To buy or not to buy Super TIME Force (XBLA) tomorrow, that is the question

So, in case you didn't already know, Capybara Games' curious-looking "time-travelling, side-scrolling, run-and-gun shooter," Super TIME Force releases for Xbox 360 (XBLA) and Xbox One tomorrow.

This game has been a long time in coming, and I've been interested in it pretty much since day one. Of course, how could I not be when it features such delicious sprite work?



The problem for me is that I haven't turned on my Xbox 360 since ... I can't remember when. As such, do I really want to spend $15 on a game that I may hesitate to play because it's going to reside on a console (strike one) that gets very little, if any, of my attention these days (strike two)?

How about all of you? Are any of you planning to pick up Super TIME Force tomorrow or at some point thereafter--either for your Xbox 360 or Xbox One?

If you're still on the fence, by the way, or if this is the first you've even heard of Super TIME Force, you may want to watch the video above, which showcases a whopping 50 minutes of gameplay.

Yep, Super Time Force still exists (and here's a new trailer for it)

Is it me, or have we been waiting for Cabybara Games' Super Time Force for an eternity?

OK, so that's a bit of an overstatement. Still, we've been waiting for it for a long time--or at least I have.



Anyway, here (er, above) the latest trailer for this curious-looking--due to the time-bending element--XBLA title:

Sadly, the game still is without a release date--well, other than "before the year is out."

Three games I'm attempting to play in the run-up to Halloween

Every year (or nearly every year) I say I'm going to play through a handful of seasonally appropriate games in the run-up to Halloween, and every year I fail to make much of a dent in said wish list.

This year, I decided to make things easier on myself by scaling things back a tad. In fact, all I've committed to playing this month--other than Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Hometown Story (which releases tomorrow, by the way) and Pokémon X, of course--are the following trio of spook-tacular titles:



1. Akumajō Special: Boku Dracula-kun (Famicom)--I've been meaning to give this cute Castlevania spin-off for ages, but for all sorts of dumb reasons I've never gotten around to it. So, I'm going to do my best to do so in the coming weeks. And who knows, maybe if I can get through it quickly enough I'll be able to try its GameBoy-based remake-slash-sequel, which was called Kid Dracula outside Japan, as well.



2. Costume Quest (Xbox 360)--I actually played through a bit of this charming, Double Fine-developed RPG this time last year--and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Sadly, I don't believe I got anywhere near its end credits. So, this year I've decided to try again. Although I doubt I'll stick with it long enough to tackle the extra "Grubbins on Ice" chapter, maybe I'll come back around to it after winter hits the real world, too.



3. Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (3DS)--Despite the fact that I pre-ordered Dark Moon far in advance of its release, I didn't even unwrap it until a week or so ago. I've since played it for a few hours, and already I'm satisfied with my purchase. My only issue with this 3DS game so far: it seems to be less of an open-ended affair than its GameCube-based predecessor. Of course, that's also likely to make it a better portable experience in the end, so maybe I shouldn't complain just yet.

Are any of you also playing any Halloween-ish games this month? If so, which ones?

Oh, hey, Capybara Games' Super T.I.M.E. Force is still a thing?

I hate to admit it, but I lost track of Capybara Games' Super T.I.M.E. Force long ago. As such, I was surprised to see a thread about this upcoming XBLA release pop up on NeoGAF this morning.

That NeoGAF thread promised nine minutes of Super T.I.M.E. Force gameplay, by the way, and, boy, did it deliver. Here it is, in case any of you are interested:



The game kind of recalls the great Gunstar Heroes--or even that Konami classic, Contra--with a curious time-altering element thrown in for good measure, don't you think?

Sadly, I can't seem to find a release date (or even a release window) for Super T.I.M.E. Force at the moment, so I'm guessing the folks at Capybara Games have yet to share one.

Here's hoping it hits XBLA sooner rather than later--and with a not-too-steep price tag attached to it.

And then there was DuckTales: Remastered

Well, that's a game I don't think anyone saw coming--other than those who know folks who are working on it, of course.

Regardless, it's a game I will welcome with open arms when it's released sometime this summer.

The question is: which version of Capcom-and-WayForward-developed DuckTales: Remastered (a trailer of which can be seen below) will I buy?



My initial reaction to this morning's announcement was to wait until I own a Wii U to pick it up, but now I'm wondering if I should bite the bullet and purchase it on day one via XBLA instead. (Don't fret PS3 owners, it's also coming to PSN.)

Are any of you similarly excited about the prospect of playing a re-jiggered--with HD graphics, extra levels and more--update of Capcom's classic NES title, DuckTales?

