Plurre and m4st3rd0n! (No guys, you weren't too late)

Congratulations guys, I will contact you via Live with your redeemable code to download Street Trace: NYC! It was definitely surprising to see the many lurkers (I am sure there are many more) commenting, welcome to the XBLArcade community. Next, look for many, many more contests and give-aways in the very near future.

For those who did not win the contest, and have yet to download this hidden gem, I do recommend doing so! Also, check out Joystiq's interview with Gaia Industries!

For all those still contemplating last week's XBLA offerings here are the results of our new community fighting rating system:

The number inside the parens is the number of total votes that came from demo-only players. Thus, "2(1)" means two votes, one of which was made by a demo-only player.

[Update]: New votes from comments added.

Street Trace: NYC

Cost: 800 MSP

Thumbs?: Up - 4(0); Down - 1(1); Undecided - 0(0)

Highlights from the comments: "...a lot of variety", "online...an absolute blast", "Game play feels at least twice as fast as Wing Commander: Arena...", "A bit rough around the edges", "Too many buttons", "in the racing mode, it was too hard to find a good/safe route."

Space Giraffe

Cost: 400 MSP

Thumbs?: Up - 3(0); Down - 2(2); Undecided - 1(1)

Highlights from the comments: "Very creative game", "a modern 'arcade classic'", "Way too hard to determine when I'm about to die...Surprises and frustrates", "nearly impossible sell at 800 MSP, but at 400 MSP it's a bit tempting"

Now, I know there are more of you other there with strong opinions. Chime in already (witty banter optional). We need to hear from you so we don't miss the gems or buy the duds (money is tight after all). Feel free to comment here and I'll update the post as I can with the new numbers.

Calling all opinioned XBLA lovers! Wanna warn our community about a stinker of an XBLA game? Need to convince someone else to buy an XBLA game so you have a multiplayer buddy? You've come to the right post.

Since we lack the technology (as of this moment) to implement the oft discussed and desired XBLACRS (aka XBLArcade Community Rating System) I've decided to take matters into my own insane brain and hatch a post like no other. And this is that post (cue the trumpets).

Read the "rules" post-leap and then get to work!

Since I've been horribly backlogged with tips and other stories I thought I'd turn this into a regularly occurring feature. It's an easy way for me to catch up and also harness your collective tipster skillz.

So, here's what's been happening around the XBLA world that I haven't had the chance to share:

I was wrong. SPFIITHDR let me down. But in its place are two other highly sought after titles beginning with the letter "S". The long awaited and gritty Street Trace:NYC is joined by Jeff Minter's triptastic Space Giraffe. Both clock in at 800 MSP and They will be available at the usual time on this Wednesday, August 22nd.

This marks an XBLA first: two new IPs debuting on the same day for 800 MSP each. Street Trace:NYC will be available at 800 MSP. Apparently, Gamerscoreblog got a little confused with all the dancing lights in Space Giraffe and tried to price it a little high but Jeff Minter says 400 MSP. And there was much rejoicing. Yay...

Remember to check out my previous previews of Street Trace:NYC: Gameplay, Single Player, and Multiplayer.

Also, screens for Space Giraffe are here. Street Trace:NYC, here.

[via Gamerscoreblog]

[Update]: Pricing information corrected. Stupid mistake ruined my whole post...grr...

Today's marketplace update from Major Nelson includes a couple bits of interest to the community here.

Namely, three Wing Commander: Arena videos, giving you a look at an epic 16-player battle as well as doling out some team strategies. Before you all retrieve your "EA's DLC is a ripoff" signs and pitchforks consider this: These videos are free. That's right. EA is giving you tip videos for free. And since these videos easily qualify for the "totally worth the price" category you can douse the torches, stow the signs and go back to work return to your relaxing breaktime (since you'd never read this blog at work...no, never).

Worth the money sure, but can anyone who has watched them tell us if they are worth our time?

Full details post-hop.

[via Major Nelson]

EA, the generous and lovable company that they are, sponsored a Wing Commander: Arena tournament amongst various community sites (some 360-centric, some not). Well, the tournament has come to a conclusion and Xbox360Fanboy came away victorious.

Why am I wasting your time with this information? Because the winning site (Xbox360Fanboy) now has a massive list of prizes (courtesy of EA) to give away to their readers. So, if you think your pad might be spruced up by a 50" 1080p TV then you know which site to stalk. (And no, this is not the time to gloat about how you already have a 50" 1080p TV...geez.)

[via Xbox360Fanboy]

We knew about Wing Commander: Arena (thanks to EA) and we knew about Super Contra (thanks to some PartnerNet Speculation) but we certainly did not expect them to arrive together. But unless those pesky press releases are merely yanking our chain, we can now safely assume that this Wednesday will be filled with a lot of shooting. Some at felines, some at aliens but shooting all the same.

Press Release after the jump.

Skipping directly over that whole Microsoft press release step in the journey to XBLA, representatives from Electronic Arts have confirmed with xbox360fanboy that their baby, Wing Commander: Arena is set to launch this week. Then again, thanks to Skeptical gaming, we already knew that (and we shouldn't have doubted you. We've learned our lesson.).

Gaia Industries (also responsible for the puzzlingly absent Street Trace:NYC) have crafted the largest online multiplayer experience currently available on XBLA. With up to 16 players, it's bound to get a little crazy.

With Bomberman Live! this past week and WC:A coming this week, there seems to be a glut of XBLA multiplayer action. Anyone complaining?

[via x360f]

Skeptical Gaming is reporting that next week will see the launch of Wing Commander Arena. No official word has been given though, so you may want to stay a skeptical gamer.

[Via WCNews]