Xbox 360 Marketplace and Arcade thread

Slumberland · Post by **Slumberland** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 1:16 pm

Yeah, I fired up the Contra demo last week and was immediately let down by the aspect ratio. Should have expected it, but it still stinks. Then, having gotten used to the Nintendo version, I couldn't believe how short the first level was. Lost pretty much all interest in what I thought would be a sure purchase for me.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 1:38 pm

Being a huge Contra fan from way back, I immediately bought the full game and was very disappointed. Its a copy of the arcade game, not the Nintendo or Sega Genensis version I was hoping for.

On the positive side, I heard there is "Super Contra" coming out for the 360 in a few months. There is definitley a lack of platform shooters for the 360. I know Sonic is coming out this week, but I would love to see more games like Jak & Daxter or Sly Cooper.

Slumberland wrote:Yeah, I fired up the Contra demo last week and was immediately let down by the aspect ratio. Should have expected it, but it still stinks. Then, having gotten used to the Nintendo version, I couldn't believe how short the first level was. Lost pretty much all interest in what I thought would be a sure purchase for me.

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 4:58 pm

Anyone tried Defender, it was one of my favorite games growing up.

Sully · Post by **Sully** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 8:55 am

R6 Vegas MP demo is up.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 9:59 am

Cars demo is up. I thought it might be a good game for my 4 year old, but I think actually it might be too difficult for him control wise.

Looks pretty nice though.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 11:27 am

March Madness demo up.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 11:28 am

Something interesting for those of you who play a lot of XBL Arcade games and want the total old school experience:

http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/20/mad- ... y-release/

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:11 pm

sportdan30 wrote:Cars demo is up. I thought it might be a good game for my 4 year old, but I think actually it might be too difficult for him control wise.

I just bought this yesterday for my 3 year 8 month old son. He struggled for the first half hour with the controls but caught on quick. I just put the game in free ride to allow him to drive around RS or setup an arcade Piston Cup race (on the easiest level the back of the pack AI cars really stay back quite a ways which is nice). I'm sure it will take a long time for him to actually "play" the game, but there is a lot of entertainment just driving around and he didn't seem to care that he wasn't actually racing all the time. Just driving around the town and seeing Mater and the other cars made him laugh. There are also some mini-games. The tractor tipping was pretty easy and he played and enjoyed that but a couple others were too hard for even me

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 2:16 pm

This seems like a good place to post this accessory info:

Anyone using the Plantronics X30 headset, made for the 360, may be interested that I found a nearly identical Plantronics unit at the Best Buy, called the MX505.

The design is essentially the same, with several key improvements. First, it's all black, very sleek. More importantly, the volume/mute dongle is now a little narrower and a little thicker, making it feel more substantial while being a little smaller. The volume control is the same, but the mute swich is now different and much better. Also, the dongle doesn't have a clip on it (the X30's was next to useless without clipping it through a button hole); rather there is a separate spring-clip about an inch long that can be slid up and down the cable between the earpiece and the dongle. A massive improvement!

Perhaps even better, though, is the redesign of the mic extender tube and the joint where it meets the headpiece. The new unit has a ball and socket joint, allowing it to rotate 360º as well as move maybe 45º or more from one side to the other. Another massive improvement! Further, the tube can easily be removed and replaced into the headpiece just by popping it out of the socket. The unit comes with a second microphone extender tube, a shorter one, which I guess could be useful for those with smaller heads than mine. But mostly, since my X30 failed in the microphone (I wonder if it's a clog in the extender tube, which is pneumatic btw - the actual mic in the headpiece), it is nice to be able to yank out the extender tube and replace it if need be. The end of the extender tube is also greatly improved, with a sleeker profile and a bit of a wind-cancelling fuzz.

After my X30 failed, I tried the X20, which is a piece of crap. It claims a noise cancelling microphone, but the stalk is so short, and the mic (on this one it's at the end of the thick but short stalk) is so far away from the mouth, that the thing picks up far too much ambient sound, making it nearly useless to play games with or listen to tunes while playing games with. I have not seen an X30 in a store. But this Plantronics MX505 should be easy to find in the cell phone accessory area of your local BB or CC type store, and with it's volume and mute dongle, is ideal for 360 usage. Since it retains the very comfortable and useful headpiece design, but improves on all the problem areas of the X30 (and is the same price!), I couldn't recommend it highly enough for those looking for an alternative headpiece. Plus it's black!

Just thought y'all would like to know. (One thing I should note is that having lost the funciton of my original Xbox headset, which was a bit frustrating to use due to the lack of volume control and mute, I actually grew to appreciate the design of the original 360 headset. The flexible mic is very good, it picks up very little ambient noice, the headpiece is flexibly designed to fit in all kinds of ways, and the earpad is soft and comfortable. Unfortunately, the voice chat volume control is so terribly low in its peak volume, that the thing can be way too quiet in many normal gaming situations.)

