The 800 point game will include five additional game modes: Waves, which they say has been supercharged and tweaked; Pacifism, which has been promoted from achievement to full game mode, and new modes King, Deadline, and Sequence. All of the modes can be played solo or with up to four players on a single console. The multiplay allows for both co-op and competitive modes. You can also play co-pilots where one person drives and the other shoots.

Sounds like you're getting a lot for your Microsoft scrip.

Puzzle Quest Expansion Pack hits Xbox LIVE® Arcade on July 23rd

D3Publisher of Europe Ltd (D3PE), a publisher and developer of interactive entertainment software, has announced that expansion pack Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords™ - Revenge of the Plague Lord, its latest Xbox LIVE® Arcade for Xbox 360™ offering, will launch on Xbox LIVE Marketplace on July 23, 2008.

The expansion pack will be available for play as an addition to fan favorite game Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords for Xbox LIVE Arcade for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and includes four new hero professions, scores of new spells to cast and items to collect, challenging new quests, monsters and bosses, and the introduction of a new archenemy. Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords - Revenge of the Plague Lord will be available on Xbox LIVE marketplace for 700 Microsoft Points.

Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords - Revenge of the Plague Lord will offer fans hours of additional gameplay with four brand new Hero Professions: Bard, Rogue, Ranger and Warlock. Players will adventure with new or existing Heroes to explore an expansive new area on the Southern Map containing more than 25 challenging quests, cast more than 50 new spells and collect more than 40 new magical items as they’re immersed into the compelling story of Antharg, the Lord of Plague and brother to the infamous Lord Bane. New monsters, bosses and more will challenge veteran and casual fans alike for hours of compelling entertainment. The expansion pack further increases the full Puzzle Quest experience by adding three new Achievements and raising the character Level Cap to 60. Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords - Revenge of the Plague Lord was initially code-named “Puzzle Quest: 1.5” to reflect its tremendous amount of content.

For more information about the story and features of Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords - Revenge of the Plague Lord and other Puzzle Quest properties, please visit www.puzzle-quest.com.

Mega Man 9 is very hard. We didn't want to do Mega Man, but easy. We want players to get better, we want them to remember. I've always tried to challenge players, and I think there are gamers who miss being challenged by games.

We'd like to think so as well. Takeshita also expressed his interest in making more Wii titles, which is good news for Wii owners looking for a challenge.

We've also got the Capcom-published, Backbone Entertainment-developed and arcade-inspired 1942: Joint Strike (800 Microsoft Points), a top-down vertical shooter set in a "parallel" WWII era, featuring updated 3D graphics and stylized aircraft.

Both titles hit on Wednesday morning — incidentally, PlayStation Network gets 1942 on Thursday.

"Go! Go! Break Steady" and “1942: Joint Strike” launch on Xbox LIVE Arcade this Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. GMT (2:00 a.m. PDT).

"Go! Go! Break Steady" features an original style combining rhythmic beat-matching with match-3 style puzzle game play. Choose your character and then make them dance to the beat while solving increasingly challenging puzzles. This addictive game features a unique visual style, multiplayer versus and cooperative local and multiplayer action via Xbox LIVE, and 20 different songs in a variety of genres for your character to break dance to.

Developed by Little Boy Games, Inc. and published by Microsoft, "Go! Go! Break Steady" will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points and is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB.

“1942: Joint Strike” imagines a parallel world reminiscent of our own WWII era, where pilots take to the skies with stylized aircraft carriers and devastating weaponry! Inspired by the popular 80's arcade series, “1942: Joint Strike” combines classic top-down vertical shooting with updated 3D HD graphics. Take on massive waves of incoming enemies while dodging explosions and missiles! Face off with huge enemy bosses in death-defying dogfights. Recruit a wing man locally or online to pull off new “Joint Strike” attacks, combining the powers of both aircraft in one explosive barrage. With new weapons and power-ups in your arsenal, prepare to rejoin the battle!

Developed by Backbone Entertainment and published by Capcom, “1942: Joint Strike” will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points and is rated E10+ for Everyone 10+ by the ESRB.

For more details on "Go! Go! Break Steady," please visit http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/g/gogoxboxlivearcade/default.htm. For more details on “1942: Joint Strike,” please visit http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/1/1942jointstrikexboxlivearcade/default.htm.

