I’m going to be forthright with you, I’m a big Sony and Nintendo fan. I love the Xbox 360, but the red ring got me and I don’t really miss it… That was kind of a lie as I miss the immense number of quality titles that hit Xbox Live Arcade. Seeing this summer’s list of games has hit me with a jealousy most foul.
Now that you know that I’m jealous of all you Xbox 360 owners, let’s take a look at the awesome games you get to play starting in July:
First up is Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD on July 18. As the name suggests, it’s an HD remake of the classic extreme sports title that kicked off a nationwide obsession. Many gamers, including yours truly, are excited for the release because it brings the franchise back where it belongs – big air, big tricks and Superman by Goldfinger playing on repeat. The game features levels from Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2, but the developers have not ruled out other games in the franchise getting the HD treatment later down the road. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD will run for 1200 MS Points ($15).
Next up on July 25 is Wreckateer. The Kinect powered arcade game was outed at Microsoft’s E3 2012 conference. Players will use the connect to launch boulders and other projectiles at castles trying to destroy them. It looks like 3D Angry Birds which could be a good or bad thing depending on who you ask. Wreckateer comes in as the cheapest game of the pack for only 800 MS Points ($10).
August is kicked off right with the launch of Deadlight. The title is a beautiful 2D action adventure title that plays with shadows. It has a heavy focus on story and looks to be one of the best titles coming out on XBLA. Deadlight will go for 1200 MS Points ($15).
Coming August 8 from Scribblenauts developer 5th Cell comes Hybrid, a third-person shooter from the traditionally family-friendly developer. Don’t discount the title though as it looks fantastic. It’s a super fast and frantic third-person multiplayer sci-fi shooter that nails the speed of titles like Vanquish. Hybrid will go for 1200 MS Points ($15).
The last game hitting Summer of Arcade is definitely not the least by any means. Dust: An Elysian Tail is a side-scrolling action-RPG created by one person. It’s a beautifully animated game that should have the 2D action and RPG fans excited.
With the exception of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD, all of these titles are exclusive to Xbox 360. I guess that means that I’m going to have to suck it up and buy another Xbox 360 one of these days. As an aside, if you buy any three of the above games during the Summer of Arcade, you’ll get 400 MS Points ($5) back.
Here’s a sizzle reel for those who couldn’t be bothered to watch each game’s respective trailer: