-= Gametoast.com =-

I'm curious what everyone's favorites are. I don't have Steam installed (by the way, anyone want a free Lead and Gold code for Steam? First PM gets it) because I still harbor irrational fears from Steam's very early days and all the issues it had. That and I'm not a PC gamer. I do, however, enjoy me some Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) and have picked up some titles, so I thought I'd quickly review them and provide a Wikipedia article to em' (since I work on these articles). Click the yellow text to visit the Wikipedia article.

If you'd like to add reviews, please try and keep the same format. You can just quote my post, change the link and the title, and go from there. Please list the platforms and price somewhere too (my prices are MSP/USD). Oh, and for PSN, don't just list a PS1 game if it's released, stick to new PSN games, or full-out ports to PSN. Thanks!

'Splosion Man (XBLA)

Fun, fun FUN! 'Splosion Man is crazy side-scrolling fun with great cartoony graphics. 50 levels, plus another 50 coop-exclusive levels for up to four players. With it being 800MSP and the sale going on (spend 2400MSP, get 800MSP free next month) you had better not pass this one up or you're off the Christmas card list! The only downer here is that there isn't any DLC.

SCORE: 9/10

Bionic Commando Rearmed (PC, PSN, XBLA)

Most of you are probably too young to remember the original Bionic Commando, but here's the very definition of what enhanced remake is. It puts a new coat of paint on it, then enhances existing gameplay. In-game moves and controls are upgraded in little ways that make it amazing. It also features two player coop (local machine only ), challenge maps and four player local deathmatch. If you're a Super Smash Bros fan, think of a similar map size, but with Bionic Commando gameplay. 1200MSP (15.00 on PSN, 10.00 on PC) is well beyond a fair price for this game.

SCORE: 9/10

Castle Crashers (PSN, XBLA)

What can I not say about this one? Awesome 2D retro goodness with a kooky art style. Tons of fun with four players, online or off, lots to unlock, RPG elements, and cheap, cheap DLC. Makes me want to play this one again - it's been just sitting on my drive for six months while other games take my time. At 1200MSP for the game and two DLC packs at 160MSP each, it's a bargain. The recently released PSN version is (I think) 15.00, and comes with all DLC

SCORE: 9/10

Crazy Taxi (PSN, XBLA)

It's not out yet for either system, but will be sometime this fall. If you don't know what this game is, stop playing Modern Warfare 2 for a few minutes and go find this little gem. It's going to be perfect for when you only have 20 minutes to kill and want some fun.

SCORE: 7/10

Hydro Thunder Hurricane (XBLA)

It absolutely blows my mind that more people don't play and absolutely love this game. The water physics are amazing, it's got tons of content, and you can play four player split-screen AND Xbox Live at the same time! For 1200MSP you can't beat the deal, and DLC is coming later this month with three new tracks, new skins, and new boats. If you download the demo you can play and unlock all the first tracks modes and some boats by playing it over and over (points unlock stuff). Don't do one race and be done, race the demo a few times before making a judgment call. In fact, get a few XBLA friends and play multiplayer in the demo. Then you'll be sold.

SCORE: 9.75/10

Hydrophobia (XBLA, with later PC and PSN releases)

Picked this up because of the big sale mentioned above. It's pretty fun. The water physics really make the game, it looks great, and the Scottish actors provide some fun dialogue. But from what I hear, it's short. Really short. Like 3 hours if you don't stop to do other stuff and get side-achievements. Still, I'm really liking it so far. Supposedly it's a part of a series, so I'll be watching the future with mild interest.

SCORE: 7.6/10

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light (PSN, XBLA)

A totally different take on Tomb Raider - think Marvel: Ultimate Alliance with Lara Croft, guns, and a few different types of puzzles to solve. It's got two player local coop (with online coming soon) too. I'm still not sold on its 1200MSP price (15.00 on PSN), but if this baby ever goes on sale I'll pick it up right away. Three sets of DLC are supposedly coming out for this, so keep your eyes peeled.

SCORE: 8/10

Marble Blast Ultra (XBLA)

I'm on the fence with this one. At 400MSP (plus 3 DLC packs totaling 400MSP) it's really cheap, but the fact is I HATE games where you can fall to your death... with a passion (Bespin Platforms and Ord Ibanna being exeptions). The overall gameplay is fun, however, and it's got multiplayer. It's got like 50+ levels to test your skill on, and it seems enjoyable enough - I just wish the demo were longer to get a better idea.

SCORE: 6.5/10 (demo version)

Monday Night Combat (XBLA)

It's Team Fortress 2 meets Defense of the Ancients meets an USA game show. There's little not to like about this one, and in my opinion,its more fun than TF2 itself. My only complaint is the lack of game modes, which is supposed to be expanded on in the future DLC going through MS's certification process now. (1500MSP) If you love TF2, this one is a no brainer. For newbs like me it can be less fun, since you have a lot more "pro" gamers that play this.

