Tower Bloxx Deluxe
800 MSP ($10)
Xbox Live Arcade



Simplicity is one of the most underestimated tools in video games nowdays. With games such as Mega Man, Ikaruga and Contra, it's impossible to deny this claim. However, with Digital Chocolate's newest game, Tower Bloxx Deluxe, you can't get much simpler from this with only a singular button to play the game.



Tower Bloxx Deluxe was originally a free flash game you can find anywhere on the internet, however the actual gameplay mechanics are different enough (swaying, graphics, fluidity) to warrant a re-release of the single player.



To play this game, you're only required to tap A. Your job is to build the biggest tower possible out of building blocks you stack on top of each other. The crane sways with your next block hovering above your rapidly swaying tower (though the tower never falls no matter how crudely you build it) and it's up to you to tap A to drop the piece right on top of the tower. Dropping at the wrong time will cause your piece to topple, and depending on what game mode you're playing will spell a game over for you.



Needless to say, this game is made for the casual crowd, but to write it off as vanilla or boring is a mistake. I've personally spent constant hours trying to top the leaderboards and with certain emotions I thought would never reveal itself from such a simple task. As I was getting higher and higher, I could feel a lot of pressure, strangely a side-effect of video gaming I barely felt before. As if this game was some sort of mental strain training, I found through multiple occassions having to rely on my ability to concentrate with an extremely accurate set of rhythms in order to do well. I spent from what I thought was mere minutes to the entire day playing a game as simple as "the A button."

"You take the game too seriously," That is what you're probably saying, but I insist on the reader trying the trial (somewhat short, sadly) in order to understand the large dose of addiction packed in such a tiny game. To stack a block perfectly on top of another gives you an adrenaline boost similar to a FPS where you mow down a whole room of people who have their guns already trained on you. It's pretty freaking intense.



There are six different game modes, quick play which gives you three lives to make the biggest tower possible. Time Attack, which gives you a certain amount of time to build the highest tower. Build City, which is a campaign where you have to plan and plot out where you're going to build everything. The next three modes are multiplayer modes, which are VS Time Attack, Battle and Co-Op. VS Time Attack works similarly to the single player, Battle will randomly have drop items that can harm your or others towers and Co-Op will let you two people build and poke one tower to make it more stable.



Co-Op is by far my favorite mode-- it feels much more casual but it's definitely a fun, simple way to pass your time. However, I'm unable to play as much as I'd like to, as Multiplayer doesn't support Xbox Live play, which is a shame and quite a blunder with the longevity this game could have had.

Also, pricing may be a problem with this game. Priced at 800 MSP ($10) it's hard to justify such a simple game without live support for that price, other from the fact that I've spent a lot more time on this game than many other XBLA games.



However, with pricing and lack of Live put aside, I still love to play it and can see myself playing it casually for the weeks and even months to come. The game is solid and works exactly how it should, with the big bonus of crazed addiction in its veins. I absolutely have to recommend the trial if anything.

Chris Kramer answers a few questions asked by the community and myself about the upcoming Capcom line-up.

Questions asked include:
-What makes AAI: ME different from the rest of the series?
-What can we hope to expect with the storyline of AAI: ME?
-Cult reception of Tatsunoko vs Capcom?
-Exclusive Comic-Con Fight Stick and Fight Pad information.

With some very interesting answers given along with a few kick-ass moments with this dude, you're gonna enjoy
it.

Let me know if there are any questions about the games or interview I could answer through comments below, I'll
try my best to field them.

Until next time, see you later, Space Cowboy.

(via FreezeCracker)

Madballs were actually a series of toy rubber balls made back in
the 80's. Out of the passing phase, there's a new game out for the Xbox Live Arcade. Madballs takes as a
move with left stick while shooting with right stick, much like Rocket Riot, Geometry Wars 2 and Undertow.
However, there are, of course, vast differences that should be considered while purchasing the game. You
can choose one of two factions, each with different and unique abilities from Flame/Freezethrowers to
Mortars. As with the factions, you can choose a unique

Now before we get into our pros and cons, to be honest, I have never heard of Madballs prior to this review,
so references and everything else I didn't run across while researching went straight over my head.
However, knowing most of our readership not knowing, I think I'm pretty safe to say I'm in the majority.