Even though we as game journalists play a metric ton of games across a wide variety of genres, each of us has our Achilles' Heel — one genre, sort or stripe of game that we are just no good at. It's like a huge void in the repertoire, one particular area of the landscape that just doesn't register on the radar.

For me, two key words invoke a state of terrible incompetence: Stick. Shooter.

When I arrived at the XBLA booth to check out the upcoming titles, the reps were still aglow with awe at the reportedly epic Galaga Legions skills of my colleague, Michael McWhertor. He impressed them so soundly that I thought it best to merely bypass it altogether and get straight to dying every twenty seconds at Geometry Wars 2, the better to move right on to Castle Crashers and leave the whole "embarrassing myself in front of Microsoft" episode behind me.

Geometry Wars 2 now has co-op and multiplayer. Great; now I can die every thirty seconds in front of my friends as I lose track of which player is me. Mind you, this is squarely my failing — Geometry Wars 2 is fireworks of mesmerizing gorgeousness, and the new modes are great.

There's a timed mode called "Deadline," a sort of pattern-recognition mode of short stages called "Sequence," a versus mode, a mode called "Waves" that forces players to stay away from walls, and one called "Pacifist" where you can't shoot at all, but must try to guide the enemy ships into exploding devices.

The standout in my mind was "King" mode, in which you can protect your ship and shoot from safety by flying into a colored ring, which narrows slowly on you until you're forced to move out and onto another one. Outside the rings, you're vulnerable. See, I like the mode where there is a way to avoid being shot at all — but even in King mode, I was the first among the other players to get taken out in round after round.

But I get the appeal of Geometry Wars 2. It's visually overwhelming, I think, but also stunning. I enjoyed just watching the others (after I'd set my controller down in surrender).

Fortunately, I also got to play The Behemoth's Castle Crashers, featuring cute colored knights done in Dan Paladin's inimitable art style. The cartoony knights are really cute, and we four players as a team hurried from left to right, using weapon moves, archery and magical spells to knock out some surly castle guards on our way to storm the gates.

There's a strong attack, a weak attack, and a ranged attack, and each color knight has his own special ability charged by holding down the left trigger when you attack. It's simple, easy to play fun that feels classic and stylish, and seems great for groups, as it's engaging without being especially intense.

After my group reached the gates, we teamed up to take down a big boss, and then had to fight each other to the last man standing for the heart of the princess we rescued.

I was the second to last one standing. Microsoft's Scott Austin was like, ten levels ahead of me after demoing all day, though, so that's the only reason why he won. Seriously, I so had that.

It's pretty simple stuff on the surface. Move your ship anywhere on the screen with the left analog stick. With the right stick, you can place your ship's two satellite guns. These two guns can be dropped anywhere on the fly, with a quick tap in the direction you want the guns to autofire.

Your ship will autofire by default too, but you can choose to call your own shots with the right trigger. The point? Higher scoring bonuses. The whole mechanic makes a lot of sense and you'll need equal parts strategy, quick reflexes and pattern recognition to make it through all five areas.

Like the original Galaga, Legions throws wave after wave of enemy at the player. The formations are more varied in the XBLA update — those series of blue lines you see in the pictures draw on screen prior to each wave — and enemies can come from any direction at very high speeds. You'll have to quickly plan where your ship and your satellite guns should be to survive the crush of Galagas.

And like the original, you'll be able to add extra fighters to your assault team. This time, instead of the Galagas capturing your ship, you'll capture theirs. In some formations, a special freighter-style ship will appear. Shoot it, and the remaining Galagas will be absorbed and added to your forces. This addition of a few dozen fighters on your side of the screen adds a heaping help of chaos, but seeing the swarm of space bugs go after their former allies is awesome stuff.

Like Pac-Man Championship Edition, Galaga Legions looks to have copious replayability. It's not just a lovely looking freakshow, it's fun to play and a great example of how to update an old franchise.

Thanks Brian for the tip!

Rumored and then confirmed earlier this year, Duke Nukem 3D is making its way to the Xbox Live Arcade this year, but when? The time could be near, as an anonymous tipster sends us several pictures of the game's XBLA entry. Of course it isn't available now...note the 1337 placeholder price tag...but the fact that these shots are coming out indicates the game is very close to release. Check out the other screens below, including a shot of the "Looks Like A Cleanup On Aisle Four" achievement, which makes stepping in a pile of shit fun!

