Major Nelson has
confirmed that this week's Xbox Live Arcade addition will be the launch of
Arcade Hits tomorrow, temporarily replacing the usual new game(s) release on Wednesdays. The initiative kicks off with cost reductions of four aging XBLA games, along with the now permanent price cut of
Lumines Live:
- Bankshot Billiards 2 (reduced from 1200 to 800 MS Points; $10) - Billiards ... with a gamepad.
- Lumines LIVE! (still reduced from 1200 to 800 MS Points; $10) - The same great "core" gameplay of the superb PSP puzzler; additional DLC comes at a premium.
- Marble Blast Ultra (reduced from 800 to 400 MS Points; $5) - Guide a lonely marble across irritatingly unstable terrain -- or race your friends.
- Small Arms (reduced from 800 to 400 MS Points; $5) - Is "poor man's Smash Bros." too cliché?
- Zuma Deluxe (reduced from 800 to 400 MS Points; $5) - Wait, they were charging $10 for this...?
No doubt anticipating a chorus of moans from dedicated consumers, Microsoft has also
name-dropped key new XBLA titles scheduled to arrive during the next few months when the regularly-scheduled Wednesday releases resume. The absence of a new game may tick off some fanboys, but it's clear that Microsoft wants to use this week to focus promotion on the re-branding of older content. Let's hope the discounts keep coming (along with some
greater "hits").
{ Dec 3rd 2007 at 3:28PM } 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
gonk @ Dec 3rd 2007 3:37PM
zuma sucks with the joystick, i tried the demo a year ago
jayeffaar @ Dec 3rd 2007 3:53PM
It depends on what you're used to. My first exposure to Zuma was on XBLA and I can't stand any of the other control schemes that I've tried later (on a PC and an ipod).
Viridium @ Dec 3rd 2007 4:22PM
Funny... you suck with the Zuma joystick, and your mom sucks on my joystick. Everybody wins!
Spekkio @ Dec 3rd 2007 3:47PM
what are you talking about? zuma's awesome!
Clayton @ Dec 3rd 2007 3:50PM
It'd be great if they added one title to Arcade hits each Wedensday along with a new game or maybe just two or three once a month.
Gangsta Smurf @ Dec 3rd 2007 3:51PM
Zuma fails.
This Tuesday: Yawn edition.
gonk @ Dec 3rd 2007 3:57PM
yeah, small arms is the only game i'd even consider buying on that list, but I think I can live without it :)
baby sea tuna @ Dec 3rd 2007 3:59PM
Another one from the pro-Zuma camp here!
Man, that post though. Makes you sound like a bunch of fucking haters! Seriously, they're giving out a price break here, you couldn't find *anything* nice to say?
343 Guilty Fart @ Dec 3rd 2007 5:20PM
Seriously, great game. When this first came out I was addicted to it the way Cartman's addicted to WoW.
Blue_Falcon @ Dec 3rd 2007 4:07PM
All I heard from the main post was "WWWAAAAAHHHH!! WHINE WHINE BITCH BAAAWW!!!!!"
Anyway, I already own two (Lumines and Small Arms; love both), still not quite sold on two (Bankshot and Zuma), and Marble Blast is a definite for me.
rikimaru @ Dec 3rd 2007 4:10PM
This is good but did they fix the 'Doom freezing my Xbox when I quit' glitch yet?
Delgado @ Dec 3rd 2007 4:11PM
I'm going to get Small Arms, methinks. Everyone always comes over to play Smash Bros, so I guess I can throw this into rotation too?
5 bucks seems worth it for a SSB style game, and I've heard good things about it. Any opinions?
AirIntake @ Dec 3rd 2007 4:15PM
I love Small Arms. Every time I have 5 minutes to kill I end up playing it for 45 minutes.
Viridium @ Dec 3rd 2007 4:20PM
I hated it. Maybe the demo doesn't do it justice, but I gave it a shot for about a half hour and then deleted it.
Does it help if I qualify that I loved the original N64 Smash Brothers, but have not really liked any iteration since then?
rikimaru @ Dec 3rd 2007 4:20PM
I am going to download the demo later. It looks like a fun party game to have when friends come over. I haven't played Smash Bros since the 64 days... but this looks cool.
Kenban @ Dec 3rd 2007 5:51PM
I say go for Marble Blast Ultra. Although I remember reading about an expansion that was finished and delivered to Microsoft around a year ago and it has never been released. Any news on whats going on with that?