I have to say I am loving this whole advance warning thing that's been happening.  More power to the devs and publishers who are getting the word out there.  Of course, it does suck the suspense out of Monday.  Then again, I'm pretty bleary on Mondays anyway. 

That being said, the old news is Poker Smash.  Buying Poker Smash will set you back 800MSP.  Any takers?

The "new" news is the fact that Crystal Quest is getting a gameplay update. 

Say what?

Yes, Crystal Quest will now feature a score multiplier to make it more like the Geo Wars, Mutant Storm, and all those other twin-stick shooters on XBLA.  The best part though is the cost: free.  All thoughts of complaining about and questioning this announcement officially left me when I saw "free".  Kudos to Stainless Games for adding value for new and old consumers alike.   Anyone out there convinced that they'll buy this game due to this add-on?  Anyone dusting it off?

Check out our previous coverage of Poker Smash here. 

Fun with press release after the break.

[via Press Release]

Puzzle with a Poker Twist – “Poker Smash” Launches on Xbox LIVE Arcade this Wednesday along with a Free Gameplay Update for “Crystal Quest”

Newcomer Void Star Creations, an Independent developer based in South Carolina, takes the puzzle game genre to a whole new level with “Poker Smash,” an action packed puzzler with a poker twist! In “Poker Smash,” players rush to clear rows of cards by arranging them into poker hands. To keep things interesting “Poker Smash” offers card-blasting bombs and a super slow-motion trigger for players caught in a bind.

The game features over 30 minutes of original music set against stunning visuals, and contains seven unique game modes, including: action, timed, puzzle, practice, custom playlist, split screen head-to-head and multiplayer tournaments. Casual and hardcore gamers alike won’t want to miss this highly polished addition to Xbox LIVE Arcade.

For the Achievement junkies, “Poker Smash” contains 12 Achievements with a total of 200 points, including: “Score of the Gods,” which requires gamers to reach 1,000,000 points; “The Thinker,” which requires gamers to unlock all puzzle groups; and “Pack Rat,” which is awarded after gamers unlock all 11 in-game themes. 

To celebrate the launch of “Poker Smash” on Xbox LIVE Arcade, players will have the opportunity to participate in the “Poker Smash” Play & Win Sweepstakes, where one lucky grand prize winner will receive an Xbox 360 Elite console! Plus, four other winners will be selected to receive Microsoft Point cards. To be automatically entered into the sweepstakes, simply download and play the full or trial version of “Poker Smash” from Wednesday, February 6 at 8:00 a.m. GMT (12:00 a.m. PST on Tuesday, February 5) through Thursday, February 14 at 7:59 a.m. (11:59 p.m. PST on Wednesday, February 13). This sweepstakes is available in the US and Canada only. For complete sweepstakes rules, please visit:

• www.xbox.com/pokersmash

“Poker Smash” will be available worldwide this Wednesday, February 6 at 9:00 a.m. GMT (1:00 a.m. PST) for 800 Microsoft Points and is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB. For more details on “Poker Smash” please visit:

• http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/p/pokersmashxboxlivearcade

Additionally, the Xbox LIVE Arcade classic “Crystal Quest” will receive a free gameplay update this week. Developer Stainless Games has added a fresh twist to the puzzle action by incorporating a score multiplier. This update will make the game slicker and faster than before and opens up the possibility of even higher scores!

The score multiplier increases every time gamers pick up a crystal, but failing to pick up a crystal or getting zapped negates the multiplier. To keep a level playing field, old Leaderboards will be retired after the update, but will still be viewable for posterity’s sake. The update also includes improvements to downloadable content, which is part of Stainless Games’ ongoing commitment to constantly improve the player experience. For more details on “Crystal Quest” please visit:

• http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/c/crystalquestlivearcadexbox360/