Time Pilot (XBLA, 2006)

Time Pilot
Ported by Digital Eclipse
Original Game by Konami
Published by Konami
Released for Xbox Live Arcade (8/2006)
Also on Arcade/Atari 2600/Commodore 64/Colecovision/MSX/PlayStation 2/Windows Mobile

Time Pilot, ported to the Xbox 360 courtesy of Digital Eclipse, was originally released in arcades back in 1982. In the game you fly a jet and are able to rotate in any direction, sort of like Asteroids except the screen scrolls in all directions and you have a sprawling sky you can explore. The game has an awesome premise, where each level features enemies from a different time period as pilot your futuristic time-travelling jet fighter. The first stage will have you in 1910, fighting biplanes and zeppelins. Stage two in 1940 features monoplanes that are a bit tougher than what you've fought prior. You'll then move on to 1970 where you'll face helicopters, 1983 with super jets and for the grand finale you'll face off against flying saucers in 2001! Such an awesome concept for a shooter and it's a shame Konami didn't continue to create entries in this series in later years.

Completion of each stage is accomplished by eliminating a certain number of hostiles, indicated by a bar on your screen. Once you've reached the designated kill count the boss will show up, which varies by each stage. Along the way there will be parachuting pilots you can rescue that will grant hefty point bonuses and will help towards earning an extra ship. The controls are a bit awkward at first with Time Pilot and you'll have to spend some time familiarizing yourself with the way you jet fighter turns. Once you get a feel for the controls the game is a blast to play, and really feels quite a bit ahead of the curve in regards to arcade shooters of the early '80's.

The emulation of the arcade port feels spot-on in graphics, sound and control. Like Digital Eclipses' other Konami arcade ports on XBLA the game offers enhanced graphics and sound options. The graphics and sound don't quite have the charm of the original, but it's definitely cool to see an attempt to update this often overlooked classic. The game also offers support for play over Xbox Live, but you'll need to coordinate a session as the game is quite old and nobody is going to be sitting around waiting in a lobby on this one. Time Pilot is still good fun and well worth checking out if you're interested in the early years of the arcade shooter genre. It would have been nice of Konami had they included Time Pilot '84 (the arcade sequel), or released it separately as its own title as it was good fun too.

Final Verdict: Time Pilot is a solid port of an arcade classic. A simple and fun overhead 2D shooter that often gets lost in the sea of classics from the '80's.

Related Links:
Buy Time Pilot - Xbox Marketplace
Konami - Official Site
Digital Eclipse - Official Site
Time Pilot - Metacritic
Time Pilot - GameFAQs
Time Pilot Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements
Time Pilot - True Achievements

Frogger (XBLA, 2006)

Frogger
Developed by Konami/Digital Eclipse
Published by Konami
Released for Xbox Live Arcade (July 2006)
Also on Arcade/Atari 2600/Atari 5200/Atari 8-Bit/Apple II/BBC Micro/Commodore 64/Tandy CC/Colecovision/Game Gear/Intellivision/Mobile Devices/MSX/Odyssey 2/PC/TI-99/Tomy Tutor/VIC-20/Spectrum ZX
Backwards Compatible with Xbox One

Frogger is a video game classic, originally released in arcades back in October 1981, and has since been ported to a good majority of gaming systems over the years. In case you somehow haven't heard of this title, the object is to guide your frog across the screen while dodging vehicles on the street and then navigating across the river, hopping across the backs of turtles and logs. At the top of the screen are five spots that each need to be filled with a frog. When your frog enters one of the homes at the top, you will respawn at the bottom of the screen and continue until all five homes are occupied or you lose all of your lives. Once all five spots have been filled, you move on to the next stage. The game gets progressively more difficult until you inevitably lose all of your frogs and reach the game over screen. It's an incredibly simple premise that anyone should be able to pick up and play within seconds, yet the game possesses that old-school arcade challenge level that will beat you down but keep you coming back for another try.

