Here you will find brief summaries of the best games on both XBLA and PSN. There are also links to the full reviews, should there be one.
Games with either (XBLA) or (PSN) next to them means they are an exclusive to that system.
For a full list of every 'retro' XBLA and PSN game, complete with mark out of ten, please click here:
Games:
- State of Decay (XBLA)
- Sound Shapes (PSN)
- Derrick The Deathfin (PSN)
- The Cave
- Retro City Rampage
- Sega Vintage Collection: Toejam & Earl
- Nights : Into Dreams
- Spelunky (XBLA)
- Mark of the Ninja
- Dust : An Elysian Tale (XBLA)
- Deadlight (XBLA)
- Fez (XBLA)
- Super Meat Boy (XBLA)
- Forgger : Hyper Arcade
- Sega Vintage : Alex Kidd
- Trials Evolution (XBLA)
- Pinball Arcade
- Hydro Thunder Hurricane (XBLA)
- Skydrift
- Daytona USA
- Outrun Online Arcade
- Guardian Heroes (XBLA)
- Street Fighter 3 Third Strike Online
- Pacman Championship Edition DX
- Hard Corps : Uprising
- Afterburner Climax
- Shadow Complex (XBLA)
- Trials HD (XBLA)
- Torchlight (XBLA)
- Prince of Persia Remake
- Outland
- Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2 (XBLA)
- Braid
- Marathon : Durandal (XBLA)
- Sine Mora
- Assault Heroes (XBLA)
- Limbo
- Final Fight Double Impact
- Renegade Ops
- Shinobi
- Castlevania : Symphony of the Night
- Doom 2
- Wolfenstein 3D
State of Decay (XBLA)
Full review here
The chance to explore a sandbox environment, sneaking down ruined city streets, looting chests and shelves for vital supplies, dealing with other human survivors and, of course, caving in the heads of those pesky flesh eaters, is an exciting prospect. Dead Island has been the closest I have come to achieving these survivalist fantasies so far, but now State of Decay takes the crown. It is, without a doubt, the most satisfying survival zombie experience ever created. But it is not without its flaws.
As well as the hack n slash combat, running, climbing, driving vehicles and firing of guns, one would expect from a GTA-style open world game, State of Decay requires the careful running of a community of survivors. Five main resources must be constantly topped up in order to keep everyone alive and (relatively) happy. Food, medicine, ammo, fuel and materials can all be found in the world around you. The first four are self explanatory, but materials are used to build vital additions to your compound. These range from a watchtower to keep guard, medical bays to patch up injuries, larger sleeping quarters for a good nights kip, workshops and even a garden. Also critical to your survival is the morale of the group. Much like The Walking Dead series, emotions run high and various parties can become overcome with fear, sadness or anger.
You can change to other members of the group when visiting your compound (as long as you are not in the middle of a mission), and every character has their own skill tree which gets levelled up with use – For example, shooting guns will build their firearms stats, while running and jumping over walls increases their cardio skill resulting in increased stamina. Stamina is very important as using a weapon or running will deplete it, rendering you slow and lethargic – devastating in the middle of a zombie fight. Your player will also become exhausted if they don't get any rest, reducing your overall health and stamina levels. At this stage returning home to switch to another person is key, as all non-player controlled survivors heal and rest while not in use.
Despite some horrible graphical and technical problems, the game is exceptionally immersive and maddeningly addictive. It is easily the best zombie apocalypse game ever created and I urge you to grab a copy.
Full review here
A music based 2D platformer, Sound Shapes is all about getting from A to B while collecting circles that add layers to the music. Simple and effective. You guide your spherical character across the flick-screen stages avoiding anything red (spikes, lava, lightning, projectiles etc) in order to reach the final screen containing the record player that works as an exit. Your ball has a thick outer layer that grants you the ability to stick to all but the black surfaces, meaning touching a platform on any side will glue you to it, allowing you to move around it as you please. Holding down the run button (well, roll faster button) ditches the thick layer, making you faster and capable of longer jumps, but also denying you the ability to stick to anything, so controlled use of this is important. The first thing that strikes you is the excellent presentation. The menu system is clear, minimal and to the point, keeping things neat and easy to navigate. Each of the five game worlds are represented as albums, complete with vinyl art sleeve. Entering the album allows you to choose from the three to five stages available in each, unlocked as you complete the previous one. They are represented as postcards with a record player next to them, the stylus moving on the 12” record as you make your selection. Each album has music from a different composer as well as different art from various creative types, for example, the Cities album has music by reknowned musical nutcase Beck, with some gorgeous hand drawn style artwork by Pyramid Attack. you can use the in-game editor to create your own masterpieces (or shoddy abominations) and share them with the world. Creating these levels can be pretty time consuming, requiring correct placements of platforms in order for the player to be able to obtain the coins and build the song as you go. It's certainly simpler than other level editors I have attempted (e.g. Trials Evolution) and with some practice I am sure you will get the hang of it. There are already some pretty good levels to download so these will extend the game's lifespan no end.
