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Microsoft Standardizes Gamerscore
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Culture, Xbox 360, Xbox Live, Xbox Live Arcade,
Microsoft’s Gamerscore and Achievements program has been remarkably successful, with people going so far as to pay for additional Achievements. Still, there seems to be uneven support for the program from game developers. Now, Microsoft is moving to standardize the program so that gamers can expect a more uniform experience. A post on the Gamerscore blog lists some of the changes to the program.
First, base points will be standardized for game titles. A retail disc-based game is required to have 1,000 Gamerscore available; Live Arcade games are required to have 200 Gamerscore. Microsoft says that this base score can come in a combination of regular and add-on content as long as the add-on content is free. Game publishers will also have the option of adding another 250 Gamerscore to disc games from paid or free content as well. By standardizing the program, it seems Microsoft is strongly encouraging developers to think about Achievements when developing the program and further differentiate Xbox 360 titles from their counterparts on competing systems. Hopefully, any Achievements added in the new program won’t be superficial tack-ons to meet a points goal.
Read More 
| Gamerscoreblog
Gallery: Microsoft Standardizes Gamerscore
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10 Classics to Hit Xbox Live Arcade in February
Posted by Michael Cardiff Categories: Action, Corporate News, Puzzle, Retro, Xbox 360, Xbox Live Arcade, Xbox Live Marketplace,
Microsoft today announced a slew of classic titles that will shortly be making their way to the Xbox Live Arcade. The titles announced include:
- 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures
- Alien Hominid HD
- Band of Bugs
- Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
- Catan (Settlers of Catan)
- Eets: Chowdown
- LUXOR 2
- Paperboy
- Root Beer Tapper
- Worms
Specific release dates or prices aren’t available yet for these games, but assuming the prices are fairly reasonable, I expect we’ll see a lot of sales on XBLA next month. Castlevania is the obvious contender for most popular retro title, but Worms, Settlers of Catan and Alien Hominid are also titles that you should definitely check out for your retro library.
Read More | Gamespot.com
Gallery: 10 Classics to Hit Xbox Live Arcade in February
Live Arcade Download Limit Grows To 250MB
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Xbox 360, Xbox Live, Xbox Live Arcade, Xbox Live Marketplace,
1up is reporting that Microsoft is lifting the 50 MB size cap for Xbox Live Arcade downloads. Citing anonymous sources, 1up states that the new maximum size for Arcade games can now be as high as 250 MB. With special dispensation from Microsoft, content can become as large as 650 MB. Officially, Microsoft is denying the changes to their program. However, it is known that Konami has already received an exception for Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Microsoft’s reasoning for the 50 MB limit was initially to provide Core system users access to Xbox Live Arcade content, but with a 256 MB Memory Card coming, this limit may no longer be necessary. The changes to the file limitations may in part be related to the competition; Sony has no such limits for their downloadable content, and Microsoft may feel that additional resources for Xbox Live Arcade titles may be necessary to keep up.
Read More | 1up
Gallery: Live Arcade Download Limit Grows To 250MB
Castlevania To Break Live Arcade 50 MB Limit
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Retro, Xbox 360, Xbox Live, Xbox Live Arcade, Xbox Live Marketplace,
When Microsoft announced that Castlevania: Symphony of the Night would be heading to the Xbox Live Marketplace, gamers were concerned that the production values of the game, most notably the lush soundtrack, would have to be compromised for the release in order to fit the game within the Live service’s strict 50 MB limit for Arcade downloads. Gamespot was able to confirm with Konami that they were able to get an exception to the rule to bring the console game to Live Arcade intact. Gamespot also confirmed with Greg Canessa, Live Arcade group manager, that while the company would issue exceptions from time to time to the 50 MB limit, the majority of Live Arcade games will still have to fit within the size restrictions. Microsoft’s size limitations exist to open Live Arcade titles to the widest audience and for portability on memory cards, and Konami’s exception to the rule should not change that.
Read More | Gamespot
Gallery: Castlevania To Break Live Arcade 50 MB Limit
Treasure Talks Next Generation Gaming
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Action, Nintendo, Nintendo DS, Retro, Wii, Xbox 360, Xbox Live Arcade,
1up recently talked with Treasure, creators of the famed Radiant Silvergun and Gunstar Heroes, about their future development plans for next generation consoles. Treasure is working hard on their Xbox 360 shooter, which should feature 3D graphics with classic 2D-style gameplay. The company confirmed that the game is being developed by the same team that created Ikaruga, but is shying away from calling the game a Radiant Silvergun sequel, which puts into doubts recent rumors of a true sequel. Treasure also talked about their upcoming releases for the Virtual Console, and potentially some releases for the Xbox Live Arcade. The company also seemed excited about possibly developing for the Wii specifically; a future release seems more likely than not. Unfortunately for PS3 fans, however, Treasure doesn’t believe they will have the resources to work with the Playstation 3 for some time. Overall, the interview is an interesting look at a developer approaching the next generation consoles with current graphics but a somewhat retro design esthetic.
Read More | 1up
Gallery: Treasure Talks Next Generation Gaming
More Doom Titles Leaked For Xbox 360
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: First Person Shooters, Internet, Xbox 360, Xbox Live, Xbox Live Arcade, Xbox Live Marketplace,
Siliconera has pored through the ESRB online rating database again, and this time it looks like a couple of potential Xbox 360 Live Arcade releases have leaked. The database is listing Final Doom and Ultimate Doom as “M” rated titles for the Xbox 360. With Doom standing as one of the few Arcade titles with strong online play, it would seem to make sense to take advantage of all the extra content available from the franchise.