Also on XBLA this week we have Golf: Tee It Up!(800 MS points), Housemarque and Activision's answer to Hot Shots Golf, with customizable golfers, online tourneys for 2-4 players, and two full golf courses, a number I am almost certain will grow with downloadable content down the line.

"Schizoid" and "Golf: Tee It Up!" hit Xbox LIVE Arcade this Wednesday!

“Schizoid,” the first Xbox LIVE Arcade game developed with Microsoft’s XNA Game Studio technology, and “Golf: Tee It Up!” launch on Xbox LIVE Arcade this Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. GMT (2:00 a.m. PDT).

“Schizoid” is a fast and furiously paced action game with simple, intuitive gameplay. Billed as “the most co-op game ever,” reflexes and smarts are key but sharp teamwork pays off even more! Ram your way through waves of glowing enemies: single player with an AI bot helper; or co-op multiplayer with two players offline or online through Xbox LIVE. “Schizoid” features over 120 challenging levels of mayhem that will appeal to casual and hardcore gamers alike. For the brave player, “Schizoid” offers the intense Uberschizoid game mode, in which a single player controls two different ships at the same time.

Developed by Torpex Games, “Schizoid” will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points and is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB.

Pick up and play a few quick holes on your own or compete in a full 18-hole multiplayer tournament with friends in “Golf: Tee It Up!” Both beginners and experienced golfers can easily join the fun on beautiful, panoramic and challenging courses. With the unique Focus feature, you can read the green or control the ball’s spin in flight to achieve amazing precision! “Golf: Tee It Up!” features zany, customizable characters and a variety of game modes including stroke, cup, or match play with local or Xbox LIVE multiplayer modes.

Developed by Housemarque and published by Activision, “Golf: Tee It Up!” will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points and is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB.

For more details on “Golf: Tee It Up!” please visit http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/g/golfteeitupxboxlivearcade/. For more details on “Schizoid” please visit http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/s/schizoidxboxlivearcade/.

Also appearing on XBLA this week is 280 new questions for Wits & Wagers for 320 points, which is not nearly as exciting as Soulcalibur but certainly has its charm.

This week on Arcade: SOULCALIBUR and Wits & Wagers DLC [Xbox Live's Major Nelson]

It's been almost nine years since I first played the Dreamcast port of Soul Calibur which, at the time, seemed like the pinnacle of fighting game visuals. Another instance of my gaming career where I genuinely thought "This is it. They've done it. It can't possibly get any better." This was, of course, before the engineers at Namco Bandai dedicated man hours and processing power to ass-jiggle physics; before we really knew how detailed a cod piece could be. Anyway, the compressed Soul Calibur for Xbox 360 seems like a fun diversion, but I've still got my Dreamcast hooked up to Input 3 on my television. And Soulcalibur IV is out, like, any day now. Kinda makes the whole thing seem moot.

Soul Calibur Gameplay HD [GameTrailers]

Also hitting Live Arcade this Wednesday is Ticket To Ride which is based on the award-winning board game of the same name. The Playful Entertainment-developed, multiplayer-friendly game is rated E. Both titles will set you back 800 Microsoft Points. Media alert is after the jump!

Happy Tree Friends False Alarm! and Ticket to Ride Launching on Xbox LIVE Arcade This Wednesday!

The popular and twisted Web series, “Happy Tree Friends False Alarm!™” and the award-winning board game “Ticket to Ride” will debut on Xbox LIVE Arcade this Wednesday, June 25, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. GMT (1:00 a.m. PDT).

“Happy Tree Friends False Alarm!” incorporates the twisted humor and mayhem from the cartoon Web series as the cute and cuddly Happy Tree Friends face one gory, horrible disaster after another! Players assume the persona of Lumpy the moose, who must save his clumsy friends by blasting open areas when they are trapped or deep freezing them before they stumble into danger. “Happy Tree Friends False Alarm!” features 10 exclusive scenarios, ranging from a mine shaft to a candy factory, with three frantic levels and new cut-scenes. Just like the hit Web series, players must try to keep their pals safe, but with this accident-prone group, catastrophic mishaps are inevitable.