8
Full review here
It is always a genuine pleasure to discover a game with a unique art style all its own, and Derrick's style is certainly that. Possibly the world's only video game made entirely from card and paper, the look is instantly captivating. At its heart Derrick is a sidescrolling racing game. An eclectic mix of gameplay styles that plays like a hybrid mixture of Sega's Nights : Into Dreams and Ecco The Dolphin, with some Joe Danger thrown in for good measure. A set of traffic light coloured fish signal the start before you speed off in a mad dash to the finish line. You have a health bar that is constantly depleting at an alarming rate, like an exaggerated version of Wonder Boy (Adventure Island). The bar is topped up by munching other fish, crabs, dolphins, and even any humans foolish enough to be swimming in shark infested waters. Derrick is a hungry little blighter and can devour almost anything living that gets in the path of his jaws. As well as munching he can also perform a chomp-dash that propels him forward, mouth agape. It is a fast and frantic game that is a great deal of fun to play, but let down by some slight niggles. Even with its flaws it is hard to speak negatively about Derrick as so many elements tick the right boxes. From the lovable characters and cartoony backgrounds, to the quirky tunes and little loading screen quotes, everything is designed with love and care and is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.
7
Full review here
The Cave tasks you with choosing three adventurers (of a possible seven) and then exploring the depths of The Cave in search of what each of these spelunkers desires most. Your adventures are narrated by The Cave, a sentient geological structure who gains great pleasure in witnessing those who enter him (cough) display the darker sides of their personality.
Visually the game is pretty impressive, with some lovely graphic novel-esque backdrops, impressive and charming 3D character models and nice dynamic lighting effects. It really does feel as though you are exploring the insides of a cave system, even when the stage inside said cave is a laboratory or Victorian era home. The music is subtle and fitting to the atmosphere created by the setting and the sound effects and voice acting are all of a high standard.
Gameplay is also a bit hit & miss. While interesting to explore, The Cave is fairly linear, insisting you only go in one direction, depending on which characters you have selected. There is no Metroidvania style open world to explore here unfortunately. Puzzles are very simplistic with each small section of The Cave containing a very limited number of items and objects you can use them on. It seems exceptionally basic and childlike compared to the puzzles found in classic (or modern indie) point & click adventures.
7
Gameplay is also a bit hit & miss. While interesting to explore, The Cave is fairly linear, insisting you only go in one direction, depending on which characters you have selected. There is no Metroidvania style open world to explore here unfortunately. Puzzles are very simplistic with each small section of The Cave containing a very limited number of items and objects you can use them on. It seems exceptionally basic and childlike compared to the puzzles found in classic (or modern indie) point & click adventures.
7
Full Review here
Taking control of the minuscule hero sprite, named 'Player', you are let loose in an equally tiny over-head city. The main plot is a wholesale rip-off.. I mean tribute to the Back To The Future movies. Wild haired Doc Choc meets you in his DeLorean and you soon find yourself stuck in the wrong time period.
What follows is a varied selection of reasonably short missions consisting of the usual GTA staple of fetch quests, killing sprees and driving from A to B. These missions will grant you the opportunity to sneak around a Metal Gear environment, swim through a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles dam section, kill everything in sight in a Smash TV twin stick shooter, and much more. References come thick and fast, and in just a short section of gameplay you will have murdered the Ninja Turtles and the A-Team, been involved in a Dark Knight style bank raid, spotted the dog from Duck Hunt, jumped down a Mario style pipe and head butted a block, flipping over some Koopas. The rapid fire nature of the missions keeps you interested and looking forward to what is coming next.
Graphically the game looks the part, with the excellent retro visual style perfectly capturing the whole 'Grand Theft Auto' look on an 8-bit console. Seeing as this was the author's initial premise for the whole project, I can safely say he was hugely successful. But, although the world is brimming with character and retro charm, the main problem is that the sprites are tiny. I mean, really really small! It can lead to confusion as you try to make out what is happening on screen, with interior sections in particular being an eye strain.
