microsoft Points is a small price to pay for SPF goodness. Joining it on Arcade this week is Streets of Rage 2 for 400 points, which proves that you should never make friends with Blaze and Axel because it'll only get you kidnapped. I'd be amazed if anyone returns their calls anymore. Hit up Xbox Live for demos of the two titles, or just skip that bit and download Super Puzzle Fighter.

Space Giraffe and Street Trace: NYC

Mike Fahey — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 18:00:27 MDT

You won't find any rehashes of decades-old arcade games popping up this Wednesday on Xbox Live Arcade. This week sees two all new original games kicking your ass at 800 points a pop. Street Trace: NYC is a new entry in my what could be favorite genre of all time: the hoverboard racer. Something about traveling at high speeds on a stylized plank while leaving a glowing trail in your wake appeals to me. Street Trace features several game modes, different arena and street tracks, and online multiplayer for up to 8 players via Xbox Live. Then there's Space Giraffe, Jeff Mintner's tribute to Tempest, with 100 levels of colorful shooting goodness with special moves and power ups thrown into the mix to keep things interesting. A couple of really nice titles for sure. Me? I'm just glad I don't have to use the phrase 'enhanced graphics and sound' this week.

Space Giraffe Page on Xbox.com
Street Trace Page on Xbox.com

Track and Field Races To Live Arcade

Mike Fahey — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 11:20:04 MDT

Once again it is time to unleash the vibrating fingers of doom upon the unsuspecting public. This Wednesday's Xbox Live Arcade release is the game that had arcade managers bitching and moaning about replacing buttons every other week, Konami's Track & Field. The six button-punishing events from the original are spiced up with four player multiplayer via Xbox Live, voice support, enhanced audio, and enhanced graphics including special effects and hand-painted sprites and backgrounds - or you could just play the ugly older version. Your choice. 400 points is the price you pay to be completely humbled by my freakish tapping speeds this Wednesday.

This week on arcade: Track & Field [Major Nelson's Blog]

Missile Command Targets Xbox Live

Mike Fahey — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 13:20:02 MDT

Celebrate the Fourth of July holiday by taking a trip down memory lane with Missile Command, available on Live Arcade this Wednesday for the relatively low price of 400 Microsoft points. Mind you, this isn't just any Missile Command, but an revamped version updated with full 3D graphics, updated music and sounds, and two player co-op play locally or over Xbox Live.

Of course the purist can still play the original version of the game, but in my opinion you need an arcade cabinet with cigarette burns all over it, a Slurpee-sticky floor and a trackball or it's just not worth playing.

Classic Atari Game - Missile Command® - Available on Xbox LIVE® Arcade

NEW YORK, July 2, 2007 - Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR), one of the world's most recognized brands and a third-party video game publisher, today announced the launch of Missile Command, one of Atari's most loved classics, onto Xbox LIVE® Arcade. With Missile Command on Xbox LIVE Arcade, Atari delivers the same gaming sights, sounds and action as the original, as well as a new evolved version of the game which features enhanced graphics, sounds and special effects.

"Atari and Stainless Games have done an incredible job creating the evolved Missile Command for Xbox LIVE Arcade as this version showcases a stunning take on an endearing Atari classic," said Matt Rush, Producer, Atari, Inc. "The new experience features amazing graphics and impressive sound design, with a great way to earn Achievements on this arcade favorite!"

Both the classic and evolved versions of Missile Command challenge gamers to protect cities from alien missile attack. The evolved version of the game has been updated with enhanced graphics and 3D rendered vistas giving a graphical makeover to these futuristic cities and missile silos. Missile Command supports all Xbox 360 high definition resolutions up to 1080p as well as full-screen anti-aliasing and digital surround sound. Players can make the most of the Xbox LIVE service with leader boards and 12 achievements.