The Maw (XBLA, 2009)

The Maw
Developed by Twisted Pixel Games
Released for XBLA (1/2009)
Also on PC
Backward Compatible on Xbox One

The Maw was the first release from developer Twisted Pixel Games. In the game you play as an escaped alien convict named Frank roaming around with his pet, the Maw. Each level has you working with the Maw in order to eat everything up and escape to the next stage. The presentation is solid with bright colors and a nice cartoony look to the graphics. The game is light on story but there are some brief cutscenes scattered here and there as you progress. The Maw is not a very difficult game, making it ideal for younger players or those just wanting to play something a bit more laid-back.

During play you have no direct control over the Maw, but you can activate a leash to keep him near and have it follow close by. If the Maw gets too far away, you can call it back to you with a simple press of the X button. The basic idea of the game is to feed your Maw and once it's eaten enough the exit to the stage will open up where you'll repeat the process on the next. In addition to growing in size from eating, the Maw will also take on traits of certain creatures he eats. These can range from gaining a shock ability, floating or even firing lasers. Each stage offers a different ability for the Maw to obtain and completing the level will require use of whatever special move the Maw has gained.

The Maw is a mix of action and light puzzles with some platforming bits thrown in here and there. The puzzles are all simple and will always involve using whatever ability your Maw just acquired. The action involves getting your Maw to eat the creatures around you. In addition to being able to put the Maw on a leash, you can also use your tether to grab objects. After grabbing something, you can either slam it, throw it or feed it to the Maw. Occasionally you'll be able to hitch a ride by grappling onto an object being carried by a flying creature. The occasional platforming segments are all easy to line up your jumps and the camera is adjustable with the right stick to help, so any frustration commonly associated with 3D platforming is pretty much nonexistent here.

Overall the Maw is an easy game and is definitely a solid title for younger gamers or older gamers who don't mind a fun but simple game. It's also quite short and you'll complete the main story probably within 2-4 hours. There are collectibles in the form of creatures called Snuffles that the Maw will need to eat. There are one of these on each level. In order to obtain 100% on a level you'll need to eat all of the creatures within that stage. So there is at least a small amount of potential replay value in going back to find the Snuffles and eating 100% on each stage. The Maw definitely packs that Twisted Pixel charm you'd see in their later releases and I'd say it's worth a play, especially if you can find it on sale or on Game Pass.

There were also three additional levels released for the Maw in the form of DLC. They are each sold separately and retail for $1.25 a piece. These are called "Deleted Scenes" and will be placed in their appropriate spot in the campaign if you have them unlocked. I haven't purchased these at this point but if I do I'll come back and update this review. These really should have been included in the base game with it being as short as it is, but what can you do...

Final Verdict: The Maw is a short but enjoyable action/puzzle/platforming game where you get to feed your alien pet and watch it grow larger with each level.

Related Links:
Buy The Maw - Xbox Marketplace
Twisted Pixel Games - Xbox Overview
The Maw - GameFAQs
The Maw for PC - Steam
Twisted Pixel Games - Official Site
The Maw Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements
The Maw - True Achievements

Shoot 1UP (XBLIG, 2010)

Shoot 1UP
Developed by Mommy's Best Games
Released for XBLIG (2/2010)
Also on PC/Windows Mobile

Shoot 1UP is a vertical shmup with an interesting mechanic: every time you collect a 1-up, rather than just add it to your livestock the ship appears next to yours and there seems to be no limit on how many you can gather. You can contract and expand your fleet of ships using the triggers, and the farther apart your ships are the more massive the laser beam they generate will be. They'll also be more prone to enemy fire of course, creating a nice risk/reward mechanic. The graphics are all done in high-res art that looks very good for the most part. The boss designs are unique and the levels themselves never really feel like they overstay their welcome. The stages have sections in them where the path branches off and you're given the choice to select between the regular path straight ahead or to veer off to the side for a more difficult route. These are very unique in that your ship will turn and the game will temporarily turn into a horizontal shooter until you eventually change course and revert back to vertical orientation. The game has its own built-in achievements you can unlock as you play. Overall Shoot 1UP is a very admirable effort to do something fresh with the shmup genre and is absolutely worth the dollar asking price.

Final Verdict: A fresh take on the vertical shmup, Shoot 1UP is definitely worth a look for fans of the genre.