Developed by Stainless Games and published by SEGA, “Happy Tree Friends False Alarm!” will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points and is rated M for Mature by the ESRB.

All aboard! Get your “Ticket to Ride” the rails from coast to coast on this exciting train adventure. Based on the award-winning board game, “Ticket to Ride” features simple rules and fast play, promising fun for the whole family on Xbox LIVE Arcade.

Plan your routes and connect your cities across the country to become the ultimate traveler, earning points as you claim your tracks and complete your Tickets for your chance at the big score. “Ticket to Ride” supports play with up to five people on Xbox LIVE or four people on the same Xbox 360 as you lay track from coast to coast. “Ticket to Ride” features Leaderboards, Achievements and multiple levels of AI players to keep the challenges coming. Who will win when the steam clears? Get your “Ticket to Ride” and see this Wednesday!

Created by Vancouver-based publisher, Playful Entertainment, “Ticket to Ride” will be available worldwide (except Hong Kong or Taiwan) for 800 Microsoft Points and is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB.

For more details on “Happy Tree Friends False Alarm!” and “Ticket to Ride,” please visit http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/livearcadexbox360.

Up to four players can compete together locally or co-op, and online multiplayer is for up to eight. You can also compete against three AIs all by your lonesome, so there are a lot of options - You get the idea.

So did I get creamed on the video game the same way I used to as a little geek?

Short answer is yes - but my team actually won one round, too, thanks to my heroics once my partner got knocked out. Gameplay's actually quite simple; you can jump and throw the ball from midair, dodge backward with the right shoulder button, or pick up the ball simply by running over it. There are several different pirates and several different ninjas to choose from, and each one has its own special move.

The character animations are really cute, and the different characters are all rather different (surprised?) One of the ninjas looks more like a samurai than a ninja, technically. I tried playing a female ninja who did one of those spread-armed crane-winged jumps in the air. One thing I didn't know is that zombie and robot teams will also be featured as unlockables, with sets of abilities all their own. When I played as a robot, the sprite I chose was able to stun both her enemies and allies via a bright laser beam from her chest.

Essentially, two teams scrabble for the ball and beat each other senseless with it until all the members of one team are out of stamina. You can recoup your stamina by catching the ball instead of being hit by it. Making things a little more wicked is the fact that you can perform normal attacks on your opponents with weapons to drain their stamina as well, or to keep them from reaching the ball so that your own teammate can get it.

Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball was actually supposed to be out earlier this year, but the rep told me the reason for the delay was to add additional game modes - for example, if you'd just like to play straight dodgeball without the ability to hit and be hit with the weapons, you can now do that.

I played a few rounds of two-on-two local against the reps, and had a blast. It's a little bit like the fun and chaos of Smash Bros. but without all the complexity. It's simple enough that even your non-gamer buddies would probably want to play it with you when they're all over for beers or something. Not that you'd need to drink to enjoy it, mind you, but it feels like a great party title.

Schizoid Game Page [Torpex Games]

The pack also includes the Jjaro texture and design set from Marathon Infinity, as well as two new achievements with the potential to add another 30 points to your gamerscore.

Look for the Jjaro Map Pack tomorrow for the low, low price of 250 Microsoft points. It looks so old it's practically new!

Freeverse Announces New Content Pack for Critically Acclaimed Marathon: Durandal on Xbox LIVE Arcade

New York - June 17th, 2008 - Freeverse, Inc. today announced its plans to release a major downloadable content pack for its 2007 XBox LIVE Arcade port of Marathon: Durandal, Bungie's classic first-person shooter. Slated for a June 18th release, this content pack will extend the Marathon gaming experience on the Xbox 360 gaming console with new maps, game modes, and textures.

Available for 250 Microsoft Points on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace, the Jjaro Map Pack for Marathon: Durandal will include 12 classic multiplayer levels previously seen in Bungie’s Marathon and Marathon Infinity.

Nostalgic players will recall the names of these classic maps: Thrud, Vulcan, King of Pain, Spiral Insanity, Dead Fields, Morphine, La Cosa Nostra, Mars Needs Women, ‘Fugee Camp, What Goes Up Must Come Down, Arena, and Spline.

Each of these downloadable maps will support new gametypes previously unseen in their original release on the Macintosh platform, including King of the Hill, Kill the Man with the Ball, and Tag.

