Sushi Castle (XBLIG, 2012)

Sushi Castle
Developed by Milkstone Studios
Released for XBLIG (7/2012)

Sushi Castle might be a blatant clone of the Binding of Isaac, but it is a very competent clone and can be quite a fun time. One thing I noticed right away is that Sushi Castle has 8-way shooting, as opposed to Isaac's 4-way shooting. This is a welcome improvement as that was always one of my few gripes with the Binding of Isaac. The levels are randomly generated and you have a eight levels to explore in the full version. Not sure if it was just my time in the trial, but I found the scissors (the games keys) were very scarce so I rarely got to see what was behind those locked doors. The enemies in Sushi Castle behave almost exactly as they do in Binding of Isaac, almost as if they'd just been re-skinned. Actually, most of Sushi Castle has this feel to it, as if it were a re-skinned Binding of Isaac. I suppose that's a testament to the skill of the programmers if they were able to emulate the title so faithfully. With the Binding of Isaac never seeing a release for the Xbox 360, Sushi Castle definitely has a place in XBLIG.

Final Verdict: A solid Binding of Isaac clone, Sushi Castle can provide a lot of fun for the dollar asking price.

Related Links:
Sushi Castle - GameFAQs
Milkstone Studios - Official Site

Broken Pearl (XBLIG, 2014)

Broken Pearl
Developed by Mikael Tillander
Released for XBLIG (12/2014)
Also on Ouya/PC

Eight months after dropping the Toaplan inspired shooter Twin Tiger Shark developer Wide Pixel Games released Broken Pearl, another fantastic vertical shmup. The game definitely reminds me a lot of the classic Toaplan shooters with some inspiration from modern bullet-hells for good measure. The game is best experienced on a monitor rotated for portrait view but it still plays just fine, albeit heavily cropped on any typical landscape screen as well.

The enemy explosions in Broken Pearl are very satisfying and the overall graphic design is solid. While some of the backdrops are a bit drab, the enemy attacks are so relentless you'll hardly have time to notice. The controls are spot-on and I always felt accountable for my deaths as the enemy bullets are bright and very easy to spot. The game is a throwback shooter so it's very basic, but it still offers up a serious challenge. In standard Wide Pixel Games tradition the game offers no continues and requires a single credit run in order to see the finish. That means once you lose all three of your ships in stock it's back to the beginning of the game! You have one button to fire and one buttom to bomb; that's it. It's a bit refreshing to have such a simple shmup, but there is a bit more to the gameplay in Broken Pearl. Tougher enemies release power-up capsules which cycle between weapon boost, score multiplier and bomb-stock. There are also helper units that can be freed from a cage and will fly by your side to assist when released. If you can manage to stay alive with your helper units they can be stacked for double the extra firepower which is a really cool feature.

Before starting a stage, you have a ship selection, one with a powerful focus shot and the other with a weaker spread shot. After selecting a ship you're given a selection of missions to choose from. This isn't a stage select, just a sub-objective to be completed as you play. These usually involve killing a certain enemy type but there are some variants. Completing a mission will net you a point, live or bomb bonus upon completion of the stage. The game is one-player only, so you'll have to tackle this one solo. The game is tough and there are no difficulty settings, so to be honest with you I can't even tell how many stages the game has to offer. I can confirm that there are at least three levels, but I will return to this review at some point if I ever manage to get any further. Typically shooters of this variety have five to six stages. The game grants you an extra ship every 147,500 points, but staying alive long enough to rack that score up is no easy feat. The enemies are plenty and the bullets are fast in Broken Pearl, resulting in one of the more challenging shoot 'em ups on XBLIG. On an unrelated note the first boss uses a Godzilla sample when damaged which I thought was cool.

The game had an option to upload your hi-score via QR code. Another menu option keeps tabs on enemies killed in the bestiary. In the options menu you have the option to rotate the screen and controls for portrait style monitors. Broken Pearl is definitely a tough game, but I'd put it up there with the best of best in the genre on XBLIG.

Final Verdict: Broken Pearl offers up some ultra-challenging old school shoot 'em up action. A fantastic vertical shmup that fans of the genre should not miss!

