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 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Carcassonne coming in Android, BlackBerry flavors]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/carcassonne-coming-in-android-blackberry-flavors/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/carcassonne-coming-in-android-blackberry-flavors/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/carcassonne-coming-in-android-blackberry-flavors/#comments The heralded 2001 board game Carcassonne, designed by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede of Germany, has already been quite excellently adapted for XBLA and iOS, by two different developers no less. Now a third, German studio exozet, is working on a version for Android, BlackBerry and Java-based mobile platforms.

Teased on an Xperia Play handset, exozet's adaptation looks to crisply capture the popular game -- which centers on building cities and deploying followers called "meeple" -- on the little screen. It's due out by year's end the end of Q2.

JoystiqCarcassonne coming in Android, BlackBerry flavors originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidblackberryCarcassonneexozetjavamobileFri, 18 Mar 2011 19:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Best of the Rest: James' picks of 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/01/best-of-the-rest-james-picks-of-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/01/best-of-the-rest-james-picks-of-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/01/best-of-the-rest-james-picks-of-2010/#comments Halo: Reach
Was it just me or did Reach seem to have the quietest launch of any $200 million seller in history? Franchise fatigue has definitely set in for Halo, but it didn't stop Bungie from delivering its masterpiece. What this game lacks in variation, it makes up for in refinement of one of the all-time great first-person shooters. Reach may be lagging behind Call of Duty -- both Black Ops and Modern Warfare 2 -- in the Xbox Live numbers game, but its campaign is so much more epic. The Covenant are classic video game bad guys, and no one does enemy AI like Bungie. No one.

Continue reading Best of the Rest: James' picks of 2010

JoystiqBest of the Rest: James' picks of 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 01 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amnesia-the-dark-descentbest-of-the-rest-2010carcassonneenslaved-odyssey-to-the-westhalo-reachinfinity-bladeiosiphonemacmicrosoftmobileneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitpcplaystationps3psnscott-pilgrim-vs-the-worldxblaxboxSat, 01 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Year's XBLM sale discounts multiple items, offers daily deals]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/new-years-xblm-sale-discounts-multiple-items-offers-daily-deal/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/new-years-xblm-sale-discounts-multiple-items-offers-daily-deal/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/new-years-xblm-sale-discounts-multiple-items-offers-daily-deal/#comments Microsoft has launched its "Countdown to New Year's" promotion today on Xbox Live, which will see numerous pieces of Marketplace content discounted in the days leading up to the ball drop. The deals are highlighted by several XBLA games on sale now through December 31, including Super Meat Boy, Carcassonne, Comic Jumper, Castle Crashers and Risk Factions; all of which are 33-50 percent off.

Daily deals are also on offer, beginning with today's deal: Red Dead Redemption DLC. Both the "Liars & Cheats" and the "Legends & Killers" packs are available for 400 Microsoft Points ($5) each, half their usual price. Meanwhile, "Undead Nightmare" and the "Undead Nightmare Collection" (which bundles together all three aforementioned add-ons) are 25 percent off at 600 ($7.50) and 1200 points ($15), respectively. And tomorrow, December 22, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light will be available for half-off at 600 points ($7.50).

Additionally, Microsoft has listed clues to the rest of this year's daily deals on the Xbox Live Dashboard. We've compiled the clues, along with our best guesses, after the break. Be sure to check it out before you start spending your holiday points!

Finally, buying discounted items, watching Netflix movies or playing Halo: Reach and Fable 3 multiplayer during this 11-day promotion will automatically enter players into a sweepstakes to win a massive prize package, featuring a 50-inch HDTV.

Continue reading New Year's XBLM sale discounts multiple items, offers daily deals

JoystiqNew Year's XBLM sale discounts multiple items, offers daily deals originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 16:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CarcassonneCastle-Crasherscomic-jumperdlcFable-3Halo-Reachholiday-2010microsoftRed-Dead-RedemptionRisk-FactionsSuper-Meat-BoyxblaxblmxboxTue, 21 Dec 2010 16:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Carcassonne now getting medieval on App Store]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/05/carcassonne-now-getting-medieval-on-app-store/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/05/carcassonne-now-getting-medieval-on-app-store/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/05/carcassonne-now-getting-medieval-on-app-store/#comments The territory-expanding German board game Carcassonne continues to spread its reach to as many digital platforms as humanly possible, landing recently on the iPhone and iPod Touch. The game, which is available for $4.99 on the App Store, includes both single-system and local network multiplayer modes. It also caters to both English and German-speaking players -- just like us! Sehen Sie, wir sprechen Deutsch jetzt! Hallo, Franz! Welcher Weg in die Diskothek?

