XNA Roundup #20 Weapon of Choice, Blow, Carneyvale: Showtime

This week on XNA Roundup we travel back in time to review some of the best early community games. We look at Weapon of Choice, Blow and Carneyvale: Showtime.

Tic Tac Toe coming to Xbox

Play this classic locally or on xbox live!Includes bonus game mode “Rock Paper Scissors”Only 200 points, and only on xbox live community games!

Well you do not get any simpler than Tic Tac Toe and if you keep ending up at a stale mate what better way to choose a winner than rock paper scissors.

Strangely enough this game may have some appeal, especially to younger players.

Tank Negotiator play test

Tank Negotiator, an interesting looking game being play tested.

Coming soon to XBLCG

Another Asteroid clone on the way

A brief demonstration of one of the 3 gameplay modes in Meteor Swarm Coming Soon to Xbox Live Community Games.
I am not sure we need another Asteroid clone, but there you go, you never know it may be the best one yet

Fish Racer Arcade review

Review Supplied by:

Review supplied by XBLCG Reviews

Here’s one that is definitely for the kiddies, but I must say that I quite enjoyed it myself. The game is very much as the title suggests a fish racer.

You get to chose from one of eight different fish all with their own unique win animations including a ninja fish, a pirate fish, a cat fish, a clown fish oh and how could we forget a Jason fish complete with machete and hockey mask! Not quite sure what Jason Voorhees and Friday the 13th have to do with a fish racing game, but anyway…..

The game can be played locally by between one and four players and if you are short a mate or two to join in on a racer, you could always add up to three AI fish to race against.

Once the race has started, you have to dodge various underwater obstacles from seaweed to submarines, whilst trying to ram your opponents into the previously said obstacles to turn them belly up and watch them float to the surface; maybe this isn’t a kiddie’s game after all! Not sure if that’s how it is mean to be played, but that’s the way I played it!

Apart from the obstacles, you also have to contend with starfish which end up sticking to you and slow you down, but these can easily be removed by collecting one of the powerups that can be picked up. Talking of powerups, I found the one that makes spikes protrude out of your fish to be a bit of a cheat really as once you get that all you have to do is touch your opponents and it’s belly up for them!

Anyway, the race just seems to go on until the last fish is standing or at least swimming.

Fish Racer Arcade is a good bit of fun, but playing against the AI can get a bit boring. Definitely needs to be played by at least two people. The game also seems to be very suited to the Family genre, except for the Jason bit!

myFishtank review

“Design your ultimate fishtank. Customize wallpapers, rock features, plants, gravels pretty much everything. Add over 18 fish types to your aquarium. Why not create your very own species in the paint fish area. Unlock able rewards add extra tank features that make this one of the most exciting XNA community products launched to date.”

Well that is the official blurb over and done with so onto my thoughts on myFishtank.

If you are anything like me you have probably tried to keep tropical fish at some stage, only to have killed enough of the poor little buggers to make a small dish of sushi.

Well with myFishtank you can have all the joys of owning a tropical fish tank without having to keep a smelly little net next to your TV, while waiting for the next fish to die.

This is a great little application and has a tone of features, one that I particularly like is being able play your music straight from the myFishTank app, I have had it on all morning while I have been twittering, it’s great, no more crappy Xbox visualiser for me.

You can modify almost anything in the tank and there are plenty of fish to choose from. You can even paint your own, there are two WFC finned buddies in my tank already.

You earn rewards for sharing your tanks and fish with friends over Xbox Live , it is only a matter of time until I have that shark in my tank. I hope it doesn’t eat everything.

There are two features missing from myFishtank that are in Aquarium HD. I would have like to have seen – being able to feed your fish and also being able to tap the glass to startle them.

Given the raging debate at the creators club forums about the validity of applications on XBLCG, it is great to see Lighthouse Games produce a quality product that is in my opinion going to out sell many other titles on the service. They have seen a gap in the market and good luck to them

All in all a great app that is well worth the 200 MS points and in my opinion a cut above Aquarium HD.

So myFishtank gets a 5 joysticks award from XboxHornet

You can follow the makers at twitter.com/lighthousegames

Click the banner below to download a free trial straight to your Xbox.

Excited about E3? Watch it live

Excited about E3?

E3 is the biggest event in the Xbox calendar and www.xbox.com are giving you the best seats in the house! Watch the Xbox E3 Show live on Xbox.com from 18:25 UK. Prepare for some huge announcements!

So make sure that you click on the link, bookmark the page and set your alarms

Win a car in the UK addition of 1 vs 100

In an interview recently Paul Crutchley European lead for 1 vs 100 has confirmed that you will be able to win a car in the UK version of 1 vs 100.

Responding to questions about prizes this was his answer:
“We have some truly amazing prizes for playing 1vs100 in season 1. All potential prize winners will go through a personal identification verification prior to winning a prize, and will have to be over 18.

Week on week in the LIVE games a player can win up to 10,000 MS points and if the ONE knocks out all of the MOB a special country specific prize, from MP3 players, Camera, Laptops, Holidays and even a CAR (UK only)!”