The Xbox 360 port of Frogger was handled by Digital Eclipse and the emulation feels true to the arcade original. There isn't a whole lot of bonus stuff here, but you do have the option to switch between the original or enhanced graphics. The enhanced graphics aren't going to blow anybody away but they are a nice alternative to the simple arcade graphics. The game allows for two-players to play simultaneously via split-screen and see who can get the farthest, with options for local play or over Xbox Live. You'll have to coordinate with somebody you know that has the game as I've never been able to find anybody playing this one (which is to be expected on old XBLA titles). The game also has leaderboards so you can see how you stack up against other 360 players around the world or just your friends. While the XBLA version of Frogger is a rather basic port, this classic has aged well over the years and this is a solid version of the game. In addition to being sold on the XBLA store, you can also pick up a physical copy of this thanks to Konami Classics Volume 1, which also features Super Contra and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

Final Verdict: Frogger is an easy title to recommend if you're in the mood for some simple old-school arcade fun!

Purchase Links:
Buy Frogger - Microsoft Store
Search Konami Classics Vol. 1 - eBay

Related Links:
Konami Classics Vol. 1 - Xbox Overview
Konami - Official Site 
Digital Eclipse - Official Site
Frogger - Metacritic
Frogger - GameFAQs
Frogger Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements
Frogger - True Achievements

Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor (Xbox One, 2014)

Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor
Developed by Monolith Productions
Published by Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment
Released for Xbox One (9/2014)
Also on Linux/Mac/PC/PS3/PS4/Xbox 360

Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor was developed by Monolith Productions and released in 2014. I remember buying this on a black Friday sale that same year on the cheap and just recently got around to giving it a go (roughly around four years later!). I'd been told by many people over the years to try this game out and to be honest I'm not sure why it took me so long to give it a look, but I'm definitely glad I did!

Much of the gameplay in Shadow of Mordor will be instantly familiar to fans of the Batman Arkham series and the Assassin's Creed games as well. The combat and stealth feel pretty much just like the Batman games, which is not a bad thing when it's done as good as it is here. Counters are easy to execute and it feels good slaying waves of Oruks, which are the orc-like creatures that inhabit Mordor. Unlike Batman, your character in this game uses his sword, so stabbings and decapitations will occur at a very high frequency. You are also equipped with a bow, complete with Max Payne style bullet-time slow-mo action. Your character is possessed by a spirit, which brought back some memories of Prey and also helps to somewhat explain how your character continuously rises back from the dead after being slain. The game also has a few various beasts roaming about the land, which you'll eventually gain the ability to tame and ride and add some welcome variety to the gameplay. Some areas have beasts in cages that can be released by shooting an arrow at the lock, which will break out and attack nearby enemies.

What really sets Mordor apart from the rest is the nemesis system. There is a hierarchy of Oruks and when one of them kills you, they rank up and get tougher. Things start to get interesting later on when you gain the ability to brand soldiers and take command of your enemies. For example, you can brand a captain and command him to start a fight with another Uruk Warchief. The nemesis system is a great concept, works rather well in execution and was easily my favorite aspect of the game. There are standard story missions which mostly serve the purpose of introducing new abilities. I must be honest, I never really got into the Lord of the Rings books or movies, so I had a bit of a hard time getting invested into the main storyline. There were a few missions that stood out, but for the most part I found the main quest a bit forgettable. In Mordor's case this is fine because the nemesis system and enjoyable combat was more than enough to keep me playing. Graphically the game looks good and runs at a smooth framerate for the most part, and while I found the environments weren't terribly interesting in appearance (one area I feel the Arkham games are superior in) they are very well-designed, detailed and give you several options as to how you'd like to attack your targets. The enemy Oruks look quite menacing and there is a pretty decent variety of them so it doesn't feel like you're slaying the same guys over and over.

Shadow of Mordor is a great game, but its not without a few faults so lets quickly address a few of the games issues. During a battle with a warchief I had one instance where my profile spontaneously signed out and kicked me back to the title screen. This was jarring as it happened in the middle of a big fight but luckily it only occurred once in around 40 hours of gameplay. The main story missions give you an option to restart when you fail, but the side objectives don't, meaning you have to hoof it back to where the mission marker is to retry every time you fail one of them. I don't really understand this decision and implementing a quick restart would have made many of the side missions much more enjoyable. Another gripe is the way your character sticks to walls which can be annoying when you're trying to make an escape but your player insists on hanging and climbing the walls.

Overall, despite having a story I found uninteresting, Shadow of Mordor has such solid gamplay I'd consider it a fantastic experience. If you missed out on this one when it came out like I did, then I'd definitely recommend going back and giving it a look! Unfortunately I only had the original release of the game and it's just not in the budget to get the DLC right now, but I hope to revisit this title in the future if I can get the additional content at a reasonable price.

