Namco Bandai

Flight Control Review: The seed of proliferation

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, Jan 30, 2013 at 12:23 pm

Let’s face it, all the cool Windows Phone gamer kids are playing Skulls of the Shogun right now, but we can’t review that game until we’ve spent a little more time with it. Instead, we'll take a look at a classic title. Some people felt left out with last week’s Flight Control: Rocket review since that fine game is a Nokia exclusive. As such, it’s high time for our review of the original Flight Control, a game that all Windows Phone 7 and 8 owners can play. Flight Control comes from developer Firemint (now known as Firemonkeys) and Namco Bandai games.

The price of Galaga Legions DX blasts down to 99 cents for the holidays

By Paul Acevedo, Saturday, Dec 22, 2012 at 9:44 am

Any gamer who has owned an iOS device knows that publishers love to offer their games for significant discounts and even free during the holidays. Here on Windows Phone, we’re used to seeing 3-6 games on sale during special occasions, such as the current Countdown to 2012 sale.

Two games from the same third-party publisher on sale at once though? It just doesn’t happen. At least, it hadn’t happened until Namco Bandai’s Galaga Legions DX (review) dropped to 99 cents on Friday night. Like Pac-Man Championship Edition DX, this title regularly sells for the way too high price of $6.99. But both games are now on sale for 99 cents – truly a killer deal from the good folks at Namco Bandai.

Pac-Man Championship Edition DX finally scores a discount

By Paul Acevedo, Thursday, Dec 20, 2012 at 10:18 am

Pac-Man Championship Edition DX is that rarest of things: an exclusive Xbox Windows Phone game... Well, exclusive among the smartphone market, as it’s a port of the popular XBLA game. And man, what a good one! I even included it in my Five Must-Have Xbox Games list back in May.

But one thing has long kept the wider WP market from embracing the finest Pac-Man mobile game of all time: its steep price. Despite the fact that Pac-man CE DX contains just under a third of the XBLA game’s content, it has always cost only one third less - $6.99, as compared to the beefier $10 console version. In a market in which seemingly everyone (somewhat unwisely) values everything at one dollar no matter what, the $7 price tag just doesn’t fly.

Today that changes because Pac-man CE DX has finally had its first price drop/sale since launching in May 2011. What’s more, it’s now only 99 cents!

Windows Phone Xbox Live Review: Galaga Legions DX

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, Sep 12, 2012 at 10:10 am

Last year, Namco Bandai released a Windows Phone-exclusive port of XBLA/PSN hit Pac-Man Championship Edition DX. I was concerned about the amount of content that was needlessly cut from the port and its high price, but still gave it a positive review and named it a Must-Have title. More than a year (and several intermediate releases) later, Namco follows up with Galaga Legions DX. Like Pac-Man CE DX before it, this latest release is an exclusive port of a console title and it carries the seldom-used $6.99 price. However, this version of Galaga doesn’t quite reach the same standards of quality as Pac-Man CE DX, making it a much tougher sell.

Windows Phone Xbox Live Achievement Guide: Galaga Legions DX

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Saturday, Sep 8, 2012 at 9:31 am

The most challenging Xbox Live Achievements in the Windows Phone version of Galaga Legions DX involve reaching high score milestones on Area 1, Area 2, Area 3, and Championship. These goals are no easy task, and it seems that the developers forgot to factor this version’s terrible movement controls into account when choosing the scores - let's hope for a patch. That said, none of the Achievements is impossible and we’ve got some tips to make things easier.

Galaga Legions DX comes exclusively to Xbox Live on Windows Phone this week

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Tuesday, Sep 4, 2012 at 1:53 pm

Xbox 360 screenshots

Shoot 1UP may have just launched on Xbox Live two weeks ago, but it looks like another shoot-em-up is due this week as well. This time it’s Namco Bandai’s Galaga Legions DX, the latest game in the venerable Galaga series.

Windows Phone Xbox Live Review: Pool Pro Online 3

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, Aug 8, 2012 at 8:45 am

Namco Bandai’s Windows Phone output has been somewhat uneven so far. Some of their games like Puzzle Quest 2 are great, many are overpriced (Pac-Man Championship Edition DX anyone?), and a few like More Brain Exercise are simply duds. Their previous release, Pac-Man Kart Rally, fell somewhere in the middle of the quality spectrum, but I respected the developer’s boundary-breaking use of local Wi-Fi multiplayer. Now Pool Pro Online 3 pushes things even further, becoming the first mobile Xbox Live game with true real-time online multiplayer. While its online mode is unparalleled, a few fouls keep Pool Pro Online 3 from being a truly great pool game.