Special mention must be given to the staggering array of visual options that allow players to choose the colour scheme of the entire game. These include the NES (naturally), the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Atari 8-bit, CGA and VGA PC, and even hand held consoles such as the Virtual Boy and Game Boy. They all look wonderful and so it is worth trying a new one each time you play.
Brian has listened to feedback from players of the PC version to tweak and improve this new Xbox Live Arcade iteration. The game has far more information and tips on what you are supposed to be doing and what abilities are at your disposal. The 2D 'Sweat Bomber' sections have been improved and are now far less infuriating, and some of the side quests have been tinkered with to make them fit in better with the main story.
That this is the work of just one man is an incredible accomplishment. Sure, it is not perfect, in fact there are some elements to the game that spoil the overall experience. Overall though, Retro City Rampage is enjoyable, frantic, amusing, often frustrating, but never less than a wonderful tribute to the 8-bit era. It has such a clear passion for its source material that you cannot help but be charmed and impressed by it.
7
Full Review here
Toejam & Earl is the funkadelic alien collect-em-up that first graced our screens way back in 1991 on Sega's Mega Drive console. The game put you in the sneakers of two alien rappers, Toejam, a tri-legged red dude with huge medallion and backwards cap, and Big Earl, a plump orange playa in wrap around shades and Bermuda shorts. These two hipsters are travelling back to their home planet Funkotron when, due to Big Earl's reckless driving, they collide with a meteorite, hurling them towards the nearest planet, Earth. The resulting crash smashes their ship into 10 pieces that are scattered across the globe, and in order to get home they (yup, you guessed it) must collect all 10 pieces.
The madness is wrapped in a
psychedelic cartoon exterior which is very much of its early 1990's
time frame. It brings to mind old Nickelodeon cartoons like Ren &
Stimpy, early rave music videos, and the graphical interludes from
shows like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Saved By The Bell, there's
even a dash of Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures thrown in too.
The game's humour shines through, and its cast of zany oddballs and
bizarre shenanigans always raise a smile.
The game is great fun to play, and with
the ship pieces only located on some levels (randomly generated of
course) you will want to explore every inch of the level. Luckily you
are informed of whether a ship piece resides on the island you have
entered upon your arrival so it keeps you focused on exploring the
correct stages. Toejam & Earl has always been a fantastic two
player game, and this new XBLA iteration is no different. It is
actually improved as we now have online 2-player co-op, so you can
play with people across the world, teaming up and exploring the
levels and battling the lunatics together and sharing the presents
you find. It is even more enjoyable than single player, and is worth
the asking price alone. Lets hope enough people buy this game to
ensure a constant flow of people available to play.
The second Toejam & Earl game,
Panic in Funkotron was released in 1993 to widespread disappointment
as instead of sticking with the original's winning formula, the
developers chose to create a fairly standard 2D platformer. Don't get me wrong, Panic on Funkotron is a
good game, but it doesn't contain the same magic that earned Toejam &
Earl such a loyal fan base to begin with. It is a solid platform
game, and is often humourous and inventive, but it often feels
formulaic and repetitive.
If you grew up with these games then I
won't have to sell them to you here, but if you have never
experienced Toejam & Earl's surreal adventures then I thoroughly
recommend you give them a whirl, there really isn't anything else out
there like it.
8
Full Review here
NiGHTS was pretty groundbreaking when it came out on the Saturn way back in 1996, made more so by being bundled with the excellent '3D' analogue controller (which would inspire the design of the Dreamcast controller). The game is still fun to play. The feeling of flight is a wonderful thing, and you will soon be dashing around and performing loop the loops with ease. Unfortunately the parts where you control the, ground based, kids isn't so good and feels very cumbersome and a chore to play, you will always want to get to NiGHTS as soon as you can.
The levels (nightopia) themselves are basically speed runs that you need to memorise in order to score highly. First you must collect 20 blue orbs to destroy the Ideya capture. Once this is done you enter bonus mode, which is where the real scoring takes place. You collect gold orbs, stars, glide through chains, and perform acrobatic moves to score points. Once the levels are completed in this manner, you then face a boss. You are on a 2 minute time limit, and the left over time counts towards your score, and this your overall level rating. It can be very tricky at times, and some cheap boss encounters can ruin a great run through the nightopia stages.
If you are new to NiGHTS then it is definitely a game worth experiencing, and 800 points it is worth it. There is a lot of content here for the money, SEGA have included the excellent Christmas NiGHTS, and you can play the original Saturn version, or updated PS2 version of the game.
Sure it sometimes shows it's age, but it is a fun experience that will bring nostalgic joy to those who played the original, as well as captivating a whole new audience.
Full Review here
Double
Dragon Neon arrives in a period where the scrolling beat-em-up has
laying dormant for some time now. Various 3D efforts such as the PS2
title The Warriors, offered a decent fighting experience, but for the
old school 2D affairs we have had to content with an HD update of Final
Fight, Castle Crashers, and a Scott Pilgrim game. Now this is fine, they
are all great games, but they never felt like the arcade games of the
late 80's / early 90's.
Double
Dragon Neon seemingly realises this, and aims to bring back the spirit
of the original, while adding it's very unique twist on the franchise.
The
game will divide fans of the original into two camps. Those who love
the new revamped look, tongue in cheek style, and over the top nods to
80's games and movies, and those who feel this isn't really a Double
Dragon game at all. I can see where they are coming from, apart from the
two main characters and some remixed tunes, there really is little here
to connect this to the original Double Dragon. But in a way this is a
good thing. Free from the shackles of having to stick closely to the
original formula, WayForward have made the game in their own style. The
graphics have a real flare about them, the garish colours and character
costumes screaming 80's cool. The music is deserving of special praise
as it is fantastic. Well produced tunes that could have been released in
the 80's to a great reception, elements of comedy in some that evoke a
wide smirk, and of course neat remixes of the music from the original.
The soundtrack is also available to download for free from the artist's
bandcamp page, and I urge you to do so. It really brings the game to
life.
As
for the gameplay itself, well you know what to expect. Walk from left
to right, engaging enemies and pummeling them senseless, repeat add
infinitum. The thing is it never becomes tiresome. Moving your character
around is a joy, and the attacks feel solid when they connect. There
are multiple weapons to be found such as a whip, baseball bat, knives,
shurikens, grenades, and a plastic comb (yes really). There is a throw
move, and a fabulous attack where you grab two stunned enemies and bash
their heads together (complete with comedy bowling strike sound), and a
great move where you can administer a sound beating to a fallen foe.
It's a shame you can't just grab enemies by walking into them (a la
every other beat-em-up game) instead having to stun them first. But you
get used to this and it soon feels natural.
The
game really comes into it's own in 2-player 'Bro-Op' though. Find
another willing participant to play alongside you and you will have the
time of your life. tag teaming enemies is great fun, and you really feel
you are dishing out the pain as a combined effort. Add to the mix the
ability to high-five one another for extra damage or sharing your life
bar, and it becomes one of the best local 2-player games on XBLA. Overall I loved every
minute I spent on it. It is an unpretentious game that knows it's core
gameplay is from a much simpler gaming era, but it adds enough sparkle
and flare to make the experience seem new and fresh.
8
Spelunky (XBLA)
Full review here
Spelunky is the work of one man, or genius (twisted mastermind is perhaps
In this new XBLA version the graphics are bright, colourful, and full of charm. Every sprite, from the Indiana Jones wannabe himself to the smallest of foes have been lovingly recreated as HD cartoon versions of their pixel art originals. I personally loved the original look as I am a sucker for anything that looks remotely 8-bit, but this XBLA incarnation is just so wonderfully lovely to gaze upon that I can't help but prefer it. The worlds Spelunky inhabits are just as eye catching, from dark caves to lush forests, every stage is a visual treat. There are so many little details that you may not notice at first, the small creatures that live around the level and the backdrops of spiderwebs, boarded up cave entrances, and waterfalls, but together they really bring the world to life.
The worlds are randomly generated. Yep, this means every time you play you are treated to a completely different set of levels, you will never get the same one twice. It speaks volumes for the programming talents of Mr Yu that every generation of level is perfectly designed.
If.. sorry, WHEN you die you rarely feel cheated by the game's controls. Cheated by the insane amount of traps and critters baying for your blood, sure, but never to the extent that you feel the game is simply too hard to continue playing. You always want to inch that little bit further into the game, the excitement upon seeing a new area, even if you only remain alive in it for a few seconds, is such a thrill that you immediately set about trying to get back to that point and see more.
more fitting), Derek Yu. Released on PC back in 2008 as a freeware title, it was received with much praise and applause and for many was the catalyst for the surge in interest and popularity of indie gaming
The next important factor about Spelunky is that once you die, that's it.. game over. Yep, no saves, no checkpoints, just ho ho back to the start you go!
The aim of the game is to traverse the 4 worlds, each comprising of 4 levels, and beat the boss and escape, but the loot is where the replayability and addictiveness takes over. There is treasure everywhere, enough to give Scrooge McDuck a powerful erection. From small nuggets of gold and multicoloured gems, to golden idols and glowing Scarab beetles everything has a value, and accumulating a vast amount of wealth not only allows for purchasing more gear, but gives Spelunky a real arcade score chaser appeal.
