Audiosurf not coming to XBLA [update]
by Justin McElroy 
{ Apr 23rd 2008 at 11:00AM }
If you haven't played Audiosurf, you're missing out on one of the best fusions of music and game since Milon's Secret Castle. After importing any MP3 you like, you're hurtling down a procedurally-generated course collecting and destroying gems, with every twist and turn created by your music. We know, we know, we're explaining it poorly. You really just have to try it.
According to GamesTM, you might soon have another way to do just that. In a feature about Audiosurf, the magazine reported that the game will be available "soon on Xbox Live Arcade." It seems like it would be a great fit on XBLA, so here's hoping we get some more official word soon.
[Thanks, Jonah]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Esat Dedezade @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:08AM
Do I speak for many people when I say: "\/\/00+!1"?
I like the fact that you can use your own mp3s.
Helloimbob @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:01PM
Don't bank on that...
On the 360 you couldn't use your own mp3s because of Microsoft being all paranoid and thinking you could pirate games and mod the console through them.
voodoo_craig @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:05PM
"Don't bank on that...
On the 360 you couldn't use your own mp3s because of Microsoft being all paranoid and thinking you could pirate games and mod the console through them."
WTF!?
Do you forget that on the 360 you can have custom soundtracks (on pretty much every game) using mp3s on the HDD or streamed from an iPod or PC?
Dick @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:16PM
I can
solidusbm @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:08AM
E4 had some mode that interpreted mp3's but the interface was janky. I hope they can do everything they did on steam, I'm cautiously optimistic. I doubt it will replace my pc version.
RudyHuxtable @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:11AM
It humbles me that I remember Milon's Secret Castle. Thanks, Justin. Thanks.
Esat Dedezade @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:14AM
Isn't that avatar supposed to be a moving gif in which the person comically (albeit rather violently) smashes his face up to a bloody pulp on the computer?
RudyHuxtable @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:22AM
Yea, which would be especially appropriate now.
343 Guilty Fart @ Apr 23rd 2008 1:54PM
Jeez that game was haaaard. I still have it lurking around somewhere actually...
Double J @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:13AM
I'm sticking with the PC version. My PC is the home to all my MP3 files, I don't feel like moving files from my PC to my XBox.
Mr.ESC @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:27AM
Moving MP3 to the xbox 360 is really a b**ch. I don't know what happens but the xbox 360 changes the names of the songs and sometimes refuses to play an album or just play 1 song.
I would love to have this on the xbox live but yeah if you can get the PC version I recommend you to stick with that.
Jonah Falcon @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:29AM
Huh? How so? You can rip CDs or simply import your iPod tunes.
Jonah Falcon @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:29AM
Oh, and let's not forget Windows Media Center...
Farseer (GDI) @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:39AM
Dude, stream your music.
I share the Music folder on my home server with my 360 and have access to my entire music library. Before I had a home server, I shared the music folder from my main PC with the 360 - same deal. All you need to do is add your 360 to your network and set up sharing from WMP 11.
Here's more detailed info:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/knowledgecenter/howto/mp11/Xbox360toWMP11XP_StepbyStep.aspx
Jonah Falcon @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:53AM
Streaming music doesn't work with AudioSurf - AudioSurf has to analyze the music file to build the track, blocks, etc.
Farseer (GDI) @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:00PM
Really? You can't stream with Audiosurf? That's inconvenient.
I would be happy if they were to take a few seconds to copy the song locally when you choose it from a remote location and delete it once you are done. Oh well.
infernus @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:15PM
I stream all my music to play Audiosurf with from my other computer; I have to map it as a network drive first though. Here's hoping you can do something similar for the 360 version.
Jonah Falcon @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:16PM
No. The magic of AudioSurf is the DETAILED ANALYSIS of songs it does. You can't do what AudioSurf does with a visualizer. First time you play a song, it analyzes it around 2 minutes for a 4 minute song (after you analyze it once, it never needs to again.) For example, the tempo of the song controls how fast it goes. Percussion creates hills. Etc, etc.
Just try doing "Dancing With Myself" by Billy Idol on the hardest level. It's like Guitar Hero III on the hardest level.
Jeff @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:20PM
Wait. 2 minutes to analyze?
Takes less than 10 seconds for me. I'm guessing the triple-core 360 processor will perform similarly.
Jonah Falcon @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:24PM
I have a quad core desktop. I'm basing that 2 minutes on my 2ghz single-core laptop.
Emophia @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:15AM
Meh, I played the PC demo, it was alright but I really didn't dig with it.
Phranctoast @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:16AM
Doesn't Wipeout HD have a similar game mode?
StuScotsLazyEye @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:21AM
I'd love to see console gamers try moving left and right on the hardest difficulties on complex songs. At those speeds, the thumbsticks and d-pad will be useless unless they decide to make the control scheme more like using the arrow keys, which blows.
Seems like the PC version will oust this one.
Shmil @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:41AM
Wow, a PC elitist coming out to mock gamepads for...what game? Audiosurf? No, no one's that big of a dick. I'd understand if he mocked gamepads for games like UTIII and other FPSs but Audiosurf? A simple fun little rhythm game? Next he'll be telling us why GHIII for PC is better with the keyboard rather than the guitar.
Jeff @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:05PM
Are you fucking joking me?
Really. Are you fucking joking me?
I, a lifelong PC gamer, refuse to play Audiosurf with anything but my 360 controller. It is SO much more fun-- simple, lovely games like that aren't meant to be played with a mouse. And a rythm game with rumble? Heaven.
And yes, the controls ARE like the arrow keys-- good guess there-- but it FEELS right on the controller (as opposed to like crap with the arrow keys).