PRESENTATION
+ The menus are clean and easy to jump in and pop a game off, in true Arcade style.
+ The artwork is great for the cutscenes.
+ Quirky in-game logs and one-liners made me smile a bit. Made the game more enjoyable!
- The storyline was weak, and I was mostly unable to understand or care what was going on. When I beat the
final level, I had no idea it was the final until the game ended!
? I wish more information about Madballs in general was in the game, but it's nothing a quick Google search
remedied.

GRAPHICS
+ In-game graphics can be compared to a decent looking Original Xbox game, with vivid colors and wide
environments. Great job!
+ For the most part, the graphics look extremely fluid running at maximum frames per second, even with
explosions and gunfire going off everywhere.
- While inside the spacecraft, the framerate gets notably slower, even to the point that it may affect your ability
to play efficiently.
? Oculus, the eyeball, always grosses me out.

SOUND
+ Pretty cool soundtrack for most stages, I found myself shooting my machine guns out with the beat at one
time. Now that's awesome.
+ Enjoyable one-liners from voice acting...
- However, not enough variety to really enjoy hearing it over and over again in the 10 level campaign.
? I'll bite. Where the heck do they talk from?

GAMEPLAY
+ Addictive gameplay. The game is a little tough to start getting into, but once you're killing in the hordes of
mass enemies, while unlocking tons of weapons and different characters, you'll be hooked to collect and
complete nearly everything.
+ 16 players online with unique 18 maps and tons of game modes to choose from like Capture The Flag to
Deathmatch, lag-free from my experiences.
+ 4 player co-op, something that can give this game all the reason to buy it just because of how fun it is.
- Campaign mode can get a little tedious, with its linear path to get to the end of the level, however they throw
in a few puzzles, a defend the target mission, and evasion.
? There's an avatar mode where you roll your avatar's head around attacking others. Creepy!

LASTING APPEAL
+ Campaign mode can be enjoyed over and over again, playing as both factions, especially in co-op mode.
+ 18 maps and 5 different game modes which are all so fun to play are good for the picking.
+ Unlocking things might be tedious to some, but it was great discovering new characters and weapons with
their unlockable special abilities.
? With most online communities on XBLA, they strive for a week or two, but only a few games (Worms, Street
Fighter, Marble Blast) can have a consistent online userbase. However, I think that with the good price and
great non-stale gameplay, this game could be one of the few with a thriving community.

OVERALL
I can see myself getting addicted to this game whenever I want something quick to pop in. Want lots of fast-
paced action for a cheap $10 price? This game delivers.

(sorry for the reup, the embed was entirely broken for a ton of people and i didn't notice until now)

Nintendo fun time everybody now!!

I just recently did a charity streaming event which showcased Wii Homebrew, a Mega Man 9 No Death Speed Run and a Punch Out Wii career run.

The event ended up being a huge success, thanks to everyone here who attended/donated. Anyway, here's one of the highlights and it was a support call to Nintendo. The live original version was 17 minutes but it was cut to 10 due to YouTube limits. Hope you all enjoy!

pretty much a typical scene in castlevania judgment after maria is done observing vocalizing her appeal
towards the vampire's luscious breasts, this happens

and I finally found a place to host my Rodney King video after it was removed from YT and GT with over
100,000 views woowoo


merry christmas destructoid i'm so tired right now

I chose a new host because apparently this video had a shitload of views within the first couple hours but YouTube didn't want me to be the new Fred or whatever the hell is popular nowdays so they removed it. WELL NO MORE, I say.

It's tough as fuck to start a new base, so if you guys could please subscribe to my account at:
http://viddler.com/freezecracker
I'd really appreciate it and I'd smother you in internet kisses and shit

Also, who's going to E3? I might make it, I got my pass and all, I just don't know if I wanna drive to L.A. to essentially attend a con, I have no parties or anything planned atm.