Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Alien Hominid owners get alien in Castle Crashers]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/alien-hominid-owners-get-alien-in-castle-crashers/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/alien-hominid-owners-get-alien-in-castle-crashers/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/alien-hominid-owners-get-alien-in-castle-crashers/#commentsFiled under: ,

Guess who's back? Yes, you guessed correctly and on your first try, it's that adorable yellow alien from The Behemoth's Alien Hominid HD and we just learned that he'll be making an appearance in the August 27th release of Castle Crashers. As a playable character at that. Developer The Behemoth confirmed that the alien would be insta-unlocked as a playable character in Castle Crashers for those who already purchased the XBLA release of Alien Hominid HD, but can still be earned by those who don't own the game. Also, per The Behemoth's graphic above (which we totally ninja-stole), there will be a free Castle Crashers theme and gamer pictures come launch week. Big w00tz to that!

JoystiqAlien Hominid owners get alien in Castle Crashers originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Jul 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alienhominidalienhominidhdcastle-crashersthe-behemothxblaTue, 29 Jul 2008 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[My Favorite Martian]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/17/my-favorite-martian/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/17/my-favorite-martian/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/17/my-favorite-martian/#commentsFiled under:

If The Martian DS looks a little rough on the edges, it's because the title was originally created by a team of three for a 72-hour game development competition four years ago. The resulting project is actually quite impressive, considering, and we're happy to see that one of the original developers took the time to create a homebrew port of it for the DS.

Short but sweet, The Martian DS is a side-scrolling shooter in the vein of Alien Hominid. Players roam the city picking up weapons and power-ups while dodging constant gunfire from the local law enforcement. The game really suffers from the lack of a soundtrack, but the original character sprites, especially the donut-heaving boss, makes up for it.


[Via GBATemp]

JoystiqMy Favorite Martian originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Jul 2007 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alien hominidAlien-HominidAlienHominiddshomebrewmarsmartianmartiansmartians dsMartiansDsnintendonintendo dsNintendoDsO3-Entertainmentpoo hillPooHillteam poo hillTeamPooHillthe martianthe martian dsThe-BehemothTheMartianTheMartianDsTue, 17 Jul 2007 17:15:00 EST<![CDATA[New PDA games available for Alien Hominid]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/20/new-pda-games-available-for-alien-hominid/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/20/new-pda-games-available-for-alien-hominid/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/20/new-pda-games-available-for-alien-hominid/#commentsFiled under: ,

When The Behemoth's crew isn't too busy making custom trophies, or working on Castle Crashers, they're obviously throwing together some PDA stages for Alien Hominid HD. The second pack of 100 PDA levels is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace for 150 Microsoft Points. If you're in a spending mood, you can also pick up some new gamer pictures, as there are two packs with 5 pics a piece, each for 100 MS Points. Do you play the PDA minigame in Alien Hominid? If so, do you play solo or multiplayer?

JoystiqNew PDA games available for Alien Hominid originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Jun 2007 08:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alien HominidAlien Hominid HDAlienHominidAlienHominidHdArcade X B L AArcadeXBLABehemothLive ArcadeLiveArcadeP D APDAThe BehemothTheBehemothXbox Live ArcadeXboxLiveArcadeWed, 20 Jun 2007 08:15:00 EST<![CDATA[The Behemoth gives Major Trophy]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/18/the-behemoth-gives-major-trophy/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/18/the-behemoth-gives-major-trophy/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/18/the-behemoth-gives-major-trophy/#commentsFiled under:

Showing what an awesome development team they are, The Behemoth gave Major Nelson a custom, hand made FBI Agent trophy. This was in thanks for his support of their first title for Xbox Live Arcade, Alien Hominid HD, back in late February. Now, some of you may remember that The Behemoth was going to give away trophies for those at the top of the leaderboards of the game.

Major, being an MS employee was not eligible to win, no matter how mad his skillz, so they hooked him up with this absolutely badass trophy, and he's posted pics on his flickr page of the gift and the thank you letter included in the package. Hopefully, The Behemoth will remember X3F and our GDC interview when Castle Crashers lands on Arcade, right guys?

JoystiqThe Behemoth gives Major Trophy originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Jun 2007 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alien HominidAlien Hominid HDAlienHominidAlienHominidHdBehemothCastle CrashersCastleCrashersThe BehemothTheBehemothMon, 18 Jun 2007 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Indies and consoles: an imperfect system]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/31/indies-and-consoles-an-imperfect-system/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/31/indies-and-consoles-an-imperfect-system/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/31/indies-and-consoles-an-imperfect-system/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

According to Gamasutra's Simon Carless, the independent scene is facing an uphill battle when developing for consoles, specifically in the realm of digital distribution. Carless argues that the difficulty in bringing a title across all platforms, both for technological and business reasons.

Other than some retro titles (e.g. Joust), a very small number of downloadable title are appearing on both Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. Capcom's Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix is one of the few exceptions, and Capcom's Christian Svensson said it required "considerable coordination" to get the titles on both consoles, which indicates to us that less established independent houses would have insurmountable difficulty.

Carless notes that Sony's collection, retro games aside, are predominantly first party (though we should note that flOw went to Sony because they actively sought out the independent title). Nintendo has always talked about bringing original games to the Wii, and there have been murmurings of a Game Channel, but so far all the only tangible indication of a non-Virtual Console title is Impossible Mission.

Carless' analogy to the film industry (three separate formats for theatre chains), though admittedly ham-fisted, does not account for industry history. It may be unfair to the independent developer, but there hasn't been a time when gaming was controlled by a single format. Sure, development teams are now much larger and require a bigger budget, but that hasn't stopped smaller teams from succeeding with Geometry Wars, Ragdoll Kung-Fu, and Alien Hominid (pictured). The state of indie games isn't ideal, but it seems to be getting better. We say keep on fighting, Simon.

JoystiqIndies and consoles: an imperfect system originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 May 2007 22:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alien hominidAlienHominidcapcomflowgame channelGameChannelgeometry warsGeometryWarsimpossible missionImpossibleMissionindependentindieline riderLineRiderplaystation networkPlaystationNetworkPS3psnpuzzle fighterPuzzleFighterrag doll kung fuRagDollKungFuWiixblaxbox liveXbox-360XboxLiveThu, 31 May 2007 22:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Shiny Alien Hominid trophies for leaderboard champs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/03/shiny-alien-hominid-trophies-for-leaderboard-champs/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/03/shiny-alien-hominid-trophies-for-leaderboard-champs/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/03/shiny-alien-hominid-trophies-for-leaderboard-champs/#commentsFiled under:


Some of you have been working very hard. You've been blasting FBI and KGB agents in XBLA's Alien Hominid HD like you were born to do it, and why? All to earn the loving praise (and promised prize) from creator, The Behemoth. The indie-developer has documented, in excruciating detail, the laborious process they undertook to hand craft each trophy, which will be sent out to the winners as determined every Saturday afternoon. But this ain't no t-shirt you can buy in a store, or win on a gaming blog. These are for champions only! So get practicing ... you've got a ways to go before you'll trump the likes of Bilgewater or Eric The Duke.

Gallery: Alien Hominid trophies

JoystiqShiny Alien Hominid trophies for leaderboard champs originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 May 2007 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alienhominidthebehemothXbox-360Thu, 03 May 2007 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Alien Hominid HD trophies awarded]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/03/alien-hominid-hd-trophies-awarded/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/03/alien-hominid-hd-trophies-awarded/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/03/alien-hominid-hd-trophies-awarded/#commentsFiled under: ,

A while back, The Behemoth offered the best Alien Hominid HD players a chance to win custom trophies for staying on top of the leaderboards. And today, they announced the winners and sent out the shiny hardware. Each winner will receive a trophy that was created in-house, customized with the winner's gamertag, and dated. There are also a few gamers who went above and beyond the call of duty and will be eternally immortalized in The Behemoth's hall of fame.