I play this $10 game more than anything I own besides TF2 for the last couple of weeks. It's amazing for showing videogames to girls, or playing with friends.
On that subject, my only request would be that they soup up the multiplayer.
Seanross @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:05PM
Like there are no triggers on the controllers, and have you never heard of Frequency/Amplitude? mind you tons of other rhythm games
Jonah Falcon @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:13PM
Are you FUCKING STUPID? Would you say a mouse beats a DRIVING WHEEL for racing games?
(laugh)
Einhanderkiller @ Apr 23rd 2008 5:36PM
I actually perform better in Guitar Hero III when playing on a keyboard as opposed to the guitar controller. :)
Deck @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:21AM
Audiosurf is absolutely amazing! Its truly great fun, I lovez it. It may not be something you play for hours on end, but its great to play for shorter amounts of time now and then.
If you haven't played it, it really is a lot of fun.
Mr.ESC @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:24AM
I loved that game,I was the Top casual player of a Japanese song not a lot of people know about and most people would like to ignore.
Link @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:33AM
Wouldn't surprise me at all. Some guy from Microsoft came up and started talking to Dylan (the developer) while I was in line to play the game at the IGF expo at GDC. It's a perfect fit for Xbox Live.
Marshmallow713 @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:35AM
I actually already mostly play this game with my 360 controller. haha. I love the feel of it on a controller and it vibrates with the music. Kinda no point in buying this again.
PS. Its easy to hook up a USB hard drive to your 360 with music on it. That would be one of the easiest solutions to get your tunes on the 360 version if you don't have a networked PC or anything.
capt_carl @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:43AM
Audiosurf is awesome, the first Steam game to have achievements also (outside of Orange Box games). Too bad I can't play DRM media that I bought on iTunes with the game. D:
DemonGSides @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:46AM
Easy fix; don't download from iTunes.
Dick @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:18PM
also, burn to disc as audio files, rip to 360 or mp3s or whateva
Jonah Falcon @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:19PM
Ah, but there is a way around that, grasshopper:
Burn the DRM tunes to CD, then rip the CD. Bye bye, DRM. Just go to the AudioSurf forum to find out how to do this.
JakubK666 (Ninja Defence Force) @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:46PM
Re-download via P2P.You already bought it + it saves the mess of removing DRM.
xmrblondex @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:47AM
Sounds good! Now they just need to port it to the iPhone when 2.0 comes out...
FunkyFlyChicken @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:57AM
I don't think it's just a random slam from a "PC Elitist" about the difference in this game going from mouse to gamepad or even keyboard.
He is very right - at the tougher difficulties, you need to move SO FAST, that it is virtually impossible to play with the keyboard, and almost as bad with a gamepad.
I am guessing though that they will make some kind of sensitivity adjuster for the gamepads, but it's going to have to be WAY sensitive to work right.
It's not a knock against console gamers, and I'm not even going to get into the FPS arguments. But you really have to PLAY Audiosurf to understand... the track moves based on the current "speed" of the song, so if the song slows down, you can move between lanes much easier, and have less blocks to collect. But when the song picks up speed, there are multicolored blocks EVERYWHERE, and you have to exhibit some major accurate "twitch" gaming with the mouse, to avoid colors you don't want, and grab the ones you do.
StuScotsLazyEye @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:02PM
Exactly what I was saying, thank you.
Don't hate me because I tend to be pro-PC...I have a 360, too that I use for UMK3 and sports games only. I just point out the obvious facts.
Jonah Falcon @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:05PM
Did the PC elitist notice that AudioSurf has Xbox Live-style Achievements? (smirk)
Jonah Falcon @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:12PM
He's extremely WRONG. AudioSurf is a glorified racing game. Little hint: Guess which arena consoles dominate PC games on - RACING GAMES.
I can see some people using their DRIVING WHEEL for AudioSurf.
Joeshie @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:34PM
@Johan
No, it really isn't a glorified racing game. You clearly haven't played it.
That being said, it will probably be harder to do the higher difficultly stuff with a gamepad because it's not as quick as a mouse is. But really, I don't think it will matter that much. You can still have a fun time playing the game with just a gamepad.
Jeff @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:43PM
Dude. With the controller, you move left or right INSTANTLY. Literally-- you tap left, and you are in the left lane. I'm not comprehending your "too slow" argument.
You guys must just be really ungainly with a controller.
Jonah Falcon @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:48PM
Especially since the preferred way to play is with a 360 controller on the PC version. Rumble FTW.
Jonah Falcon @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:06PM
What I'd love to see is the Steam and Xbox Live leaderboards combined.
Jonah Falcon @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:10PM
"But when the song picks up speed, there are multicolored blocks EVERYWHERE, and you have to exhibit some major accurate "twitch" gaming with the mouse, to avoid colors you don't want, and grab the ones you do."
Um... do you understand how an analog stick works? It's very easy for AudioSurf (which I believe supports the 360 pad anyway) - the ship is always centered with the pad - and moving fast or slow is basically done by how hard to move the stick left or right.
LITTLE HINT: AudioSurf is only BIDIRECTIONAL. There's no advantage to a mouse - in fact, it's a slight disadvantage because you might move in a direction not supported (ie up, down, sideways) that the game doesn't support. The only control a mouse has in this game is the keyboard. In fact, an analog stick is far more accurate to AudioSurf than a mouse.
Please, think before you drink.
Jonah Falcon @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:10PM
Er, I meant to say the only control advantage a mouse has is over a keyboard.
Jonah Falcon @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:13PM
Oh, and as I stated before: Driving Wheel FTW.
StuScotsLazyEye @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:15PM
So you're saying your thumbs are faster than my hand and wrist? lol...