Related Links:
Twin Tiger Shark - Xbox Overview
Birth Order - Xbox Overview
X.S.E.E.D. - Xbox Overview 
Heavy Recoil - Xbox Overview
Broken Pearl - GameFAQs
Wide Pixel Games - Official Site

Twin Tiger Shark (XBLIG, 2014)

Twin Tiger Shark
Developed by Mikael Tillander
Released for XBLIG (2/2014)
Also on Ouya & PC

Twin Tiger Shark is an overhead vertical shmup with an old-school feel. Rather than the bullet-hell mania of most modern shmups, Twin Tiger Shark is a throwback to the '80's arcade titles developed by shooter heavyweight Toaplan. Specifically this game reminds me a lot of Sky Shark & Flying Shark, two of Toaplan's arcade classics. Like the arcade titles that inspired it, Twin Tiger Shark has the most basic of control layouts, with one button to shoot and another to bomb. You're granted three ships and you get no continues, forcing you to pretty much master the game if you'd like to see it all the way through. The difficulty is tough, but if you can stay alive long enough to get your ship powered up the game is very fair. There's an icon you can pick up that will send in a squad of helper ships that will fly and fight alongside you for some extra firepower until they're destroyed. The graphics in Twin Tiger Shark feature some nice, detailed pixel art. Explosions look excellent and the enemy bullets flash bright orange and stand out among all the action. Once your game is over you have the option to upload your hi-score via QR code. The game has the option to rotate the monitor for vertical orientation. Overall Twin Tiger Shark is an excellent homage to an old game company the dev obviously has a lot of love for, resulting in one of the finest shmups available on XBLIG.

Final Verdict: Fans of old-school shooter games definitely need to look at Twin Tiger Shark...it feels almost like Toaplan released a new game in 2014!

Related Links:
Broken Pearl - Xbox Overview
Birth Order - Xbox Overview
Heavy Recoil - Xbox Overview
X.S.E.E.D. - Xbox Overview
Twin Tiger Shark - GameFAQs
Wide Pixel Games - Official Site

Heavy Recoil (XBLIG, 2012)

Heavy Recoil
Developed by Mikael Tillander
Released for XBLIG (12/2012)

Heavy Recoil is a 2D run 'n gun and is a throwback to the days of gaming past. You have a choice between three different characters at the start of the game. After selecting your player you'll begin your quest to shoot everything as you move right, until you reach the first boss where the game will promptly end if you're playing the trial. Note to developers: please allow the potential customer to at least finish the first stage if you'd like us to consider your game! Now I'm worried that maybe the first boss battle sucks, which is why the dev chose to cut the demo off at that point. That having been said, the sprite-art is pretty solid in this title and having had great experiences with this developers other work, I'm considering biting the bullet and giving this one a shot as I did enjoy the short trial. I'll update the review later on down the road if I end up getting it.

Final Verdict: Heavy Recoil is a run 'n gun title with a very short trial. The little bit of the game I saw was pretty fun though.

Related Links:
Twin Tiger Shark - Xbox Overview
Broken Pearl - Xbox Overview
Birth Order - Xbox Overview
X.S.E.E.D. - Xbox Overview
Heavy Recoil - GameFAQs
Wide Pixel Games - Official Site

ZP2KX: Zombies and Pterodactyls 20XX (XBLIG, 2010)

ZP2KX: Zombies & Pterodactyls 20XX
Developed by Ska Studios
Released for XBLIG (12/2010)

ZP2KX: Zombies & Pterodactyls 20XX (that's a mouthful!) is the sequel to the 2D deathmatch shooter ZP2K9. The game improves upon the original in pretty much every aspect, with a nice level-up system that introduces new classes to play as you level up. The graphics see a massive improvement as well and overall look much nicer than the previous game. The controls, gunplay and presentation have all taken quite a step-up as well. The class you start with has a jetpack that makes navigating the map a breeze. Unfortunately the online servers have been closed down, but the game is still playable thanks to the ability to place bots in your matches. ZP2KX: Zombies & Pterodactyls 20XX is a solid effort from Ska Studios and I wish I would have been aware of it back when the servers were running! Unfortunately the ZP2K series would only have these two iterations, meaning it lived and died on XBLIG, however the developer Ska Studios later went on to do some solid work for XBLA that we'll look at in the future on this blog. 

Final Verdict: ZP2KX: Zombies & Pterodactyls 20XX is a warranted sequel in that it improves on everything from its predecessor. The servers are no longer running, but the game is still fun to play with bots (and was only a buck when it was on XBLIG!)

Related Links:
ZP2K9 Review - Xbox Overview
ZP2KX: Zombies and Pterodactyls 20XX - GameFAQs
Ska Studios - Official Site

ZP2K9 (XBLIG, 2009)

ZP2K9
Developed by Jamezila
Released for XBLIG (2/2009)

ZP2K9 is an interesting title that I wish I would have discovered back when it came out while the online aspect of the game was still active. It's a bit like the old Namco arcade the Outfoxies, which would see players duking it out via a 2D platformer perspective on medium sized maps. The game offers deathmatch, team deathmatch, capture the flag and king of the hill for some nice variety. ZP2K9 uses a twin-stick control layout for the moving/shooting while the A button is used to jump. Your character sticks to walls and ceilings and can run along them making the environments easy to traverse. There's a good variety of weapon types lying around the stages and your character is able to carry up to four different guns at one time. The game at one point offered online play, but the feature has been long since deactivated. The game does allow for bots so it is still playable and does offer up some fun, however I'd have to recommend the more polished sequel if you want some solid 2D deathmatch action. This was developed by Jamezila, who would later go on to work with Ska Studios and would develop several excellent games for the XBLIG and XBLA platforms.

Final Verdict: ZP2K9 is a fun 2D deathmatch shooter that unfortunately no longer offers online play. The game was a steal at a dollar and does have an option to play with bots, but its sequel is far superior.

Related Links:
ZP2K9 - GameFAQs
Ska Studios - Official Site

Zombies Ruined My Day (XBLIG, 2011)

Zombies Ruined My Day
Developed by mancebo
Released for XBLIG (8/2011)
Also on PC

Zombies Ruined My Day is a 2D survival game. You face against a wave of zombies and are tasked with defeating each and every last one of them. If they touch you, it's instant death and you are transformed into a zombie. You have the ability to jump and you are able to carry two weapons. This is in the trial, there are likely more weapons to be found in the full game. The game borrows its control layout from overhead twin-stick shooters, where the left stick controls your character while the right stick is used to aim your weapon, with the right trigger being used to fire. Everything controls relatively well (the jump could be better) but the problem I had with Zombies Ruined My Day is that each and every zombie is an absolute bullet sponge, regardless if you shoot them in the head or the foot. The game is definitely a challenging experience due to this, so if you're a big zombie survivalist fan you might get some fun out of this one, but I honestly found it a bit tedious. The artwork is presented in high-res cartoony looking art that, while not something I personally like, I must admit is well done. Zombies Ruined My Day retailed for a dollar on XBLIG and I could see many people getting some enjoyment as its definitely better than your average offering on the service. While you can't get it on your 360 anymore, the game did see a release for PC as well.

Final Verdict: Zombies Ruined My Day is a 2D-shooter/survival game where you must shoot a designated amount of zombies without dying to reach the next wave then rinse and repeat. The game looks nice but the action itself wasn't engaging enough to hold my interest for long, though die-hard fans of zombie/survival games might find something to like here though.

Related Links:
Zombies Ruined My Day - GameFAQs
Zombies Ruined My Day Review - Indie Gamer Chick

Zombie Football Carnage (XBLIG, 2011)

Zombie Football Carnage
Developed by Milkstone Studios
Released for XBLIG (2/2011)
Also on PC

Zombie Football Carnage is a bit of an oddball title, even by XBLIG zombie genre standards. The game plays kind of like a beat 'em up, though rather than fighting with punches and kicks you'll be attacking by throwing your football. The football acts more like a boomerang in that it can only be fired once until it bounces back. It's a strange mechanic but somehow it works. You also have a dash you can use to evade enemies and a charge attack. As you disperse the enemies you'll find a nice variation of power-ups including stuff like dynamite, bombs, and teddy bear decoys. The game is fast-paced and hurls you pretty much right into the action, making it a good pick up and play title in short sessions. The sprites are composed of high-res art and everything looks sharp and clean. The art-style definitely takes inspiration from Castle Crashers. I'm pretty sure this is one of those games that just continues on endlessly until you die, but I can't be certain because I tend to die pretty quick, though I do still find the game enjoyable. There is a shop where you can upgrade your character with the currency you pick up in-game which adds some replay value. The game has it's own built-in achievement system that tracks your progress as you play. Zombie Football Carnage contains that polish that seems consistent with titles released from developer Milkstone Studios. Overall, I'd say this one was worth the dollar asking price as you can easily get hours of action from this title. Of course it's no available since XBLIG was shutdown, but it was also released on PC so it has not been forever lost like so many other XBLIG titles.

