Little Racers (XBLIG, 2009)

Little Racers
Developed by Milkstone Studios
Released for XBLIG (3/2009)

Little Racers is a top-down arcade-style racing game, very reminiscent of the old Atari arcade-classic Super Sprint. The cars are small as the view is zoomed out far enough that you can view the entire track, but there are no issues keeping tabs on which car you are in control of. The controls handle nice and once you get a hang of using the handbrake you'll be cutting corners with ease. The game features quick race, versus and championship modes to select from. The graphics in the game are simple but get the job done nicely. The music and sounds are nice for the most part, though the constant squealing brakes do get a bit obnoxious after a while. Overall I feel the racing genre is definitely under-represented on XBLIG and Little Racers is definitely a welcome entry in the genre.

Final Verdict: Fans of retro racing games like Super Sprint will dig Little Racers. A solid little racing title for a buck!

Related Links:
Milkstone Studios - Xbox Overview
Little Racers - GameFAQs
Milkstone Studios - Official Site

Platformance: Temple Death (XBLIG, 2011)

Platformance: Temple Death
Developed by Magiko Gaming
Released for XBLIG (6/2011)
Also on PC/Windows Mobile

Platformance: Temple Death is the follow-up to Platformance: Castle Pain. The game basically delivers more of the same, offering up a single large level filled with 2D platforming challenges. There are checkpoints throughout and you have three different degrees of camera-zoom to choose between, including one that zooms way back and allows you to see the entire map. The 2D pixel-art is detailed and there's an impressive amount of variation to the environment despite the game taking place on a single stage. There are three difficulties: normal, hardcore and insane. Temple Death is quite a bit more challenging than the original and this time after you rescue the "starlet" you have to carry her back and traverse the entire map backwards! In normal mode, checkpoints are abundant so with some persistence anybody can plow their way through the game. Hardcore and insane modes both add additional obstacles and ramp up the toughness accordingly. Insane mode will test even the most seasoned 2D-platformer veterans. Local high-scores are saved and there are rewards that function like achievements, unlocking when a certain criteria is met. Like the first game, Platformance: Temple Death is a solid tough-as-nails 2D-platformer that's worth a play for those who love a tough challenge.

Final Verdict: Platformance: Temple Death is more of the same tough 2D-platforming found in the first game and is recommended for anybody who loves some high difficulty.

Related Links:
Platformance: Castle Pain - Xbox Overview
Platformance: Castle Death - GameFAQs
Magiko Gaming - Official Site

Decimation X3 (XBLIG, 2010)

Decimation X3
Developed by Xona Games
Released for XBLIG (12/2010)

Decimation X3 is one of several Space Invaders-style games released on XBLIG. This one still manages to stand out on its own for several reasons. The game supports up to four-players local and the action gets pretty insane in a hurry! I guess a more fitting description of Decimation X3 is like Space Invaders meets a bullet-hell shooter and it won't be long until enemies are literally raining bullets down on you. You'll have to dodge and weave a lot here, but the game is extremely generous with power-ups to give you a helping hand. Just like in Space Invaders you have shields you can take cover behind, but they take damage from fire and will eventually crumble away (until the game respawns them a round or two down the road). Many enemies will drop weapon power-ups and every so often they will literally rain down a whole line of various assists. Every couple of rounds the game throws a boss battle at you which helps keep the gameplay somewhat varied. If you can manage to stay alive you can get some beastly firepower going on. That's pretty much Decimation X3 in a nutshell, kind of like Space Invaders on steroids. It does keep track of local high scores which is always welcome. While Decimation X3 is a great effort from Xona Games, for your Space Invaders action I'd still say radiangames Crossfire series is a better value for your buck ($1 for Crossfire vs $5 for Decimation). However if you insist on having four-player support Decimation X3 will fill that need.

If you're curious as to why the series jumps from Decimation X to Decimation X3, it's because Decimation X2 was released exclusively for Windows Mobile in 2010. If I had access to a Windows Mobile phone I'd give it a look but unfortunately Microsoft has pretty much abandoned the platform and its rare to find retailers carrying products that use it these days.

Final Verdict: Decimation X3 is a great Space Invaders-style arcade game that most people will skip over due to its hefty $5 price tag.

Related Links:
Xona Games - Xbox Overview
Decimation X3 - GameFAQs
Xona Games - Official Site

Decimation X (XBLIG, 2010)

Decimation X
Developed by Xona Games
Released for XBLIG (1/2010)

Decimation X is an awesome arcade style game, heavily inspired by the Taito arcade-classic Space Invaders. At first glance it looks like a complete rip-off, complete with even the four blocks that act as cover points. Of course, just like in Space Invaders, your cover points will be chipped away at by enemy firepower (or your own if you don't let off the trigger!). The game adds some interesting twists on the old classic. Featuring a four-player mode, the action gets very crazy in Decimation X. It starts off relatively mild, but once it picks up the enemies are raining bullets down on you like it was a bullet-hell shooter! Luckily you're equipped for the task and the enemies will frequently drop firepower upgrades as you blow them away. You have two meters that charge up the more you kill, one granting you an extra fighter and the other triggering the game to rain power-ups on you. Decimation X is a great game that I don't recommend getting for two reasons: Decimation X3 came out towards the end of 2010 and it's a drastically enhanced version of the same game, plus the games both retail for $4.99 making it rather expensive by XBLIG standards.

Final Verdict: Decimation X is an awesome Space Invaders-style game that is a bit overshadowed by its superior sequel. It laid down some solid framework for sure.

Related Links:
Xona Games - Xbox Overview
Decimation X - GameFAQs
Xona Games - Official Website

Sword and Hammer (XBLIG, 2011)

Sword and Hammer
Developed by BM Games
Released for XBLIG (1/2011)

Sword and Hammer comes from the long-lost genre of full-motion video games. These were big mostly back in the early '90's, just as compact discs were reaching consumers but was started back in the '80's by Dragon's Lair. The entire game is made up of quick-time events. The game will play a movie clip and when it's time for an event the action will pause and the screen will display the button you need to press to progress. If you take too long or press the wrong button you'll lose some of your life meter. Since the events are somewhat randomized, you'll have some playthroughs when you'll see the exact same footage several times before moving onto something else. The video quality is quite grainy, which in a way gives it that authentic old-school feel. The actors have some pretty cool armor suits and seemed excited to show it off for this game. The entire movie aspect of the game has a b-movie feel to it, which is the primary reason I enjoyed playing through this one. The game will only last about fifteen minutes and you should also take into account that you'll likely see the same footage several times over even just in a single playthrough. The game definitely would have benefited from some more footage to add a little variety, but as it is Sword and Hammer is kind of a neat throwback to a forgotten and often hated genre. The game used to retail at $2.99, but the price was later dropped to $1. As far as I can tell, this one never made it off XBLIG so it will be forgotten in time now that the service is dead.

Final Verdict: If you're one of those odd folks who enjoys full-motion video or quick-time event games, then Sword and Hammer is for you!

Related Links:
Sword and Hammer - GameFAQs

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