SCORE: 7.9/10

OutRun Online Arcade (PSN, XBLA)

The title pretty much says it. It's OutRun, online. Actually, it's an online version of OutRun 2006: Coast to Coast, but without the extra OutRun 2 levels, and with several cars missing. This one is a bummer. It's got buggy online multiplayer - or so the reviews say, it may have been fixed with a title update. That coupled with the fact that it was released just before the XBLA file size went from 350MB to 2GB means that all the stuff that could have been wasn't. No DLC, either. (800MSP or 10.00 on PSN)

SCORE: 6/10

Shadow Complex (XBLA)

Everyone swears by this game, but I don't see the fuss. Don't get me wrong, it's a great game. Great graphics, great voice acting, a Metroid-esque layout, but I'm just not sold on the 1200MSP price. If there wasn't a promotion going on now to earn 800 points by spending 2400 I would have passed this (and Hydrophobia) up.

SCORE: 7.9/10

Sonic Adventure (PSN, XBLA)

I sortof got away from Sonic games after the Sega Genesis days, so I can't really make a clear call on this one. I played the demo, and I was just sorta... well, confused. Was I just supposed to get all the rings? Was I supposed to get somewhere as fast as I can? Having never played the newer Sonic games, I didn't know what to do. Anyone? It's a direct port, no upgrades other than integration with PSN/XBLA, but it was a Dreamcast title, so graphically it fits well onto the "arcade" platforms. (800MSP/10.00) You can also get all the DX upgrades (see "Ports" in the Wikipedia article for more info) for 400MSP/5.00.

UPDATE Dec 31, 2010: I got this code by trading another XBLA code I had an extra of, so I didn't have to pay for the game. I figured I'd give it another go. It took until I was about 1/4 of the way through the entire game before I felt comfortable with knowing what to do next, how to control the characters, etc -- but I actually ended up getting hooked on this game. Sure, it could have used more than just a straight port, but it's been a really fun ride (about 95% complete now). If the devs had fixed some of the hyperactive cutscene animations and text/mouth/voiceover timing plus killed off the dead time in cutscenes I would have given it a better score. It could have had a lot better score if they'd done more to instruct the player as to what to do in the beginning. The first two hours of the game are confusing as you learn where to go and how the game flows.

SCORE: 7.1/10

Trials HD (XBLA)

Oh Trials HD, how I love you. You give me awesome challenges, and in-game level editor, amazing DLC, leaderboards, and the ability to share user-made courses, all for 1200MSP. And the fact that your community has actually topped what your original developers did in terms of quality tracks (search YouTube), using the physics and lighting to do amazing things means we'll never part!

SCORE: 9.5/10

Vigilante 8 Arcade (XBLA)

Hi, Vigilante 8? Yeah, it's me. Listen, we need to break things off. You were amazing on the PS1 and Dreamcast, but you're just fat and sluggish on XBLA. Your controls are horrid, your content is minimal. I'll be warning my friends to stay away, unless they just absolutely love V8. I'll probably call on you from time to time to hang out, but our relationship is pretty much over.

You get the picture.

SCORE: 4/10

Speaking of Sonic Adventure, Sonic 4 is coming out for pretty much all downloadable programs. XBL, PSN, WiiWare, even the iPhone. Sega's shying away from 3D Sonic (Sonic and the Black Knight? Sonic in Werewolf Town? Oh wait, that's Sonic Unleashed, nvm. But seriously, they weren't great and really they were getting quite redundant) and taking it back to the basics of a 2D side scroller with 3D graphics. I suggest searching YouTube for some gameplay trailers, it looks pretty sick. Also nostalgic. I will be getting it, but I have a feeling it's going to be a money-hog, since they're releaseing it in separate segments, each one costing money. It's like $10 per, though, so it shouldn't be too bad.

LittleBigPlanet! 1 & 2... 2 isn't out yet though. Edit: Oh! I was supposed to review it... not you... I'll review it tomorrow... I guess

I was thinking more of things that you can't buy on a disc as well. Sorry if that wasn't really specific enough.

EDIT
Updated first post with a score for Sonic Adventure on XBLA. The game is awful, just so you know.

It was good for its time. I agree with you now though, it's horrible in comparison to everything else.

Sonic's story was okay, got boring/too hard at some points.
Tails' was pretty much the same as Sonic's but worse.
Knuckles' was cool at first, then it got way too repetitive trying to find the emeralds.
Amy's consisted of racing and running away from a giant robot. Next please.
I don't even have to say how bad Big's was.
Gamma's is probably the only reason why I would play this again. The other robots were great boss battles, and I still think Beta MKII is one of the best bosses from the time period.
The final battle was glitchy and not that fun.

Chaos was a great idea however, it was kind of cool to see it get more and more powerful over the course of the game. Also, the Tornado/Dogfight level is probably how I learned to fly in video games, as I always played it over and over again to try and get S Rank.

It did bring wonderful quotes to the world though:

I really wanted to like it, but the bugs were what threw me over the edge. I must have done the same section probably 25 times before he didn't fall through the ground. I probably could have dealt with the weird, impossible to follow gameplay if the bugs weren't there.