Editor's note: as stoked as I am about this game's existence, a part of me wishes it were a sprite-based sequel à la Mega Man 9 and 10. Also, I really wish Capcom would bring it to the 3DS eShop as well.

RIP Arkedo Studio

It's always a sad day when a game-development studio closes its doors, but it's an especially sad one when the studio in question was known for putting out quality games.

Given that, it's likely that bucket-loads of tears are being wept in response to the news that no more games will be produced by Arkedo Studio, the company responsible for Big Bang Mini (DS), the Arkedo Series of XBLIG titles and Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit (XBLA, PSN and PC).

According to a blog post written by co-founder Aurelien Regard, the company "is still here. But no one’s employed anymore.

"Arkedo hasn’t closed down and is not bankrupt," he adds, but "no more games are [being] produced, either."

Fans of Arkedo Studio's past efforts may take a bit of solace in the fact that two "small" and as-yet-unknown games will still be released by the company, although Regard didn't say when that will happen or which systems will be the recipient of them.

See also: 'Five XBLIG games you should have played, but probably didn't' and 'Shucks, this could have been a cool game ...'

My five favorite non-3DS games of 2012

I may have singled out THE "DENPA" MEN as my favorite 3DS game of 2012 yesterday (with Theatrhythm Final Fantasy coming in a close second), but that doesn't mean it was the only game I had a blast playing this past year.

In fact, I had a blast playing a number of games that were released for the other current-ish systems I own. Here are the ones I considered the cream of the crop, as they say:

* Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom (PSP)--If you read my "somewhat gay" review of this game, you're likely a bit shocked that I decided to include this release, which was published in North America by Aksys Games, here. So am I, to tell you the truth. While thinking back on all the titles I played this year, though, I kept coming back to this one. Although I still think it's more of a novel than a video game, it did a surprisingly great job of keeping me interested in its goings-on from start to finish--which is something that can't be said of every game these days.

* Kirby Mass Attack (DS)--Of all the titles included in this post, this is the one I've spent the least time with thus far. Still, I've experienced enough of it to know it's an enjoyably unique game--and one that I'll surely return to next year when I inevitably find myself without anything new to play.

* Rhythm Heaven Fever (Wii)--It's amazing how many hours you can spend playing a single game when you set your mind to it. I say that because I'm pretty sure I clocked well over 20 hours with Rhythm Heaven Fever during its first week in my possession. Was it because of the adorably wacky graphics? The toe-tapping soundtrack? The "just one more time, I swear" gameplay? I have a feeling it was all three--and then some.

* Spelunky (XBLA)--You know how sometimes you look forward to something (like a game) for so long that when you get your hands on it at long last you experience a letdown? Well, I was more than a bit worried that would happen to me once I finally acquired Spelunky, as I'd been waiting for the XBLA version for what seemed like ages. Thankfully, it didn't. On the contrary, I've enjoyed this tough-as-nails (and surprisingly precious) platformer more than I even imagined I would--although it would be nice to actually "beat" it at some point.

* Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)--That I haven't yet completed this open-world RPG is criminal, if you ask me. I can't even tell you why I left it at an unfinished state early this summer (although I have a feeling a quick trip "home" may have had something to do with it). What I can tell you is that I pretty much loved every minute I played of it until that point. (I say "pretty much loved" because I found a few aspects--like the camera in general and one boss battle in particular--to be irksome.) Here's hoping I'm able to work my way back into--and through--this sentimental journey in 2013.

See also: Past 'favorite games of the year' posts

LTTHTGP: Costume Quest (XBLA)

LTTHTGP means "Late To The Halloween-Themed Game Party," by the way. Just in case any of you were wondering.

What does that mean, you ask? It means that I finally picked up (the XBLA version of) Double Fine Production's trick-or-treat-centric RPG, Costume Quest, earlier this week.

I've been meaning to do so since the game was released nearly two years ago but, well, you know how it goes sometimes (especially when you have a backlog as extensive as mine).

Anyway, none of that matters now. What matters is that I'm playing Costume Quest. Finally. And not only that, but I'm enjoying it. It's so completely cute and charming that it's all I can do to keep myself from puking (you know, because everything's so damn adorable) while working my way through Tasha Harris' wonderfully creative and nostalgic tale.

The only aspect of Costume Quest that I'm not absolutely in love with at the moment: The QTE-heavy battle scenes. I wouldn't say I dislike them, but I also wouldn't say I like them as much as I would if they were, say, more traditionally turn-based. Oh, well, you can't have everything, right?

Have any of you played through the PC, PS3 or Xbox 360 version of this game? If so, what did you think of it?

I'm not entirely sure what's going on in this trailer, but (I think) I like what I see anyway

The trailer in question is for Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit, by the way--which is being developed by Arkedo and published by Sega. It'll hit PSN and XBLA in late September (Sept. 25 and 26, respectively and specifically) and PC on Oct. 3. Oh, and all three releases will have $14.99 price tags attached to them.



I loved Arkedo Series - 03 Pixel!, so I'm seriously considering picking up the XBLA version of Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit. The only things that may keep me from doing so are the above-mentioned price tag and the fact that so much is going on in the trailer above that I'm a bit worried that playing this game could be an overwhelming (in a bad way) experience.

Dustin' off my Xbox 360 due to Fez, Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World and Spelunky

You know how people used to love to say (usually on nerdy Internet forums), "Guess it's time I dusted off my Wii!" every time an interesting game was announced or released for Nintendo's latest console?

Well, I say the same thing every time an interesting game hits Microsoft's XBLA or XBLIG services.

The fact is, I don't turn on my Xbox 360 all that often. In part that's because the system is in our basement (lame reason, I know, but it's cold and dark down there!), and in part it's because I just don't have much interest in it or its games these days.



My Xbox 360 won't be dusty for much longer, though, thanks to the digital trifecta that is Fez, Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World and Spelunky.

Oddly, I've only bought (and barely played--surprise, surprise!) the most recent of these releases--that being Spelunky--thus far. Mark my words, though: Both Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World and Fez will follow suit later this week.

Have any of you played one or more of the above-mentioned titles? If so, what did you think of them?

Warm up your Xbox 360s, boys and girls: Spelunky's finally on its way

And when I say "on its way," I mean it: This highly anticipated part-platformer-part-roguelike title, made by Derek Yu and Andy Hull, will hit XBLA a week from tomorrow (that would be Wednesday, July 4) with a price tag of 1,200 Microsoft Points.

Although I've never played the original freeware version of Spelunky, I've looked forward to the release of this XBLA-based remake ever since I first heard about it this time last year.



Here's the trailer that announced the XBLA re-imagining of this platformer-cum-roguelike, by the way. It includes footage of both versions--in case you've never heard of, let alone seen, Spelunky before now.

Curious about the history behind this well-regarded game? Check out Russ Frushtick's recently published (over at theverge.com) article, "Spelunky: The Everlasting Platformer."

I guess it's time to dust off my Xbox 360

Sorry, I couldn't help myself while coming up with the headline above--which is my tongue-in-cheek take on the old chestnut that used to escape the lips of many a "hardcore gamer" in regards to the Wii (as in: "Hey, Super Mario Galaxy will be out soon. I guess it's time to dust off my Wii!").

So, why am I saying something similar about my Xbox 360? For starters, I'm saying it because the last game I played on my big, black, bulky, Microsoft-branded box was ... Wizorb? Or was it Escape Goat? Regardless, it's been a while since I've booted it up.

I'm also saying it, though, because a rather awesome game is going to be released via the system's XBLA service soon. Which awesome game, you ask? SEGA Vintage Collection: Monster World.

Said collection, which has a tentative release date of April 25 (I'll believe it when I see it, honestly), will include a trio of Monster World/Wonder Boy titles: Wonder Boy in Monster Land, Wonder Boy in Monster World, and Monster World IV.

Among the many reasons I'm excited about this rather surprising development: This will be the first time English-speaking audiences will be able to understand what's going on while playing the previously Japan-only Monster World IV. Also, each game in the collection will feature achievements, leaderboards and trial modes.

Will any of you be purchasing SEGA Vintage Collection: Monster World upon release (or shortly afterward)? If so, which of these classic platformers are you planning to play first?

Day-eee-tooooo-naaaaaaaaaa! Let's go away!!

Stay away from my house around Oct. 26 unless you want to hear some absolutely horrible renditions (courtesy of moi) of Takenobu Mitsuyoshi's "Let's Go Away," "Rolling Start" and "Sky High."

All of those songs are sure to be blaring from our basement windows that week thanks to the XBLA release of Sega's Daytona USA. (This "enhanced port" of the company's arcade classic from 1993 will hit the PlayStation Network the day before, on Oct. 25.)



I  played the hell out of the rather hideous-looking Saturn version of Daytona USA back in the day, so I can only imagine how much I'll enjoy this gorgeously high-def update of the game.

The question is: How much time will I spend playing the title's arcade, time trial and (online) multiplayer modes, and how much time will I spend playing with its karaoke mode?

