Recommend Xbox Live Arcade games

Daigohji · Post by **Daigohji** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:23 pm

Space Giraffe has got its hooks (hooves?) into me now that I've started getting the hang of it. I ponied up the 400 points for it tonight.

It's one of those games where the mechanics are initially so esoteric that it feels like a random mess, but once it clicks the whole experience is great. Got to love a game that flashes up the word "Gizmondo" when you screw up. Also love the random audio clip from Leon of Gary Oldman yelling "Everyone!" Very much a case of an experience that's greater than the sum of its play mechanics.

SuperGrafx · Post by **SuperGrafx** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:44 pm

Daigohji wrote:Space Giraffe has got its hooks (hooves?) into me now that I've started getting the hang of it. I ponied up the 400 points for it tonight.

It's one of those games where the mechanics are initially so esoteric that it feels like a random mess, but once it clicks the whole experience is great. Got to love a game that flashes up the word "Gizmondo" when you screw up. Also love the random audio clip from Leon of Gary Oldman yelling "Everyone!" Very much a case of an experience that's greater than the sum of its play mechanics.

It's largely a good game and i've owned it since it was released, but I only enjoy it up through round 30 or so. After that, things just get too hectic to be fun. Part of it is due to the blurry and psychedelic graphic style which makes picking out threats more difficult than it should be.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 9:51 pm

szycag wrote:Just bought 2000 points and got Pinball FX, Castlevania SOTN (said i wouldn't but I'm just a weirdo), and Marble Blast. Probably buy 2000 more when Omega Five comes out and get some more games you guys talked about like Mutant Storm.

How's Marble Blast?

szycag · Post by **szycag** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 9:12 am

The multiplayer is ridiculous fun, just a whole bunch of people in a room rolling around trying to collect diamonds. The more disorienting single player maps can be kind of frustrating, but I finally finished all the intermediate stages in under-par time. There's a multiplayer demo also if you download the trial version. Just try the demo and if you like the feel of rolling the ball around you should enjoy it. Easily worth the $5

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 2:25 pm

Thanks for the response. After I posted the question, I realized: I can just go test it. That's one nice thing about Live. Still, I often trust other people's judgments over my short time with a demo.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 1:52 am

Just want to let people know that the version of Xevious is perhaps the best I've ever played, and that includes the tate version on Xevious 3D/G+ for PS1. I haven't played the PCB yet, but it's hard to imagine that it would look better. They've managed to remain wholly faithful to the original while having it look nice on an HDTV. I used the Hori stick and it controlled perfectly. Well worth the 400 points for Xevious fans like myself.

Damocles · Post by **Damocles** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 2:25 am

Anyone seen the Aces of the Galaxy trailer? Looks to be pretty sweet.

Also: Omega Five interview.

http://www.xbox360achievements.org/news/news.php?id=541

Necronom · Post by **Necronom** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 3:03 am

Omega Five...THAT beauty is under 50 MB? Nice

Game looks sweet, thanks for the link.

Vexorg · Post by **Vexorg** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 9:47 am

Just picked up E4 (Every Extend Extra Extreme) a couple of nights ago on XBLA, and I just spent close to three hours on one game, with a score of somewhere around 22 trillion. I see other people have significantly higher scores (on the order of 1.75 quadrillion) so I figure I've got a long way to go if I ever want to try for that. Is there some trick to raising the bonus multiplier quickly, (on the longest strech without getting hit, I managed to get it up to about 32x and about 150 quickens) but it took forever to do) or is it just a matter of grinding for a long time?

PsikyoPshumpPshooterP · Fri Jan 04, 2008 2:58 pm

Metal slug 3

Damocles · Post by **Damocles** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 5:54 am

For those of you that havn't heard, from Wednesday until Saturday Undertow will be free. This, of course, is the consolation for XBL troubles during the holiday season.

If you already own Undertow, you can call Xbox Support (1-800-4MY-XBOX in the US) and they will "take care of you".

jp · Post by jp » Sun Jan 20, 2008 6:53 am

Damocles wrote: If you already own Undertow, you can call Xbox Support (1-800-4MY-XBOX in the US) and they will "take care of you".

Microsoft Murder Squad.

Damocles · Post by **Damocles** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 7:21 am

Word on the street is that they give you a code to redeem on Wednesday for 800 MS Points.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 2:26 pm

So we're talking about this coming Wednesday? Is Undertow any good?

jp · Post by jp » Sun Jan 20, 2008 4:10 pm

Its supposed to be REALLY good actually. It was the most critically acclaimed XBLA release last year (I think?).

No_not_like_Quake · Post by **No_not_like_Quake** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 4:41 pm

I have Undertow. It's fun. I haven't even played multiplayer yet but it's supposed to be more fun.