Spelunky is a fantastic game and a wonderful reminder that the 2D platformer is as relevant and enjoyable today as it was back in its 8-bit and 16-bit glory years. Sure, there will be swearing and tears along the way, but you can never stay mad at Spelunky for long and will soon be back in gaming bliss enjoying the most addictive and downright fun game, not just of 2012, but of all time.
10
An outstanding mix of stealth, action and exploration in the guise of a gorgeous 2d platformer. Great graphics and sound, solid controls, cool abilities, multiple routes through a level, a fantastic score system, and a unique 'four paths' hook make this game a real winner.
Think of it as a 2D Tenchu game in the visual style of Shank 1 & 2 and you are on the right track. Stealth plays a huge part in the game, with you able to go through levels without killing anyone (very difficult though), or slaughter your way to the end. This is where the replayability comes in as each stage is rated and you will constantly come back to them to try and better your score, or just try the level in different ways. There are minor alternative routes but it is still fairly linear, though even finding a separate corridor or tunnel that leads to a ladder that takes you onto a rooftop is a joy. The enemies are numerous and can be avoided using cover and shadows, or killed in a stealthy fashion (points are graded on kill style and additional things such as using equipment and hiding the bodies successfully.
You can also follow different paths, such as a silent assassin which is self-explanatory, or the horror path where you can freak out guards by stringing up bodies from lamp posts and such. You can freeze action mid air and fire darts to destroy lights and fuse boxes, you can dump guards bodies into skips, into vents or off ledges to cover your tracks. You can use spike mines, smoke bombs, and caltrops to aid you, and you can buy loads of abilities and upgrades for your moves list and equipment. there is a lot here for your money.
After the super short Deadlight, this shows that great games with high production values can exist on XBLA, and offer large amounts of content and large doses of replayability. This is really really good so I urge you to get this at the next available opportunity!
9
Dust: An Elysian Tale (XBLA)
A metroidvania style platformer set in a gloriously hand-painted world. Admittedly I was put off by the anime style as that isn't really my thing, but the gameplay shone through and I soon found myself addicted. The game has the usual metroidvania traits of showing you locations you can't reach until you have new abilities such as scaling walls, sliding etc, and the beat-em-up style gameplay plays a lot like a 2D version of Guardian Heroes, heck even the spinning sword move and little sidekick spewing magic is just like Randy from Treasure's amazing Saturn game.
The combat is frantic and fun, with dispatched foes dropping loot which can be useful, or sold on at the shops you find. You will become addicted to grinding through monsters with your increasingly powerful attacks and magic, and finding the secret areas (magic keys that open hidden treasure chests).
There are many many hours of gameplay on offer here and there are trials to complete and score attack based things to do to keep you coming back.
The story is actually quite absorbing once you get into it and even the characters and voice acting grew on me. It's very much like a 2012 Wonder Boy in Monster World game, mixed with Castlevania Symphony of the Night.
Highly recommended!!
Basically a modern 2.5D (as they like to call it) platform game, very very similar to Limbo, Shadow Complex, and the Prince of Persia Remake.
Its got great graphics with very detailed and lovely backdrops, with the obligatory zombies causing mayhem everywhere, although they are called Shadows in this (LAME!).
The music is good, but the voice acting is poor to downright awful. The comic style cutscenes don't really work that well as they are not very well drawn or animated. The presentation lets the game down quite a bit.
But it's a playable game, and you will want to see it through to the end. There are a few irritating parts, and sometimes you can die and feel cheated, but overall it's solid. My overall playtime was 1 hour 57 in total but that doesn't count all the time dying and restarting from checkpoints. Also I went through the game again to get all the collectibles in order to 100% the game so that added another couple of hours.
It's expensive yes, but if you don't mind splashing out the points for a weekend's entertainment then I recommend it, otherwise save your points for Mark of The Ninja instead.
6
Fez is a wonderful 2d platformer starring a cute little guy called Gomez. Gomez discovers that the 2d world he inhabits is actually 3d, and must set off to find 30 cubes that have been scattered across his world. The big twist is that you can rotate the level around Gomez, making new areas accessible. It is beautiful and enchanting and needs to be experienced as it is unlike any other platform game out there. The music and atmosphere is perfect and it really immerses you in its cute pixelated world. It reminds me of Cave Story, only much better!
