5 replies to this topic

[MabusIncarnate]

I'm an avid gamer, and the introduction of downloadable arcade games to next gen consoles got me excited. About 120 titles later, i've played a lot of what the arcade has to offer. Are you looking for something cheap to hold your attention? Look no further than these incredible titles that hardly anyone has played. All games listed do have downloadable trial versions.

Iron Brigade
1200 MSP ($14.99)

This is giant customizable mechs meets tower defense at it's finest. Never played a tower defense game? It's simple, you have a target to protect from waves of enemies and you use your mech and droppable turrets and defenses to thwart the enemies efforts. Mix this in with a variety of loot for your mech and you have one of the most original and addictive titles to ever be released. It's a steal for the price, and the content is brilliant. With online co-op you can't go wrong.

Trine 2
1200 MSP ($14.99)

It's a side scrolling puzzle RPG with a stunning art design and unique gameplay. You swap between the Wizard, the Rogue, and the Warrior to accomplish the goals ahead of you. It's not a deep game but it's one that really shouldn't be missed if you enjoy RPGs. This game also features online co-op making the experience much better with a friend.

Worms 2 Armageddon
800 MSP ($9.99)

Cartoon worms in an artillery style turned based strategy game. Launch a variety of 60 weapons, including rocket launchers, holy hand grenades, air strikes, sheep bombs (yeah, a remote detonated sheep) and other unique and hilarious weaponry. I've been playing worms for years, it's strategic, addictive, and very different from most of everything else available. Worms is one of my personal favorites and it shouldn't be overlooked.

Dungeon Defenders
1200 MSP ($14.99)

Another tower defense title but has RPG elements instead of mechs. You have a character that has an upgradable level cap of 70 which makes the depth of this game just insane. There's millions of weapon drops and armor for your character, the customization is ridiculous, and there probably isn't more value packed into an arcade game anywhere else. I easily put 100 hours into this game and I still love it, find some friends online and it can become intense but rewarding. Give it a look, it's well worth the price.

I'll continue to post more as there's easily a dozen more worth mention. If this thread draws enough interest i'll keep an ongoing update of newer releases and "Deal of the Week" titles worth purchasing along with some older titles out there that you should buy.

Edited by BlazeYoungblood, 17 January 2012 - 10:45 PM.

[MabusIncarnate]

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
800 MSP ($9.99)

Everything about this title was designed with the old school gamers in mind, a 2D side-scrolling adventure game. Not only is it the best Castlevania title that xbox has to offer, it's arguably the greatest Castlevania installment to date. It's slick, fun, and doesn't take away from the classic gameplay that Castlevania fans came to love since the NES. If you make it through the 200+ room castle and finish the game, it flips upside down and you can do it all over again. Replayability is nearly unlimited and it's a must own for fans of the series.

Deathspank Trilogy
1200 MSP each ($14.99)

This game maintains your classic top down style RPG with a lot of weapons and variety, but where it shines is the level of humor. It had me laughing throughout the experience with Deathspank's sarcastic humor and dry approach towards the quests he receives, comparable to the classic cartoon series "The Tick". With three releases at this point, it's caught on as a sort of cult classic, and it's sucked in plenty of gamers like myself enough to keep coming back for more.

From Dust
1200 MSP ($9.99)

From Dust creates a new genre of game, and it's like nothing I have ever played before. You are the hand of god and the villagers need your help. Manipulate the environment to lead them to safety in a limitless sandbox world. Grab handfuls of lava and create stone barriers, dig trenches to redirect waterways and prevent floods from tsunamis, how you design and create the world around you determines your success or the painful demise of your followers. One of the most brilliant titles available and if you are looking for a change look no further.

Torchlight
1200 MSP ($14.99)

If you have ever played the widely popular Diablo series on the PC, you know what to expect here. It's a bit more of a light hearted approach to the top down mass looting RPG but that doesn't take away from it's depth and content. Torchlight sucked me in and left me hooked for a couple of weeks, its visually impressive, the amount of equipment is close to overwhelming, and you can even have your pet return to town to sell your equipment for you so there isn't a constant revert back to town in the middle of dungeon fighting. There's so much to accomplish and invest into that Torchlight has the feel of a full version game for the price of $10.

Defense Grid
800 MSP ($9.99)

Defense Grid is another tower defense title that is strictly a single player experience, but can eat up hours upon hours of your life regardless. You are given a lot of freedom to build, upgrade, and destroy as you see fit, there aren't limitations on placement areas of your turrets like other games like Toy Soldiers. Chainguns, Flame Throwers, Artillery, and Cluster Bombs among others are at your disposal to find ways of holding off waves through the 15 mission campaign. With 5 additional downloadable map packs, if this is your genre, there's a lot to do here. One of my personal favorites on the arcade.