Related Links:
XBLIG Shmups - Xbox Overview 
Mommy's Best Games - Xbox Overview
Shoot 1UP - GameFAQs
Shoot 1UP on PC - Steam
Shoot 1UP on Windows Mobile - Microsoft
Mommy's Best Games - Official Site
Shoot 1UP Review - XBLA Fans
Shoot 1UP Review - Indie Gamer Chick

Pester (XBLIG, 2013)

Pester
Developed by Flump Games
Released for XBLIG (1/2013)
Also on Ouya/PC

Pester is a vertical shoot 'em up with a retro-arcade feel. The graphics look like something from the early to mid-80's, the screen is cropped like it was natively a vertical game (though there is not tate option) and there are scanlines emulated to make it seem as though you're playing on a CRT monitor. While the action looks like an older arcade game, you have bullet patterns to dodge inspired by the more modern bullet-hell shooters. Your ship has the ability to toggle your movement speed holding the left trigger when precision dodging is needed. Coins are dropped by defeated enemies that when collected will help build up your hyper shot meter, which will give your firepower a temporary boost when activated.

The graphics in Pester are a mixed bag, with the ships looking like something out of Galaga while the backdrops look like something that would have come out a decade later. There seems to be a lack of sound effects, for example the coins don't even make a sound when picked up. The enemy explosions fail to impress both in graphics and sound. While Pester definitely isn't the prettiest shmup available on XBLIG, when it comes down to the gameplay there is still a fun and challenging shooter here. There are quite a few modes to unlock, the game keeps tabs on your high scores and there are some settings to customize as you play. You can select the background, music, overlay and ship design. This all helps add a nice amount of replay value. In arcade mode you can play classic mode or boss survival. There are also survival, asteroid belt and boss modes that can be unlocked for achieving certain scores on particular modes. There's also another mode called Tempus which is a timed mode. There's a number next to your ship that is constantly ticking away. Instead of lives, dying will take ten seconds off the clock. Enemies now drop clocks instead of coins, and each clock you pick up adds an additional second to your clock. It's a fun and unique mode and rounds out what was already a nice package.

Pester is definitely a good effort as far as shooters on XBLIG are concerned. The full version features an appearance from one of the ships from Chronoblast which is neat. There's thousands of worse ways you could spend a buck! The game was also ported over to PC and the Ouya. It's currently on Steam for $0.99 just like when it was up on XBLIG!

Final Verdict: Pester is an enjoyable and challenging vertical shooter. While not the best on the service, it retailed for only a buck on XBLIG and is worth a look for genre fans.

Related Links:
Pester - GameFAQs
Pester on PC - Steam

Streets of Fury (XBLIG, 2009)

Streets of Fury
Developed by Cyrille Lagarigue
Released for XBLIG (8/2009)
Also on PC

Streets of Fury is a beat 'em up title featuring digitized graphics. The game plays like a 2D beat 'em up with three different planes you can move between, much like the Sega Saturn classic Guardian Heroes (also available on XBLA). The controls are surprisingly responsive for a game using digitized actors. You have a punch, kick, special attack and jump mapped to the face buttons. Left trigger is used for blocking and the right trigger is used to switch planes. You have a "fury" meter that fills as you attack your enemies and once filled holding the triggers together and pressing an attack will unleash your fury move. The gameplay is actually pretty deep for a game of this nature, allowing for moves to be linked together to build massive combos.

Streets of Fury offers support for up to four players local. The digitized graphics are pretty detailed and the backdrops look sharp, but I know there are a lot of folks out there that don't like digitized graphics so it won't appeal to everybody, plus the game uses lots of palette swaps which is something of a staple of digitized fighters. There are two main scenarios to play through, in addition to survival and versus modes for extra replayability, plus there are a few hidden characters you can unlock for progressing through the game. Overall, Streets of Fury is easily the best beat 'em up title that would come out on XBLIG. The game would see an enhanced port, titled Streets of Fury EX, released for PC in 2015 and is considered to be the definitive version of this game.

Final Verdict: Streets of Fury is an excellent 2D brawler and shows a level of polish that you rarely see on XBLIG. Definitely recommended for beat 'em up fanatics.