Final Verdict: Zombie Football Carnage is a strange wave-based brawler where you attack with your football. Yet another enjoyable XBLIG game that sold for just a buck (or 80 Microsoft points).

Related Links: 
Zombie Football Carnage - Milkstone Studios Official Site
Zombie Football Carnage - GameFAQs

radiangames Crossfire (XBLIG, 2010)

radiangames Crossfire
Developed by Radiangames
Released for XBLIG (7/2010)

radiangames Crossfire is the developers' second release for XBLIG. Crossfire is an refreshing take on the coin-op arcade classic Space Invaders. It plays quite similar, with your ship locked and only able to move side to side while trying to clear out the enemies. The twist with Crossfire is that you are able to warp at any point, which will send your ship upside down on the top of the screen. It's an interesting mechanic and the game is built around it competently. Once you get the hang of it, it's good fun warping out of the bullet barrages you'll encounter while destroying the enemies. The graphic style is simple but works well for this style of game and reminds me of the kind of stuff you'd see on vector monitors back in the day. As you destroy the enemies they will drop ammo for your superweapon. Occasionally you'll find power capsules that boost your firepower or boost your speed. The infamous UFO that flew across the top of the screen in Space Invaders is here too, and when destroyed will drop either a slowdown or super-ammo power up. The enemy designs are unique and varied, some requiring a bit of strategy to defeat. There's around fifty stages to clear and the game never overstays its welcome. Two-player local is available as well. Retro gaming fanatics and Space Invaders fans should check this one out. radiangames Crossfire would later see an update titled Super Crossfire released for PC and Macintosh in 2011. It was also released as Super Crossfighter on iOS devices in 2014.

Final Verdict: radiangames Crossfire is a great update to the classic Space Invaders formula. Simple, original and a blast to play.

Related Links:
radiangames Crossfire - GameFAQs
radiangames - Official Site

Garden Gnome Carnage (XBLIG, 2010)

Garden Gnome Carnage
Developed by Ludosity Interactive
Released for XBLIG (11/2010)
Also on PC, Android & iOS

Garden Gnome Carnage is an arcade-style game with some pretty decent pixel artwork. You don't directly control the gnome in game, rather you control a building on wheels that the gnome is attached to via a rope on the top. I'm not sure exactly how one comes up with this stuff, but you have to give it points for being unique. You slide the building from side to side, guiding the gnome to smash into targets that are attempting to scale your building. If anybody makes it to the top, it's game over. The player is granted with three carpet bomb attacks that will clear out the screen if you're about to lose. You also have the ability to grab bricks as you fly past your building and can chunk them at your enemies causing an explosion. Amidst the mobs of people trying to climb up your building, there is a friendly cat that if you can manage to avoid knocking it off before it reaches the top will grant you a brick refill the first time and will initiate a quick mini-game if you manage it a second time. The mini-game is a simple side scroller which, if completed, will refill the players brick stock. Score multipliers can be gained for knocking multiple objects into each other, for instance knocking a bunch of helicopters into each other will rack up some big points. The game keeps tabs on your local high scores but due to issues with XBLIG the online leaderboards are a bit janky.

Overall, Garden Gnome Carnage was well worth the buck I spent for it and has served up some great quick game sessions over the years. If the other versions of the game have full functioning leaderboards, which I would think they will, I'd probably opt for getting it another platform of your choice, but it is fun to be able to play this right off your 360 as well. A second version of the game would see a release in December 2010, titled GGC X, which is basically the same game with the enemies changed to a Christmas theme rather than the military you're up against in the original.

Final Verdict: Garden Gnome Carnage is a fun, simple arcade style game that's easy to play and tough to master. Definitely worth the dollar asking price.

