Unreal Tournament III and The Orange Box finally make their way to PlayStation 3 this week.
It’s a good week for PS3 owners as they’ll finally be able to get their hands on one of this year’s best (and best value) packages in the form of The Orange Box, as well as Epic’s 2007 PS console exclusive shooter Unreal Tournament III.
There’s also a host of Wii titles making their way to stores this week, thanks largely to publisher Destineer, while it’s pretty quiet on the Xbox 360, PSP and DS front.
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.
Best Buy's online store is now listing two bundles that are "coming soon" and include Forza 2 and Marvel Ultimate Alliance. There is an Elite and Premium version. (Thanks, Next-Gen.biz)
Grab your straw hat and plow, we're going to the rumor mill. This time, it's about a new Xbox 360 bundle that will include 2 games!
The games are supposedly Forza 2 and Marvel Ultimate Alliance. These bundles might be available as soon as October 9th. This could be further evidence that Sony is planning on launching a $400 PS3.
No price-drops are expected, but the Core SKU could be getting an HDMI & wireless controller upgrade along with a 5-pack of XBLA games (Boom Rocket, Pac-man, Uno, Feeding Frenzy, and Luxor 2).
So if you didn't get your 360 during the madness of Halo 3, now's your chance.
Vampire hunters, artillery-toting worms, rambunctious aliens and trailblazing settlers are among the “likeable” characters that will soon make their debut in living rooms everywhere via Xbox Live® Arcade for Xbox 360™ as part of the award-winning service’s upcoming round of new game releases. Starting with the first release in February, 10 highly anticipated titles will begin making their way to Xbox Live Arcade, including these (titles are not listed in chronological release order):
· “3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures,” from developer Wanako Games and publisher Sierra Online, allows gamers to putt their way through 36 fun-filled holes of manic minigolf action on wild courses that range from the Old West to outer space and feature a bevy of crazy hazards and obstacles.
· “Alien Hominid HD” from The Behemoth features side-scrolling, hysterical cartoon action with a quirky twist and exclusive Xbox Live Arcade features.
· “Band of Bugs” from NinjaBee is a fast-paced tactical strategy game that offers gameplay deep enough to satisfy tactical genre fans and friendly enough to appeal to casual gamers. Creative gamers can even design their own levels with the built-in level editor, then play them solo or over Xbox Live with friends.*
· “Castlevania: Symphony of the Night” from Konami is a faithful version of this legendary classic updated for Xbox Live Arcade and featuring the game’s full soundtrack and memorable side-scrolling vampire-hunting action.
· “Catan,” from developer Big Huge Games Inc. and publisher Microsoft® Game Studios, is a faithful remake of the immensely popular strategy board game.
· “Eets: Chowdown” from Klei Entertainment Inc. is a completely revamped version of the popular PC title of the same name. It offers new items, 120 new levels and the exclusive debut of Marsho Madness, a high-adrenaline action game in which players must keep the impending evil marshmallows at bay.
· “LUXOR 2,” from developer MumboJumbo LLC, sets a new standard for action puzzlers as players match and shoot their way through the land of ancient Egypt.
· “Paperboy,” from developer Digital Eclipse and publisher Midway, is a classic coin-op hit, specially enhanced for Xbox Live Arcade.
· “Root Beer Tapper,” also from developer Digital Eclipse and publisher Midway, features fast-paced reflex action as players scramble to keep thirsty patrons happy without dropping root beer mugs in the scramble to earn the biggest tips.
· “Worms” from developer Team 17 Software Ltd. features armies of adorable weapon-toting worms locked in tactical combat.
The popularity of Xbox Live Arcade continues to grow as downloads have surpassed 20 million games. These 10 titles are just a sample of the diverse and entertaining games that will be coming to the service in 2007.
Several of these games also mark significant firsts for Xbox Live Arcade, including the first turn-based strategy game to be released on the service (“Worms”), the first Xbox Live Arcade board game release (“Catan”), and the first Xbox Live Arcade outdoor sports game release (“3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures”).
All these games are scheduled to become available during Xbox Live Arcade Wednesdays in the coming weeks, and specific game information will be announced closer to each game’s launch date. Although a game may not be launched every week, every Wednesday is an opportunity to share in the Xbox Live Arcade experience with friends and family.
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There’s also a host of Wii titles making their way to stores this week, thanks largely to publisher Destineer, while it’s pretty quiet on the Xbox 360, PSP and DS front.
The games are supposedly Forza 2 and Marvel Ultimate Alliance. These bundles might be available as soon as October 9th. This could be further evidence that Sony is planning on launching a $400 PS3.
