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Finding information about upcoming retail titles at E3 is like shooting fish in a barrel. The real E3 challenge is digging a little deeper to find solid downloadable titles that gamers can get excited about. "So are there any arcade games I can look forward to?" you ask. Oh yeah.
A large number of soon to be released PSN, WiiWare and XBLA titles were on display at E3 this year and Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft were showing them off like proud parents.
Hit the jump to read more about the games you're going to want to download later this year.
Related Links: See what games are coming out this year for Summer of Arcade, get your Wolverine DLC now if you'd like, and click here for proof that if you whine long enough you always get what you want.
Madballs (XBLA/PC) - I met with Scott Simpson and Paul Winterhalder of Playbrains and they walked me through a demo of this 3D platformer (or as Scott called it, "a casually hardcore shooter"). In the game players control a rolling ball of destruction that carries a wide range of weapons. Featuring different Madball classes, a deep multiplayer offering, fast and easy gameplay (most levels will last 15-20 minutes), and in-game avatar combat, Madballs looks like a lot of fun. Look for it this summer on XBLA and on Steam later this year.
More Fallout 3 DLC (360/PC/PS3) - At the Bethesda booth I managed to get some hands on time with the fourth batch of Fallout 3 downloadable content, "Point Lookout". Set in a huge area (about 1/5 the size of the Capital Wasteland), this latest DLC features new quest related perks, four new weapons, three new enemy types and some unique environments (theme park, lighthouse, caves). Like The Pitt, Point Lookout features repeatable quests so you'll have reasons to come back when your main missions are complete. Gamers will be able to download this latest DLC on June 23.
Shatter (PSN) - This upcoming PSN title offers a unique take on the brick breaking genre. Ten different environments, with plenty of levels (including boss battles, very rare for this style of game) nicely compliment this visually stunning game. With over 90 minutes of original music, Shatter (see pic below) looks like it'll sport one of the best game presentations you can find on a downloadable title.
Ghost House Mansion (Wiiware) - Gameloft's first WiiWare game looks like a combination of Mario Party and WarioWare. This family friendly title has more than 20 different mini-games that up to 4 players can enjoy.
Battle Tanks (PSN) - Old school gamers will instantly recognize the similarities between Battle Tanks and the Atari classic Combat. Tanks can nab power ups and carry four different weapons, all on five maps with multiple variations. Multiplayer (with up to 3 other gamers) looks to be where most players will spend their time with this title. Battle Tanks will be released this July.
Trials HD (XBLA) - At E3, we were able to get a good look at most of this year's Summer of Arcade lineup. The first one we got our hands on was Trials HD. RedLynch CEO Tero Virtala walked us through this impressive (in full HD) looking title. The game lets you hop on a motorcycle to do some cool stunts and race in some crazy environments. Most impressive was the course creator, which was ridiculously deep.
Shadow Complex (XBLA) - Yet another Summer of Arcade release and easily my choice for Best Arcade Game of E3. We met up with Epic's Cliff Bleszinski and got a walkthrough and hands on time with this Metroid and Castlevania influenced title. Shadow Complex may be a downloadable game but it has all the features of a full blown console title. Running on the Unreal Engine and with a script written by comic book writer Peter David, this 3D side scrolling action title offers around 10-12 hours of gameplay (and much more for completionists). You NEED to buy this game when it comes out.
Splosion Man (XBLA) - The last Summer of Arcade game we saw was Splosion Man. I'm a big fan of another Twisted Pixel game (The Maw) so I was really looking forward to playing this one. I wasn't disappointed. A beautiful 2D platformer with a main character who can explode (and propel himself) at will, Splosion Man reminded me of a nutty version of Super Mario Bros. Being able to safely blow yourself up and turn your enemies into steaks at the same time is a good thing.
Grapple Buggy (XNA/XBLA) - The final downloadable game I managed to get my hands on was Mommy's Best Games "Grapple Buggy". I sat down with MBG's Nathan Fouts who also created XNA title "Weapon of Choice". I enjoyed WoC, but Grapple Buggy feels much more polished and complete. Featuring simple, yet fun, controls, driving around in the ultimate all-terrain vehicle buggy is a blast. Finding power ups, earning upgrades, following the path of a slick story, and learning to master an all purpose grappling hook are sure to keep gamers busy. Look for Grapple Buggy next summer.