Also included in this downloadable content pack is the “Jjaro” collection, a texture and design set previously introduced in Marathon Infinity. In addition to these exciting new environments in which to play, players will also be able to unlock two new achievements:

Thing What Kicks - Kill a Juggernaut in Survival and live to tell the tale. 20 points.

King Pfhor a Day - Outscore all other players (at least 3) combined in a King of the Hill or Kill the Man with the Ball match. 10 points.

Players must download and enable the Jjaro Map Pack before they can earn these challenging new achievements.

Marathon, considered ahead of its time in 1994, was a first-person shooter featuring an advanced 3D graphics engine, interesting story line, and compelling multiplayer game modes. Unique level design set players against obstacles and puzzles, including low-gravity spots, crushing ceilings, and magnetic fields that interfere with the player's motion sensor. Marathon's unique gameplay paved the way for two sequels, as well as Bungie's later franchise Halo.

Freeverse's 2007 XBox LIVE Arcade port adds some modern flair to this timeless classic, including a revised hud, enhanced widescreen high-definition graphics, and an increased framerate. Multiplayer is possible through four-player split-screen and 8-player games over Xbox LIVE, including both co-op and deathmatch modes. Winner of a Best of Show Award at the E3 2007 show, Marathon: Durandal is currently available on the XBox LIVE Marketplace for 800 Microsoft Points.

In THQ's Elements of Destruction (800 MS points) you play a shunned research scientist who harnesses the forces of nature to get back at the corporation that terminated you. Blow buildings apart with tornadoes, shake their foundations with earthquakes, or set them on fire, it's like Sim City without having to first build a city before destroying it.

If you prefer to simply take in nature rather than harness it for your own vengeful purposes, Sierra Online's Sea Life Safari (800 MS points) might be more your speed. As the name suggests, it's all about taking pictures of sea life across five unique environments. An odd pairing to be sure, but that's nature for you.

This week on Arcade: Elements of Destruction and Sea Life Safari [Xbox Live's Major Nelson]

Happy Tree Friends has always ticked me off a bit, as these folks make money doing exactly the sort of thing that got me kicked out of high school art class and sent to the counselor's office. Lucky bastards.

Happy Tree Friends for XBLA next week [Eurogamer]

Castle Crashers Isn't Only Done, Now It's Rated! [Xbox 360 Fanboy, also the pic.]

In fact, I came this close to beating Commando 3 on my third attempt, making it to the final boss solo. While the game supports up to three players at a time, it's not much of a challenge to take down the game's five levels on your own. That's mostly due to potentially too powerful guns, plus copious power ups and screen-clearing attack ammo.

If Commando 3 has a fault, it's that there's not much of a challenge to it, making for occasionally dull play. With familiar Smash TV-style controls and constant flow of bullets (or flamethrowers or rockets), mowing down scores of rebels is easy for any arcade vet.

Commando 3 is certainly lacking in depth, as the power up system sticks closely to its arcade roots. There are a couple of secrets that one can find in each level and multiple difficulties, adding a dash of replay value that may help justify the purchase price.

Vehicle sequences weren't memorable, but perhaps in a multiplayer setting, they could add brief respite from the constant din of machine gun fire.

1942: Joint Strike shares some of Commando 3's shortcomings, with just five levels, a rather simple difficulty and little in the way of variety to keep interest high. The top down shooter certainly has a more appealing style to it and 1942's cooperative aspects add a nice change of pace, but 194X fans will probably feel like the game is a bit of a step back for the series.

It's not intended to a "bullet hell" kind of vertically scrolling shooter—the series has never been a one hit, one kill affair—but 1942: Joint Strike can dip into dull territory on default difficulty. Regardless of the rather tame action, 1942 adds some nice set pieces and cool effects to keep things interesting, mixing it up where Commando 3 sticks to tradition. Flying over an active volcano, for example, adds a bit of graphical ooh and aah and taking out war boats is so much more cinematic in 3D.

1942: Joint Strike's most attractive gimmick is the titular "joint strike", a special attack that requires cooperation between both players to fire an electrical arc or paint a bomb target between them.

Playing both games back to back gives the impression that the XBLA and PSN games meet pretty much the minimum requirements. They share some of the same quirks, will a strikingly similar presentation and very short length. Both games look like they can be blown through in about 30 minutes or less, especially if you've got a co-op buddy helping you out.