And if you're a tad jealous that you didn't win a trophy, don't worry. The Behemoth manufactured over 150 extra trophy bases for future giveaways. Loving fellas aren't they?

Read - Trophy making process.
Read - Leaderboard winners.

JoystiqAlien Hominid HD trophies awarded originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 May 2007 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alien hominidalien hominid hdAlienHominidAlienHominidHdthe behemothTheBehemothThu, 03 May 2007 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[More Alien Hominid HD levels available]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/30/more-alien-hominid-hd-levels-available/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/30/more-alien-hominid-hd-levels-available/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/30/more-alien-hominid-hd-levels-available/#commentsFiled under: ,

Yeah, yeah, we know we're late on this, but die-hard Alien Hominid fans should know that there are now even more PDA levels available for download in Alien Hominid HD. The content is called the "PDA Euro pack" and contains 100 new PDA levels that have never been seen inside the US. So, if you live in Europe then there really isn't all that much to get excited about. Of course, there is a brand new episode of the Xbox 360 Fancast available. That's sort of exciting, right? No? Oh, alright then.

JoystiqMore Alien Hominid HD levels available originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 30 Apr 2007 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alien hominidalien hominid hdAlienHominidAlienHominidHdarcadelive arcadeLiveArcadexblaxbox live arcadeXboxLiveArcadeMon, 30 Apr 2007 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Alien Hominid content invades XBLA]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/04/alien-hominid-content-invades-xbla/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/04/alien-hominid-content-invades-xbla/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/04/alien-hominid-content-invades-xbla/#commentsFiled under:

Those of us lost in the Egyptian ball busting action found in Luxor 2 may have missed the new content available for Alien Hominid HD. The new content adds 100 new levels to the PDA mini-game found in Alien Hominid HD. The new levels can be had for the pittance of 150 Microsoft Points. In addition to the new levels, 2 new Alien Hominid picture packs are available for 100 points each. Sure, it's not as exciting as, say, Castle Crashers, but it might be a worthy purchase if you've got some spare points in your account, which you probably do if you bought Luxor 2. Funny how that works out, isn't it?

JoystiqAlien Hominid content invades XBLA originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Apr 2007 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ah hdAhHdalien hominidalien hominid hdAlienHominidAlienHominidHdbehemoththe behemothTheBehemothWed, 04 Apr 2007 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fanswag: Alien Hominid HD Giveaway the end]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/24/fanswag-alien-hominid-hd-giveaway-the-end/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/24/fanswag-alien-hominid-hd-giveaway-the-end/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/24/fanswag-alien-hominid-hd-giveaway-the-end/#commentsFiled under:


Our Alien Hominid HD Giveaway has come to an end and it is okay to shed a tear or two. But let's divulge who the winner of yesterday's day 3 giveaway was. The winner of an autographed Alien Hominid figurine set is ... drumroll ... Cam! Congratulations Cam, we know those figurines will be proudly displayed in your cubicle. Again, we must thank The Behemoth for their generosity in donating these prizes during their leaderboards giveaway. Those guys are definitely cool dudes. And a big thanks goes out to you, all the fanboy readers, for participating as we hope to have more giveaways in the near future. You guys are cool dudes too.

JoystiqFanswag: Alien Hominid HD Giveaway the end originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 24 Mar 2007 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alien hominidalien hominid hdAlienHominidAlienHominidHdgiveawaythe behemothTheBehemothSat, 24 Mar 2007 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fanswag: Alien Hominid HD Giveaway day 3 [update 1]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/23/fanswag-alien-hominid-hd-giveaway-day-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/23/fanswag-alien-hominid-hd-giveaway-day-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/23/fanswag-alien-hominid-hd-giveaway-day-3/#commentsFiled under:


Update 1: This contest is now closed. For the winner click here.

