Turns out that my speculation about the strange reappearance of all those PopCap games was likely wrong. It now seems apparent that they reappeared due to their inclusion on the PopCap Arcade Vol. 1 disc. And that accounts for the presence of Astropop and Feeding Frenzy right at the top this week.

However, we still have some news lurking amongst all the PopCap games. New to the list this week are Arkadian Warriors, OMEGA FIVE, and Rocketmen: Axis of Evil (all are E10+). Rocketmen already appeared on the USK. Also of note, The 3D Ultra Minigolf expansion Lost Island aquired its own separate rating (E) and Carcassonne popped up again.

Carcassonne's presence is likely the result of the recent expansion Kings & Barons, but could Rocketmen be nearing release? And what about Arkadian Warriors and OMEGA FIVE?

Usual list of ESRB lurkers post-breakage.

[via the ESRB]

'Tis confirmed! Every Extend Extra Extreme will arrive this Wednesday. But Q Entertainment isn't stopping there. They're also dropping the price of LUMINES LIVE! and releasing new skin packs. Good news all around.

Here's the skinny (according to some fun Google Translation):

• Every Extend Extra Extreme arrives this Wednesday for 800MSP. No word yet on if this will be region-limited.
• LUMINES will permanently drop from 1200MSP to 800MSP.
• LUMINES LIVE! Rockin' Holiday Pack will be 400MSP.
• A new Genki Rockets skin called "Breeze Skin(Translation?)" Two Genki Rockets skins ("Heavenly Star" and "Breeze") will be available for FREE to Gold Xbox Live Members until November 14th.

Presumably, Speedball 2 is also arriving this Wednesday but we'll update this story if and when official announcements are made (in english hopefully). Speedball 2 will also be 800MSP.

[Update]: It's doubly official now. Press Release after the break. Also, cleaned up some of the details.

[via gpara.com (amusingly translated here), thanks Buster]

Yet another discovery I made while browsing the IGF entries was the identity of Reflexive Entertainment's next XBLA game. Reflexive was responsible for the game Ricochet Lost Worlds on the original Xbox version of XBLA and also for Wik: Fable of Souls (a personal favorite). As a result of their high standing in my esteem, I was intrigued when I saw their name amongst the IGF entries. And thus, I set out to do some internet Matlocking, and I struck gold.

Long story short: Axiom: Overdrive will be Reflexive Entertainment's next XBLA title, and it's coming in "Winter 2007". Want to know how I cracked the code? Want to know more about Axiom: Overdrive? Hit the Jump.

[via IGF and Reflexive Entertainment Inc.]

During Tokyo Games Show, many Japanese XBLA games were announced. But my dreams of playing games like Every Extend Extra Extreme anytime soon were quickly dashed with word that E4 was slated to come to Japan near the end of the year and North America in early 2008.

So what the heck is E4 doing on the front page of the XBLA section at xbox.com? (Click the image for the full screen grab) It even has it's very own page with details and screens and everything (use the scrolling list on the left, not the big logo at the top which goes to this broken link).

Could this be an early Chrismahanukwanzica present for everyone? I sure hope so.

(To be perfectly clear: I'm still filing this under rumor as xbox.com has been wrong on many an occasion.)

[via xbox.com]

Whilst checking out the entries for this year's Independent Games Festival (more on that later), I noticed that Undertow was entered into the contest. Undertow (as you may already know) is the upcoming Unreal 3 powered underwater shoot-a-thon heading to XBLA.

There have been hands-on previews and many a discussion about the game but now we're very close to an actual release date. And better yet, it's soon. Very soon.

The IGF entry states that Undertow is "expected for release in Oct. 2007."

If that proves true, we only have 3 possible days left: Oct 17th, 24th, or 31st. Anyone willing to bet which day it'll arrive?

[via IGF]

You Reviewed It, Where Is It?

Apparently OXM has realized that they've reviewed a bunch of XBLA games that still have yet to be released into the wild. Two games that fall in that category are Tron and Discs of Tron. Despite the gap between review and release, the games are not going to change at all according to OXM.