Read More | Siliconera
Gallery: More Doom Titles Leaked For Xbox 360
Worms For Xbox Live Arcade HD Screenshots
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Internet, Retro, Xbox 360, Xbox Live, Xbox Live Arcade, Xbox Live Marketplace,
Team 17’s Worms has been rumored to be hitting Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade service soon. Supposedly the title will sell for 800 points with the possibility of future downloadable add-ons. While the release date of the title is still unknown, HD screenshots of the 2D turn-based game are now available on Xbox Attitude. The most recent 2d entries in the series were somewhat mediocre on the DS and the PSP, and neither supported Internet play; a fully multiplayer version on the Xbox 360 that returns to the series’ roots would be a welcome addition.
Read More | Xbox Attitude
Gallery: Worms For Xbox Live Arcade HD Screenshots
This Week’s Free Xbox Live Marketplace Content: 12/8-12/15
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Music, Trailers, Xbox 360, Xbox Live, Xbox Live Arcade, Xbox Live Marketplace,
This week there was a lack of actual in game content available through the marketplace so I’ll focus on game and movie videos & trailers. Hopefully some good free content will be released as we move towards Christmas. I’ll keep my eyes open and make sure it’s posted as it becomes available. In the meantime check out this weeks free content. Enjoy!
GAME DEMOS
:
College Hoops 2K7 – Rated E - 2006 – 961.64MB
Splinter Cell Double Agent (Single Player) – Rated M – - 2006 – 505.86MB
RoboBlitz (Arcade) – Rated E10+ - 2006 – 49.32MB
GAME VIDEOS & TRAILERS
:
Halo3 1st TV Commercial – Rated : NR - 2006
SD - 480p – 14.07MB
HD - 720p - 48.21MB
Battlestations : Midway War Machines Trailer : Rated T - 2006
SD - 480p – 15.46MB
HD - 720p – 73.70MB
Bionicle Heroes Trailer I : Rated E10+ - 2006
SD - 480p – 13.07MB
HD - 720p – 74.07MB
Eragon : Making of Trailer – Rated T - 2006
Unknown format – 126.54MB
Eragon : Director and Designer Interview Trailer – Rated T - 2006
Unknown Format – 160.01MB
MOVIE CLIPS & TRAILERS
:
Eragon Trailer I : 1 Minute – Rated G - 2006
SD - 480p Widescreen – 23MB
HD - 720p Widescreen – 83MB
Eragon Trailer II : 2 minutes – Rated G - 2006
SD - 480p Widescreen – 33MB
HD - 720p Widescreen – 120MB
Transformers Teaser Trailer : 1 Minute – Rated PG-13 (2007)
SD - 480p Widescreen – 25MB
HD - 720p Widescreen – 86MB
MUSIC VIDEOS
:
Tenacious D : The Pick of Destiny : 2 Minutes – NR - 2006
SD - 480p Widescreen – 32MB
Song of the Heart : (from Happy Feet soundtrack) – 3 Minutes – NR - 2006
SD - 480p Widescreen – 34MB
Hold Me Down : (from Motion City soundtrack) 4 Minutes – Rated Explicit - 2005
SD - 480p Widescreen – 47MB
Bad Religion : Los Angeles Is Burning : 3 Minutes – NR – 2004
SD - 480p Fullscreen – 38MB
Matchbook Romance : Monsters : 4 Minutes – NR - 2006
SD - 480p Widescreen – 45MB
Gallery: This Week’s Free Xbox Live Marketplace Content: 12/8-12/15
Contra on Xbox Live is Really, Really Broken
Posted by Michael Cardiff Categories: Action, Adventure, Mods/Hacks, Retro, Xbox 360, Xbox Live, Xbox Live Arcade,
First a laggy Street Fighter II, now a non-playable version of the nearly-20-year-old Konami classic Contra... What’s next Xbox Live, a Pong clone that runs at 5 frames per second while installing spyware on every computer in your house??!?
Wired’s Gamelife is among the first to note the ridiculous problems that the Xbox 360’s version of Contra has been seeing. According to their story (and the pictures above, to prove it!), online multiplayer for the title is completely, unequivocally broken. Granted, getting any game to work well online is hard, but if we’re expected to drop $4 for a 20 year old game that we could get free by *other means*, shouldn’t we at least expect some quality in the production??
Click the jump for the full transcript documenting Contra‘s woes.
Click to continue reading Contra on Xbox Live is Really, Really Broken
Gallery: Contra on Xbox Live is Really, Really Broken
Contra Hits Xbox Live, Atari Titles Announced
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Xbox 360, Xbox Live, Xbox Live Arcade, Xbox Live Marketplace,
Microsoft dropped a couple of media alerts today, first announcing that Contra will hit Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday. For 400 Microsoft Points, gamers will be able to download the game, which will feature an original game mode plus an enhanced mode with updated graphics and sounds. The game will also feature online multiplayer, allowing two player co-operative gameplay either over the Internet or locally.
Microsoft also announced six new classic titles from Atari, including: Centipede/Millipede, Battle Zone,Asteroids/Asteroids Deluxe, Missile Command, Tempest, and Warlords. Battlezone will include new graphics, multiplayer modes like Deathmatch and Capture the Flag, and support for the Xbox Live Vision camera. Other titles like Missile Command and Tempest will also see visual updates. Hopefully the graphical updates to the classic titles will go way beyond the “enhancements” gamers have seen on Namco’s classic titles.
Read More 
| Contra Media Release
Read More | Atari Media Release
Gallery: Contra Hits Xbox Live, Atari Titles Announced
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