Related Links:
Beat 'Em Ups - Xbox Overview 
Streets of Fury - GameFAQs
Streets of Fury EX on PC - Steam
Streets of Fury - Official Site

Rushing Punch<ラッシングパンチ> (XBLIG, 2011)

Rushing Punch<ラッシングパンチ>
Developed by Divider Games
Released for XBLIG (5/2011)

Rushing Punch is what you would call a kusoge game, meaning it's a bad game but holds some value in that it's so awful it's laughable. The graphics are odd in this one, looking like something that might have released as a budget title on the PS1. The characters are made up of strange textures and the environment just kind of ends at an invisible barrier as if the developer forgot to finish the map. The character animation is severely lacking, containing just a few frames for his walking animation. Same for the punch, which is animated so carelessly you can barely even tell when you're doing it. The kick is obviously way more effective than the punch therefore having two attacks is pointless. You also have a special move that drains your health where your character does a spin kick hitting anybody around you. Once you've defeated enough enemies, a group of skeletons come after you (which the game calls "Skeltons").

The trial for Rushing Punch only lets you play the first stage and once you finish it there's a splash screen informing you that there are six levels in total for you to conquer in the full version. I never bought the game, as even for $1 I feel I got about the most I'm going to get out of this game from the trial. The game is definitely a contender for worst beat 'em up ever! I almost forgot to mention your character's name is Haggar, not to be confused with the wrestling mayor who beat down the Mad Gear in Final Fight!

Final Verdict: Rushing Punch is an abysmal beat 'em up, probably one of the worst ever made. If you like "kusoge" or bad games it's worth a play or two but everybody else steer clear!

Related Links:
Beat 'Em Ups - Xbox Overview
Rushing Punch - GameFAQs

Miner Dig Deep (XBLIG, 2009)

Miner Dig Deep
Developed by Robir
Released for XBLIG (2/2009)

Miner Dig Deep is a 2D game with some very basic artwork but quite a bit of content for your buck. You start off topside where you can visit a shop to buy new equipment or use your tent to save your game. Once you step down into the mines, your lantern will light the area around you, highlighting significant resources as you pass by them. With the X button you use your pickaxe and dig your way in any direction. There are also blueprints hidden about and when a set of these are collected you'll unlock additional items. Miner Dig Deep was an awesome title for XBLIG back in 2009, but with the release of similar games like Terraria and Minecraft coming out for the 360 later on the game has largely been forgotten. Miner Dig Deep is oozing with indie charm though and provided quite a bit of entertainment for a buck!

Final Verdict: Miner Dig Deep is an exploration game where you mine around in 2D, collecting resources to buy better equipment and find more stuff. While it was later one-upped by Minecraft and Terraria, before those games it was a unique experience on XBLIG.

Related Links:
Miner Dig Deep - GameFAQs
Miner Dig Deep Review - Indie Gamer Chick

Biology Battle (XBLIG, 2008)

Biology Battle
Developed by Novaleaf Game Studios
Released for XBLIG (11/2008)
Also on PC

Biology Battle was released toward the beginning of XBLIG's existence, but if you judge the game by its quality you would never know this! Biology Battle is another twin-stick shooter, but remember at this point the XBLIG service hadn't been flooded with these types of games yet. The title of the game is an obvious nod to Geometry Wars, though in many ways you could say Biology Battle comes out on top in terms of visuals. The game also differs from Geometry Wars in that it has several multiplayer modes on offer.

In Biology Battle you play as a nanobot that has been sent into an infected host and you must take care of the diseased cells. The game plays off the theme well and each stage has a good excuse to be walled-off, as you are battling within a cell. You can use the left trigger to speed up which can be very useful for evasion. The right trigger activates your lightning which will decimate most enemies but you have a limited stock. You also have a "blast" function that will push enemies back and give you some breathing room. The single-player portion of Biology Battle is a good time, but the most unique feature about the game is its host of multiplayer modes. There are quite a few different variations of competitive and cooperative modes, but I haven't been able to try them out yet as I've only played the trial. The game retailed for $4.99 which is the only thing that kept it from being an instant-buy for me, but if you're into twin-stick shooters Biology Battle is definitely worth a look.

Biology Battle was originally released as an XBLIG exclusive in 2008 but in 2015 it appeared on PC via Steam. From what I can tell, it looks like the game was since pulled after the original developer noticed someone else releasing his work without permission.