Xbox Live - Pool Pro Online 3 now available with online multiplayer

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, Aug 1, 2012 at 8:35 am

As we promised yesterday, Namco Bandai’s Pool Pro Online 3 is now on the Marketplace. And guess what? It’s surprisingly good!

Pool Pro Online 3 offers a realistic simulation of three pool games: 8-ball, 9-ball, and snooker. Foggy on the rules (like me) or new to pool? The built-in tutorial and reference section make learning a snap. Seriously, I have no real-life aptitude for pool but I’ve still managed to win several games so far.

Pool Pro Online 3 opens its doors for Xbox Live on Windows Phone this week

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 at 8:08 am

At the start of the month, Windows Phone Central provided exclusive first details and images of Namco Bandai’s Pool Pro Online 3 for Xbox Live. Now we’re back with first word of its release date: tomorrow, August 1st. Windows Phone gamers will be shooting pool in no time!

Pool Pro Online 3 offers a realistic simulation of three pool games: 8-ball, 9-ball, and snooker. All three can be played either single-player or online. According to word from Microsoft, gamers can view and join online lobbies, so you won’t be restricted to playing with friends as with clunky ol’ Battleship.

Xbox Live - Pool Pro Online 3 exclusive preview

By Paul Acevedo, Tuesday, Jul 3, 2012 at 8:15 am

Namco Bandai may be best known for their Pac-Man and Katamari Damacy titles on Windows Phone, but the publisher does dip into other genres from time to time. Case in point, their next game centers on the sport of pool. Pool Pro Online 3 comes to Xbox Live very soon, and Windows Phone Central has exclusive first screenshots to prove it.

Head past the break for our full preview and more screens!

Pac-Man Kart Rally now live in the Marketplace

By George Ponder, Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 7:50 pm

We mentioned Pac-Man Kart Rally was heading to the Windows Phone Marketplace on May 2, 2012. Well... it arrived just a wee bit early.

The Windows Phone game from Namco Bandai went live just a little while ago and brings all the goodness of Wifi Multiplayer to your Windows Phone. Pac-Man Kart Rally is the first Xbox Live title with local Wifi multiplayer which allows two players to compete against each other in the same room using two phones connected to the same network and two copies of the game.

Pac-Man Kart Rally includes ten characters, thirteen tracks, and plenty of power-ups and upgrades. There is a trial version available with the full version of Pac-Man Kart Rally running $4.99. You can find Pac-Man Kart Rally here at the Windows Phone Marketplace. Keep tabs on the site and we'll have a full review up as soon as we can get Paul off the race track.

Thanks, Zebrasqual, for the tip!

Pac-Man Kart Rally will be the first Xbox Live game on Windows Phone with wireless multiplayer

By Paul Acevedo, Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 11:11 am

When you play every single Xbox Live game that comes to Windows Phone, it’s easy to become jaded. I mean, how many physics puzzlers and Angry Birds clones do we really need? Still, today I write about a genuinely exciting game that I can’t wait to play: Pac-Man Kart Rally from Namco Bandai. It comes out this Wednesday; and WPCentral has some exclusive details to whet your appetite.

First, a little history. Pac-Man Kart Rally originally debuted on older mobile phone platforms in 2010, including Windows Mobile and Blackberry. The title drew inspiration from Pac-Man World Rally on Playstation 2-era consoles, but was not a direct adaptation. In late 2011, Pac-Man Kart Rally received a serious graphical upgrade when it made the trip to the Android platform, exclusively for Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play handset.

Head past the break for the full scoop on Pac-Man Kart Rally's characters, tracks, and multiplayer!

Namco brings Tekken Resolute to Windows Mobile

Software

By George Ponder, Thursday, Aug 19, 2010 at 1:38 am

Namco Bandai announced today that the Tekken game franchise was going mobile with the game Tekken Resolute. The mobile version of the popular arcade game is available for Java, Windows Mobile, BREW and RIM platforms.

Tekken Resolute promises to bring intense graphics and fluid animations to the mobile platform. Players can choose between the Iron Fist Tournament with the Arcade Mode or fight through various stages of a Story Mode. Tekken Resolute also has a Tekken Force Mode where you battle multiple enemies.

Tekken Resolute can be purchased for $6.99 through various wireless provider's app stores such as AT&T's Media Mall or through Namco (still billed through your wireless provider). Namco is slowly updating their website so if Tekken Resolute isn't listed under your carrier and device, check your wireless provider's app store.