Carcassonne ($4.99): Boggle

Gallery: Carcassonne (iPhone)

JoystiqCarcassonne now getting medieval on App Store originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 05 Jun 2010 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app-storeAppleboard-gameCarcassonneiPodManasto-JonesmobileSat, 05 Jun 2010 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Get some Carcassonne on your iPhone and iPod Touch]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/05/get-some-carcassonne-on-your-iphone-and-ipod-touch/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/05/get-some-carcassonne-on-your-iphone-and-ipod-touch/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/05/get-some-carcassonne-on-your-iphone-and-ipod-touch/#comments Not right now, but soon: The official site says the popular German tile-based board game Carcassonne (which is also available on Xbox Live right now) is coming to the iPhone and iPod Touch. It'll release sometime this month -- we'd like to imagine it's on a long trek, crossing babbling brooks and fertile fields, as we write this.

Daydreaming aside, the app will cost $4.99 when it launches -- available in both English and German flavors -- and will sport multiplayer either via passing the device around (so many fingerprints!) or local network play. If you're looking for more, hit up the Carcassonne dev blog, which details plans for expansions and even an iPad version, and feel free to check out some screens below.

[Via TouchArcade]

Gallery: Carcassonne (iPhone)

JoystiqGet some Carcassonne on your iPhone and iPod Touch originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 May 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app-storeapp-store-downloadsAppleboard-gamecarcassonnegermanyiPodmanasto-jonesWed, 05 May 2010 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Carcassone laying down tiles on the DS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/carcassone-laying-down-tiles-on-the-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/carcassone-laying-down-tiles-on-the-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/carcassone-laying-down-tiles-on-the-ds/#comments
Everyone's favorite German board game (no, not that one), Carcassonne, is coming to the DS, courtesy of Koch Media. The news comes via Go Nintendo, with the press release mentioning the DS title will feature the original game plus three new territories: the Asian, Arabic, and Nordic worlds. The game will also include the River expansion set, which comes standard with the newer versions of the Carcassonne board game. You can expect three different modes of play, including a single-player, story-driven mode, a quick play mode for, uh, quick play, and a multiplayer mode that will support game sharing and local wireless multiplayer.

Our only beef is that the size of the game grid might not scale down to the DS screen too well, and it might be hard to see everything going on. But, hey, even if that's the case, you won't need to clean up a messy board game, and isn't that the important thing here?

[image credit]

JoystiqCarcassone laying down tiles on the DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carcassonneklaus-jurgen-wredekoch-mediaWed, 08 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Best of the Rest: Alexander's Picks of 2007]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/01/best-of-the-rest-alexanders-picks-of-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/01/best-of-the-rest-alexanders-picks-of-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/01/best-of-the-rest-alexanders-picks-of-2007/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword (PC)

Please, make the addiction stop! Civilization IV: Warlords, the first expansion for Civ IV, made my "Best of the Rest" last year and Beyond the Sword tops this year's list. The funny thing is I'm not a Civ fanboy, nor am I even that great of a player (Full Disclosure: I still play on Noble level), but Civ IV is a game I can come back to over and over again. Beyond the Sword added much-needed mechanics for culture-prone and passive-aggressive players, with enhancements in espionage and other concepts "beyond the sword." Oh, and just to keep last year's tradition going: Firaxis (2K, Take-Two), please get the rights to Alpha Centauri back from EA and give us a sequel!