Both titles are planned for a tiny investment, meaning that even if you drop $10 on each you'll probably get your money's worth. Just don't expect a return to the series on par with some of Capcom's other digital efforts.

Undaunted, Penny Arcade and Hothead Games now brings us chapter one of Penny Arcade Adventures: On The Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, a Lovecraftian period role-playing game in four parts. Is it an adventure strong enough to weather the ensuing critic-storm, or will it crack under the pressure, spiraling slowly into madness? Read on, brave adventurer...

Loved
The Story: It's H.P. Lovecraft meets Monty Python, complete with ancient gods, dark rituals, clowns, hobos, and evil mimes. Two great tastes that go surprisingly well together. Being able to create my own character who features prominently in the cutscenes really made me feel like I was part of the twisted tale.

The Combat: It's as if they took the best bits from several RPG's and tossed them all together, adding their own unique spin. You get standard attacks, super moves that rely on mini-games (one rather similar to Shadow Hearts' wheel mechanic), timed blocking, and support characters that can unleash devastating and not-so-devastating attacks. It's an issue of Popular RPG Mechanics.

The Humor: To be honest here, I am a big fan of the Penny Arcade web comic, and that same style of humor oozes through every pore of PAA. It can be a bit hit or miss at times, but I found myself at least tittering to myself a good 80% of the time, with a few definite LOL moments. “What. The. Fuck.”

The Brevity: With RPG's getting longer and longer with each passing year, it's quite refreshing to be able to sit down with a game in the genre and be finished in 8 hours.

The Music: The instrumental music by Jeff Tymoschuk captures the off-kilter atmosphere of the game quite readily, but the ending credits song “Final Boss” by MC Frontalot steals the show.

Hated
The Environments: While the various settings in the game are well-detailed and crafted lovingly, there are only four of them, with one of those consisting of a single room. I wanted to see more of the world.

The Item Collection: The game would have benefited greatly from some sort of item store. As it stands, using up all of your power ups during a difficult fight leaves you running back through the stages whacking trash cans in order to rebuild your supply.

Easy Peasy: Enemies are on screen for the most part, allowing you to avoid them while you hunt for items to help do them in, and your health replenishes completely after every battle, making the game a bit easier than I would have liked.

Penny Arcade Adventures: On The Rain-Slick Precipice Of Darkness is a game lovingly crafted for fans of the web comic, so it goes without saying that if you despise Penny Arcade and all they stand for then this is probably not the game for you. If you are a big fan, then by all means, pick the game up. Even if you aren't big on the RPG format, it's packed with tons of trademark PA humor that anyone who follows the comic shouldn't miss out on.

With that in mind, I found On The Rain-Slick Precipice Of Darkness to be a wholly enjoyable experience and an excellent beginning to the Penny Arcade Adventures saga.

Penny Arcade Adventures: On The Rain-Slick Precipice Of Darkness was developed by Hothead Games, designed by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik. Retails for $19.95 or 1600 Microsoft points. Available on Xbox Live Arcade, PC, Mac. Played to completion.

Greenberg told MTV Multiplayer's Patrick Klepek:

“The reality is we’re not removing any games from the service, if you will. They’ll always be there for purchase. Think about a book on Amazon. It’s not always going to be featured on the front page of the store.”

You can re-download titles you once owned, if you delete them, or you can buy them if a friend recommends them to you, Greenberg clarified, even if you can no longer purchase them via storefront browsing.

Still, is the state of XBLA like an episode of "Survivor"? Greenberg told Multiplayer:

Bears pooping rainbows is joined by Sierra Online's Aces of the Galaxy, which is a classic arcade space shooter with 2 player co-op both online and off, as well as a temporal shift feature that allows you to slow down time in mid-dogfight.

Both games will be available this Wednesday for 800 Microsoft points a pop. If I had to choose one...well, I'd follow my heart, which apparently leads to a teddy bear's digestive system. Gross, but cute.

This week on Arcade: Aces of the Galaxy and RooGoo [Xbox Live's Major Nelson]

The original RBI Baseball, for those who aren't familiar with the title, was published for the NES by Tengen and was based on the Famicom baseball sim Pro Yakyuu Family Stadium. Sounds almost perfect for casual online multiplayer baseball fun, no?