But when the heck are they coming out anyway? And if they haven't changed, why delay? Especially since games aren't held back according to one David Edery.

Kick Ass And Chew Bubblegum

OXM points us in the direction of Shacknews.com which recently (aka 2 months ago) heard 3D Realms' George Broussard spouting about an XBLA version of Duke Nukem 3D. He said that 3D Realms is "just waiting on the good word from Microsoft to continue."

But our forumites already told us that. Silly print magazine, rumors are for blogs.

[via OXM #76 November 2007]

Want more content for Band of Bugs? (If you're like me you need it.) Then check the arcade this Wednesday because a new single-player campaign expansion will be there to greet you.

The new campaign is called Ninja Sticks of Fury. (Which is a name fills me with shocking awe.) Details as follows:

• A full new campaign, with new characters, environments, and scripted event-filled levels.
• There's even more content for the map editor! (The snowy tileset is my personal favorite from when I saw it months ago!)
• The new pack includes a new achievement, and the levels in the Ninja Sticks campaign count toward the Gold Star achievement.

For those hardcore players out there this set of missions is purportedly tough. Mega-tough. But I know you are all up for a little challenge, so go get it. If all that is not enough to convince you, check out the trailer -- embedded below to combat your laziness.

[thanks to dezombie, Dan of VGToys.com, and also the Ruler of NinjaBee Nation -- Steve Taylor]

After the break, another NinjaBee t-shirt contest (courtesy of VGToys.com) and a personal note about Band of Bugs.

Looks like publishers are taking XBLA announcements into their own hands. First, a little birdie from D3 told us that Puzzle Quest was coming this week. And now, Empire Interactive's albatross flops unceremoniously down upon our unsuspecting crowd and squawks "Speedball II: Brutal Deluxe will arrive on October the 17th!" At which point, our stunned faces watch as the awkward bird stumbles and bumbles its way back into the air to squawk another day.

My metaphor just ran aground. Nothing to see here.

Looks like the word on the street was only a few weeks off. Now if only they could decide if the logo's "2" is right or if it's "II", I would be one happy blogger.

(Let me foreshadow the coming tide, "Now where the heck is Sensible Soccer?")

[Update]: The price quoted in the press release was 800MSP.

[via Empire Interactive Press Release (PDF link), thanks Xboxic]

Everyone is shocked. Rumor proved true. Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords, everyone's favorite match-three roleplaying game mashup (okay, only match-three RPG mashup), will be arriving in just two short days.

And what's tagging along beside it in the trip from vaporware to gaming reality is the little promotional car game that could: Yaris. Oh, and it's free. Yaris just went from your "whatever" list to your "download now" list, didn't it?

Oh, and Puzzle Quest is indeed 1200MSP. Let the debate begin!

Full details after the break.

Screens on Gamerscoreblog's Flickr for: Puzzle Quest or Yaris

[Update 2]: Apparently Yaris is only free/available in the U.S./Canada North America. Mexico may commence rejoicing.

John Porcaro of Gamerscoreblog says:

The Yaris game isn't available worldwide because the game's portrayal and model options of the Yaris aren't available in all global markets, and the specific brand positioning of the Yaris is unique to the U.S. and Canada.

[via Gamerscoreblog]

Since I seem to be the last to know about this I'll make it short. IGN is reporting that Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords is coming this Wednesday to XBLA. They are citing a mysterious press release (will someone please track this thing down for me) from publisher D3 which states that Puzzle Quest will arrive if "all goes well".

And here I was about to write a story about the recent appearance of a theme and picture pack for Puzzle Quest making me think the game was near. Silly me.

And in case, mysterious press releases aren't good enough for you, how about a very unsubtle visual hint seen this week OnTheSpot (at about 35:00-direct video player link).

Who's ready to shell out 1200MSP for some matchin' and questin' in and around good ol' Bartonia?

[via IGN, thanks Wasabi and McLean78]