I think most dramatic and thematic games exist, and it's really hard. This is for an example: it's really hard to cry if you play a game. You can cry when you watch movies. I have, and everyone has that kind of experience. This is an emotional movement, very strong. But we can't cry when we play a game. This is a different catharsis. This is a physical reason. This is like a basic instinct. I think the game is designed as an experience. It's designed as a catharsis experience.

You have some accomplishments all the time, but accomplishment is a very strong keyword. It's a very strong factor of the game. I think in our 40 year history, we may [continually] redesign this, maybe. But in the last five years, you can get the resolution. This kind of resolution makes you have a very effective emotional possibility, with music, effects, hi-def movie effects. I think there can be growing, growing, and growing. There's some games coming in that class.

Well worth a read through, though be prepared for more talk from the interviewer than usually shows up in interviews.

Expressing The Future: Tetsuya Mizuguchi [Gamasutra]

Arcade Hits [Xbox]

During our meeting with Q Entertainment today they let spill that the company is working on releasing two new skins for Lumines Live! on the 360.

The company is planning to give away the skin Heavenly Star and Breeze for free to gold members of Xbox Live for a limited time in mid-October.

Booster Pack (600 Microsoft points): More skins to fulfill your LUMINES addiction! Presenting the latest addition to the Challenge Mode, this Booster Pack features 20 stylish skins including some brand new, never before seen designs. A must-see is the unique collaboration between LUMINES and "Bloomy Girls," a colorful and lively piece created by striking Japanese visual artist/musician Masakatsu Takagi.

Tokyo Club Mix Pack aka SOS Charity Campaign Pack (350 Microsoft points):Experience the Tokyo club scene through LUMINES! Bringing you the beats and visuals from four of the hottest DJs, artists and VJs, this Pack is truly one of a kind. Pack includes "Heavenly Star - SOS Remix" by Genki Rockets, "House66" by Sugiurumn, "4x4 Bricks" by Techriders and "Cosmic Humming" by Muku.

Proceeds from the latter will go to charitable organizations that help fight global warming. Sure, you're still getting the screwjob, but this one will feel slightly less painful and possibly a few tenths of a degree cooler. More details at XBLArcade on additional downloadable content for Lumines Live! Michael McWhertor

Buy Lumines Live! Skins, Save the Earth [XBLArcade]

Now, that's what I'm talking about. Too bad it didn't come with the price of admission for the base Xbox 360 model of Lumines. Brian Crecente

It's widely known that the Lumines Live! screwjob from last year didn't sit well with Xbox 360 owners. Releasing a hobbled version of the game on Xbox Live Arcade with the promise of future through-the-nose payments rightly warranted some gamer finger wagging (and poisonous Kotaku comments).

But next week's Lumines Live! download packs might just make that bitter microtransaction pill a tad easier to swallow. For a limited time (until February 21), the following add-ons will be available at a reduced price.

- VS CPU Pack (100 MS Points)
- Puzzle/Mission Pack (100 MS Points)
- Heavenly Star Skin (Free for Gold Members)

See? Q Entertainment loves you. Of course, once that period of goodwill is over, the regular screwjob price for each will creep back up to 300 MS points.

Unless you want to be reminded how you shouldn't have snoozed from your Live peers, make sure you're ready to download these packs starting January 24 at 1 AM PST. Michael McWhertor

Get a Deal on Lumines Live! Add-On Packs [Xbox.com via Gamerscoreblog]

Microsoft's Major "Larry" Nelson and 1Up's woolly Andrew Pfister talk about the current micro-transactions brouhaha. Both make good points, but man, Lar gesticulates like crazy. Brian Ashcraft

Micro-Talk Micro-Transactions [Destructoid]

Late last night, I was all raring to download Lumines Live! So much so that I stayed up late, waiting for the Xbox Live maintenance to wrap up. It did, but not in Japan, where I can home.

I woke up early again today. Still, wonk city, couldn't log on.