Final Verdict: Biology Battle is a solid twin-stick shooter where you play as a nanobot destroying diseased cells. The price tag was high for an indie title, but it was definitely of a higher quality than your average indie.

Related Links:
Biology Battle - GameFAQs

Valkyrius (XBLIG, 2013)

Valkyrius
Developed by Firestorm X
Released for XBLIG (9/2013)
Also on PC

Valkyrius is a vertical 2D shmup with a lot of polish. The graphics are composed of high-res sprites that all look good with lots of detail. Valkyrius has a cool feature where your ship can teleport in any direction to escape from danger in a hurry. You'll only teleport a short ways from where you were but it can save you from death easily. I was only able to reach the second stage before the trial was over, but I was very impressed with what I saw. The ship you pilot has two modes of fire each assigned to the triggers. Certain enemies will drop weapons and you get a nice variation of stuff like missiles, spread shots and machine guns. The ammo is limited on each weapon pickup, but thanks to your two modes of fire you can simultaneously hold and fire two weapons. You can spend your earned points on each run to customize your ship. The full game features six stages, high score tables, unlockable medals (similar to achievements) and artwork, five difficulties and two player co-op local. A high-quality title like Valkyrius comes at a price, however, and the game retails for $4.99, which is the highest price point allowed on XBLIG. That said, I do feel like the quality of the game from what I played in the trial easily justifies the price. A definitive version of the game, called Valkyrius Prime, would later be released to Steam and would be the definitive version of the game.

Final Verdict: Valkyrius is an excellent vertical shmup and is up there with the best of 'em on XBLIG.

Related Links:
Valkyrius - GameFAQs
Valkyrius Prime for PC - Steam

Washington's Wig (XBLIG, 2012)

Washington's Wig
Developed by Team2Bit
Released for XBLIG (6/2012)
Also on iOS

Washington's Wig is a 2D runner game with pixel graphics where you play as a dog who is trying to retrieve George Washington's wig. As the dog you're trying to gain enough speed so you can hop on the boat with him, but unfortunately you're on ice plus there are holes and dogs obstructing your path. The screen auto-scrolls right and you must time your jump button presses appropriately. More obstacles are introduced the farther along you get. Your dog is equipped with a double jump and you also have a slide if you need to slow everything down. Occasionally an eagle will fly overhead who will carry you a little way through the stage. At the main menu you can select from arcade game, endless run, time trial and two-player versus race. These modes are pretty self-explanatory and if you enjoy the gameplay they will add some replay value. Washington's Wig retailed on XBLIG for a mere 80 MSP ($1) and was a solid investment if you're into these runner games.

Final Verdict: Fans of simple runner titles will like Washington's Wig. The game has a goofiness about it that's hard not to enjoy.

Related Links:
Washington's Wig - GameFAQs
Team2Bit - Official Site

Zombie Smashers X4 Guitarpocalypse (XBLIG, 2008)

Zombie Smashers X4 Guitarpocalypse
Developed by Jamezila
Released for XBLIG (11/2008)

Zombie Smashers X4 Guitarpocalypse was listed in the XBLIG marketplace as ZSX4 Guitarpocalypse, a title that doesn't exactly grab one's attention. The XBLIG storefront opened up in November 2008, so this title was among the earliest releases on the platform. The game plays like a poor man's Smash Bros, where up to four players battle it out in 2D on a single-screen arena with multiple platforms. When you are knocked over the edge you lose one of your lives and the last player standing at the end is the winner. There are zombies thrown in the mix, hence the game's title, and every character uses a guitar for a weapon. You have a punch, kick, guitar smash and jump. There's a meter that when filled will allow you to unleash a special move. Every so often a giant digitized cat shows up and shoots lasers out of it eyes at everybody but trust me, it sounds much cooler than it actually is. The graphics are very basic but not terrible, though nowhere near as good as Jamezila's later offerings. Everybody's got to start somewhere. Zombie Smashers X4 Guitarpocalypse shows a lot of promise and this developer would later move on to release some solid titles for XBLA.

Final Verdict: A poor man's Smash Bros, Zombie Smashers X4 Guitarpocalypse is a decent version of that game, but it's very bare bones and lacking in overall replay value.

