QUAKE Arena Arcade XBLA Review Roundup!

As I reported earlier in the week, QUAKE Arena Arcade (my baby!) is now available on Xbox LIVE Arcade and the reviews and end user praise are starting to roll in!


Here's what reviewers are saying about the fastest paced shooter on the Xbox 360!

- SFX 360 QUAKE Arena Arcade Review - 4 Stars out of 5!

"Quake Arena Arcade is nothing but great addictive fun..."

"This game brings back what it meant to kick ass and taunt worthless opponents who think they have game."


- Game Focus Reviews QUAKE Arena Arcade - 7.2 out of 10!

"Good ol’ fast-paced Quake!"

"45 (!) Maps"


- Dealspwn QUAKE Arena Arcade Review - 8 out of 10!

"Quake Arena Arcade is blisteringly fast, packed with value and delivers a fitting revival of a classic franchise."

"Mad, crazy, brutal awesomeness..."


- IRB Gamer QUAKE Arena Arcade Review - 3 1/2 Stars out of 5

"This game was meant for big pile ups of flying lazers and gib showers..."

"Overall, the game does its job and you will get what Quake Arena has been known for. You can count on that."


- VG Revolution QUAKE Arena Arcade Review - 7.4 out of 10

"Best shooter on XBLA!"

"This game has infinite replay value if you want to play a classic shooter."

"If you have been a fan of this game then this is a must buy for you."


- Run DLC QUAKE Arena Arcade Review - 4 out of 5!

"For a while, it seemed like the project was in limbo, or that the developers were struggling to bring this classic franchise to Microsoft’s console. The end result easily squashed those concerns, as this fast-paced and frantic first person shooter has what it takes to become one of Live’s most popular games."

"Classic Quake experience, tons of maps, speedy online play!"



Don't believe the reviewer hype? Here's a smattering of what QUAKE Arena Arcade players are saying in gaming forums and on Twitter!

• "Quake 3 Arena for Xbox Live Arcade! BONER!"

• "I dare say it's the best shooter on arcade!

• "This. This is my Christmas day, right here, if I can wrestle the controller away from my Peggle-loving family."

• "I can say this about Quake... 1) The controls work beautifully. There's a button for a quick 180-degree spin! 2) It feels like Quake, even with a controller. 3) It's a BLAST."

• "Quake arena arcade is the shit. $15 well spent

• "Quake Arena for the Xbox Arcade is DOPE!

• "That Quake Arena game is amazing! I played it and loved it. Reminds me of when i used to play it on DreamCast and PC. So want!!!!"

• ‎"Picked up Quake 3 yesterday. They did a great job with the controls! I used to be super into the pc version for years, but adapting to the controller only took a few minutes."

• "Quake Arena on Xbox Live? ALL AWESOME!"

So what are you waiting for? You can give the demo a whirl or queue up the full version download through Xbox Live Marketplace!

QUAKE Arena Arcade Rocket Jumps Onto Xbox LIVE Arcade!

Pi Studios, id Software and Bethesda Softworks (and most of all, ME!) are proud to present, at long last, QUAKE Arena Arcade for Xbox LIVE Arcade!


The long awaited next-genified update of 1999's Quake III: Team Arena rocket jumps onto Live Arcade today, December 15th, 2010, for a suggested retail price of 1200 Microsoft Points ($15.00)!

From the Press Release:

• Enter the Fragfest: Supports up to 16-player 'Free for All' and team-based battles over Xbox LIVE and System Link.
  
• Deadly Arenas: Lava-filled ruins, deserted military bases and the chaotic void of outer space are your battlegrounds.
  
• Quad Damage: Over 15 pick-ups, power-ups, items and runes to boost your health, armor, ammo and abilities.
  
• Become an Arena Legend: Compete in over 75 missions, challenges and boss matches, in your pursuit to defeat Xaero, the Arena Champion.
  