It's the third day of our Alien Hominid HD Giveaway and we're pleased to announced day 2's winners. Both taking home an Alien Hominid tshirt is ... drumroll ... Chris and MuffNman! Congrats guys, you both have equally interesting reasons why aliens are much cooler than pirates. But onward to today's prize.

Today we're going out with a bang by giving away one autographed Alien Hominid figurine set (pictured above). This set is numbered and autographed by both Dan Paladin and Tom Fulp, more pictures after the break. To win, simply comment on this post stating where you'll showcase these Alien Hominid figurines if you won this giveaway. It's really that easy. One winner will be randomly chosen today at 11:59 PM EST and will be announced tomorrow. Again, to enter, simply write a comment stating where you'll showcase these figurines if you won. A big thanks goes out to The Behemoth for donating the Alien Hominid swag for the giveaway. Also, be sure to check out their leaderboards giveaway going on now!

Rules: Please read the complete official rules for this giveaway. Remember, this giveaway is only open to US residents who are 13 years of age or older. Day three contest ends on 3/23/07 at 11:59 PM EST, when one winner will be randomly selected.

Continue reading Fanswag: Alien Hominid HD Giveaway day 3 [update 1]

JoystiqFanswag: Alien Hominid HD Giveaway day 3 [update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Mar 2007 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alien hominidalien hominid hdAlienHominidAlienHominidHdgiveawaythe behemothTheBehemothFri, 23 Mar 2007 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fanswag: Alien Hominid HD Giveaway day 2 [update 1]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/fanswag-alien-hominid-hd-giveaway-day-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/fanswag-alien-hominid-hd-giveaway-day-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/fanswag-alien-hominid-hd-giveaway-day-2/#commentsFiled under:


Update 1: This contest is now closed. For the winner click here.

It's the second day of our Alien Hominid HD Giveaway and we're pleased to announced day 1's winner. Taking home an XL Alien Hominid tshirt is ... drumroll ... Erik Novak! Congrats Erik Novak, who thinks The Behemoth's chicken got so obese by eating too many Soylent McNuggets. But onward to today's prize.

Today we're giving away two Alien Hominid tshirts (pictured above) in both L and XL sizes. To win one of these tshirts, simply comment on this post stating why you think aliens are cooler than pirates. It's really that easy. Two winners will be randomly chosen today at 11:59 PM EST and will be announced tomorrow. Again, to enter, simply write a comment stating why you think aliens are cooler than pirates. A big thanks goes out to The Behemoth for donating the Alien Hominid swag for the giveaway. Also, be sure to check out their leaderboards giveaway going on now!

Rules: Please read the complete official rules for this giveaway. Remember, this giveaway is only open to US residents who are 13 years of age or older. Day two contest ends on 3/22/07 at 11:59 PM EST, when two winners will be randomly selected.

JoystiqFanswag: Alien Hominid HD Giveaway day 2 [update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Mar 2007 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alien hominidalien hominid hdAlienHominidAlienHominidHdcontestgiveawaythe behemothTheBehemothThu, 22 Mar 2007 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fanswag: Alien Hominid HD Giveaway day 1 [update 1]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/21/fanswag-alien-hominid-hd-giveaway-day-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/21/fanswag-alien-hominid-hd-giveaway-day-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/21/fanswag-alien-hominid-hd-giveaway-day-1/#commentsFiled under:


Update 1: This contest is now closed. For the winner click here.

Today we're kicking off our three day Alien Hominid HD Giveaway! Today's prize is one Alien Hominid XL tshirt (pictured above) to prevent you from having to walk around naked. So, how do you win this lovely tshirt? Simply comment on this post stating how you think The Behemoth's chicken (as seen in their logo) got so obese. It's really that simple. One winner will be randomly chosen today at 11:59 PM EST and will be announced tomorrow. Again, to enter, simply write a comment stating how you think The Behemoth's chicken got so obese. A big thanks goes out to The Behemoth for donating the Alien Hominid swag for the giveaway. Also, be sure to check out their leaderboards giveaway going on now!

Rules: Please read the complete official rules for this giveaway. Remember, this giveaway is only open to US residents who are 13 years of age or older. Day one contest ends on 3/21/07 at 11:59 PM EST, when one winner will be randomly selected.

JoystiqFanswag: Alien Hominid HD Giveaway day 1 [update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Mar 2007 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alien hominidalien hominid hdAlienHominidAlienHominidHdfanswaggiveawaythe behemothTheBehemothWed, 21 Mar 2007 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fanswag: Alien Hominid HD Giveaway]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/20/fanswag-alien-hominid-hd-giveaway/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/20/fanswag-alien-hominid-hd-giveaway/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/20/fanswag-alien-hominid-hd-giveaway/#commentsFiled under:


Alien Hominid HD graced our Xbox 360s a few weeks ago creating a man-crush between us and that little yellow alien. But what are fanboys to do to live out our daily Alien Hominid fantasies? Maybe a nifty tshirt or a limited edition figurine set would help, but how does one get such exciting items?

Well, our good friends over at The Behemoth (Alien Hominid's daddy) were kind enough to send us some goodies. Why? Because they like you and because yesterday they launched their leaderboard trophy giveaway and want to spread the alien love. We'll be giving out a total of four prizes this week running from Wednesday through Friday. Wondering how you're supposed to win? Every day the contest will be different, so be prepared for pretty much anything. The giveaways start tomorrow, so prepare yourself by analyzing the prize breakdown below.
  • Wednesday's Prize: Alien Hominid tshirt XL
  • Thursday's Prize: Alien Hominid tshirts XL and L
  • Friday's Prize: Autographed Alien Hominid figurine set
Click here for Official Contest Rules

Thanks again to The Behemoth for donating the sweet prizes. And be sure to check out their Alien Hominid HD leaderboard giveaway to try and win one of their shiny trophies.

JoystiqFanswag: Alien Hominid HD Giveaway originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Mar 2007 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alien hominidalien hominid hdAlienHominidAlienHominidHdcontestgiveawaythe behemothTheBehemothTue, 20 Mar 2007 14:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Castle Crashers GDC '07 impressions]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/08/castle-crashers-gdc-07-impressions/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/08/castle-crashers-gdc-07-impressions/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/08/castle-crashers-gdc-07-impressions/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Castle Crashers is a chaotic storm of spinning swords, overly aggressive primary colors and the occasional (but never displeasing) decapitation -- which is why we like it. Though the GDC demo boasts only a few notable changes from previous iterations, it still warrants a look. A long and loving look accompanied by a forlorn sigh and the formation of a gently sparkling tear.

One of the most interesting things about the game is the manner in which it draws your attention. It's even a little conflicting, as if two sets of fingers are snapping in your face in an alternating pattern. When you're not trying to spot your character deep within the colorful anarchy of battle, you're adopting a wider view of all the over-the-top action. It's like a tug of war, and one not too dissimilar from the battle between order and chaos that's at the core of the game.

Continue reading Castle Crashers GDC '07 impressions

JoystiqCastle Crashers GDC '07 impressions originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Mar 2007 05:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alien HominidAlienHominidCastle CrashersCastleCrashersDouble DragonDoubleDragonGDCGDC07MicrosoftThe BehemothTheBehemothXBLAXbox-360Thu, 08 Mar 2007 05:15:00 EST<![CDATA[GTR giving away Alien Hominid HD]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/02/gtr-giving-away-alien-hominid-hd/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/02/gtr-giving-away-alien-hominid-hd/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/02/gtr-giving-away-alien-hominid-hd/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Those slick fellas over at Gamertag Radio are giving away a free copy of newly released XBLA game Alien Hominid HD. They received a code to download the game from the XBLA team and want to give it away to their loyal listeners ... how nice of them. All you have to do to enter their giveaway is reply to the post before this Sunday and you too can be partake in 2D side-scrolling fun. Alien Hominid HD FTW and good luck to you!

[Thanks, DjDATZ]

JoystiqGTR giving away Alien Hominid HD originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Mar 2007 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alien hominidalien hominid hdAlienHominidAlienHominidHdarcadecontestgamertag radioGamertagRadiogiveawayxblaxbox live arcadeXboxLiveArcadeFri, 02 Mar 2007 06:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Behemoth's Dan Paladin interviewed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/01/the-behemoths-dan-paladin-interviewed/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/01/the-behemoths-dan-paladin-interviewed/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/01/the-behemoths-dan-paladin-interviewed/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Game Almighty posted an interview with Dan Paladin, The Behemoth's artist extraordinaire for Alien Hominid HD and upcoming XBLA title Castle Crashers. In the interview, Dan talks about the differences in the art style between the games, where he gets his inspiration, and why he is so cool. He also talks about the challenges and changes they've encountered while developing Castle Crashers, including reducing the size of the knights on screen and dealing with the complex code. One of the most interesting tidbits from the interview is when Mr. Paladin talks about a few of Castle Crashers' game features stating:

"In Castle Crashers, when holding down the right trigger all 4 of the buttons on top become spells that are intuitive to the player. For instance, press jump without right trigger and you jump normally. Press jump with the right trigger held down and you do a magic boosted jump. You can unlock a lot of characters to play as - as well as weapons, pets, and items! Every character has their own magic abilities which affect the enemies in different ways."

We must admit, we are uber excited for some four player co-op over Xbox Live and beating on those bad dudes. Anyone satisfied with XBLA title Alien Hominid HD and overly pumped for some Castle Crashers later this year?

[Thanks, Chris]

JoystiqThe Behemoth's Dan Paladin interviewed originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Mar 2007 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alien hominidalien hominid hdAlienHominidAlienHominidHdarcadecastle crashersCastleCrashersdan paladinDanPaladinthe behemothTheBehemothxblaxbox live arcadeXboxLiveArcadeThu, 01 Mar 2007 17:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Alien Hominid details and shiny trophies]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/26/alien-hominid-details-and-shiny-trophies/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/26/alien-hominid-details-and-shiny-trophies/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/26/alien-hominid-details-and-shiny-trophies/#commentsFiled under: ,

We've officially forgotten about last week's lackluster XBLA release and are looking towards this weeks confirmed XBLA title Alien Hominid. The game will be releasing this Wednesday, February 28th and will set you back only 800 Microsoft points. And if that doesn't get you salivating, then you'll be pleased to know that developer The Behemoth will be giving away trophies to the best players. Yes, real physical metal trophies to the week's best players who climb the Xbox Live leaderboards. Don't believe us? Check out the picture above and note that they are really real and would look nice sitting on top of your television. Prepare for an alien invasion this Wednesday, climb those leaderboards, win a trophy, and hope Microsoft releases a few more great XBLA titles in the coming weeks.

[Via Joystiq]

JoystiqAlien Hominid details and shiny trophies originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Feb 2007 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft has sent word along that yes, Alien Hominid HD will in fact be on Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday and that it can be yours for the low, low price of 800 Microsoft Points. This is actually a pleasant surprise as Alien Hominid is seen as one of the more full-bodied titles on the XBLA block and one that could have fetched a heftier price. Suddenly, 1200 MS Points for Lumines Live feels even more ridiculous.

The developers over at The Behemoth also have some treats in store for those awesome enough to scale their leader boards. Should you be a bad enough dude to land at the top of any of the charts, The Behemoth will send you a trophy. No fooling! A physical manifestation of your skills in which to utilize while gloating! The contest is set to last "until we get tired of sending you guys stuff."

In other news, serious cat? It looks like you've got this Wednesday off, buddy.