So far, so meh: The latest Panzer Dragoon game will be a Kinect-only XBLA release

I seem to be the only person on the Internet who is disappointed by the fact that, according to a number of sources, Project Draco, the spiritual successor to Team Andromeda's Panzer Dragoon titles, will be a Kinect-only XBLA release.

Sure, it's great to hear that Yukio Futatsugi and Manabu Kusunoki, the two men chiefly responsible for the series' first three installments, are working on this Microsoft-backed iteration, too, but I highly doubt even that info will be enough to get me to invest in a Kinect between now and whenever Project Draco hits the XBLA service early next year.



Should its developers be so kind as to throw in an option that allows folks to play the game with a good, old-fashioned controller, though, I'll of course pick it up without a second thought.

Anyway, for more information on Project Draco, including a fairly in-depth description of how it's played, check out this NeoGAF post.

You know how I said I'd buy Castle Crashers when the 'Pink Knight Pack' was available?

Well, it is, and I did ... last night!

I've been holding on to a bunch of Microsoft Points, waiting for this day to arrive, so when I saw (via NeoGAF) that the "Pink Knight Pack" was finally available for download--and for free, no less--I raced over to our TV, turned on the Xbox 360 and bought the sucker (Castle Crashers, that is) with nary a second thought.



I've barely scratched the surface of the game thus far, but the little I have, er, scratched has proven to be quite fun. Of course, how could it not be fun when you're controlling a little pink knight who wields a lollipop as a weapon and who unleashes a giant, Slinky-like rainbow as a magical attack?

See also: 'So, where's the Castle Crashers Pink Knight Pack for XBLA?' and 'I guess this means I'm going to have to get Castle Crashers soon'

My hopes and fears for the 'big three' at E3

E3 2011 is upon us. Well, as of Monday. Anyway, I'm excited. I'm also a bit wary, as I've been through the ups and downs associated with such events many times over the years.

So, what am I excited about and what is making me a bit wary--or, rather, what are my hopes and fears for the "big three" at this most awesome of gaming events? Well, here are my hopes:

Microsoft--Honestly, I'm not expecting much from Microsoft. You know they're going to show a bunch of "hardcore" games and a bunch of Kinect titles. I have little interest in either. I'll be perfectly happy, though, if they announce even a few wow-worthy XBLA titles.



Nintendo--As of now, this event is all about Nintendo for me, as I'm curious to see what they have planned for the 3DS and the Wii successor, currently known as Project Café. Regarding the latter, I'm looking for the company's latest console as well as its launch software to wow me like the Wii and Wii Sports did at E3 in 2006. Also, I hope Nintendo announces a few more Wii releases. I'd love to see the new Kirby, The Last Story, Rhythm Heaven/ Tengoku Wii and Xenoblade all brought to North America, but I'll be happy if even one or two of them come our way.

Sony--Will we finally get a release date and release price for Sony's next portable, which seemingly is going to be called PS Vita? I hope so. I also hope we get a peek at some of the stellar first- and third-party games that surely are being planned for the system.

As for my fears for the "big three" at this E3, here they are:

Microsoft--I fear they're going to expend most of their energy on so-called hardcore and Kinect games and ignore XBLA.

Nintendo--I fear they're going to completely drop the ball on the DS and Wii. I know the 3DS is now the company's focus in the portable space, but there are plenty of DS and DSi owners out there who aren't going to upgrade anytime soon and who would still like to play some new games--games like the Lemmings-esque Kirby title that's going to be released in Japan this August or the fourth entry in the Professor Layton series. As for the Wii, well, Project Café, or whatever the console ends up being called, isn't going to hit store shelves until next summer, if not later. Why not localize a few--or, even better, all--of the as-of-now-Japan-only games mentioned above in the meantime?



Sony--I fear that Sony is going to wait too long to release the PS Vita in the US--it has to hit store shelves before Christmas, in my opinion--and slap a price tag on the system that's far too high given current economic conditions. The system is likely to find success in Japan regardless of price thanks to its rabid fan base and games like Monster Hunter, but its future is much less certain in the States. If it's not priced competitively with the 3DS, it's going to have a hard time faring any better than its poorly received predecessor.

We'll find out in any of my hopes or fears will become reality on Monday and Tuesday of next week, by the way. Microsoft's press conference will begin at 9 am Pacific on Monday, with Sony's occurring later the same day, at 5 pm Pacific. Nintendo's press conference, on the other hand, will start at 9 am Pacific on Tuesday.

All of the above-mentioned conferences will be streamed live on GameTrailers.com, by the way. I'll certainly be watching them. Will you?