Warlords (400 Microsoft points), like many arcade re-releases comes in both original and fancy form, with the extra room leftover from making the primitive graphics less primitive translated into places you can showcase your face or whatever other sections of your body you wish to share with the group during online multiplayer matches.

Then there's Buku Sudoku (800 Microsoft points), which I am very angry with and don't wish to discuss.

Both games should be available via Xbox Live early Wednesday morning.

This week on Arcade: Buku Sudoku and Warlords [Xbox Live's Major Nelson]

According to Whitten, any title that is six months old, with an average Metacritic score below 65 and a demo-to-full conversion ratio below 6%, will be pulled from the service. Concerned parties will be notified three months in advance if a title is going to be pulled.

That means titles like Cyberball 2072 and Arkadian Warriors may be on their way out, depending on when Microsoft plans to start taking out the trash. We're a bit confused as to why MS would choose to pull the titles outright instead of implementing other methods for showcasing more well received titles and we have little insight into conversion ratios, but Whitten hopes that "Overall I think you will find this will focus the catalogue more on larger, more immersive games and make it much easier to find the games you are looking for."

The Xbox Live GM also reveals that we won't see a Spring dashboard update like we did last year, but that Microsoft still has plans for new features. One of those is a new DRM tool "that will allow you to better consolidate your licenses for downloaded content to a single Xbox and allow you the freedom to be able to play your content both online and offline" according to Whitten.

Maybe that list of rumored updates we heard about earlier this month won't be coming for a long time (if ever).

MS To Delist XBLA Titles [Next-Gen]

Edery says the fattening up of XBLA titles is due to "listening to our partners, listening to our customers to try and get a feel for what's right" adding that "it's good for the ecosystem" to have some sort of limit to encourage pick up and play games. Hopefully, with that extra room, Namco Bandai can go back and add a bit more graphical oomph to Soul Calibur for XBLA, get the visuals back to my rose-tinted glasses memories of the Dreamcast version.

Xbox Live Arcade's David Edery [GamesIndustry.biz - thanks, Andy!]

Penny Arcade Adventures [Xbox.com]

Behemoth posted some new screenshots, and says the devblog will update with more character profiles even though the game's finished. Any guess what the points cost for this thing will be?

Castle Crashers is Completely Completed[Castle Crashers Development Blog, big thanks to GeorgeLiquor and Spade0013]

A digitally-distributed add-on to Rocketmen: Axis of Evil

• Players must have already purchased Rocketmen: Axis of Evil in order to play It Came from Uranus
• Continue the Rocketmen saga with your characters from the original game.
• 400 XBLA points / $4.95 PSN Store

3 New Weapons
• Blobber: Shoots blobs of goo at enemies, does damage over time in the part of the ground that it covers.
• Beamer: Shoots lighting at enemies, does high intensity damage.
• Bomber: Shoots grenades instead of bullets; grenades explode on impact doing damage.

2 New Secondary Weapons
• Falcon: Robotic falcon that attacks enemies automatically
• Screw bomb: Rocket that turns into a proximity mine on impact

3 New Levels
• Level 11 - Finding Jane: The player must escape the Saturnian prison mine and reclaim Nick's ship, the Icarus Jane.
• Level 12 - Clear the Asteroids: The player must clear a path for the ship through Saturn's rings
• Level 13 - The Plan: The player must make his way through the Saturnian palace and convince Angelica, leader of the Saturnians, to join the Alliance.

New Enemies
• Saturnian Marine
• Saturnian Elite
• Heavy Mining Terra Scientists
• Terra Rocket Marines
• Saturnian Pit Boss
• Saturnian Asteroid Demolition Machine
• Lord Angelica

As you recall, there's no PlayStation Network version because PSN doesn't support Torque, with which the game is built. Full fact sheet follows the jump.