It's the first game since my c64 days where I have had a pen and paper to hand to decipher in-game codes / languages etc. There is also a part where you scan a barcode using an iphone / android phone and it gives you a code. I won't say any more as I don't want to ruin any surprises, but this game is the first game in years to make you feel fully immersed in its world, so far so that you have pages of scrawls and puzzles to figure out on paper while playing. You are never sure what will be coming next and it feels like a step up from standard video games where you repeat the same thing over and over.
This is the best game I've played so far this year, just fun, innovative and back to it's retro roots. If you don't like this game you have no soul.
9.5
An absolutely brilliant 2d platformer. It is so difficult it is likely to drive you insane, but the gameplay is just so good, the controls so perfect, the feeling of satisfaction upon completing a level so high that it is worth every expletive you will hurl at the screen. The graphics ooze charm and the cutscenes and other nods to retro game staples all raise a smile. It's satisfying, challenging, and most of all fun to play. You will need all your NES era platform gaming skills on top form to get far with Super Meat Boy. Fantastic!
9
Frogger has always been something I hold fondish memories of, and am aware of it's classic status, but it has never gripped me past a few minutes blast on MAME. But I downloaded the trial of this new update was very pleasantly surprised. The demo is only multiplayer though (local with people or CPU bots), so I roped in my girlfriend to play and she liked it so I bought it and am very pleased I did.
It's basically Pacman Championship Edition for Frogger. It has a cool funky visual style, of which you can also choose many varieties such as the awesome 8-bit look, and includes multiple different modes. You have the usual Frogger we all know and love (well, like), and has the obligatory online scoreboards (essential here), as well as cool challenges and battle modes.
I have to give special mention to the music which is absolutely amazing. Every song is a remake or tribute to the original score and is done really well, very 'techno' in nature much like Pacman CE, but there's a funk track with old style organs that is amazing, and the last track with the guy singing about Frogger is genius. Worth the price of admission alone!
8
Alex Kidd Miracle World (MS) / Revenge of Shinobi (MD) / Super Hang-On (Arcade)
Excellent pack of 3 games, all of which are fun and will give you a few hours pleasure, but the real gem is the amazing arcade version of Super Hang-On, which looks great and plays really well.
All games have a wealth of options and have visual effects (scanlines and different aspects etc) that make the games look really great, even on a huge HD TV!
7
Trials Evolution (XBLA)
Oh Hell yes.. the most addictive physics-based motorcycle racing / action game is back and is better than ever. The same excellent game is here but with much more pleasing tracks, from beautiful forests, to d-day style beach bombings, to mountains and beaches, this one is far more varied than its predecessor. Add to the mix the multiplayer and level editor and you have an instant classic. This deserves to be purchased on sight, you won't regret it! The sheer volume of user made levels, some which are really creative and playable, mean you will never run out of stages to play. WIN!
9
Pinball Arcade
This may be the best pinball game since Pinball Fantasies / Illusions on the Amiga. I have never really played pinball games since then, but this one really grabbed me. Really fun, interesting tables, great physics, and a pure score chasing game. Highly recommended. There are also some fantastic tables to download as DLC, priced at 400 for a pack of two tables.
8
Hydro Thunder Hurricane (XBLA)
Played the demo a while back and found it ok but nothing spectacular, but having a thing for arcade racers of late I went back to it and got the full game, and boy am I glad I did! It is truely one of the most fun racers I've ever played. The water effects and sense of actually being on a water surface, bouncing over huge waves, and splashing down after huge jumps, is spot on and it's an exhilarating experience from the start. The beautiful and well designed levels with multiple secrets will keep you coming back for more, and theres also some awesome DLC for only 400 points.
Basically it's a gorgeous mashup of Wipeout and Wave Racer and if that sounds good to you I recommend you rush to buy this right away!
SkyDrift
An amazing arcade racer that is like a reboot of N-GEN Racing on the PSOne. A combination of Hydro Thunder Hurricane, Wipeout, and Mario Kart. This is a great arcade racing game with weapons. It's exciting to play, and many of the races will end with a photo finish, leaving you on the edge of your seat. The weapons can be a deciding factor, and it is pretty annoying to be blown up with the finishing line in sight, but all games of this style face this problem to some degree. If you like Wipeout style racers, but want a change from the usual cars or futuristic setting then this one is for you.
8
Daytona USA
Holy mother of God... this is sooo much fun.. I loved daytona in the arcades, on the saturn and on the dreamcast. I bought the dreamcast version again recently and its good fun (once you have tweaked the sensitivity).. so thought I'd try the XBLA demo again.. and it's great. The full game is awesome, the challenges fun.. and once you play online multiplayer with 7 other people on the oval circuit you will be in heaven!
