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CyberConnect2 working on 'Solarobo' for DS

by JC Fletcher { Mar 17th 2010 at 1:45PM }

Somehow, developer CyberConnect2 is making a game that is neither Naruto nor .hack. In fact, Solarobo for DS is a spiritual successor to CyberConnect2's 1998 PlayStation game Tail Concerto. Like Tail Concerto, Solarobo is a platforming action RPG starring anthropomorphic animals in walking mechs.

As Red Savarin, you pilot the robot DAHAK-AZI03 on bounty hunting missions. Without weapons, your only method of combat is picking up and throwing objects using the robot's arms. Solarobo is due in Japan this year from Namco Bandai. It features some kind of 1-4 player support, but the details of that have yet to be released -- as does any information about a release outside of Japan.

Leap into the first screens of Comic Jumper

by Justin McElroy { Mar 17th 2010 at 1:20PM }

Jump into our Comic Jumper gallery

After having to endure concept videos and shaky-cam gameplay, we finally have some real, honest-to-goodness screens of Twisted Pixel's upcoming Comic Jumper for you to rest your weary eyes upon. They're all lifted from the first "comic" of the game, "The Adventures of Captain Smiley," which Twisted Pixel has described jokingly as "kind of a crappy comic." Perhaps that explains why the titular hero will be busting out?

If your thirst for funny book action still hasn't been slaked, we hear you'll be able to see a demo of the game next week at PAX East. Can't make it to PAX East? We've got that very same demo in video format (direct feed this time!) after the break, along with a gallery of concept art for the game.

Gallery: Comic Jumper (Xbox 360)

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GDC Impressions: Gaming on Windows Phone 7

by Griffin McElroy { Mar 10th 2010 at 6:22PM }

We already broke out the news you're looking for: Each of the Windows Phone 7 Xbox Live-infused games will offer its players 200 Gamerscore points. You'll be able to boost your Xbox rep in significant chunks without having to hunker down in front of a big screen for long stretches. You'll never again have to go so long without hearing that satisfying "Achievement unlocked" sound. The world, as you know it, has changed.

Fortunately, the channel through which you'll access these on-the-go 'cheevos looks like it has loads of promise. The handful of work-in-progress Windows Phone 7 games we were shown today at GDC didn't leave much of an impression -- however, the effortless portability of games between the platforms supported by the recently announced XNA Game Studio 4.0 opens up a lot of possibilities for development on Microsoft's new mobile device.

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You should probably watch this Bit.Trip Runner trailer

by JC Fletcher { Mar 5th 2010 at 9:35AM }

Gaijin Games has released the first trailer for Bit.Trip Runner, the fourth game in the WiiWare Bit.Trip series. Now we can see what the developer means by calling it a "rhythm platformer." The layout of the stage, from enemies to terrain, is all designed in accord with the chiptune soundtrack, and Commander Video, the franchise hero, jumps, slides, and collects gold at super-high speed -- all to the beat of 8-bit-inspired music.

We wanted to point to one specific moment in the video (posted after the break), but, as trailers tend to be, this one's full of moments. So, see if you can spot Super Meat Boy! Check out that Pitfall level! Watch out for the ... giant miner? ... Who shoots fireballs at you from a lantern? While you're on a treadmill?

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Shin'en lighting up WiiWare with Jett Rocket

by JC Fletcher { Mar 4th 2010 at 5:15PM }

Shin'en, developer of the DS Nanostray games, as well as the recent WiiWare release Art of Balance, has announced a new 3D platformer for WiiWare. Jett Rocket looks like your basic 3D platformer, but slightly smaller in scale, with three areas of the planet Yoroppa to explore. It looks impressive, with graphics that recall Super Mario Galaxy.

With a name like Jett Rocket, you'd expect some kind of powered vehicles, and the game features three: a paraglider, a "Jet Boat," and a "Jet Snowboard." Wouldn't that melt all the snow?

Rayman 2: The Great Escape coming to iPhone March 1

by Griffin McElroy { Feb 26th 2010 at 5:00PM }

Prolific mobile publisher Gameloft has revealed its next project: An iPhone/iPod Touch port of Ubisoft's N64 platformer, Rayman 2: The Great Escape. Let's get our obligatory naysaying out of the way, so it won't sour the rest of the post: "But, it doesn't have buttons! How are we supposed to make well-timed jumps while avoiding sharp, pointy obstacles without buttons?" We can't answer that for you, dear reader. You have to answer that for yourself.

The good news is that the game looks surprisingly faithful to its original iteration. You can watch a trailer for the title, which is due out March 1 on the App Store, after the jump.

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iPhone platformer Mimeo and the Kleptopus King has four kinds of nostalgia

by Griffin McElroy { Feb 24th 2010 at 8:30PM }

It's rare that we'll post about a work-in-progress iPhone project being developed by a single person -- however, it's also rare that we'll be as intrigued by an iPhone game as we are by Mimeo and the Kleptopus King. The game, which is being crafted by indie developer Shawn Inman, is a puzzle-platformer with a brilliant gameplay mechanic -- by collecting cartridges, you change the game's visuals between 2-bit, 4-bit, 8-bit and 16-bit graphics, each of which have a different effect on your enemies and the terrain you're attempting to navigate.

Click past the jump to see a video demo of Mimeo in action. The current launch window for the title is holiday 2010, which is a ways off -- but we're willing to give Inman as much time as he needs, seeing as how he has to develop four games in one.

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Welcome, new Super Mario Galaxy 2 trailer!

