Second wave of XBLA Wednesdays revealed

Texas Hold 'Em, Scramble, Time Pilot to hit over next three weeks; card game to be free for first 48 hours.

When Microsoft debuted its Xbox Live Arcade Wednesdays program, it specified that hump day was going to be the day for new games on Live Arcade, but it wouldn't guarantee a new game each and every Wednesday. The first wave of XBLA Wednesday titles ended with last week's release of Pac-Man, but Microsoft has given digital downloaders a few more release dates for upcoming anticipated Arcade games.

There will be a slight break in the flow of games, however, as this week's Xbox Live Arcade Wednesday release is four new picture packs for Ninja Bee's XBLA platformer Cloning Clyde. Each picture pack will go for 100 Microsoft points ($1.25).

The gaming action picks up again next week as the long-awaited Texas Hold 'Em finally arrives on August 23. The game will have persistent bankrolls attached to each Xbox Live gamertag, so players who bet recklessly and come out on the losing end will have to go back to the lower-stakes tables to work their way back into the games with heavy action. Texas Hold 'Em will normally be available for 800 points ($10), but Microsoft has announced that it will be free for download for the first 48 hours.

After Texas Hold 'Em hits the Marketplace, the next two Wednesday release slots will be occupied by a pair of Konami games. On August 30, arcade dogfighter Time Pilot will arrive with HD graphics and "enhanced gameplay" for 400 Microsoft points ($5). That will be followed on September 6 by the 1981 side-scroller Scramble, also for 400 Microsoft points ($5).

129 Comments

  • HyperMetaDragon

    Posted Aug 26, 2006 11:49 pm PT

    MadFrenchman55
    Those first 48 hrs are going to be insane. I'm reminded of the Dave Chappelle "Internet" sketch when he was asking where he could download music...

    That sounds fantastic though, playing Texas Hold 'Em live online like that. I wonder how long it will be before there's an "XBL Casino" ... complete with cocktails XBL Casino would be FANTASTIC! I hope it comes.

    Oh, and for whoever wants to know if this game's good, it pwns...I never liked Poker, and now I do. I can play Multiplayer, I can see people with the XBLV camera, and I can get 200 AP. W00t!

  • halo2maniak

    Posted Aug 23, 2006 6:20 am PT

    cool more games. now lets get to some of the good ones that we havent hit, like maybe we should have the sonic games.

  • carlos171719

    Posted Aug 20, 2006 4:38 pm PT

    i love microsoft for that one that let me save some money for the other arcade games and the regular games

  • thomasonfa

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 5:06 pm PT

    Thanks Microsoft, this is the first time you guys decided not to charge me for something that I really wanted

  • MoreCowbell6924

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 12:04 pm PT

    Yes the arcade wednesdays continue. Time Pilot, Scramble, and texas hold em here I come.

  • Fatality4u

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 7:54 am PT

    I would predict that the poker will be the most popular 360 game.

  • bwgamer

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 7:16 am PT

    WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OF XBOX POKER!!!!!! RIVER ME!!!!!!!!!

  • MadFrenchman55

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 6:41 am PT

    Those first 48 hrs are going to be insane. I'm reminded of the Dave Chappelle "Internet" sketch when he was asking where he could download music...

    That sounds fantastic though, playing Texas Hold 'Em live online like that. I wonder how long it will be before there's an "XBL Casino" ... complete with cocktails

  • ZosoFan

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 10:34 pm PT

    Pimp

  • cmac2175

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 10:04 pm PT

    Man i hope i dont forget to dl texas hold em free games = goodness

  • monkeyofjustice

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 9:28 pm PT

    yes i cant wait for castle crashers i saw that at comic con and with 4 player online co-op, hack and slash, and being able to level up your characters it should be freakin sweet... to bad it doesnt com out till next year

  • EvilBuny

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 9:04 pm PT

    Microsoft is putting a lot on texas hold 'em

  • The_Game21x

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 6:50 pm PT

    Just give me my castle crashers and Symphony of the Night and I'll be fine.