The most fun I've had online on the xbox! Just be sure to spend time perfecting the drifting, as it takes a while to master properly.
Outrun Online
An absolutely brilliant racer that has lovely sharp graphics, great pick-up-and-play gameplay, and that all important 'just one more go' factor. It's so incredibly playable, and although it's missing much of the 'coast to coast' retail release for xbox /ps2 /pc, its online play, and HD graphics make up for it! Awesome.. my advice? get this right away and also get the coast to coast version for PC (or xbox or ps2) as well!
10
Guardian Heroes (XBLA)
The Saturn classic is back with an HD makeover and is as chaotic and fun to play as before. Now with the added bonus of online multiplayer and co-op.
This is truely a fantastic game for those who love side scrolling brawlers, anime, rpg lite elements and more.
8
Street Fighter 3 - Third Strike Online Edition
Another incredible installment of the Street Fighter Series.. and while SF4 is much better.. and I prefer the character roster in SF Alpha 3.. this is still great fun and online play makes it well worthwhile.
8
Pac Man Championship DX
Still officially the BEST GAME EVER, as voted by me.. so, so good.. Ive never even been a fan of pacman so was shocked to find that this amazing update is one of the most enjoyable games on XBLA. The graphics cool, and the dance tracks are pumping. The ability to gobble a pill and then chomp down on a huge line of ghosts that have been following you is immensely satisfying.
*note* Be sure to get the brilliant NAMCO Museum collection and it has loads of games available on XBLA.. Galaga Legions, Galaga, Pacman CE, Mr Driller, Ms Pacman, Dig Dug and New Rally-X, (all games worth buying on XBLA) as well as tonnes of other classic games so I cannot Recommend it enough.
10
Hard Corps : Uprising
Brand new take on the Contra franchise. This is a hard-as-nails run and gun title which is basically an HD version of contra / probotector with anime visuals by the guys who brought us Blaz Blue. It is very very hard so be warned. Great fun though and I highly recommend it. 1200 points
7
Afterburner Climax
Fantastic visuals, and high octane gameplay make this a must. Zoom forwards in the jet of your choise firing your guns, locking on missiles and barrel rolling out of harms way. This is another great Sega arcade game brought bang up to date.
8
Shadow Complex (XBLA)
A truely outstanding new Metroidvania title that anyone who has the slightest interest in that style should rush out and buy immediately. Great graphics and sound, cool upgrades and new abilities and lots of hidden items make for a completionists dream game. Go buy!
9
Trials HD (XBLA)
Now superseded by the more recent Trials Evolution, but this is still a great game. Ragdoll physics and amusing injuries add to the experience but its the fantastic handling and playability that make this motorbike racer / obstacle course one you will be playing until the early hours.
8
Torchlight (XBLA)
I am not a huge fan of RPGs, but this excellent game has me hooked. Basically a cartoony Diablo, you start in a town complete with villages who give you quests, then you delve into the dungeons and destroy monsters, loot them, and sell / kit out your character. Its very addictive and will appeal to RPG fans both casual and hardcore! Highly recommended!
8
The groundbreaking platformer brought up to date with stylish new visuals and a much more acrobatic prince. Combat is also improved with parrying and counter attacks to make it more interesting. Great.
8
Outland
Dark and mesmerising 2D platformer which uses an 'Ikaruga' style gameplay mechanic whereby you can shift between two planes (colours) and this affects your abilities to pass through the coloured barriers / platforms etc. The graphics and sound are great and it has a very dark artistic vibe going on. There are plenty of secrets and new abilities to get.. so If you like the metroidvania style of platform game this will be right up your street.
8
Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2 (XBLA)
Fantastic twin stick shooter that is highly addictive, and will have you coming back time and time again to better your score. An improvement over the original in every way,this time round we are given many more game modes to play, including the unusual Pacifism mode, where you cannot fire and must instead avoid enemies. Everything here is highly polished and very fun to play. An overload for all your senses.
8
Braid
Braid is a beautiful 2D platform puzzle game. Each world has a different mechanic to the gameplay. For example, world two lets you rewind time to manipulate enemies and objects, but in world 6 you place a time bubble that slows everything that comes near it down. The puzzles become fiendishly difficult, but there is a huge sense of satisfaction once you figure it out and obtain the all important jigsaw pieces. The gorgeous hand painted visual style and the classical music all make this a pleasant experience. If anyone refuses to acknowledge video games as art, then they should play this.
