Live Arcade Games

[Buyatari]

The drought continues. Track & Field this week.

 

Nope. I've never understood the appeal of this game either. Unlike my recent experiences with rhythm games, I don't think I'll have an epiphany with regards to this one.

 

New Rally X keeps on looking better and better.

 

I'm not a huge T&F fan myself. If we have to get an events games, I'd rather see one of the classic Epyx or Activision event games. Or even MS' own Decathalon. There's a game that could really use an update!

 

Track and Field was one of those games that you just had to play in the arcades. All the guys had their own cheat device wether it was a comb or a pencil making an improvised teeter totter to slam the buttons faster without loosing rythem. And not just any comb it had to be a little flexable but not too much. I have fond memories of standing around that machine waiting your turn watching them go nuts slammin away at that machine talkin smack about each others comb or pencil. And if the pencil would break mid stride forget about it. The place went nuts with laughter and taunts.

 

Ohh yes a GREAT arcade game but home version? It never had the same feel.

[Lord Helmet]

The drought continues. Track & Field this week.

 

Nope. I've never understood the appeal of this game either. Unlike my recent experiences with rhythm games, I don't think I'll have an epiphany with regards to this one.

 

New Rally X keeps on looking better and better.

 

I'm not a huge T&F fan myself. If we have to get an events games, I'd rather see one of the classic Epyx or Activision event games. Or even MS' own Decathalon. There's a game that could really use an update!

 

Track and Field was one of those games that you just had to play in the arcades. All the guys had their own cheat device wether it was a comb or a pencil making an improvised teeter totter to slam the buttons faster without loosing rythem. And not just any comb it had to be a little flexable but not too much. I have fond memories of standing around that machine waiting your turn watching them go nuts slammin away at that machine talkin smack about each others comb or pencil. And if the pencil would break mid stride forget about it. The place went nuts with laughter and taunts.

 

Ohh yes a GREAT arcade game but home version? It never had the same feel.

 

The only home version I ever enjoyed nearly as much as the arcade game was the 2600 version with the arcade style controller.

[Gregory DG]

Track and Field was one of those games that you just had to play in the arcades.

Used to play it at WalMart a lot! Playing it on the PC via MAME is almost as good because you can really pound that keyboard!

[Shannon]

Tried Prince Of Persia demo. Pretty fun, tempting to get.

[Gabriel]

Hexic 2 and Ecco this week.

 

I got the original Hexic with my hard drive. It was OK. It was nothing I'd pay for. So, I'm not interested in the sequel.

 

Ecco is just boring as far as I'm concerned. Plus, I could just play it on the Genesis compilation if I wanted to.

 

The last few weeks have been Bomberman Live, Wing Commander Arena, Super Contra, Spyglass boardgames, and now these two. It all feels like the dross that gets put on a collection disc to pad out the title count.

[moycon]

Personally I've always thought Hexic was one of the best puzzle games made. Just don't know if I'd pay for a sequel unless there's enough new content to set it apart. Ecco, I'll admit to being a fan of the graphics back in the day, but not the game itself. I'll definately try out both though.

[Atari5200]

Hexic 2, what a waste, Hexic 1 was extremely booooooorrrrriiiiinnnnggggg.

[Atariboy]

Anyone know what the enhanced sound does for Ecco the Dolphin? Is it the Sega CD sound effects and music? I didn't really notice a difference.

[moycon]

Anyone know what the enhanced sound does for Ecco the Dolphin? Is it the Sega CD sound effects and music? I didn't really notice a difference.

 

It's in 4-D Super Sensual-Surround Sound

 

Actually, I have the original ECCO but haven't played it in probably a decade, so I dunno.

[Atari5200]

well I made the mistake of buying Super Contra. I loved the demo, but had I realized that you only get 2 continues through the entire game, i would have not bought it, sucks to spend money on a game that you can't get passed the 2nd level, i guess i just need to practice.

[NE146]

The only home version I ever enjoyed nearly as much as the arcade game was the 2600 version with the arcade style controller.

 

Or the handheld with the mini-button arcade style controller.. it rocked too

[Gabriel]

This Wednesday: Space Giraffe = 800pts.