  • JLCrogue

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 6:27 pm PT

    I remember playing Raiden, that game was pretty addictive for me. I hope that comes out for XBLA too!

    Anyway, I'm not sure about the others, but I'm pretty excited about an XBLA poker game. It would be cool if we could bet Microsoft points on it!

  • march15th

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 4:49 pm PT

    hey stevetwo, it was hoopworld. i am looking forward to it too. also, castle crashers and alien hominid. on another note, i wish they would bring the airplane fighter game raiden to xbla. anyone remeber that one?

  • march15th

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 4:41 pm PT

    hold 'em was supposed to be free anyways according to an old issue of OXM. i think slappin on the whole "for 48 hours" is kind of a cheap move, but i'm gonna get it so i'm not that bummed. i just wonder if it will use the camera feature.

  • PigJiggin

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 4:35 pm PT

    Good another free arcade game, my dad hates it when he gets billed for "something from Microsoft that he doesn't remember doing" (aka buying MS points).

  • SteveTwo

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 4:35 pm PT

    I'm looking forward to Lumines myself, but whatever happened to that wierd basketball game? Kinda funky graphics, really colorful. Kinda like a PowerStone-meets-Basketball kinda look?

  • JoshChambers

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 2:58 pm PT

    that sucks!!!!! I'll be in Europe next week so I can download it in time. Owell being in Europe outranks video games anyway.

  • _LEGIONS_

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 2:37 pm PT

    All I want is Lumiees!!!!!!! When can we expect it?

  • smiley17O

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 2:25 pm PT

    wheres small arms? texas hold em for free in the first 48 hours that sucks but it doesnt matter cause i would downloaded it right away. u bet a few peoploe will wait then they will have to pay...

  • calibretto1

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 2:24 pm PT

    Here's what I'm looking forward to...
    (free) Texas Hold'em
    Lumines Live
    Castlevania SOTN
    Small Arms
    Castle Crashers
    Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3

    Here's what they should include in the future...
    TMNT arcade version
    Streets of Rage 2
    ToeJam&Earl
    SFIII:3rd Strike
    Metal Slug Collection
    Ms. Pacman
    Some sort of Chess game with online multiplayer
    Spiced up version of Tetris

  • icemancell

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 1:36 pm PT

    FREE to keep or free to play for 2 days?

  • K1LLSWITCH

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 1:34 pm PT

    "The gaming action picks up again next week as the long-awaited Texas Hold 'Em finally arrives on August 23. The game will have persistent bankrolls attached to each Xbox Live gamertag, so players who bet recklessly and come out on the losing end will have to go back to the lower-stakes tables to work their way back into the games with heavy action. Texas Hold 'Em will normally be available for 800 points ($10), but Microsoft has announced that it will be free for download for the first 48 hours."

    Why play Texas Hold 'Em on XBLA when you can play it on Full Tilt Poker.net, and it's free. Even if people does use XBL Silver, they have to waste their time accumulating points for Texas Hold 'Em?

    "After Texas Hold 'Em hits the Marketplace, the next two Wednesday release slots will be occupied by a pair of Konami games. On August 30, arcade dogfighter Time Pilot will arrive with HD graphics and "enhanced gameplay" for 400 Microsoft points ($5). That will be followed on September 6 by the 1981 side-scroller Scramble, also for 400 Microsoft points ($5)."

    Also why spend $5-$10 for a game, through XBL points on XBLA, when you can pick up a Sega classics or Atari classics where you can play 10-20 games for $20 instead of going through monthly fee's to spend your XBL points for old games. Thats of course if you have a subscription to XBL Gold.

    Where are the current games for the 360? Why play old games thats been cool 10-15 years ago where we can play something good now? Is this what we have to resort to till this fall? Count me out!

  • dukerav

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 1:31 pm PT

    This free thing is certainly nice, not really looking forward to any of those, but I never pass up free.

