14 DAY TRIAL // Reading this title I'm sure you're hoping that a new game has hit the Xbox 360. Don't worry, a new game has hit the 360, but it's one of those 400 Microsoft Points worth of a game, called Gyruss, available to be downloaded viaXbox Live Arcade beginning Wednesday 18th April. Where do they come up with all these little games anyway? Dozens are launched every week, but when it comes to the games you can actually play for more than two hours and only get passed the first stage, you have to wait for a whole year to get it and when you do, it's not even what you hoped for.
Sony's Internet service, the PlayStation Network, is already packed full with oldies like Metal Slug Anthologies and Mortal Kombat II (although I've got nothing against this last one), while Nintendo's Virtual Console has Pac-Man, ActRaiser and Bonk's Revenge available for download, which I tried as much as I could to just present the way they are and not criticize that the Wii should see some real titles.
And look what I stumbled upon today: "Defend the Galaxy with 'Gyruss' on Xbox Live Arcade" says the press release. Why, oh why, oh why? Are developers taking a vacation or something? If they are, let me know so I can take one as well, for when they come back and start work I'll have some real topics here. Not to worry, we're still going to talk about this one too, it's a classic after all.
Back then when Gyruss was released, it was an arcade tube-shooter in which players flew a space ship from Neptune to Earth while battling enemies, avoiding satellites, asteroids and laser beam generators. Along the way the player's ship could be upgraded to better tackle the ever-increasing enemies that attacked during the journey to Earth. Here's what the current game available to download on XBLA for 400 MS Points brings:
- Gyruss has been enhanced for Xbox Live Arcade including voice support, new graphics, digitally enhanced sound, and leaderboards (wow, I can only imagine how much fun everyone will have with this...yeah, no doubt); - you can either play the original game or the 3D enhanced version; - multiplayer gameplay over Xbox Live includes split-screen cooperative and versus modes; - gamers will have 23 levels to clear (at least it's going to be more than two hours worth of gameplay); -you can also earn up to 12 Achievements and 200 Gamerscore points.
I'm not going to blame you if you want it - it's a mere 400 Points. My point was that all of the sudden, older arcade games are making this huge comeback and I can't figure out whether it's because the companies behind the 360, the PS3 and the Wii have nothing else to offer, or because there is real demand for them. I guess it's the same with me and MK II. Maybe someone else's favorite is the Metal Slug series, or why not even Gyruss?