8
Marathon : Durandal (XBLA)
I absolutely love old school first person shooters from around the DOOM era. If this is not your thing then you will probably hate Marathon. But for me it was another chance to run around blasting monsters with guns, in a simple, no nonsense shooter. Having been made by Bungie, you can see the early design elements that went on to become Halo. there are some flaws to the game of course, the level design can be a bit iffy, and some people complain of motion sickness while playing (something I did not experience), but if you like these types of games then give it a go.
7
Sine Mora
Now I really wanted to love this game.. honestly. But I found myself disliking the experience more and more. The main gimmick here is that you are constantly on a very strict time limit (usually mere seconds left) and must continually blast ships to gain valuable seconds. This really ruined it for me as it piles on the pressure early and ruins the experience. . The boss battles are epic and are the main selling point here. Once completed you can choose to do boss runs, and these are great. Unfortunately the actual levels themselves are quite dull, with poor enemy placement and attack patterns. The storyline is utter gibberish too so best ignored, though Shmups really aren't about the plot to be honest. Once you finish the story mode, it opens up a much harder difficulty mode, which is where the core game lies. unfortunately it is so teeth grindingly hard and unfair that only a masochist would enjoy it.
6
Assault Heroes (XBLA)
Sometimes the best games are those that keep things simple. Assault Heroes places you on a beach in a jeep, tells you it's a twin stick shooter, starts the screen scrolling upwards, and off you go! That's all you need to know. It is simple, yet everything is nicely done. The graphics and sounds work well, the gameplay is tight and fun and the levels are well designed. It is 80's arcade gaming with a modern lick of paint and so for that i applaud it. It is very cheap too and, if you have friends on the leaderboards, it has plenty of replay factor.
7
Limbo
Limbo is dark, muted 2D platformer. It's black and white visuals, and sparse sounds, give it a sinister air that works very well. There are puzzles involves, but they are quite easy. You will need quick reflexes, mixed with some trial and error, to get through this. It is a great game to experience, but it is quite short, so be sure to grab it when it is on sale (which is regularly).
7
Final Fight : Double Impact
More arcade goodness from the 80's. Here we have two games in one, though the choice of Magic Sword is a bizarre one (surely one of Capcom's other beat-em-ups like Cadillacs & Dinosaurs would have been better). Final Fight is a stone cold classic. One of the best beat-em-ups of all time and still immensely playable today. I grew up playing this in arcades and will never grow tired of it. The presentation is fantastic and the screen options are very good. You can play the games with the original arcade front on display. Magic Sword is ok too, though fairly repetitive and not that satisfying. It's all about Final Fight here though so if you have fond memories of the game, or love old school beat-em-ups, you can't go wrong with this.
9
Renegade Ops
Another game that just misses the mark of being excellent. A SEGA title that is basically a modernised, twin-stick shooter version of the arcade game jackal. You control a military vehicle loaded with weapons and must blast you way through hordes of enemies, while completing timed objectives. This is where the game falls flat. The gameplay is excellent, the controls are fluid and responsive, and you can cause utter carnage in your truck. However there is a constant ticking clock which takes out any ability to explore the large levels. Add to this the truly awful voice acting and comic strip presentation (it really is appalling) and you are left with a good, but not great, experience. With different design choices and no time limit (instead focusing on arcade style blasting and score attacks) this could have been one of the best XBLA games going. As it stands it is good, and worth checking out if on sale.
7
A little guilty pleasure of mine this. I grew up playing the Shinobi arcade cabinet in my local arcade when I was young, so have a special place in my heart for this game. It is a simple 2D run n gun (well, run n shuriken) game where you have two 'floors' that you can jump between. It is simple, challenging, and very playable. Special mention must go to the iconic bonus stage you play between missions which has you firing shurikens into the screen at oncoming enemies.
8
Castlevania : Symphony of the Night
Full Review here
9
Another of my all time favourite games and I think I have played every version ever made. It's still a great game though so if you love doom get this. It also comes with a new 9 level episode so worth it for that (it's very hard on Ultra violence though so you will be challenged)
8
It's Wolfenstein 3d for god's sake, the original first person shooter, and it's still great fun to play... Buy it, buy it NOW!
Note - Great conversion as it is, there is an issue in that the music plays too slow. Why this wasn't patched I don't know.
8
Remember to keep an eye out for Sales on Xbox Live, as they happen regularly and feature a mix of games.
Also download the Sales & Special Offers + app from the marketplace as there are great deals to be had on there too.
