The interesting, though overtime boring, Xbox Live Arcade title Boom Boom Rocket has gotten a bit of a work over. Starting today, the game will be getting a handful of new capabilities and five new songs. The best part is that all of this is free until Dec. 16 if you already own the game. It will cost you 250 Mpoints after that.
Here's the capability breakdown:
· Improved fireworks
· Compatibility with guitar and dance mat controllers
· Japanese and Korean language support
· Controller type visible in leaderboards (can you be #1 on all three...controller, dance mat and guitar peripheral!)
DDBBR? Guitar Rocket Hero? I'm down for that, but what about drum support?
The five new songs will be Eine Kleine Rochtmusik, Cannon in D, Sugar High, Sting of the Bumble Bee and Explode to Joy.
The whole guitar support could really help invigorate this game, I think.
Thanks to Emanuel, an intrepid tipster who went above and beyond the call of duty, we managed to get a full unboxing of the Xbox 360 Arcade before Microsoft has even been able to send out a press release about the thing. Whenever the console officially lands, you can expect to pick up the hard drive free console for $279.99, which includes a 256MB Memory Card, a Wireless controller, an HDMI port minus the cable, and a disc that includes copies of Xbox LIVE Arcade games Boom Boom Rocket, Feeding Frenzy, Luxor 2, Pac-Man Championship Demo, and Uno. Check out the full gallery below.
On Monday, Microsoft officially announced that it was bundling the two higher-end models of the Xbox 360, the $349 Pro and $449 Elite, with two free games--Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and Forza Motorsport 2. However, the company made no mention of the lowest-end model of the $279 Core Xbox 360, which has been dogged by discontinuation rumors for weeks.
Now comes further evidence that the Core's days are indeed numbered. Photos obtained by GameSpot show that retailers are already erecting displays touting the Core's long-rumored replacement, the Xbox 360 Arcade SKU. As previously speculated, the display shows the console will come bundled with a wireless controller, a 256MB memory card, and five arcade games. Microsoft declined to offer comment on the photo of the console.
Two items of information are not revealed by the standee. First is the system's price, which is purported to be the same $279 cost as the Core. Also missing is the list of the arcade games bundled with the system, presumably included to counter the best-selling $249 Wii console/Wii Sports combo. Though various configurations have been discussed, the most commonly mentioned lineup is Boom-Boom Rocket, Uno, Feeding Frenzy, Luxor 2, and Pac-Man.
Xbox 360 Top Live Titles (UU’s)
1 Gears of War
2 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas
3 Command and Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars Demo
4 Guitar Hero II
5 Call Of Duty 3
6 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures
7 GRAW 2
8 Oblivion
9 Crackdown
10 Pro Evolution Soccer 6
Top Arcade Titles (Full Versions)
1 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures
2 Pinball FX
3 Castlevania: SOTN
4 TMNT 1989 Arcade
5 Boom Boom Rocket
6 UNO
7 Worms
8 Eets: Chowdown
9 Gyruss
10 Street Fighter II' Hyper Fighting
Original Xbox Top Live Games
1 Halo 2
2 Battlefield 2: MC
3 Counter-Strike
4 Forza Motorsport
5 Madden NFL 07
6 Call of Duty 3
7 Star Wars: Battlfrnt 2
8 Street Fighter Anniv.
9 MechAssault 2
10 Ghost Recon 2
“Boom Boom Rocket” Brings Rhythm to the Night on Xbox Live Arcade
A new original title rockets onto Xbox Live Arcade from Bizarre Creations (the creators of the critically acclaimed “Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved”) and publisher Electronic Arts. “Boom Boom Rocket” will be available for download on Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 beginning Wednesday, Apr. 11, at 0900 GMT (2:00 a.m. PDT).
The addictive and original “Boom Boom Rocket” is the first music-rhythm game to appear on Xbox Live Arcade. Players trigger rockets to the beat of the music while traveling through a 3D cityscape. The better the player times the explosions, the more spectacular the fireworks effect. The fireworks are choreographed to 10 original tracks created by Ian Livingstone, who recently scored “Batman Returns” and “Project Gotham Racing 2.”
“Boom Boom Rocket” will be available for 800 Microsoft Points and will first launch in the U.S. Canada, and Europe. The title is rated “E” for Everyone (except in Germany, where it currently is unrated). The game also will be available in the near future in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore Australia, and New Zealand.
Game Features
* Two single player gameplay modes – Normal and Speed
* Two single console multiplayer head-to-head modes – Battle and Endurance
* Practice Mode
* Freestyle mode – No target line or scoring, just mash buttons to create cool fireworks shows
* Earn up to 12 Achievements and 200 Gamerscore points
Microsoft just emailed us to let us know that they are officially unveiling the 512MB Memory Unit for the Xbox 360. They also announced that starting today games will no longer be limited to 50MB and the new limit will be 150MB. I would guess that Castlevania will be coming out near the release of this new product. Also included on the Memory Unit will be a free copy of Geometry Wars for those two or three people that have not purchased it quite yet.
Press Release:
Microsoft Announces 512MB Memory Unit for Xbox 360 and Increased Xbox LIVE Arcade Game Size Limit
512MB Memory Unit enhances storage capabilities and choice for Xbox 360 gamers; increased Xbox LIVE Arcade size limit provides additional flexibility for game developers.
SAN FRANCISCO — March 4, 2007 — At the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2007, Microsoft Corp. today announced plans to launch a 512MB Memory Unit for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system and an increase in the official size limit of Xbox LIVE® Arcade games from 50 MB to 150 MB.
The 512MB Memory Unit, available worldwide beginning April 3, 2007, will retail for an estimated retail price of $49.99 (U.S.) in North America.* The 512MB Memory Unit will be pre-loaded with the hit Xbox LIVE Arcade game “Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved” from developer Bizarre Creations Ltd. for a limited time. The original 64MB Memory Unit will simultaneously drop in price from $39.99 to $29.99 (ERP).*
Eight times larger than the 64MB Memory Unit, the 512MB Memory Unit will provide Xbox 360 owners with vastly expanded storage capabilities for gaming on the go, allowing gamers to easily store and transport their gamer profile and save game data, Xbox LIVE Arcade games and Xbox LIVE Marketplace content. The 512MB Memory Unit also gives Xbox 360 owners the ability to download exclusive content from any of the 45,000 Xbox 360 kiosks accessible at retail outlets worldwide.
Beginning today, the Xbox LIVE Arcade game size limit has increased from 50 MB to 150 MB, giving developers greater flexibility in game design and expanding the opportunity to add advanced game features while still keeping games compact.
“The new size limit offers developers increased flexibility and continued opportunities for innovative game development, while also ensuring that the millions of gamers on Xbox LIVE can continue to easily access, download and play all Xbox LIVE Arcade games on Xbox 360,” said Chris Early, product unit manager for Xbox LIVE Arcade and Microsoft Casual Games at Microsoft. “If you take a look at current games like ‘Roboblitz’ and ‘Small Arms,’ it’s clear that our developers deliver amazing game experiences within a compact size limit. Our focus is on continuing to provide developers with an environment that allows for the creation of cost-efficient games and that nurtures an artistic and creative approach to game development.”
“As we prepare to launch our first Xbox LIVE Arcade game, ‘Boom Boom Rocket,’ we’re able to see how dynamic and creative this platform is,” said Chip Lange, vice president of Online Commerce for Electronic Arts Inc. (EA). “Having ‘Wing Commander Arena’ on Xbox LIVE Arcade allows us to take full advantage of the online play and bring to life a 16-player online arcade experience that delivers unparalleled arcade action.”
This week at GDC, Microsoft will showcase forthcoming Xbox LIVE Arcade games from a cross-section of genres to the game development community:
· “Boom Boom Rocket” (EA and Bizarre Creations). This eagerly anticipated title from EA and Bizarre Creations is a hypnotic rhythm music game that will launch on Xbox LIVE Arcade this spring, priced at 800 Microsoft Points.
· “3D Ultra™ Minigolf Adventures” (Sierra Online and Wanako Games). The first outdoor sports game on Xbox LIVE Arcade, “3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures” lets players putt their way through 36 fun-filled holes on wild courses that include settings such as the Classic Carnival and the fantastical Outer Space.
· “Eets: Chowdown” (Klei Entertainment Inc.). A completely revamped version of the popular PC title, “Eets: Chowdown” offers a fun puzzle game experience unlike anything else available on Xbox LIVE Arcade, and features new items and 120 new levels.
· “Jetpac Refuelled” (Rare Ltd.). This is a new take on Rare/Ultimate’s 1983 classic space blaster with enhanced graphics and Xbox LIVE features; players must clear a path through hordes of aliens to refuel their ship and amass a fortune over the course of more than 100 high-definition levels.
· “Pinball FX” (ZEN Studios Ltd.). “Pinball FX” offers an unparalleled pinball experience that will be fun for novices and experts alike, with realistic ball physics and stunning 3-D tables. “Pinball FX” also features real-time, head-to-head competition over Xbox LIVE and Xbox LIVE Vision camera support.
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