Racing games on XBLA are constantly struggling for uniqueness. These racers, many of which are top-down, have to find a way to stand out and really pull ahead of the pack. Some games go with zany weaponry, some go with a fun and light nature, and some are very competitive. Bang Bang Racing, the upcoming product of a collaboration between well-known XBLA developer and publisher Digital Reality and Playbox, is out to make a name for itself and we just have to find out how they plan to do it! Hit the jump for a Q & A with Bang Bang Racing‘s Digital Reality-side Lead Designer, András “Amper” Timár-Geng. Read More

Parties are one of the oldest institutions of humankind, from the time fire was discovered to the latest significant party somebody everyone cares about attended. Perhaps something involving Tony Stark. Whether pre-historic or in fantasy land, parties always need something fun going on. Gaming, as it so happens, is pretty darn fun. However, recently the retail video game industry has decided partying with people within smelling distance means no gaming, and we here at XBLA Fans think that’s mighty stinky of them. In light of that, we’ve made this week’s Friday Top Five about XBLA games that dominate parties in one way or another.

5. Fruit Ninja Kinect 

Not every party has a Kinect, and not every party needs one, but those parties which have one should definitely be slicing fruit with as little regard for fruit-kind or remorse for the millenniums of fruitocide which they have suffered through as possible. FNK is the absolute funkay (get it?) fun time when it comes to arm flailing, personal space invading, or reputation undermining (sometimes all at once)! While this game isn’t four player inclusive like the other games on this list, it’s very fun to play and is a great ice breaker. Since Fruit Ninja Kinect takes advantage of abilities most people acquired and mastered at age three or four (the waving of the arms) there’s really nobody that can’t play this game.

There’s not a lot of depth to Fruit Ninja Kinect unfortunately, and when the party gets over the gameplay, there’s not much chance they’ll get back to it. However, one person can play or two people can play competitively and there will be enough for players to rotate and get their dose of being silly and enthusiastic before everyone’s guilt for the countless fruit deaths starts to take its toll.

Read More

Read More

Quarrel, a game about spelling things and earning points, has made the jump from iOS to Xbox Live Arcade this week complete with its own fancy trailer and apparently …
Read More

“Is it bad that I’m procrastinating right now by posting random stuff on facebook? Go on, ask me something.”

This was posted on the Shank Facebook page very recently. …
Read More

Klei Entertainment’s sequel to their beat ’em up, shoot ’em up, shank ’em up brawler Shank is more than just a return to character. While the core game remains …
Read More

All Zombies Must Die! was developed Doublesix and published by Square Enix. It was released on December 28, 2011 for 800 MSP. A copy was provided for review purposes.

Zombies, zombies, zombies. Much like orcs, robots, and other generic villains they need to die. Many a game has tossed some weapons to many a player and let them loose into the zombie apocalypse, and All Zombies Must Die! sets up in just such a fashion. While RPG elements have found their way into undead-ocide before, what about in a top down twin stick shooter? Probably happened before, actually. Looks like this game has much to prove if it intends to stand out from the rotting, vomiting, mindless crowd of lookalikes.

All Zombies Must Die! controls like most twin stick shooters and gives players a choice of four different characters to play with. Co-op partners (of which there can be up to three total locally) can pick from any remaining unlocked characters as they progress through the story, or use a basic soldier character until the characters are unlocked. Each character has a special ability which applies an effect to most unaffected zombies, a main weapon which can be upgraded via the in-game crafting system, and a secondary weapon which changes as weapons are picked up in the field. This arena style zombie shooter also incorporates RPG mechanics including leveling up stats and a simple (almost invisible) preferred weapon system. A main story arch holds the game together along with side quests and mini-quests, adding up to a decent amount of game to experience.

Read More

Machine guns Unlocked in the store, Mars Landing Unlocked on Swamp Survival 5 Unlocked in the store, Swamp Unlocked in Settlement, Cathedral …
Read More

Hats Robot Helmet: Swamp and Settlement Survival Blackmore Flat Cap: Swamp and Settlement Survival Space Cap: Mars Landing, Settlement, Foundry, Cathedral, Settlement Survival Cowboy Hat: Wave 50 Swamp Survival Loot Brain …
Read More

Chassis

Unlocked in Mars Landing, Settlement, Foundry Unlocked in Swamp, Mars Landing, Settlement Unlocked in Settlement, Foundry, Cathedral Unlocked in Swamp, Mars Landing, Settlement …
Read More