Final Verdict: Shadow of Mordor is an excellent open-world game with some very satisfying hack 'n slash and stealth action!

Purchase Links:
Buy Shadow of Mordor (Digital) - Microsoft Store
Search Shadow of Mordor (Disc) - eBay

Related Links:
Shadow of Mordor - GameFAQs
Monolith - Official Site
WB Interactive Entertainment - Official Site

Gun-Pile (Xbox One, 2017)

Gun-Pile
Developed by Moheiji
Released for Xbox One (8/2017)
Also on PC

Gun-Pile is a horizontal shoot 'em up that was created using Unity, released for the PC and Xbox One in 2017. This is a caravan shooter, meaning you have two minutes to rack up as big of a score as possible. Gun-Pile has a unique weapon system, with five or so different weapon types that are scattered all across the playfield. You're allowed to stack a certain amount of weaponry on top of your ship, which will mix and match differently depending on the strength of the weapon. For instance, you can have up to six of the standard laser stacked up or you can have three of the hyper laser. It's an interesting system and makes every playthrough a bit different.

Space Cat! (Xbox One, 2017)

Space Cat!
Developed by Gersh Games LLC
Released for Xbox One (5/2017)
Also on PC

Space Cat! is an on-rails shooter that was developed using Unity. The StarFox influence is evident right off the bat, with "animal people" piloting fighter ships. You fly your ship down a linear path and there is very evident pop-in. The graphics in Space Cat! are composed of blocks that are supposed to represent pixels so maybe the pop-up was intentional to give it a retro look. The game definitely would have benefited from a more detailed graphic style, but what's here is okay. The voices sound very unexcited, and everybody is speaking low as if they're trying not to wake their parents in the next room or something. There are some sound effects that sound pretty stock but they serve their purpose.

Space Cat! features five levels with a decent variety of settings including outer space, islands in the sky, molten seas, lowlands and a hidden ship. When you're shot down the game gives you an option to retry, where you can continue at a number of checkpoints found throughout the stages. The movement of the ship feels a bit floaty, making it hard to dodge obstacles. You do have a roll maneuver assigned to the right trigger, which grants you temporary invulnerability and can be spammed while also mashing the fire button. There's also a couple weapon power-ups that enemies will drop, such as one that doubles your laser or rockets. Enemies also drop rings, which are just something to collect for score.

Bushido - Battle of Blades (Xbox One, 2017)

Bushido - Battle of Blades
Developed by Game Gen
Released for Xbox One (10/2017)

Bushido - Battle of Blades is a free game released through the Xbox Creators Program. The only information provided on how to play the game is provided at the title screen, which states "Attack when you see !!" and that's it. So prepare to enter Bushido completely confused as to what's going on. Pressing B button at any time will back out of the game so watch yourself on that one (I've noticed this in a couple Creators Program games now).

Sibroids (Xbox One, 2017)

Sibroids
Developed by Bush Consulting
Released for Xbox One (12/2017)

Sibroids description in the storefront is "arcade-style scrolling shooter-game." That's the entire game description provided by the developer and it really doesn't really tell us much about what the game actually is. At a glance of the screenshot provided, the game looked like it was going to play similar to the arcade classic Asteroids. To my disappointment after playing Sibroids I discovered that this game is actually far inferior to that early '80's classic and also nowhere near as fun to play.

Coconut Farm 3D (Xbox One, 2017)

Coconut Farm 3D
Developed by Gamer Bear
Released for Xbox One (11/2017)
Also on Android/Windows Phone

Coconut Farm 3D is a maze game in the vein of the arcade classic Pac-Man. You play as one of four different animals and your objective is to eat all of the coconuts. There are of course enemies scattered about the levels that will try to impede your progress. At the main menu screen you have the option to select from a cow, rooster, cat or pig. Each plays exactly the same other than the graphical difference and the sound clip used when you eat an enemy.