I'm not sure how I feel about Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax

Marvelous' Half-Minute Hero is one of those games that have resided on my lengthy "to buy" list for some time but, for various reasons, have yet to make their way into my grubby little hands.

No worries if you're not a fan of the XBLA version's new graphics; 

the pixelated ones of the PSP original will be available too.

Unfortunately, the much-ballyhooed PSP title (buy it here) may never make it off that list thanks to the developer's decision to bring an updated version of it to Xbox Live Arcade.

This sort-of remake (more on that in a second) will be added to the Xbox 360's download service on June 29 with a price tag of 800 Microsoft Points, a subtitle ("Super Mega Neo Climax") and a visual overhaul.

The one thing that may keep me from purchasing this iteration of the game instead of the PSP original is that it appears the former will only include one of the four modes that were featured in the latter.

The new art style displayed in Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax 

is sure to earn mixed reactions from fans of the original. 

For more information on Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax, check out GamePro's recent hands-on impressions of the title (here).

Unpopular opinion of the day: Pac-Man CE DX isn't as good as its predecessor

Yep, you read that correctly: I'm currently of the opinion that Pac-Man Championship Edition DX isn't as good--or, in then end, as enjoyable--as the original Pac-Man Championship Edition.

Now, that isn't to say I don't like the game. On the contrary, I like it quite a bit--or, at least I like some aspects of it quite a bit.

I like, for instance, the bevy of options and modes included in Pac-Man Championship Edition DX. Players can choose from a number of different courses, graphical styles and soundtracks, all of which make this iteration of the game feel as though it's packed with content.

I have to say, though, that only that middle option--the one that allows you to alter the game's visuals at will--really interests me. The choose-your-own-soundtrack option is nice, but it's hardly a game changer (pun intended), and the huge number of selectable courses only seems impressive at the start--once you've played through them, you realize they're all a bit interchangeable.



Those aren't the only bullet points offered up to potential Pac-Man Championship Edition DX purchasers; there's also the new "sleepy ghosts"--they remain stationary until you pass them, after which they follow you--and the slow-motion effect that kicks in whenever you get too close to a nearby baddie.

Both of those additions are enjoyable for a while, but in the end they make Pac-Man Championship Edition DX seem both easier and more straightforward than its more bare bones predecessor--which is why I'll likely continue to play the original at the expense of its more superficially enticing sequel.

See also: 'Raise your hand if you, too, think Pac-Man Championship Edition is digital crack'

Raise your hand if you, too, think Pac-Man Championship Edition is digital crack

I've suggested as much in various posts since my Xbox 360 arrived a few weeks ago, but in case those casual remarks slipped right by you, here's the deal: I'm completely addicted to Pac-Man Championship Edition.

Specifically, I'm addicted to the five-minute "championship" mode that serves as the centerpiece of this Xbox Live Arcade follow-up to Tōru Iwatani's arcade classic. (There's also two, 10-minute "challenge" modes and three "extra" modes, one of which lasts for five minutes and two that last for 10.)

Honestly, it's impossible for me to play this mode just once. That's what I mean to do, at least on most occasions, but invariably I end up telling myself, "just one more time," as soon as the game's clock hits zero.



Despite all of the time I've put into Pac-Man Championship Edition thus far, I'd hardly call myself good at it. I improve a little each time I boot it up, though, which is part of what keeps me coming back for more. The other part? It's simply a blast to play--even when I miss my high score by a wide margin.

I'll post more in-depth impressions of the game (likely in one of my "somewhat gay" reviews) soon, but in the meantime just know that I'm enjoying the hell out of it and that I heartily recommend it to anyone who has a PSP or an Xbox 360.

So, where's the Castle Crashers 'Pink Knight Pack' for XBLA?

One of the many Xbox Live Arcade games I've been eyeing up for some time--along with Costume Quest, Limbo, Super Meat Boy and a few others--is Castle Crashers.

I've held off on buying the colorful beat 'em up, developed by The Behemoth, for one reason and one reason only: I'm waiting for the "Pink Knight Pack," which allows gamers to play as the oh-so-fabulous Pink Knight and has been available to owners of the PS3 version since early February, to be released.



According to a moderator on The Behemoth's community forums, the company is working on it. "We warned you that it would not be a fast addition," the moderator commented on Aug. 13. "There is a lot of work to be done to do a Title Update! Rest assured ... it is coming."

And as soon as that day arrives, I'll give the folks at The Behemoth the 1,200 Microsoft Points needed to buy their game.

See also: 'I guess this means I'm going to have to get Castle Crashers soon'