[Atariboy]

Minter posted saying its 400 points, the rumor being spread around the past day or two saying 800 is false.

 

So thats even better.

[moycon]

Yes I've heard SG is 400 points as well.

 

Also coming this week...

 

Street Trace: NYC, a multiplayer hoverboard battle game by Gaia Industries

 

Not sure how many points that one will be.

[StormSurge]

Yes I've heard SG is 400 points as well.

 

Also coming this week...

 

Street Trace: NYC, a multiplayer hoverboard battle game by Gaia Industries

 

Not sure how many points that one will be.

 

 

800.

 

Major Nelson...

[Gabriel]

Its early in the morning, but here are my thoughts on Space Giraffe.

 

It IS hard to pick anything out on the screen. Unlike Tempest 2K where things were different colors, everything in this game is more or less colored the same as the lightshow background. I have only played up to a measly 9th level and there have been many times already when a bullet was in the next lane over and I could not see it at all. I just have to take the game's word for it that I died.

 

Sometimes the only way I know spikers (flowers in this game) are there is because I hear the musical sound effect of my shots hitting one.

 

Pods crawl ridiculously slow up the web. Your power meter (a white line which moves up and down the web based on how many flippers you've shot) seems to fly down the web if you aren't shooting at least 5 flippers a second.

 

Some backgrounds have been easier for me to pick out things than others. Some elements are easier to pick out than others. Flowers are generally easier than everything else because they are a shade of green rather than the same color as the web, flippers, and bullets.

 

Despite that, the game definitely seems to have a zonerific quality. There were a few times when I was unconscious of a bullet in the direction I was moving, only to see myself stop and watch a bullet fly off the web, or see a a flower grown beyond the edge of the web which I was unaware of before. It's like Tempest 2K in that respect.

 

At the moment, I can't say I love the game. I don't hate it either. After those quick 9 levels, I think it's an average Live Arcade game. I'll keep playing it, because it definitely instills the desire to do better.

 

Oh, and it definitely didn't deserve anything resembling a 2/10 rating like the official XBox Magazine gave it. I agree with the Llamasoft fanboys on that point. The reviewer probably played the tutorial, couldn't figure anything out, and quit before he completed it.

[NE146]

Well on that note.. I spied this in an IRC channel a couple minutes ago. Please note this is just a paste of the discussion and is definitely not my opinion as I have yet to even download the game. I just thought it was interesting since it rags the game totally.

 

I'll give my impressions of the game eventually.

 

 

[05:39] <rugerz> holy shit

[05:39] <rugerz> space giraffe fucking sucks

[05:39] <rugerz> wow

[05:40] <xuan> what's bad about it?

[05:40] <rugerz> everything

[05:40] <rugerz> =/

[05:40] <rugerz> the screen is just like a vomit of color

[05:40] <rugerz> and you move back and forth

[05:40] <rugerz> while random colors move towards you

[05:40] <boombox> good night all

[05:41] <rugerz> and somehow wonder if your bullets that automagically come out constantly are hitting anything

[05:41] <rugerz> and some colors you can run into and kill with your little color that's suppose to be a ship?

[05:41] <rugerz> but other colors kill you

[05:41] <rugerz> it makes zero sense

[05:41] <rugerz> it's like taking acid and playing on a freeway

[05:42] <xuan> heh, kinda like pac-man ce style but worse then?

[05:42] <rugerz> no, pacman ce is actually cool

[05:42] <rugerz> and makes sense

[05:42] <rugerz> this makes ZERO sense

[05:42] <xuan> no i mean the distortedness and shit

[05:42] <rugerz> there's like an outline of some dudes head and face during most of the game

[05:42] <rugerz> at least in the demo

[05:43] <rugerz> and random colors all over flashing and shit

[05:43] <rugerz> I don't understand at all what the fuck is going on

[05:44] <rugerz> and the random colors and flashing is beyond insane.. it's like they're trying to make kids in japan go into siezures

[05:46] <rugerz> wow, I think I've finally played something worse than bubsy 3d

[05:46] <rugerz> I think licking gridles face would be more fun than this game

[05:47] <rugerz> =/

[moycon]

I played it this morning. Bought it right out without trying the demo and played a game till I ran out of lives. It's about what I expected. Tempest with the VLM running in the background.