Related Links:
Ska Studios - Xbox Overview
Zombie Smashers X4 Guitarpocalypse - GameFAQs
Ska Studios - Official Site

Ninja Chop!! (XBLIG, 2010)

Ninja Chop!!
Developed by zerozerozero
Released for XBLIG (3/2010)

Ninja Chop!! is probably one of those releases for XBLIG that Microsoft would rather everybody forget about. The indie marketplace had its share of perverse, exploitative titles and Ninja Chop!! is one such title. You play as a female ninja who uses her karate chop to cut milk bottles in half. You have a meter with a tick mark you want to stop on as it passes over. The closer to the marker you stop, the more bottles will get chopped. If you stop right on the marker, you'll get a special animation for a perfect chop. Every couple of rounds you get a bonus wave where you attempt to chop a giant milk bottle. As your ninja lady chops these bottles she'll get drenched in milk (or blood if you change the bottles to skulls in the options). It's a very odd game and has a way of making one feel dirty just for even looking at it. As you smash bottles you'll level up your character and unlock new clothing you can dress up in. Every couple of waves the background changes up, and that's really about all there is to Ninja Chop!! While it is maybe worth a chuckle or two, I couldn't see anybody but the most depraved getting much replay out of this title. I suppose that's a bit of a moot point anyway as the title was pulled from XBLIG, likely for its lewd conduct.

Final Verdict: Ninja Chop!! is probably about as perverse a title as you could get on XBLIG, which may also be why it was de-listed from the marketplace.

Related Links:
Ninja Chop!! - GameFAQs
Ninja Chop!! SaD Games - YouTube

Rad Raygun (XBLIG, 2013)

Rad Raygun
Developed by TRU FUN Entertainment
Released for XBLIG (2/2013)

Rad Raygun has an interesting look to it, representing something you would have seen on Nintendo's Game Boy way back in the day, meaning it's color palette consists of blacks & greens. Right off the bat you'll notice that Rad Raygun is a Mega Man-inspired 2D-shooter/platformer. You have a double-jump, a slide and it looks like your character fires from his hand, just like Capcom's famous protagonist. The controls are responsive, though the jumping could have been slowed down a tad, and the level design is about what you'd expect from a game aping the double M. The graphics are quite detailed and there's an option to adjust the colors a bit but everything was obviously optimized for the default color layout.

I enjoyed the stage I was allowed to play in the trial, and the splash screen after completing the game boasts that there are five levels. The game retailed for a buck and from the trial I can tell some serious effort was put into Rad Raygun. While the game was originally only released on XBLIG, there was later a sequel Super Rad Raygun released for PC.

Final Verdict: Mega Man fanatics should give Rad Raygun a look, as well as fans of retro 2D shooter/platformers.

Related Links:
Rad Raygun - GameFAQs
Super Rad Raygun - Official Site
Rad Raygun Review by HVGN - YouTube
Rad Raygun Review by CGR Undertow - YouTube

Little Racers STREET (XBLIG, 2012)

Little Racers STREET
Developed by Milkstone Studios
Released for XBLIG (1/2012)
Also on Linux/Mac/PC

Three years after releasing the original Little Racers on XBLIG, Milkstone Studios dropped Little Racers STREET. This time around the graphical style has changed drastically, with 3D rendered cars racing around detailed tracks. One thing I miss from the original is the ability to see the whole track, but Little Racers STREET has larger tracks and a more zoomed in camera, limiting the distance you can see in front of your car. The car controls definitely feel a bit more loose than the first title, and as a result I had a tougher time getting around corners without hitting walls and losing speed. The game plays from a fixed isometric perspective and while it looks nice the limited visibility makes it tough to anticipate upcoming turns. You do have a map displayed on the bottom left corner and if you can monitor this while driving it should help on the turns. I personally prefer the original over the sequel, though this is definitely subjective as the sequel has a lot going for it over its predecessor. The game offers either quick race or career modes, and at one point offered online play which I'm guessing is either shut down or a ghost town. Milkstone Studios have definitely shown they can put out a polished product on XBLIG and Little Racers STREET is no exception.

Final Verdict: Little Racers STREET is a fun arcade style racer that is worth a look for racing fanatics that want something a little different than the multitudes of 3rd & 1st person racers.

Related Links:
Milkstone Studios - Xbox Overview
Little Racers STREET - GameFAQs
Milkstone Studios - Official Site
Little Racers STREET on PC - Steam