JoystiqAlien Hominid HD costs 800 points, prizes for leaderboard champs originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Feb 2007 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alien hominidAlienHominidthe behemothTheBehemothxblaxbox live arcadeXbox-360XboxLiveArcadeMon, 26 Feb 2007 13:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Confirmed: Alien Hominid coming next week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/24/confirmed-alien-hominid-coming-next-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/24/confirmed-alien-hominid-coming-next-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/24/confirmed-alien-hominid-coming-next-week/#commentsFiled under: ,

In an interview with 1UP, Aaron Greenberg had to defend the XBLA and its somewhat inconsistant release schedule. While talking about the future of the XBLA Greenberg confirmed the release of Alien Hominid stating "we are excited to bring Alien Hominid out next week; we are excited to make up for lost time". Now, if that's not a release date confirmation we don't know what is. Greenberg also went on to say that at this year's Game Developer's Conference we'll be seeing a bunch of playable arcade games, announcements, and never before seen titles. But that's a little too far into the future, the real news is that Alien Hominid is releasing next week!.

[Thanks, Brian]

JoystiqConfirmed: Alien Hominid coming next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 24 Feb 2007 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alien hominidAlienHominidarcadethe behemothTheBehemothxblaxbox live arcadeXboxLiveArcadeSat, 24 Feb 2007 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Alien Hominid HD on XBLA next week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/17/rumor-alien-hominid-hd-on-xbla-next-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/17/rumor-alien-hominid-hd-on-xbla-next-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/17/rumor-alien-hominid-hd-on-xbla-next-week/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Earlier this week somebody over at Xbox.com flipped the wrong switch and activated what looked to be the next set of games for Xbox Live Arcade. Although they quickly course corrected and pulled the page, the URL for Alien Hominid HD is still active. They've also updated a few bits of information to the page since accidentally posting and used a spell -check. The earlier new and "imprived" graphics are a sure sign the page was activated too early. The only thing that's a little sad is Alien Hominid looks to be only two player co-op locally, which means no blasting away with your buddy on the other side of our third rock from the sun. So, we don't know if Alien Hominid HD is ready to roll, but it sure looks like Xbox.com is locked, loaded, spell-checked and ready to go.

JoystiqRumor: Alien Hominid HD on XBLA next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 Feb 2007 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Our buddies at XBLArcade report that the latest issue of the Official Xbox Magazine contains a review for Alien Hominid HD for Xbox Live Arcade. The review cites the games unique visuals, excellent co-op, and nonstop action as the game's good points. The review also notes that the game is finished too quickly and that the minigames aren't really worth much playtime. Overall, the game receives a 7.5 out of 10. Not too shabby. Unfortunately, the review doesn't state how much the game will cost with it hits the Arcade. We're hoping the game will debut for 800 points or less.

So there you go, Alien Hominid HD is pretty good. Now all we need is a release date.

JoystiqAlien Hominid HD reviewed originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Jan 2007 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alien hominidalien hominid hdAlienHominidAlienHominidHdarcadebehemothlive arcadeLiveArcadethe behemothTheBehemothxbox live arcadeXboxLiveArcadeWed, 24 Jan 2007 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[The Political Game: Can you create a gaming city?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/03/the-political-game-can-you-create-a-gaming-city/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/03/the-political-game-can-you-create-a-gaming-city/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/03/the-political-game-can-you-create-a-gaming-city/#commentsFiled under: ,

Each week Dennis McCauley contributes The Political Game, a column on the collision of politics and video games:

At the vgXpo in Philly last weekend I was asked to serve on a panel discussing how to make Philadelphia into a video game Mecca. Tough question. Among life's imponderables, that's right up there.

At first blush it seems like a mega-long shot. Sandwiched between New York and Washington, Philly has a long-standing municipal inferiority complex. And even though it's the nation's fourth largest metropolitan area (behind NYC, Los Angeles and Chicago), this Rodney Dangerfield of a town seemingly gets no respect.

