Xbox Live Arcade Set to Rock World

Distant Nintendo offering dwarfed by MS Megaton downloadable game smash.

Posted by Staff
Xbox Live Arcade Set to Rock World
We’re really excited about the Xbox Live Arcade service for Xbox 360. And today, at the Digital Life consumer show in New York, Peter Moore is to announce details of a huge amount of support for the downloadable service. The selection of games at launch will be relatively small, but will include such arcade classics as Joust, Smash TV and Gauntlet. The list in full is:

* Astropop – Popcap Games
* Bankshot Billiards 2™ – pixelStorm, Inc
* Bejeweled 2 – Popcap Games
* Crystal Quest – Stainless Games
* Feeding Frenzy – Popcap Games
* Gauntlet – Midway Home Entertainment
* Geometry Wars 2 – Bizarre Creations
* Hardwood Backgammon – Silver Creek Entertainment
* Hardwood Hearts – Silver Creek Entertainment
* Hardwood Spades – Silver Creek Entertainment
* Hexic® HD – Microsoft Game Studios
* Hoopworld – Streamline Studios
* Jewel Quest – iWin.com
* Joust – Midway Home Entertainment
* Marble Blast Ultra – GarageGames
* Mutant Storm Reloaded – PomPom Games
* Outpost Kaloki – Wahoo Studios
* Robotron 2084 – Midway Home Entertainment
* SmashTV – Midway Home Entertainment
* Wik: Fable of Souls – Reflexive Entertainment
* Zuma – Popcap Games


It’s a good line-up, but according to MS some pretty big players have pledged to bring even more support to the service with plenty of games. More than forty developers and publishers have agreed to bring downloadable games, and for some of the older companies, we have to assume that this will include well-loved titles from their back catalogues. Here’s a list of the people involved:

Atari, Bizarre Creations, Capcom, Codemasters, CTXM, Digital Eclipse, Electronic Arts, Empire Interactive, Gaia Studios, GameHouse Studios, Garage Games, Gastronaut Studios, Hamster, Harmonix, HipSoft, Hudson Soft, iWin, Konami, Llamasoft, Load, Inc, Mad Doc Software, Majesco, Microsoft Game Studios, Midway Home Entertainment, Mumbo Jumbo (United Developers), Naked Sky Entertainment, Namco, Oberon Media, Pick Up And Play, pixelStorm, Inc, PlayFirst, PomPom Games, Popcap Games, Q Entertainment, RealNetworks, Inc, Reflexive Entertainment, Secret Lair Studios, SEGA, Silver Creek Entertainment, SNK Playmore, Stainless Games, Streamline Studios, Tik Games, Ubisoft, uWink, Vivendi Universal Games, Wahoo Studios, Wanako Games. Wild Tangent


The move rather pips Nintendo to the post. The Japanese games giant made their planned download model the centrepiece of their presentation at E3, but the Revolution console has as yet no release date, while the Xbox 360 will be out this year. We’ll bring you more news on this as we get it. In the meantime, perhaps you’d like to have a think about the possibilities, with downloadable Street Fighter and King of Fighters currently topping our list. What speculative release excites you most? Do say, in the forum!
Companies:
People:

Comments

fluffstardx 17 Oct 2005 11:45
1/16
The idea of being able to play Robotron, Gauntlet and quite possibly a massive amount of retro games is making Live seem all the more worth it.

Crap, if they make old titles available again, I want Road Rash.
supadupagama 17 Oct 2005 11:48
2/16
Am I supposed to be excited about downloading $10 games, when half of them are playable online for free? What bothers me is that no one mentions how much those new (and totally unannounced) classics will cost.
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ozfunghi 17 Oct 2005 13:09
3/16
Dwarfed? LOL.

On one hand we have 220 Nintendo games (list to be expanded) and on the other we have 10 random arcade games...

Seriously Spong, what the f**k is wrong with you.
fluffstardx 17 Oct 2005 14:16
4/16
I believe the point they're making is that, if every one of those developers supplies an average of, say, 20 titles, it surpasses the Ninty list.

Personally I'll stick to emulators, but if they ever fail me this is quite cool. Prices would be nice to know.
kid_77 17 Oct 2005 14:18
5/16
ozfunghi wrote:
Dwarfed? LOL.

On one hand we have 220 Nintendo games (list to be expanded) and on the other we have 10 random arcade games...

Seriously Spong, what the f**k is wrong with you.

I don't think that's quite a true reflection:

Revo: 220 Nintendo games (to expand)
Xbox Live: Potentially every-note-worthy-arcade-developer's vast back catalogue... SEGA, Konami, Capcom etc.
rosse59 17 Oct 2005 14:33
6/16
supadupagama wrote:
Am I supposed to be excited about downloading $10 games, when half of them are playable online for free? What bothers me is that no one mentions how much those new (and totally unannounced) classics will cost.