• Claw Your Way to the Top: Check your standings against other gladiators on the Xbox LIVE leader boards and earn up to 12 achievements as you fight your way to fame.
  
• Hone Your Skills: Create a custom bot-match in any arena, in any game type.

The game features:

• High Definition, Widescreen Picture!
• Fully customizable, re-mappable control scheme!
  
• Twelve never before seen maps alongside 33 classic id Software Arenas!
• All new single player campaign and single player challenge modes!
• 16 Player Multiplayer Support!
• Offline play vs. bots with greatly improved artificial intelligence!
• New Character Team and Sport Skins!
• Enhanced visual effects, including bloom and glare!
• Dolby 5.1 surround sound!
• Remastered Audio and New Music Tracks!
  

Hide your kids, hide your wife, and hide your husband cause they’re QUAKE-in everybody out here!

You can give the demo a whirl or queue up the full version download through Xbox Live Marketplace!

Remember Rule #1: FRAG Anything That Isn't You!

Twitter Contest - Disturbing Sitcoms!

In the same comedic, pun-ny vein as "NBA Novels" and "MLB Novels," the latest Twitter hash tag contest to earn huge belly laughs from me (and what a huge belly it is) is: #DisturbingSitcoms!

Here are some of my favorites:

Buried With Children
The OJ Simpsons
10 and Pregnant
How I Killed Your Mother
The Golden Shower Girls
Jersey Sore
Doogie Howser, OBGYN
Who Wants To Be Chamillionaire
Hood Times
8 Simple Rules For Raping My Teenage Daughter
Gonorrhea Or No Deal
Crappy Days
Two Guys, A Girl & A Pregnancy Test
Gilligan's Hymen
I Dream of Weenie
Survivor: Riker's Island
The Vampire Diarrheas
America's Funniest Home Wreckers
Parks and Masturbation
The Cosby Shower
Manson In The Middle
Sabrina The Teenage Bitch
T.J.'s Dead Hooker
Mad About Goo
Pimp My Wife
Hogan's Herpes
Groin Pains
$#!% Sarah Palin Says
How I Met Your Brother
Drunky Brewster

And a few I submitted...

Laverne & Scurvy
R*A*S*H*
Charles Been Charged
My Two 'Nads

And my all time favorite, courtesy of my old friend Jake Simpson...

...Porkin' Mindy!

On Twitter? Come follow me at http://www.twitter.com/kennhoekstra

Bomb Up! Bomberman Live: Battlefest Arrives On Xbox LIVE Arcade!

As many of you know, I've been working as the developer side Producer/Project Lead on Bomberman Live: Battlefest with Pi Studios and Hudson Entertainment for some time now. The game released yesterday, December 8th, 2010, on Xbox LIVE Arcade and I have to say, I'm very proud of what we accomplished with this title!

Bomberman Live: Battlefest is the sequel to 2008's Bomberman Live and it features improved Artificial Intelligence, Completely Re-Written Networking Code and a host of other improvements, enhancements and fixes to go along with a s*** ton of new content and gameplay features!



If you decide you want to check out Bomberman Live: Battlefest, here's what you can expect...

* Up to 8 Player Multiplayer
* 15 New Arenas!
* 17 Power-Ups (Including 5 Brand New Power Ups)!
* 9 New Game Modes!
* All New Team games!
* Tons of New Costumes!
* Play as Your Avatar!
* New Music!
* AWESOME: Mix and match gimmicks with game modes to make your own custom matches!!!

Interested? Check out this early preview and download the FREE trial mode before you buy! And when you DO buy, you get all this for a mere 800 Microsoft Points (that's ten bucks to you and me)!

What are you waiting for? Grab some Bomberman Live: Battlefest and have a (*ahem*) BLAST!

The Six Million Dollar Man Arrives On DVD!

Six Million Dollar Man fans rejoice! The awesomely iconic 1970's television show is FINALLY available on DVD after years trapped in development (and legal) hell!

I was watching Oprah (don't ask why) and saw Lee Majors was going to make an appearance. It seemed pretty random at the time, but then it dawned on me that it must have finally happened...the long awaited release of SMDM on DVD! And I was right!

All six seasons of the show are available in one deluxe boxed set for the first time ever from Time Life. The set includes loads of extras, custom packaging, all three reunion movies and all of the crossover episodes from The Bionic Woman!

Basically, it's everything a Six Million Dollar Man fan could ask for! Well...unless that fan has already joined the Blu-Ray camp. In that case, your wait will be just a little longer, it seems.

For a full review of the Boxed Set, check out this write up from Film School Rejects. All in all, it sounds like it's a pretty sweet set!

For ordering information, head over to Time Life's Website for all the details!

First Thundarr The Barbarian on DVD and now The Six Million Dollar Man? Happy Holidays, indeed, in 2010!

I'm Famous! (Infamous?)

Recently a mysterious sighting off the coast of California (of what appeared to be a missile launch) threw the Twitterverse into an uproar.

I, personally, jokingly Tweeted about the event with a link to a news article coupled with the comment: "If you misplaced a missile off the coast of California, the U.S. Government would like to have a few words with you..."

My Fark headline styled Tweet was spotted by someone at CBS News and is used in this video around the 1:32 mark:



Kind of random, but still fun. Who would have thought I'd make an appearance on the national news purely for being a smartass?

Well...who other than me? =)

Thoughts On Superman: Man of Steel

It was recently announced that Zack Snyder would be helming the Superman franchise reboot for DC and Warner Bros. with Christopher Nolan producing... It seems like the movie franchise is finally in good hands for the first time since Richard Donner's original go of it in 1978!

Even more good news... After early reports and speculation from the movie going community, Snyder revealed today that General Zod as the new film's villain is "just a rumor." Good for you, Zack. That's a great step one!

You want my advice? No? Well here it is anyway...

Reboot means reboot. Superman: Man of Steel does NOT need General Zod. It does not need Lex Luthor as the main villain. It does not need to be a full origin story. In fact, it doesn't really need ANYTHING from the first 5 movies in the series.

With that in mind, here is how "I" would write the movie if he put me in charge of the script...

Superman would be very young...in his early to mid 20's. He would be leaving the Kent farm after a forgettable, sheltered youth with the intention of being Superman full time. While he is out patrolling for crime, there is an explosion at a LuthorCorp nuclear facility. A night janitor, caught in the explosion, is turned into the power sucking creature known as...The Parasite!


Superman battles with the Parasite and works with Star Labs to find a way to stop him while the two battle back and forth throughout the film. When Star Labs is stumped, Superman meets with Lex Luthor about the accident and the two develop a tense rivalry while working together to resolve the Parasite conundrum.

In the end, Superman and Lex Luthor defeat the Parasite. Despite Lex's help, Superman is left with a number of questions about Luthor and his company's dealings. He decides that in order to keep a closer eye on Luthor, he will resume his Clark Kent identity and become an investigative reporter for the Daily Planet.

The movie closes with Clark getting set up at his newsroom desk and being assigned to one of the Planet's best reporters to be shown the ropes. The last scene of the movie would be Lois Lane walking up and introducing herself to an instantly love struck Clark Kent. Roll Credits.

No rehashed villains. No origin story. No Kryptonite. Just a good old fashioned reboot... And the perfect setup for a romantic relationship based sequel featuring the development of the rivalry with Luthor and yet another new villain... Metallo, perhaps?

Zack Snyder, if you're reading this, I'll write the script for you...cheap! I'm not greedy. I'd just be excited to see a DC hero (other than Batman) finally get a just treatment in a Hollywood film. And who knows? If it works out, maybe I can tell you my idea for a Wonder Woman film sometime...

Good luck with Superman: Man of Steel, Zack! Up, up and AWAY!