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Feb 24th 2010 at 3:30PM }

Nintendo has released a brand new trailer for Super Mario Galaxy 2, showing the exploits of the portly plumber and ... okay, look. We can't do this anymore. The dude's obviously not just a plumber these days. Try astronaut. Try dinosaur wrangler. Try planetoid driller. And just try not to get excited for the game's launch on May 23rd.

Gallery: Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Nintendo Media Summit 2010)

Super Meat Boy coming to XBLA before WiiWare, aiming for summer release

by Ben Gilbert { Feb 22nd 2010 at 7:30PM }

In this week's meat-related game news, Super Meat Boy devs "Team Meat" (a.k.a. Edmund McMillen and a few others) has confirmed the game's release for XBLA with the above screen via its Twitter account. The studio further confirmed the news to IGN, who also found out that the team is hoping for a summer release. According to the report, SMB will find his way into thousands of inglorious deaths on the Xbox 360 first, with WiiWare and PC/Mac support coming afterward. No PSN release was announced, but the team would say that it has the little meaty platformer up and running on a PlayStation 3 dev kit.

The reason for the move is said to be at least in part due to the space restrictions enforced by Nintendo and Microsoft, with the latter offering more space and thus more options for extra content. Super Meat Boy is claimed to be "about half finished," with the game's developers hoping for a summer release, just in time for grill season. Talk about synergy!

Source 1 - Super Meat Boy Twitter account
Source 2 - IGN

This Wednesday: Fret Nice, Greed Corp, and Lazy Raiders strike a chord on XBLA

by JC Fletcher { Feb 22nd 2010 at 12:58PM }

PS3 owners have had access to Pieces Interactive's Fret Nice since February 4, leaving Xbox 360 owners nothing to do with their guitar controllers but play rhythm games. According to an announcement from Major Nelson, those Xbox 360 guitarists will be able to experience Fret Nice's new type of guitar heroism this Wednesday, Feb. 24, at a cost of 1,200

($15).

Fret Nice uses both the buttons and the tilt function of guitar controllers to move members of the Vibrant Chordblasters, as they fight against Hair Bängers by jumping into the air and playing riffs corresponding to the number of eyes on the enemies.

Major Nelson also confirmed to Joystiq that both Greed Corp and Lazy Raiders will be out this week, despite not appearing in the official announcement. You'll be able to get lazy and greedy this week, in addition to nice!

Trine chops price on European PSN

by Alexander Sliwinski { Feb 9th 2010 at 12:30PM }

Co-op platformer Trine has received a magical 25 percent price chop on the European PlayStation Network, making it €15. There's currently no word of a stateside drop, but we're aiming for some answers.

Considering the second delay (following a three month holdup) between Trine's European and US release was about a month, maybe it's the theme that's being used for the discount? Then again, €15 converted to USD is $20, so this "price drop" is actually bringing price parity with Trine's current cost in the States.

Gallery: Trine

Topatoi: The Pillar of Skies reaches Europe this week

by Andrew Yoon { Feb 3rd 2010 at 1:00PM }

The next episode of PSN-exclusive platformer Topatoi will be arriving on the European PlayStation Store tomorrow, February 4th. The Pillar of Skies promises seven new chapters, ten new arcade levels and a new "Double Mode" that allows two players to go through levels cooperatively. With 11 new Trophies to acquire, this second episode should take about ten hours to complete.

The Pillar of Skies is not a standalone product. Instead, it acts as an add-on to the original Topatoi. You won't have to beat the original game, but you will need it installed in order to go through the new content. See a trailer after the break.

Gallery: Topatoi: The Pillar of Skies

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Fret Nice soloing on PSN this week [update]

by JC Fletcher { Feb 2nd 2010 at 9:35AM }

Tecmo announced via Twitter that Fret Nice, the musical platformer played with guitar controllers, will be available on PSN in North America this week. In its own tweet, developer Pieces Interactive said that a European release date would be "coming soon."

Now PS3 owners will be able to use those guitar controllers of theirs to do something other than play along to "Uncontrollable Urge" over and over again (what, you mean you don't do that?) Specifically, in Fret Nice, players take control of the Vibrant Chordblasters as they travel through the world defeating Hair Bängers with their riffs.

Oddly missing from both of these announcements is any mention of the Xbox 360 version. We're checking with Tecmo about that.

[Update: Tecmo has no date for the XBLA version yet, and could offer no reason for the wait.]

Gallery: Fret Nice (XBLA/PSN)

Find out about Lost in Shadow with a demo

by JC Fletcher { Jan 28th 2010 at 1:45PM }

It's been several months since we've seen anything about Lost in Shadow, and we're quite pleased to be presented with a reminder of Hudson's atmospheric platformer in the form of a new trailer (after the break). Last time we posted about the game, we described the concept of living shadows as "unbelievably creepy." And now we have footage of a shadow being separated from a chained-up body by a sword! In other words, our previous assessment holds.

Famitsu has also posted some new screenshots of Lost in Shadow, highlighting two new enemies, which are also creepy. Most exciting of all: Hudson has posted a demo!

[Via GoNintendo]

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The Raskulls screens break on through to the other side

by David Hinkle { Jan 25th 2010 at 3:15PM }

Click image to go from half-size to full-size

Halfbrick has uploaded a slew of new screens for its upcoming XBLA puzzle-platformer, The Raskulls, to the game's official site. There hasn't been much on the title yet, save for a brief trailer showing some gameplay and thoughts on the game from its art lead during our interview with Halfbrick, but these new shots show the game is coming along nicely. We have yet to get our hands on it, but if the recent trailer is any indication, it looks like a frenetic, friendship-endangering good time. Hit up the gallery below for the new screens.