Continue reading Best of the Rest: Alexander's Picks of 2007

JoystiqBest of the Rest: Alexander's Picks of 2007 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Jan 2008 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActionBest-of-the-rest-2007carcassonnecatanciv4civilizationcivilizationivcivIVCrackdownDSEternal-SonataGOTY-2007heavenly-swordheavenlyswordJRPGMicrosoftNamcoNamco-BandaioverlordPCprojectsylpheedPS3PSPpuzzle-questpuzzlequestratchet-and-clankratchetandclankRealtime-WorldsRiot-ActRPGSandboxthe-darknessthedarknessTri-CrescendoTrusty-BellXbox-360Tue, 01 Jan 2008 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Best of the Rest: Ross' Picks of 2007]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/01/best-of-the-rest-ross-picks-of-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/01/best-of-the-rest-ross-picks-of-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/01/best-of-the-rest-ross-picks-of-2007/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Team Fortress 2 (Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 3)

While Portal is being given its much deserved credit for the year, and Half-Life 2 has enjoyed years of acclaim, let's not forget about the other pillar of Valve's The Orange Box. It's been eight years since the release of Team Fortress Classic, and the game has undergone so many revisions and delays we half expected it to be released alongside Duke Nukem Forever sometime in 2012. As it turned out, the game not only saw the light of day but ended up being an addictive online experience.

As a console gamer enjoying this with a gamepad, I don't care much much for the sniper, soldier, demoman, or anything except medic and occasionally the engineer. There's something brutally satisfying about charging into battle behind a heavy weapons guy, dodging the occasional bullet (people still haven't learned) and injecting him with a team-killing jolt of invincibility. Hours of enjoyment and not a single bullet shot. Pure. Enjoyment.

Continue reading Best of the Rest: Ross' Picks of 2007

JoystiqBest of the Rest: Ross' Picks of 2007 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Jan 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Best-of-the-rest-2007Carcassonnefl0wFreeRiceGOTY-2007LairLittleBigPlanetMy-Word-CoachPCPS3Sin-and-punishmentTeam-Fortress-2TF2VCWiiXbox-360Tue, 01 Jan 2008 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Off the Grid: Long-distance gaming]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/27/off-the-grid-long-distance-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/27/off-the-grid-long-distance-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/27/off-the-grid-long-distance-gaming/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Every other week Scott Jon Siegel contributes Off the Grid, a column about card games, board games, and everything else non-digital.

"Non-digital games are awesome" is the line I usually insist upon in this column. But even awesome analog games have their faults: namely, if you don't have anyone to play with, you can't really play.

So, as an end-of-year treat, let's look back at the last year+ of games reviewed, and find some ways to play those suckers against some internet folk:

Settlers of Catan
I still haven't gotten around to reviewing Settlers, but I did chat with Brian Reynolds about the Xbox Live Arcade version of the game, which is probably the best bet for consistent, high-volume net play.

For those who don't have an Xbox 360 (like, well, me), Aso Brain Games hosts an unofficial, Java-based version of the game called Xplorers. After a free registration, the site allows users to player ranked and un-ranked versions against other users and bots, and features a number of expansion and additions to the base rules, which can be toggled on or off. Don't let the low-fi look of the site dissuade you; Xplorers is a well-put-together Settlers clone, with a solid interface and a consistent number of users online at any time.

Continue reading Off the Grid: Long-distance gaming

JoystiqOff the Grid: Long-distance gaming originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 27 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carcassonnecatanfluxxgive-me-the-brainicehousekill-doctor-luckyoff-the-gridoffthegridPCroborallyscrabblesettlers-of-catanticket-to-rideXbox-360Thu, 27 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MS confirms downloadable Xbox games, free Carcassonne for Live anniv.]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/13/ms-confirms-downloadable-xbox-games-free-carcassonne-for-live-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/13/ms-confirms-downloadable-xbox-games-free-carcassonne-for-live-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/13/ms-confirms-downloadable-xbox-games-free-carcassonne-for-live-a/#commentsFiled under:

xbl
To mark the fifth anniversary of the Xbox Live service, Microsoft will be offering Carcassonne (Hexic 2 in Korea) free to all subscribers for 48 hours starting at 12:01 a.m. EST on Nov. 15th (and presumably nothing to the peeps who already plunked down for the virtual board game), along with 500 Microsoft Points to the ten folks who've been on board since 2002 -- see kids, early adoption does pay off! In addition, Microsoft has confirmed earlier reports that 'Xbox Originals' will be made available for download starting Dec. 4th as part of the Fall Update (the update's additional features have yet to be revealed). Each game can be purchased and downloaded for 1200 points ($15).