  • Killagorilla27

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 1:18 pm PT

    when is SOTN coming out?????? I read something in EGM that said it was coming to XBL arcade. That's awesome to see that game brought back...

  • Maui00

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 1:11 pm PT

    that's great news

  • LivingDeadNinja

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 12:56 pm PT

    Yeah ok. That's lame. I'll surely get Texas Hold 'Em while it's free though.
    But we want UMK3, Lumines, the 2 first Contra games...

  • jcloverboy

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 12:53 pm PT

    Glad to see more Xbox Live Arcade Wednesdays - keep em coming.

  • Sonicgod

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 12:51 pm PT

    ok now where is the arcade version of contra?

  • TheGamer4Life

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 12:41 pm PT

    Hopefully they will be adding some Midway games like Mappy later on.

  • IIJCII

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 12:40 pm PT

    Cant wait to play Texas Hold'em on live. Glad it is finally out next week.

  • fmobliv06

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 12:28 pm PT

    you call this a next wave? there's only 3 games on this list and i'm not really excited about any..although i've never heard of scramble before. where's contra, super contra, UMK 3, lumines live and sonic the hedgehog? i'm really excited about those. on the other hand, the 48 hour free download thing is cool, but i doubt they'll have that for anything but parlor games

  • drangel_jam

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 12:19 pm PT

    yahoo!

  • veracity024

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 12:14 pm PT

    free for 48 hours? thats pretty sick.... but its gonna make the d/l wayyyy slow for a day.

  • Trigun1

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 12:06 pm PT

    I love the 48hour free deal. I wish they would do more of that.

  • abdu4

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 12:05 pm PT

    good to hear

  • Rockclmbr6

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 12:05 pm PT

    Where's Lumines Live? I never wanted to buy a PSP just for Lumines so I really want to play this game. I also can't wait for Alien Hominid.

  • UnbredVermin-UK

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 12:01 pm PT

    Nice, a great idea for free for the first 48 hours.

  • TintedChimes

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 11:57 am PT

    Nice...mmm...games...

  • Dmitheon

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 11:47 am PT

    >> I remember picking up my ColecoVision version of Time Pilot

    I had that too, and while that was a pretty decent game at the time, it doesnt hold a candle to the arcade. The arcade got down right frantic and was much faster. I'm rather looking forward to this one. I wonder how the controls will translate. TP's controls took a few minutes to figure out. If you were facing one direction and pressed another the ship would rotate in the direction that had the shortest angular distance. It wasn't one of those "i'm instantly facing that way". Not to mention you were moving the whole time so flight path was a consideration. Woo-hoo! old school !

  • Travis281

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 11:45 am PT

    I'm sure a ton of people would spend $10 for Texas Hold 'Em, they've spent more on sillier things put up on the marketplace and this game has been anticipated for a while now.

  • acummuta

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 11:37 am PT

    I'm pretty sure the way it works is, if you download in the first 48 hours it's a free (to keep) FULL version. Otherwise after the 48 hours you'll have to pay if you decide to download it later.

  • acummuta

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 11:35 am PT

    If it's free...why not get it?

  • pundog

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 11:34 am PT

    Making Hold em free for 48 hours is a good idea, for something like that you want a large fanbase and since alot of people wouldn't pay 10 bucks for it this is a way to get them playing and then have the game spread by word of mouth.

  • supercrap1

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 11:31 am PT

    Scramble pwns.

  • MiKaNoH

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 11:01 am PT

    Im not interested in any of these games, I WANT ULTIMATE MORTAL KOMBAT 3!!!
    .........
    ...........
    ...............FLAWLESS VICTORY

  • Sydwynder

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 11:00 am PT

    Gotta remember to download that for free...........

  • jochai

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 10:47 am PT

    how is hold em worth 10 dollars?

  • Fleet3000

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 10:41 am PT

    they are so gonna regret making that free... all nighter, here i come.

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