Free newspaper Metro (daily USA readership: 1.03 million) today published a column singing the praises
of Xbox Live Arcade. Writes Robert Summa, "While the Xbox 360 may be a modern-day technological marvel and
achievement, its real benefit and joy comes from Xbox Live Arcade .... [which] gives gamers something that today's mega
games can't deliver: fast-paced fun."
Is the counterintuitive idea that casual gaming is the console's killer app about to tip into mainstream acceptance? We're seeing it pop up more and more frequently, even though the "hardcore" audience that frequents games blogs like Joystiq tends to poo-poo the idea that these casual titles offer anything of value for "true" gamers. Writes one of the unconvinced Joystiq readers: "[The popularity of XBLA games is] another testament to how much the 360 needs some good games.... The lack of quality games for the 360 makes people bored."
Other Joystiq readers who have tried these titles first-hand tend to disagree. ZeroCorpse writes, "I bought [Marble Blast Ultra] because it's a GOOD GAME. It's not filling any gap between retail titles, as I haven't even bought all the retail titles I want yet. It's not some low-tech piece of junk flash game, either.... It has solid gameplay, awesome level design, and a great multiplayer mode."
Is a revolution afoot here? Are
gamers finally starting to come around to the idea that games don't need to offer hours of prerendered footage in order
to be very, very enjoyable? Or is this just some temporary enthusiasm that will cool off once we all get used to it?
Will this new ardor for casual titles played on consoles drive mainstream acceptance of console gaming?