It it very hard to tell what is going on sometimes because of the background. I wasn't crazy about the acheivement either.

I played one game getting to LVL 7 and at one point I got an achievement, I have no clue why really, something about 20 colds or something? I plan on playing the tutorial after I wake up, maybe that will explain...anyways. One of the achievements is to get to lvl 100...starting from level 1. WOW. No doubt a few will do it, I wont be able to. In fact I wont be getting most of the achievements on this one I don't think. I don't have the patients to play over and over at games like this. That's what it takes to master a game. Space Giraffe is fun, but for me I'll be playing it every now and again. Too many beefier games (Lost Planet, BioShock, Two Worlds) demanding my attention right now, and many more coming.

 

It definately did not deserve a 2/10.

[Gabriel]

I made a point to glance at the achievements because of a comment over on the Llamasoft boards about how the OXM reviewer hadn't gotten any and was therefore unfit to judge the great work Yak hath wrought. I noticed I hadn't gotten any achievements either, so I was wondering just what I had to do to get one. After checking, I concluded that I wasn't going to get one anytime soon, if ever, and put the thought out of my mind.

 

I imagine the Achievements As Sole Excuse For Playing crowd is going into conniptions right now. The way I saw it, the Achievements are damn hard on this game.

[moycon]

I imagine the Achievements As Sole Excuse For Playing crowd is going into conniptions right now. The way I saw it, the Achievements are damn hard on this game.

 

No doubt.

Like I said I got that one...but honestly wasn't doing anything but playing for the first time trying it out.

It's probably the easiest one to get.

I've forgetten most of them now, but I recall thinking the same thing, I probably ain't getting any more.

It's cool tho. Really the game is just a trippy way to play Tempest. ( Is there an option to turn off the VLM?)

I'm hoping playing the tutorial will help determine what the heck is going on tho.

I'm thinking it may be a better experience if you can even begin to identify things.

[Atariboy]

The Klepto-Giraffe achievement has to be easy, I scored it my first time playing (Collect 20 powerups without missing one). I'm not convinced they're as difficult as they may appear beyond a couple of the ones worth the most.

[moycon]

The Klepto-Giraffe achievement has to be easy, I scored it my first time playing (Collect 20 powerups without missing one). I'm not convinced they're as difficult as they may appear beyond a couple of the ones worth the most.

 

Really? How many of them do you have now?

I have 2, I keep going for the Klepto but no luck. I'm not so sure it's all that easy.

Not like Galaga easy where you could get them all in an hour!

 

Up this week.....

 

Capcom announced on its official blog that Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix would be making its way to Xbox Live Arcade next week.

It makes its way to XBLA on August 29 for 800 Microsoft Points

[Atariboy]

I haven't had a chance to play again since Wednesday morning, but three others I've seen mentioned at various places as being easy to get as well that people have received their first time playing (And one you just stay in place in level 5 and shoot).

 

So thats 1/3 of them. Theres no doubt that some of these will be near impossible to get, but I think theres a good number of easy giveaway ones in here too.

[Gabriel]

Super Puzzle Fighter HD, a game which I've never played, is available today. Time to try the trial version.

 

Streets of Rage 2 also makes it's appearance for 400 pts/$5. I'll be downloading this game because I'm a total fanboy for it.

[Gabriel]

Major Nelson says that on Sept 2 to Sept 3, the following Live Arcade titles will have their prices reduced.

 

Gauntlet = 200 pts = too bad I already have it.

 

Dig Dug = 200 pts = At the reduced price, I'll probably grab it.

 

Zuma Deluxe = 400 pts = I know nothing of this one.

 

Small Arms = 400 pts = an utter waste of points, even at this price. They really should give your account 800 points for even sampling this absolute dog of a game.

 

Nothing spectacular here, but I wonder if this foreshadows other, more lasting, price drops in the future? They could have at least put New Rally X on there for 200 pts or less.