Space Giraffe, Geometry Wars and Jetpac are probably the best of the 400 point games IMO.

Some magazine or site (can't remember who it was) had the audacity to say Puzzle QUest was expenisve at 1200 points. It's a great game with loads of sidequest and things to do, even if they are all variations of the same puzzle game. I would like them to make a sequel with a better story.

Daigohji · Post by **Daigohji** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 6:26 pm

Omega Five is awesome. Only four stages, but they're quality, like R-Type Final without the morose pacing. Love the Engrish in it too: "grashial fortwess" was good, but the agonised way he enunciates "escalated invasion" had me in stitches. Seriously, that's a phrase that only a phonetic sadist would force a Japanese man to say.

Damocles · Post by **Damocles** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:15 am

So I've been playing Pinball FX recently and I've racked up some...decent...scores... Anyway, does anyone else think the balls just move too damn fast? It's like they had the tables completely done and then made an arbitrary change to the ball. In honesty, it affects the entire table. Ramps and orbits that would normally be quite easy to hit need pinpoint precision due to the fact that if the ball is even slightly off it will careen off the interior of the chute and come right back down. Overall, the tables are decent, but some ramp placement makes me scratch my head.

...and no, it's not that the tables are at a greater angle than they should be...ball physics are just way too quick...especially on these small tables...

Twiddle · Post by **Twiddle** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 2:03 am

Nobody suggested Marathon: Durandal yet?

Necronopticous · Post by **Necronopticous** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 6:23 am

Pac Man Championship Edition is easily my top choice, and probably worth getting an Xbox 360 for, alone.

Also, Catan is severely underrated.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:14 pm

Damocles wrote:For those of you that havn't heard, from Wednesday until Saturday Undertow will be free.

Can anyone verify that Undertow is now free in the US? Hooking up my 360 to the internet is a pain, so I'll likely do so today only if I'm getting a free game out of it.

Damocles · Post by **Damocles** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 2:46 am

Yes, it's free. Get it done. You have until 11:59 PM PST.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 4:35 am

Damn, thanks much but I'm afraid I'm going to miss it. I had to take the wife to a movie tonight.

Damocles · Post by **Damocles** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 4:45 am

No, you're fine. You have until Sunday 11:59 PM.

...somehow left that out of my post.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:40 pm

Damocles wrote:No, you're fine. You have until Sunday 11:59 PM.

...somehow left that out of my post.

Thanks again! They should have more free content-- like all those downloads that they are asking $2-$3 for. Even as an extreme Xevious fan, I'm not about to pay for those pics and themes.

Damocles · Post by **Damocles** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:45 pm

I agree. What really perplexes me, however, is paying to unlock parts of a game that are unlocked normally. Take the newest Transformers download. It unlocks all the levels in the game...............and you have to pay for it.........rather than just playing the damn thing.

That being said, I was quite happy to download an entire Finger Eleven performance for free. Odd...

Dante · Post by **Dante** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 12:02 am

Not a shmup but Streets of Rage 2, I played this till my eyes bleed.. And got all but the 10 online wins achievement.. Was actually second place on the Hardcore weekly scoreboard.. Only somebody called 'The Great One' was top..

Undertow is free till tomorrow night in the uk..

jp · Post by jp » Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:19 am

Rez HD is supposed to be next week.

Hopefully it does well and leads Mizuguchi to make a sequel for the 360.

Post by **spadgy** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 4:22 pm

Damocles wrote:Anyone seen the Aces of the Galaxy trailer? Looks to be pretty sweet.

Looks OK as 3D shooters go. Just got this in a press release today too (apologies if this is old news outside of the UK)...

Enjoy the frantic action of “Aces of the Galaxy,” an old fashioned arcade adrenaline-pumping shoot-em-up that allows players to save the Universe from the wicked Skurgian Empire. Players annihilate enemy ships with an impressive arsenal of upgradeable weapons including high-powered missile launchers, devastating torpedoes and the relentless chain gun. Battle intense waves of enemy Skurgians against a breathtaking outer space backdrop, and choose to fight alone or join up with a friend at home or via Xbox LIVE.

800 points...

Damocles · Post by **Damocles** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:57 am

Aces of the Galaxy, at least from the demo, seems to be quite good. The focus on shooting, rather than lock-ons, reminds me more of Space Harrier than Panzer Dragoon...which is a good thing. I'm debating picking up the full game, and probably will if Commando 3 turns out to be less than expected.

I recently finished up Ikaruga, which I actually enjoyed. That's saying quite a bit as I've never been too fond of it. I believe it's because the game is always there so I'm more prone to playing it. Such a shame they didn't put in a "restart" option to the pause screen. You have to exit back to the main menu if you screw up. Since scores aquired offline aren't saved to live, I'm sucking on the leaderboards and don't think I'll be trying to top them any time soon.