Castle Crashers
1200 MSP ($14.99)

If you get into it, this can be one of those games you continue to revisit years after you first play it. You can easily spend 100 hours leveling one character, how many are available? At this point and time about 25. This is co-op RPG gameplay at it's finest, winner of multiple game if the year awards and one of the most successful arcade games released on the console, Castle Crashers is a no brainer at this point. It appeals to everyone regardless of what kind of games you like, because it's just that enjoyable. You've played nothing like it before and you are gonna remember it for a long time once you do, very highly recommended.

Edited by BlazeYoungblood, 17 January 2012 - 10:48 PM.

[MCleveland89]

You should add prices to your list too. Otherwise, great job on this!

[MabusIncarnate]

Good call, fixed it above.

[MabusIncarnate]

The Bargain Bin

All titles below are currently available for just 400 points or around $4.99 and are well worth the cost. Even if you are looking for something to help burn your day away you really can't go wrong with these dirt cheap options.

Assault Heroes 1 & 2

A top down styled arcade shooter with a basic premise and a ton of playability, Assault Heroes is an entertaining but brief experience. You swap between Machine Guns, Rockets, and a Flame Thrower, all upgradable and will remain so until you blow up, as you drive around your armored ATV destroying giant robotics and tanks. Plow through a variety of missions with tense action and a lot of explosions, alone or with a friend. The game can be completed in about five or six hours, and you may want to run through it more than once.

Vigilante 8

By far the best (and probably only) alternative to Twisted Metal for xbox owners, Vigilante 8 is a vehicular combat gem that went overlooked when it was originally released on the Playstation and N64. Never heard of it? It's been relaunched and polished in high definition and still handles itself among modern competition. Play as big rigs, sports cars, and even a UFO as you rip through your competition using a variety of explosive weaponry. Vehicular combat titles are very far and few between, especially for those who do not own a PS3, so if that's your forte give Vigilante 8 a shot. Cool game for the price and may bring back some fuzzy memories of those older gamers who used to play this back in the late 90's.

Commanders Attack

Turn Based Strategy games are a dying breed, but Commanders Attack is among the few that remain that offers a good gameplay experience. This genre of game definitely is not for everyone, so even for the low price tag, give the trial version a chance before purchasing. I personally enjoyed this title a lot, it's a bit on the childish side but the core gameplay is surprisingly deep. Anyone familiar with the Advanced Wars series on Nintendo's handhelds will feel right at home here, as the core of the game is similar. For what is available out there and if you enjoy the genre, give Commanders Attack a look.

3 on 3 NHL Arcade

Hockey for five bucks, can you go wrong? It's not the best game made, and it may only hold your attention for an hour at a time, but the approach in this game is similar to that of NFL Blitz or NBA Jam. It's 3 vs 3, over the top hitting, slap shots that catch fire mid flight, and smashing your opponents through the glass multiple times a game. Nothing about this game is simulation, its just a pick up and play hitting and scoring fest. Like I stated above, it's appeal wears off quick but it's one of those games you will continue to go back to every now and again to play a few games.

Dead Rising 2 Case Zero

Easily the best value of everything listed so far, Case Zero is build right from the gameplay of Dead Rising 2, featuring very frantic zombie survival tactics using random weaponry around you to get to the next checkpoint. Everything from a rake to traffic cones can be used in the world to attack the zombies in your path, you can combine items to make more powerful weapons and each one has it's own unique characteristics. If you are a fan of Dead Rising, picking up this side campaign is a must. If you haven't, this is a great starting point into the series and offers much more than a demo will.

Worms

This is the first Worms title, and if you haven't played Worms yet, this is probably the way to introduce yourself. Worms only offers the basics, it's still a full game with 20 single player missions and multiplayer, but offers about a dozen weapons opposed to Worms 2's arsenal. I'm a Worms fanatic and urge everyone to give this title a fair shot, it's a highly addictive game and will have you smiling more often than not for it's dry humor and customizable Worms voice overs. There is a learning curve before you get the hang of it, but the result once you do can be very rewarding.

Edited by BlazeYoungblood, 18 January 2012 - 03:54 AM.

[MabusIncarnate]

Fans of Far Cry 3 get excited, a new arcade game is set for release this Wednesday, May 1st. It's called Far Cry Blood Dragon, and it's built on the same Far Cry engine but thrown into the future. Expect laser weapons, a lot of neon, and dinosaurs. Yeah, dinosaurs. At first glance it reminds me of a homage to the 80's with Tron-like visuals and over the top gameplay.

 

The price is set at 1200 MS Points, which is $14.99 retail and will be available for download on Wednesday. It promises to be about a 10-12 hour experience and looks like it's going to be a lot of fun. Check out the video below.