GameSeven · Post by **GameSeven** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 3:16 pm

Zeppo wrote:Anyone using the Plantronics X30 headset, made for the 360, may be interested that I found a nearly identical Plantronics unit at the Best Buy, called the MX505.

"Gee, you know that information... really would've been more useful to me *yesterday.*" /WeddingSinger

I just bought the X30 from Best Buy after growing tired of putting headphones over the stock communicator. The Plantronics set feels much better under the earcups...

Still thanks for the tip in case I ever need a replacement...

-G7

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 1:30 am

Update on Texas hold'em.

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/747/747888p1.html

TheHiddenTrack · Post by **TheHiddenTrack** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 4:55 am

10spro wrote:Update on Texas hold'em.

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/747/747888p1.html

Hell yes. That game was almost unplayable, but for some reason I still played it a ton.

jLp vAkEr0 · Post by **jLp vAkEr0** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 11:52 am

Is Lumines Live a carbon copy of the original Lumines for PSP?

Just wondering.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 11:59 am

I apologize if I missed this, but does anyone know when some of the HD versions of movies will be available on XBL? I'm curious to download one and then compare it to an upconverted DVD of the same movie. I looked last night but all the movies had standard-def only versions.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 12:01 pm

Brando70 wrote:I apologize if I missed this, but does anyone know when some of the HD versions of movies will be available on XBL? I'm curious to download one and then compare it to an upconverted DVD of the same movie. I looked last night but all the movies had standard-def only versions.

HD versions are out there now for some of them. I know 'V for Vendetta' is offered in high def.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 12:14 pm

webdanzer wrote:
Brando70 wrote:I apologize if I missed this, but does anyone know when some of the HD versions of movies will be available on XBL? I'm curious to download one and then compare it to an upconverted DVD of the same movie. I looked last night but all the movies had standard-def only versions.
HD versions are out there now for some of them. I know 'V for Vendetta' is offered in high def.

Thanks, Web. I was only looking at movies I also had DVDs for (like The Matrix) so that's why I missed that.

Pretty eclectic collection of films they put up there. Surprised to see stuff like Gallipoli.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 3:42 pm

jLp vAkEr0 wrote:Is Lumines Live a carbon copy of the original Lumines for PSP?

Just wondering.

Very similar. I believe the music is different...but I think the block "skins" are the same. The control is a bit different too. Takes you a while to get used to how the blocks flip as opposed to the PSP. Maybe I'm just pressing a different button, but it just seems disorienting compared to the PSP version.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 2:38 pm

An arcade game to unseat the heralded Geometry Wars?

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/750/750694p1.html

Has anyone played this yet?

Teal · Post by **Teal** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:04 pm

sportdan30 wrote:An arcade game to unseat the heralded Geometry Wars?

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/750/750694p1.html

Has anyone played this yet?

Awesome, classic style game. Think 1942 with ground vehicles rather than planes, and you'll get it. The graphics are quite good, as well. Downloaded it this morning...online co-op supported...

Gurantsu · Post by **Gurantsu** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:05 pm

I tried it quickly this morning, it was OK but didn't bowl me over. Control is easy and it's fun for a while, certainly worth a try to see if it's up your alley. I do like the sound of the enemy infantry when they all swarm at you at once.

Boltman · Post by **Boltman** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 2:48 am

tealboy03 wrote:
sportdan30 wrote:An arcade game to unseat the heralded Geometry Wars?

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/750/750694p1.html

Has anyone played this yet?
Awesome, classic style game. Think 1942 with ground vehicles rather than planes, and you'll get it. The graphics are quite good, as well. Downloaded it this morning...online co-op supported...

Gonna DL this tomorrow.

FatPitcher · Post by **FatPitcher** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 8:10 am

Assault Heroes is OK....too easy, though (yes, on Hard). These games are supposed to make you sweat bullets non-stop, and this one doesn't. And the bosses are pretty lame.

GTHobbes · Post by **GTHobbes** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 9:42 am

I guess it's to be expected since its Christmas, but it sure has been a dry month (or 2) for XBox Live demos. Isn't there anything good coming out in the early new year?

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 1:58 pm

I had a chance to check out the last 3 Arcade games last night and Small Arms really stuck out from the rest of the pack. Assault Heroes was average, the robot one was frustrating, and Small Arms was a blast. Did anyone buy Small Arms? I'm wondering how Live play is.

Wilk5280 · Post by **Wilk5280** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 12:36 am

I picked up the headset that Zep mentions above today and love it. The sound quality is outstanding and everyone on the other end says that I sound better than I have in a long time.

My MS Wireless is getting returned for a refund. Bummer because I really like it and everyone sounds good on my end, but I keep getting complaints about static etc so out it goes.