We haven't announced price yet, but let it be said that "we've heard you, loud and clear". Secondly, be excited because you can start playing some of these really cool retro games with your friends list online. If you like Joust, then play a 2-player game of Joust with your friend online over Live. Can't do that with a MAME emulator.
rosse59 17 Oct 2005 14:34
7/16
fluffstardx wrote:
The idea of being able to play Robotron, Gauntlet and quite possibly a massive amount of retro games is making Live seem all the more worth it.

Crap, if they make old titles available again, I want Road Rash.


Post your wish list! I'm the Games Portfolio Manager for Xbox Live Arcade so I'm listening! :-)

Ross Erickson
Games Portfolio Manager
Xbox Live Arcade
rosse59 17 Oct 2005 14:36
8/16
ozfunghi wrote:
Dwarfed? LOL.

On one hand we have 220 Nintendo games (list to be expanded) and on the other we have 10 random arcade games...

Seriously Spong, what the f**k is wrong with you.


Just curious, out of those 220, how many have been absolutely verified to be coming out on Rev's download service? I've read of no firm commitment on a title-by-title basis from N on this.
rosse59 17 Oct 2005 14:39
9/16
fluffstardx wrote:
.... Personally I'll stick to emulators, but if they ever fail me this is quite cool. Prices would be nice to know.


a) Emulators can't deliver Live MP support, that's for sure. Plus other enhancements...

b) Price news forthcoming... Stay tuned!
LUPOS 17 Oct 2005 15:19
10/16
supadupagama wrote:
What bothers me is that no one mentions how much those new (and totally unannounced) classics will cost.


i did, amongst other things... but anyway... the only offical word from ms is they know people didnt like the prices before and they will be cheaper this time.. "you will be pleased" no spcific yet though.

_____
supadupagama 17 Oct 2005 16:15
11/16
Yes, the potential of both the Xbox Live & Nintendo Online download services are exciting. And if indeed the price per game can be kept below $10 ($5 please) then it's definitely worth picking up some games if they offer extras like online multiplayer, that's pretty amazing (I didn't know about that).

For me picking up the Xbox360 is going to depend on how well first party games like Kameo, Perfect Dark Zero and that pretty racing game will do in American reviews. I have to admit I've already got my money put aside for Nintendo's Revolution and I'm not sure about spending upto 600 Euros plus online fees on the Xbox360 yet.
ozfunghi 17 Oct 2005 23:48
12/16
to the guy that was saying something about the potential of the xbox arcade service possibly becoming bigger than Rev's backcatalogue: multiple other gamedev's and publishers have shown interest in Nintendo's service, including Sega and Konami. Nothing is stopping Nintendo from doing the same thing. And when they do, i'd rather pick the side with the Nintendo classics on it.

To the guy asking how many of those 220 games are confirmed, the answer is 221. Nintendo released that list months ago. Check IGN.

So again, DWARFED? LOL!
discoclucard 18 Oct 2005 02:57
13/16
Nintendo didn't release any lists. Some Japanese magazine posted a list of old Nintendo games and said these games "might" be on the service. Then Nintendo came out and said that that list didn't accurately reflect what they were planning.

Anyway - the Xbox people should get some Konami and Capcom games in there...maybe even a NES emulator. :D
emperorsamoth 20 Oct 2005 14:20
14/16
ozfunghi wrote:
Dwarfed? LOL.

On one hand we have 220 Nintendo games (list to be expanded) and on the other we have 10 random arcade games...

Seriously Spong, what the f**k is wrong with you.


Where did you find there's 220 Nintendo games to be available? You are also missing the point of Microsoft's versus Nintendo's Downloadable content. Let's take Gauntlet and Smash TV as examples. It would be more likely you will get the NES, SNES versions of those games, while Microsoft can probably get the Arcade version of the game. Nintendo might not have rights to the Arcade version and would take the cheap route of emulating their old cartridges anyways. Would you rather have a emulated NES version or a MAME version of Smash TV or Gauntlet?
fluffstardx 20 Oct 2005 21:47
15/16
It is highly likely this is some kinda X-MAME. Hell, XNA'd MAME...
LUPOS 20 Oct 2005 21:55
16/16
fluffstardx wrote:
It is highly likely this is some kinda X-MAME. Hell, XNA'd MAME...


oh contraire mon fraire! (spelling?)

all xbox arcade titles will be "developed" on xbox360 dev kits and will be fully functional 360 games... i.e. live enabled vice chat ready high def... the whole deal.

not just an emulator but the first time many of these old arcade roms have ever been edited in anyway.

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