wreckateer

Celebrate the Xbox Live 10 Year Anniversary with a free Xbox Live Arcade game

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 12:39 pm

It might seem like only yesterday for some of us, but Microsoft’s Xbox Live service launched 10 years ago this month – a year after the original Xbox debuted. Xbox live was a major differentiator between the Xbox and the Playstation 2 and GameCube. Some PS2 games could connect to the internet via optional modem, but Sony’s console lacked a proper online system. Nintendo’s GameCube had only a handful of online games, something the big N did little (virtually nothing) to rectify with the GameCube’s successor, the Wii. Only the Xbox had a fairly standardized online system with each game required to support voice chat.

Ten years later, the Xbox 360 is the world’s most popular console (especially in North America) and the Xbox Live service extends to Windows Phone and Windows 8 games. Read on to discover Microsoft’s plans to celebrate the anniversary, including giving everyone a free XBLA game!

Xbox Live Developer Interview: Iron Galaxy Studios, makers of Ms. Splosion Man (WP) and Wreckateer

By Paul Acevedo, Saturday, Jul 14, 2012 at 2:08 pm

It’s time for another installment of Windows Phone Central’s Xbox Live Developer Interview series! We jumped at the opportunity to speak with Chicago-based Iron Galaxy Studios, developers of the upcoming Ms. Splosion Man for Windows Phone (based on Twisted Pixel's XBLA hit), Wreckateer for Xbox Live Arcade, and many other fine titles. CEO Dave Lang fills us in on the challenges of developing fighting games, working with the Kinect, bringing the same game to both Windows Phone and iOS, and much more.

Head past the break for our lengthiest interview yet, filled with brilliant concept art and exclusive Ms. Splosion Man screens!

Xbox 360 - Summer of Arcade 2012 schedule announced

Games

By Paul Acevedo, Wednesday, Jun 20, 2012 at 11:06 am

A few times a year, Microsoft calls attention to some of its larger Xbox Live Arcade releases with special promotions. Just a few months ago, the Arcade Next lineup introduced Minecraft: XBLA Edition and several more heavy hitters to the Xbox 360 crowd. Next month, the yearly Summer of Arcade promotion kicks off. The lineup doesn’t have anything quite as big as Minecraft (already the best-selling XBLA game ever), but it still packs great games and a special reward for gamers who buy three or more Summer of Arcade titles: a 400 MS Point rebate.

Head past the break for the full Summer of Arcade schedule, prices, and Sonic the Hedgehog XBLA news!

The Xbox Live Arcade games of Microsoft's E3 2012 Press Conference

By Paul Acevedo, Tuesday, Jun 5, 2012 at 3:24 pm

We’ve already touched on the retail Xbox 360 games announced during yesterday’s E3 2012 press conference, but Microsoft also announced several exciting Xbox Live Arcade games. (XBLA refers specifically to downloadable Xbox 360 games, not Windows Phone titles.) Those games included Ascend, Lococycle, Matter, and Wreckateer.