It's Memorial Day here in the United States, which means that no one is working (for the most part). According to the latest Major Nelson podcast, that also means that we will have to wait until tomorrow to hear what this week's Xbox Live Arcade game will be. Although, remember that last week we reported that Xbox UK stated that Commando 3 will be this weeks (5/28) title. We'll let you know tomorrow morning if this does turn out to be correct.

Forum goer tancredo sends us a tip of the next two releases for Xbox Live Arcade being Commando 3 on May 28th and Roogoo on June 4th. It'll be interesting to see if these release dates actually pan out. The word on Commando 3 comes from the Xbox newsletter; where as, the Roogoo release date comes to us from a preview on IGN Xbox 360. Keep your fingers crossed.

[Update]: Image of the UK newsletter with visual proof circled in red added. Thanks Tim.

After releasing a slew of classic Arcade titles, Namco looks like having a new aproach to the XBLA service.

In what can be the best game announcement for XBLA since Rez HD and Ikaruga, Namco revealed that Soul Calibur (!!!!) and a new twin-stick shooter called Infinitum will be coming to XBLA this Summer.

Soul Calibur is a series of weapon based fighters that started on the Dreamcast (actually the series started with Soul Edge on the PS1), being considered one of the best fighters ever made (and the highest rated console fighter ever). July 29th is the expected release date of the new title of the series, Soul Calibur IV, so I think it's safe to say that Soul Calibur XBLA will arrive around that time. The XBLA version will feature HD graphics but unfortunately no online play (maybe no online play is better than awful online play) Btw, Soul Calibur will be XBLA exclusive, maybe because PSN already has Tekken.

The other Namco title, Infinitum is a twin-stick shooter in the vein of Geometry Wars and the upcoming Schizoid, in Infinitum your ship will grow as you kill enemies "revealing even more massive and powerful enemies that were previously too large to see".

 

This week on XBLA we see the arrival of 2 new games (something that didn't happened in a lot of time), namely Rocky and Bullwinkle and Battlezone.

Rocky and Bullwinkle will be available for 800MSP, while Battlezone will set you back 400 MS.

Both titles will be available this coming Wednesday, April 16th, at 9:00 am GMT.

The Gamerscore Blog brings word that this week's release is the much anticipated classic shmup Ikaruga. Originally released as a Japan-only title for the Dreamcast it was later ported for the GameCube for a worldwide release, and this Wednesday, April 9th, it arrives to the Xbox Live Arcade service.

Officially announced back in September 2007 (rumored existence since February 2007), Ikaruga is known for the nerve-inducing mechanic of your ship having 2 color schemes, which you have to manage in order to deal maximum damage and shield yourself from the enemy fire.

Costing the standard price of 800 Microsoft Points (~10$USD), Ikaruga on XBLA will feature 2-player coop (offline or over Xbox Live), HD graphics, video replays and online leaderboards.

Full press release and some screenshots after the jump:

Press release:

360Sync.com has confirmed the rumor with Sega that Happy Tree Friends: False Alarm will be release on April 21st. It's obvious here that they mean the week of April 21st as that is a Monday. In addition, they have gotten word from Zen Studios that Rocky and Bullwinkle will be available on April 16th for 800 MS Points. If you would like to see complaining about [Insert Game Name] not being released on those two weeks head to our comments section!

Metanet has made the N+ release date official. The title will be available for 800 MS Points on Wednesday 2/20. Also of note is that they plan on releasing some levels packs after release.

If you really cared you probably already knew, but just in case you have a press release fetish I'm posting the weekly press release after the break.  If nothing else, it does have links to the xbox.com pages, and that's something.

What I really want to know though is who is buying?

Oh, and there's a bunch of screenshots after the break too.  (Was that important to mention?)

[via Gamerscoreblog]

My magic touch strikes again.  I claim full responsibility for Discs of Tron finally arriving.  I did recently call its absence a "debacle", after all.  Apparently, someone at the top read that and said, "Get that game out, now!"  That's right.  All me.

I'm sure that I'm also totally responsible for Commanders: Attack of the Genos arriving this week but I just can't figure out how yet.  Give me some time.

While I get my brain warmed up let me explain just how we know about our Wednesday haul in advance this week.  With Discs of Tron, Disney was kind enough to go the press release route.  Riveting, I know.  With Commanders, Sierra slipped up by actually putting a (presumably) accurate release date on the game's info page.  And there you have it.

What's your poison: giving your opponents the derezzing treatment with a swift toss or methodically dismantling their armored vehicle division?

Sierra Online's Official Commanders: Attack of the Genos Site has a nice video and some screenshots to whet your turn-based appetites.

(BTW, the game's title did indeed add "of the Genos" back onto the end despite referring to it as just "Commanders: Attack!" for a while there.)

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]