Hmmm. Teancum, do what you want with this post. I hope I helped.
PSN

Tetris

You really are a fool if you don't know about this one. Tetris is the second-most popular game of all time (pokemon beat it because it came with a game system) and is able to boost your thinking skills. It is addicting, awesome, and I creamed many people doing the online version (I was very sick, and very bored, and played for 3 hours including a lunch break).
my rating: 10/10

VectorTD

This is a great tower defence game. You defend an exit using a series of lasers, projectiles, and splash damage things. It is visually appealing and a great PSP download!
my rating: 9/10

WiiWare:

Super Mario Bros 3

Rated best game ever. Nuff said.

Super Star Wars Return of the Jedi

Ummm...ok. This game is just um...stu..st...stu...STUPID! That's right. That is the word. Now it doesn't mean it isn't fun. It is just well...Imagine the force unleashed except arcade style. Yeah...maybe throw in some good ol' platformer too.
my rating: Don't ask.

MrCrayon wrote:Super Star Wars Return of the Jedi

Ummm...ok. This game is just um...stu..st...stu...STUPID! That's right. That is the word. Now it doesn't mean it isn't fun. It is just well...Imagine the force unleashed except arcade style. Yeah...maybe throw in some good ol' platformer too.
my rating: Don't ask.

If your expectations were for something that was on the level of modern games, then you probably were expecting too much.

Ping wrote:

MrCrayon wrote:Super Star Wars Return of the Jedi

Ummm...ok. This game is just um...stu..st...stu...STUPID! That's right. That is the word. Now it doesn't mean it isn't fun. It is just well...Imagine the force unleashed except arcade style. Yeah...maybe throw in some good ol' platformer too.
my rating: Don't ask.

If your expectations were for something that was on the level of modern games, then you probably were expecting too much.

Actually, back when all I had as a kid was a SNES, all I knew were super mario world and super star wars and zombies ate my neighbors. All my friends had game cubes and x-boxes, so I am fairly un-influenced by its age. All I am saying is well...it was weird but awesome.

Don't waste your money on Crazy Taxi. It hasn't stood the test of time. Playing it back then was fun. Now it feels like it's got awful controls and even worse graphics. I realize it's a port, but some higher res textures couldn'tve hurt.

**EDIT**

Played it more overnight. It's definitely worth the 10 bucks. I would have paid 15 for some graphic updates and bug fixes, though.

EDIT
Bump, but with a new mini-review

Battlefield 1943 (XBLA, PSN)

I was really disappointed here. While the gameplay is solid, there's one mode.... ONE. It's just your typical conquest gametype. Classes? Three. Vehicles? Sure - typically a tank, a jeep, and a difficult-to-control plane. Oh, and you can take a landing boat from your aircraft carrier when you're stuck on it and everyone took the planes, but typically you get killed by a plane before you hit the shore.

Be wary - this game is for a very specific kind of gamer. It doesn't appeal to everyone. To be fair, though, the people that this game appeals to will LOVE it.

SCORE: 6.5/10

Toy Soldiers, for XBoxLiveArcade

Very fun 3D play on a tower defense game where you play as either the Brits or Germans during WWI (Not II). There is a single player campaign mode as well as splitscreen/XBoxLive play. You build turrets ranging from machine guns to mortars to flamethrowers, which can be upgraded. In splitscreen, you automatically send waves of infantry, in addition to an assortment of heavier units which cost you money to send, and try to punch past the opponent's turrets to their toybox. Campaign is much more TD-like, as you cannot send any troops and must survive a set number of waves to win.

I'd give it a 4.5 out of 5 just for the plain fun value. It's awesome.

I've been meaning to try Toy Soldiers out. I got a free code for it and the Kaiser's Battle DLC, but haven't done much more than playing the demo back in the day. Too many other games ahead of it. It's good though eh?

Teancum wrote:I've been meaning to try Toy Soldiers out. I got a free code for it and the Kaiser's Battle DLC, but haven't done much more than playing the demo back in the day. Too many other games ahead of it. It's good though eh?

I find the splitscreen endlessly fun.

Ok... I'm surprised that no one has said this before but-
I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MBIES 1N IT!!!1 (that's seriously how it's spelled)
This fun little game for the XBLA (listed under the Indie games section) is a top down shooter with.. you guessed it... ZOMBIES! But that isn't all. Later in the game you encounter snake-like things, amoeba things, and some very angry blocks. What makes this game fun is the multi-player. Up to 3 people can join you (that makes 4 total players) in the game. Another fun element is the controls. You move with the left analog stick and aim/shoot with the right stick. As odd as it sounds, it works really well. The music also corresponds to what is happening in the game, and let me warn you, there are MANY bright and colorful flashes.
Not sure what else this game could use other than online multi-player, so 10/10

Warning- If you have parental controls set up, you will not be able to play this game, (unless you have the passcode) all indie games on the XBLA are automatically rated the worst a game can get (though very few if any really deserve it, MS doesn't have time to review indie games to decide a parental control rating, all other rating is done by the XNA community)