TGS: XBLA hits Tokyo with Contra and friends

Tucked in Microsoft's TGS press release announcing 1080p support and Japanese HD-DVD info, was a short bit on Xbox Live Arcade's presence at TGS. They revealed the following list of Konami and Namco Bandai titles:

Contra
Gyruss (previously unannounced)
Dig Dug
Track & Field
New Rally-X (previously unannounced)
Rush'n Attack (previously unannounced)
Ms. Pac-Man
Yie Ar Kung Fu: a "Japan-exclusive Xbox Live Arcade game" and "one of the very first fighting games" will be released in 2007

Some of these we've known about, others we've seen before (Contra was at Microsoft's E3 event, and, oh yeah, it's also ingrained in our consciousness), but there are some interesting additions, including a Japan-exclusive title. Our question is, why is Konami wasting their time with some of these games when all we want are those classic Konami beat 'em ups? You're sitting on a gold mine Konami! Seriously, you're sitting on it. Get up and let us at it.

Microsoft's TGS press briefing:
Xbox 360 to add 1080p support, PS3 to lose bullet point
HD-DVD add-on hits Japan Nov. 17th for ¥19,800
Blue Dragon hits Japan this holiday

Reader Comments (23)

You're right on the money, Chris. There are so many titles that Konami could be focusing on releasing for the Live Arcade instead of some of these bizarre choices that it's insane. (And the same goes for the Virtual Console by the way. Konami better get its classic beat-em-ups on there.)

Give it time. Konami is working in a loose chronological order. Lets the coders get their 360 skills in order on simple, yet make money in the process, then move on to more recent classics.

Sounds like a great scheme to me. Get paid to learn a new platform. Hopefully more of the older publishers will get the clue.

Egads! Rally X?! Considering how badly it did on mobile, why are they doing it for XBLA? Where are the original titles instead of all these little-better-than-emulator ports?

Okay, but now the serious quesition that we all need to know.. will Contra support the Konami code?

OMFG! Probotector's (Contra) coming to Live Arcade?! OMFG!

/blows dust off 360

I know people that'll buy a 360 on primarily for this. Amazing news. Though the Nintendo fanboy wants it come out on the Wii VC as well. :)

@ lordjezo
better question, is contra a port of the NES version of is it a port of the arcade version? Konami has never made an arcade perfect port of Contra or Super Contra.

Yei Ar Kung Fu I have on my GBA with the Konami compilation along with Rush and Attack, Scramble, Time Pilot and Gyruss. I pulled it out and loaded it up as I started typing this. Jeez Konami, you have to come better than this, Where's Legend of the Mystical Ninja and Axelay. I'll take Salamander before I take another re-release of Rush and Attack. Why not release Jackal too?

Give me Yie Ar Kung Fu for the American 360 owners...or I'll destroy everyone.

as long as UP UP DOWN DOWN LEFT RIGHT LEFT RIGHT B A B A works i'm all for it!

Let's have Crime Fighters - predates GTA's "kick them in the head when they are down" antics by about 13 years

Rush'n Attack!!!! I have fond memories of this game.

Rally X was previously mentioned as coming to XBLA, but I doubt anyone picked up on it back then.

MAME calls: he wants his 1987 back!

hey, people: Konami never did an arcade perfect port because the home machines then were not up to snuff to the job, damn! NES was not capable of running TMNT arcade and not even SNES. Of course XBox 360 is more than capable of running those original hardware emulated via software.

Heck, with some effort they're even capable of running N64, PSX and perhaps even PS2 software...

@striderhayasa-

It's the arcade Contra. It was playable at E3 this past May.

I probably would have laughed myself hoarse(and most likely pissed myself in the process) if it would have been the NES Contra. Heh.

ZOMG! Contra AND Rush'N'Attack?!?! Oh happy day!

Personally, I'm glad Konami didn't attempt direct ports of the arcade Contra games. They both feel stiff and overly short compared to the NES Contra and Super C. It's the home games that are classics.

Yes, the NES wasn't capable of recreating the TMNT Arcade experience, but that didn't stop them from trying anyway. And I think they did alright for the limits of the system, flicker aside.

"It's the home games that are classics."

I agree, but still believe you'll get an arcade port. :)

I want track and Field. Button mashing goodness.

Yie Ar Kung Fu is great. They better release that here. I have the MAME version and I've been trying to buy the arcade game for years

WTF is up w/ Yie Ar Kung Fu being Japan-exclusive? I love that game, one of my most played on MAME!

Other highly wanted arcade games:

Jungle King
Vanguard
Tutkenhamen (sp)
Marble Madness
Skate or Die!

Wired ran an article about MS at TGS and mentioned that Castlevania was also announced for XBLA. Anyone know more info about this?

http://www.wired.com/news/culture/games/0,71824-0.html

"Microsoft VP Peter Moore was on hand to pull back the curtain on a slate of new downloadable classic games for Xbox Live Arcade, including the best-selling arcade game Ms. Pac-Man as well as more hardcore hits like Castlevania."

Yie Ar Kung Fu!!! WOO HOO! that's one for us old-timers, there.

Not Dwight, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night was announced quite some time ago. It's coming next year.

I can't help but wonder, is Track & Field going to destroy battery life on the controllers? I'll still play it, cause it's awesome (or was, I'm sure nostalgia's just getting the best of me...)

I know you said "one of the very first fighting games" But I feel I need to mention that acording to KLOV.com Karate champ was released in 84 as opposed to 85. I have allways thought Karate chapm to be "The First" fighting game. Anyone know any different?

TGS: XBLA hits Tokyo with Contra and friends

Reader Comments (23)

Posted: Sep 20th 2006 5:12AM (Unverified) said

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