Although Philly area people are avid gamers, from a game development standpoint, there isn't a whole lot happening in or around the City of Brotherly Love. A suburban company, eGames, cranks out some nice casual fare for the PC crowd. Majesco, more familiar to console and handheld fans, is headquartered in New Jersey, closer to New York than Philly, truth be told. Maybe the most happening thing in town right now is Newgrounds.com, the Flash portal operated by Tom Fulp, who also designed the indie hit Alien Hominid.

Continue reading The Political Game: Can you create a gaming city?

JoystiqThe Political Game: Can you create a gaming city? originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Nov 2006 11:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alien HominidAlienHominidComcastG4TVNewgroundsPhiladelphiaPoliticsThe Political GameThePoliticalGamevgXpoFri, 03 Nov 2006 11:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Crashing castles on Xbox Live Arcade]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/20/crashing-castles-on-xbox-live-arcade/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/20/crashing-castles-on-xbox-live-arcade/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/20/crashing-castles-on-xbox-live-arcade/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Behemoth has announced that they are bringing Alien Hominid and a new original title to Xbox Live Arcade. The new title, Castle Crashers, is sure to remind many of old school beat 'em ups like Golden Axe and Guardian Heroes. The game features lots of enemies, 4 player co-op, and some serious action. Bonus points to Behemoth for making the characters look like the Black Knight (who, as you know, always triumphs). After you watch the gameplay video above, be sure and check out the official trailer on Xboxyde.

I'm just going to abandon all journalistic objectivity here and say Castle Crashers looks like it's going to kick ass.

[Via Joystiq]

JoystiqCrashing castles on Xbox Live Arcade originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Jul 2006 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alien hominidAlienHominidbehemothcastle crashersCastleCrashersThu, 20 Jul 2006 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Alien Hominid to crash land on XBLA this year [update 1]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/20/alien-hominid-to-crash-land-on-xbla-this-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/20/alien-hominid-to-crash-land-on-xbla-this-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/20/alien-hominid-to-crash-land-on-xbla-this-year/#commentsFiled under:

There's two ways you could look at this, depending on how cynical and jaded you are. You could jump up and down knowing that Alien Hominid, one of the most successful and interesting indie games ever made, is coming to Microsoft's popular Xbox Live Arcade service this winter ... or you could grind your teeth knowing that your perfectly suitable Xbox copy isn't backwards compatible (yet?) so, if you want that side scrolling action, you'll be shelling out for the same game again. Granted, it was only $20 to begin with, and a $10 XBLA price would still keep the total well below your average AAA title, but it's the principle dammit!

This is a slippery slope for Microsoft to be on. Cynical (and/or cheap) gamers have foretold the day when Microsoft would use future profits to determine the fate of backwards compatibility on a particular title. Conspiracy theorists will point to Alien Hominid's relatively spartan and humble graphics as proof positive that Redmond isn't playing fair. Of course, these accusations will be premature since there are certain to be more backcompat updates before the Fall console launches, but they'll be made regardless.

Game Informer reports that Alien Hominid developer The Behemoth is also bringing their in development title Castle Crashers to XBLA in early 2007. For more indie-dev goodies, check out the excellent Gamasutra podcast this week for an interview with The Behemoth's John Baez.

[Thanks, Shizzle]

[Update 1: 1UP previewed the game at the Comic-Con expo that began today. They confirm the obligatory 360 upgrades like high-def and widescreen support, but also note that "the developers are looking into adding a few bonuses here and there to give the Live Arcade version something extra for players who are familiar with the original" but add "we don't have any details on that front at this point."]

JoystiqAlien Hominid to crash land on XBLA this year [update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Jul 2006 10:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alien HominidAlien-HominidAlien-Hominid-XBLAAlienHominidBehemothCastle CrashersCastleCrashersMicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosO3-EntertainmentThe BehemothThe-BehemothTheBehemothXBLAXbox LiveXbox Live ArcadeXbox-360XboxLiveXboxLiveArcadeThu, 20 Jul 2006 10:05:00 EST