The graphics look decent for what they are. As the title promises, all of the in-game graphics are rendered in 3D. They went for a cutesy look on all of the characters and does help to add a bit of flavor to the game. There's a decent variety of enemies and the game does a good job of familiarizing you with each as the game progresses. There are zombies, ghosts, werewolves, ogres and dragons. Each has a different behavior trait that will help you anticipate their movement. The dragons in particular are notable since they continuously replenish the coconuts you've been eating, so they will become quite the nuisance. In addition to the coconuts you need to gobble up to compete the level there are some power-ups scattered about. You have the purple pellet, which just like the power pellets in Pac-Man will allow you to take out your enemies for a limited time. They will respawn into the maze shortly after, but it can help clear out an area long enough for you to snag all the coconuts. There's also a freeze power-up that will stop the enemies dead in their tracks temporarily.

Duke Nukem 3D (XBLA, 2008)

Duke Nukem 3D
Developed by 3D Realms
Released for XBLA (9/2008)
Also on Android/Game.Com/Genesis/iOS/Macintosh/Mobile/Nintendo 64/PC/Saturn

Duke Nukem 3D was originally released in January 1996 for the PC and was a pretty big deal in the history of '90's first-person shooters. This was one of the first games in the genre to have a protagonist with a voice, which helped add a layer of personality and attitude we hadn't seen before. Duke would often deliver some memorable one-liners, many of which were lifted from film classics like the Evil Dead and They Live. The environments, the majority of which take place on Earth, were less abstract and more varied than previous efforts in the genre. The game also featured a very unique weapon set to help set itself apart from the competition.

The Xbox 360 port of  Duke Nukem 3D is a solid port of the PC classic, playing pretty much exactly how I remembered it back in the day. There's no graphical enhancements to be mentioned, but everything is intact and the game runs smoothly. The three episodes from the original game are included, as well as the fourth episode that was included with the Atomic Edition add-on. The second episode has Duke traveling into space to fight the alien invasion, but the majority of all the other levels take place on Earth. There are some great level designs here, with a good variety ranging from a fast-food burger joint, strip club, police station, grocery store and many more. It can be easy to get stuck in some of the levels if you're not familiar with them, but if you explore everything thoroughly you can find your way through.

The weapon loadout for Duke Nukem 3D offers a nice diversity of options to dispatch your foes. You have your standard pistol, shotgun, automatic weapon and rocket launcher but you also have some more exotic weaponry like the shrinker, pipe bombs, expander, laser trip mines and the freeze-thrower. The shrinker allows you to shrink your enemy, allowing you to walk up and stomp on them. Pipe bombs can be thrown and detonated from afar. Laser trip mines can be placed on a surface and will explode when something walks through the laser, allowing you to lure enemies into traps. The freeze-thrower will freeze the enemy which can then be shattered. The expander will cause the enemy to increase in size until they explode. There's also a devastator which launches multiple rockets at a fast-rate, making quick work out of enemy crowds. The weapon load-out is still a personal favorite in the FPS genre and the weapons are all a blast to kill the aliens with.

There are a few nice additions in this port, including replays, online co-op/deathmatch and the rewind feature. The leaderboards allow users to share clips of their best times, and it's always interesting to see how unreal some of the quickest speed-runs are for this game. The game allows up to two people to play co-op or up to eight in Dukematch mode. The servers are barren these days, however it does still function as of 2017 so if you have a friend with the game you can still play online. Also new to this version of the game is the rewind function which allows you to go back in time upon your death. It will save up to your last ten minutes of play and you have a slider to choose how far back in time you wish to go. It definitely eliminates a lot of potential frustration and allows you to quickly get back into the action after you die.

Duke Nukem 3D isn't going to blow anybody away graphically, and in all honesty the game wasn't exactly a graphic powerhouse when it came out back in '96 either, but the creativity, charm and personality of the game more than makes up for it. Whether you're somebody who played the game back in the day or just interested in the history of the FPS genre, this is a solid port of Duke Nukem 3D that won't let you down.

Final Verdict: Duke Nukem 3D is a classic first-person shooter that has been faithfully ported to the Xbox 360 with a few extra bells & whistles. If you want a great retro FPS experience look no further!

Related Links
Buy Duke Nukem 3D - Xbox Marketplace
Duke Nukem 3D - Metacritic
Duke Nukem 3D - GameFAQs
Duke Nukem 3D Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements
Duke Nukem 3D - True Achievements
Lazy Game Reviews: Duke Nukem Series Retrospective - YouTube