Related Links:
Garden Gnome Carnage - GameFAQs

Escape Goat (XBLIG, 2011)

Escape Goat
Developed by MagicalTimeBean
Released for XBLIG (11/2011)
Also on Linux/Mac/PC

Escape Goat is a 2D puzzle/platformer where you play as a goat. You must navigate platforms, manipulate switches, utilize fellow animal helper buddies, find keys and eventually work your way through an exit. You have a double-jump and the controls are tight enough that the platforming never becomes frustrating. The pixel-art is very well done, with a very authentic 8-bit feel to it. You have an over-world stage where you can choose which set of levels you'd like to tackle next, each represented by a door. There are nine doors to choose from and each one features five levels. Once you've completed all of those you'll go up against the final nine challenges for a total of 54 stages. This game originally retailed for a dollar on XBLIG, making Escape Goat quite the value for a buck! The game will offer up several hours of enjoyment to those who enjoy a nice puzzle/platform challenge, plus after you finish the main game the developers have included a level editor allowing you to create your own levels (local only). A sequel would come out for PS4, PC Linux and Mac in 2014, but the original must not have sold enough to convince them to publish the sequel for Xbox One. Microsoft should have promoted the original game into the Xbox Live Arcade back in 2011 to get it onto the screens of more gamers and it would have been possible to implement the option to share user made levels! As it is, Escape Goat stands tall among the best releases on the XBLIG platform.

Final Verdict: Escape Goat is a wonderfully crafted 2D puzzle/platformer that gamers should not sleep on!

Related Links:
Escape Goat - GameFAQs 
Escape Goat - MagicalTimeBean Official Site

radiangames Inferno (XBLIG, 2010)

radiangames Inferno
Developed by Radian Games
Released for XBLIG (9/2010)
Also on Ouya

radiangames Inferno is a twin-stick shooter where you are given maze-style levels you are allowed to explore as opposed to the common fixed screens of most other games in the genre. The best way to describe Inferno is a tribute to the arcade classic Gauntlet with twin-stick shooter controls. The maze-like levels will have areas locked off unless you've picked up a key to get through. Many of the levels reward the player for exploration with hidden areas to find. The graphics are a bit abstract, but the controls are so tight and the action so smooth it never bothered me that I was basically shooting at what look like bubbles and very strange looking ships. The threat level of each enemy can be easily assessed just by looking at their color. The explosions and particle effects when blowing your foes up are top notch. Defeated enemies will drop currency that can be used at shops to unlock upgrades for your ship or to buy power-ups. Every other level or so you'll gain an upgrade point that you can apply to the attribute of your choice. radiangames Inferno offers up thirty levels and once you've completed them the game offers a new game + mode where you can keep your unlocks and maximize your ships power. The game also supports up to four-players local. Highly recommended for fans of Gauntlet and/or twin-stick shooters!

Final Verdict: radiangames Inferno is a top-tier twin-stick shooter on XBLIG. It removes the quarter munching aspects of the arcade classic Gauntlet while maintaining the kind of action that made it so great!

Related Links:
radiangames Inferno - GameFAQs
radiangames Inferno - radiangames Official Site

Hurdle Turtle 2 (XBLIG, 2013)

Hurdle Turtle 2
Developed by Holmade Games
Released for XBLIG (10/2013)

Three years after Holmade Games released the original Hurdle Turtle and two level packs comes the sequel, which improves upon the original in many ways. First, they've added some nice digitized voice samples that add some extra personality to the game. The pixel count has been upped significantly and as a result the visuals look more appealing overall. Third and most important is that the gameplay has been refined a bit, now allowing you to switch between four tracks rather than freely moving up and down, making dodging the oncoming obstacles even simpler than before. The game now supports up to four players at a time (local of course). The levels are presented on an over-world map now and the game has added water levels. Hurdle Turtle 2 is an improvement over the original in just about every imaginable, though your enjoyment boils down to whether or not you like the concept of a game that plays like the infamous Turbo Tunnel segments from Battletoads.

Final Verdict: Holmade Games did excellent at keeping what was good about the first game and building on it with Hurdle Turtle 2. Recommended for fans of the original or if you just like dodge 'em up games!

Related Links:
Hurdle Turtle - Xbox Overview
Hurdle Turtle 2 - GameFAQs 
Hurdle Turtle 2 Official Announcement - Holmade Games Blog