Lumines Live! reviews had already hit the internet, and the overwhelming reaction: Hate. Micro-transitions up the whazoo keep what was the most enjoyable PSP puzzler from creating a satisfying 360 experience. The game's creator, Tetsuya Mizuguchi, has already offered his two cents on possible criticism the XBL version might get:

Lumines has this image... It came in a package, it came on a UMD. And now it's not. So now people are worried. And maybe even upset that they can't even get the full pack in one software product. But really, it's just changing the way we provide the content... So, in our eyes, the game doesn't have to come in a package. We just feel like we're shifting our audience and we're starting to deal with different people. That's not to imply the PSP and Xbox Live users are that much different, but naturally, the way we are accepting media, goods, music, and games, we ourselves are changing our attitudes. So we're trying to follow a new path. So at the same time the audience is changing, we're changing along with it. We think this is the way of the future.

And that future is paved with streets of gold. Miz is slightly off here. Micro-transitions aren't exactly "the future." In a way, they're the past. Publishers have figured out a way to put arcade cabinets in the home and connect them with a money train leading right to the company coffers.

Still, I'm kinda excited to play Lumines on my big ass TV. Brian Ashcraft

Miz Talks Micro [IGN, Thanks Dix!]

Major "Larry" Nelson announces that Lumines Live! is going to hit Xbox Live. Major gives all the skinny on the eagerly awaited XBL titles, dishing:

'Lumines Live!' for Xbox Live Arcade brings exciting new music, new video content, and 12 different skins, for hours of fun. The Xbox Live Arcade game features exclusive Xbox Live online multiplayer play, allowing you to play against your friends in head-to-head battles. "Lumines Live!" includes:

• Full online multiplayer play over Xbox Live—battle your friends head-to-head
• Classic Lumines gameplay, including Challenge, Puzzle and vs. CPU modes
• All-new Skin Edit Mode allows you to re-mix the order of your unlocked skins to create a custom Lumines experience
• All-new Mission mode presents player with pre-designed Lumines puzzle scenarios
• Dynamic skins, sound effects and music optimized specifically for Lumines Live! in high-definition graphics and 5.1 channel surround audio
• Extensive downloadable content support over Xbox Live Marketplace—add new skins, puzzles, missions, artist packs and more
• Full suite of online leaderboards

• The full version of the game will be 1200 points. Plus an optional pack for 600 points will also be available that will allow gamers to change their music scene as well as choose from 22 new skins.
  

It seems that Xbox Live is under maintenance at the moment! But, Major will post the nanosecond Lumines Live! hits!! Looking forward to it!!! Brian Ashcraft

Lumines! Live! [Major! Nelson! Thanks! Eric!!]

Lumines Live willbe free when it's released to the Live Arcade, according to Xbox Live Pipeline, Microsoft"s email marketing newsletter for the Xbox 360.

in the description of the game on the Pipeline website it clearly shows that the Arcade Live game will be free, while other Live Arcade games have the proper amount of Microsoft points listed.

It could just be some sort of Msoft snafu or it could be that they will be making all of their money off of the game throught downloadable expansion packs and songs. I have an email into Microsoft to figure it out. Brian Crecente

Update: It looks like dreams of a free Lumines Live were in vain. My Msoft man inside just dropped me a line to let me know that both the price and rating were typos.

Hey Brian, The information posted about Lumines Live on XboxLivePipeline.com is inaccurate and we apologize for any confusion. Lumines will be available later this Fall on Xbox Live Arcade and more details will be shared closer to its launch. However, the title will not be free and the rating is still pending.

D'oh!

Kikizo points to a Game Informer article about the hidden costs of Lumines Live for the Xbox 360. The once PSP-only game will be hitting the Live Arcade for a hefty $15 price tag, but you will apparently have to pay an additional fee to unlock the multiplayer option. That's sorta crap if you ask me. The price tag is already highish, but paying more to unlock what should be a built-in feature is outrageous.

Fortunately, Tetsuya Mizuguchi says that they haven't quite made up their minds yet. So maybe common sense will prevail. Brian Crecente

Pay-to-Play Coming to Lumines Live [Kikizo]

A UK reader tipped us off that the latest Xbox Live Newsletter, mailed out in the UK today, lists Lumines Live as being available in Arcade.

Lumines Live From the creator of Rez , comes a puzzle game which fuses music, video and gameplay. Get your groove on as you bust blocks, solve puzzles and play online with friends. Available now on Xbox Live Arcade.

But before you get all tingly inside and run off to play, it appears it was just a marketing blunder. Live director Larry Hyrb verified that the spectacularly addictive puzzler is not yet out. The mistaken email does leave one wondering just how close it is to hitting the Msoft Arcade thought. Brian Crecente