GAME FACT SHEET

Summary

Format: Xbox LIVE® Arcade
Download for Windows, Macintosh, Linux
Publisher: Hothead Games
Developer: Hothead Games
Release Date: May 21, 2008
Category: RPG-Adventure
ESRB Rating: M for Mature
Website: www.rainslick.com

On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness is an RPG-Adventure game set in the comic-book-meets-pulp-horror-meets-H.P. Lovecraft deranged 1920s universe of New Arcadia, delivering mature and compelling entertainment to gamers via accessible episodic delivery. The creative collaboration between Penny Arcade creators Mike 'Gabe' Krahulik and Jerry 'Tycho' Holkins, legendary game designer Ron Gilbert and veteran producers Hothead Games results in a 100% authentic Penny Arcade experience that pushes bizarre characters, outrageous combat, and adult humor to the precipices of darkness.

Players join Gabe and Tycho, the crime-solving team of the Startling Developments Detective Agency, to combat savage enemies and solve mysteries hidden deep in the sinister heart of New Arcadia. The ominous 1920s landscape features distinct artwork and characters designed exclusively by Krahulik and brought to life by the Hothead team.

On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness © 2008 Hothead Games, Inc. Penny Arcade, the Penny Arcade logo, and the Penny Arcade Adventures logo are trademarks of Penny Arcade, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Hothead, the Hothead Games logo, and the On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness logo are trademarks of Hothead Games, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks and logos are the property of their respective owners.
Episodic Game Play

Each episode of On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness brings the Startling Developments detective team closer to discovering the sinister and bizarre mystery of New Arcadia, and truly takes advantage of the episodic genre by integrating features like

• The ability to carry over character, stats, abilities, inventory and look across all episodes
• A complete experience available in 5-10 hours of game play per episode
• A price point of $19.95 (or 1600 Microsoft points), offering tremendous value that fits into the modern gamer's busy schedule
• Pick-up-and-play capabilities from any episode, allowing players enjoyment without the need to play previous installments

Key Game Features

• Create-a-Player System lets you design and develop your own character, seeing it come to life in 3D and in the comic-style 2D cut scenes
• Dynamic turn-based combat system, over-the-top animations, and team-up moves during enemy battles
• Classic adventure game play combines with RPG elements to unravel the game's mysteries and puzzles
• Authentic Penny Arcade story and dialogue written exclusively by Jerry Holkins
• Includes Gabe, Tycho, Annarchy, the Fruit F*cker and many other favorite Penny Arcade characters, plus new characters designed by Mike Krahulik

Wits & Wagers [Xbox.com]

The best thing about Commando 3: Wolf of the Battlefield isn't the demo for Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix—god those are some verbose game titles—it's the ability to shoot lots and lots and lots of things. The sequel to Commando and Mercs is coming to Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network soon (we hope). Let's revisit Forgotten Worlds soon too, Capcom. Please?

The Windows, Mac and Linux game will sell for $20 and the 360 arcade version will go for 1600 Microsoft Points.

Hit the jump for the full release.

Windows, Mac and Linux Versions of Episode One Reach Gold Master

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - May 1, 2008 - Hothead Games is thrilled to announce that the Windows®, Mac®, and Linux® versions of Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One have reached gold master status and are planned for worldwide download via the new digital download service Greenhouse at www.playgreenhouse.com later this quarter. In celebration, Hothead gave some infamous Penny Arcade characters a new look and let them loose on the unsuspecting websites www.rainslick.com, www.hotheadgames.com, and www.playgreenhouse.com for the public to enjoy.

Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One is an RPG-adventure game set in the comic-book-meets-pulp-horror-meets-H.P. Lovecraft deranged 1920s universe of New Arcadia, delivered to gamers via accessible episodic releases. Players join Gabe and Tycho, the crime-solving team of the Startling Developments Detective Agency, to combat savage enemies and solve mysteries hidden deep in the sinister heart of New Arcadia. The game is the result of close collaboration between Hothead Games and Penny Arcade, featuring distinct artwork and characters designed exclusively by Mike "Gabe" Krahulik, story and dialogue by Jerry "Tycho" Holkins, and both brought to life by the Hothead team.

Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One is priced at $19.95 for the Windows, Mac, and Linux versions and at 1600 Microsoft points via Xbox LIVE® Arcade, with a rating of "M" for Mature by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board for all platforms.

The devs say they hope to show off the statues, which are made of "genuine genuine bronze", during this year's upcoming Comic Con. They also showed off one of the statues gnarly arms. Apparently, casting bronze isn't as easy as one would expect.... I'd expect it to be really hard.

Gnarly Arms [The Behemoth Dev Blog]