In its press release, Microsoft explicitly named Halo, Psychonauts, Crimson Skies and Fable as titles for the Xbox Originals initiative, but did not confirm exactly which games will serve as the jumpoff: "This new service will launch with an array of blockbuster titles spanning the most popular genres from action-adventure to classic role-playing games." Third-party reports claim the preliminary lineup will include Halo, Fable, Indigo Prophecy, Crimson Skies, Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath Of Cortex and Burnout 3.

[Via press release]

JoystiqMS confirms downloadable Xbox games, free Carcassonne for Live anniv. originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Nov 2007 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingnewscarcassonnexblxboxXbox-360xbox-livexbox-originalsxboxliveTue, 13 Nov 2007 12:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Wednesday XBLA update adds Carcassonne 'King & Baron']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/03/wednesday-xbla-update-adds-carcassonne-king-and-baron/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/03/wednesday-xbla-update-adds-carcassonne-king-and-baron/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/03/wednesday-xbla-update-adds-carcassonne-king-and-baron/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Sierra and Microsoft have revisited the grid-based fortified town of Carcassonne, as the XBLA rendition of the popular European board game has gotten a new downloadable expansion titled "The King and Baron" as part of today's regular XBLA update, which also includes block dropper Tetris Splash.

With an asking price of 300 Microsoft Points ($3.75), the download is the second such expansion following the already available "River I & II," and adds a set of five additional tiles described as 'interesting configurations of Town pieces,' as well as pair of new rules. We're not exactly sure what they mean by "interesting" ... perhaps they glow.

The new rules are designed to award those players with either the largest city or the longest road at the end of the game with a pair of icons placed next to their avatars and Gamertags. But it's not just for looks or bragging rights, no sir! With this expansion, the player with the biggest city, identified by a newly added 'portly' King icon, will receive one point for each completed city in the game, while the player with the mightiest of roads, denoted by a 'crafty' Robber Baron, will take home one point for each completed road in the game -- and you know how much we love to pile up them points.

JoystiqWednesday XBLA update adds Carcassonne 'King & Baron' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Oct 2007 18:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baronboardgameCarcassonneexpansionkingXBLAXbox-360Wed, 03 Oct 2007 18:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Carcassonne and Soltrio get expandified]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/03/carcassonne-and-soltrio-get-expandified/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/03/carcassonne-and-soltrio-get-expandified/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/03/carcassonne-and-soltrio-get-expandified/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Brand new on the Xbox Live Marketplace are two new expansions for XBLA games Carcassonne and Soltrio Solitaire that should help the longevity of the titles, albeit for a price. For 300 Microsoft points you can get the new King & Baron Expansion Pack for Carcassonne which will add seven new tiles to the game including the king and robber tiles thus adding an extra layer of strategy to all your Carcassonne fun. Soltrio Solitaire is getting its ninth expansion today (a little overkill, no?) and for 150 Microsoft points it adds ten new card games including Pyramid, Fourteen Out and Block Ten. Both expansions are available for purchase right now in their respectively offered territories, so spend your cash and expand away.

[Thanks, Jonah Falcon]

JoystiqCarcassonne and Soltrio get expandified originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Oct 2007 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carcassonnesoltrio-solitairexblaWed, 03 Oct 2007 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[New DLC for Bugs, Soltrio and Carcassonne]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/09/new-dlc-for-bugs-soltrio-and-carcassonne/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/09/new-dlc-for-bugs-soltrio-and-carcassonne/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/09/new-dlc-for-bugs-soltrio-and-carcassonne/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Brand spanking new downloadable content for three, count 'em three of your favorite XBLA games was released yesterday in hopes of making your gaming experience all the more enjoyable. First off, Band of Bugs released the "Red Kingdom" expansion for 250 Microsoft points and includes a new red rock tile set, ten new campaign levels and two new units. The second Arcade game to get some DLC love is Soltrio Solitaire which released a 150 Microsoft point "Game Pack 5" featuring ten new gametypes. Finally, the "Rivers II Expansion Pack" was released for Carcassonne, costing 300 Microsoft points and includes twelve new river tiles. All new XBLA downloadable content is currently available off the XBLM and is ready to be purchased or simply gawked at.

[Thanks, DjDATZ]

JoystiqNew DLC for Bugs, Soltrio and Carcassonne originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Band-of-BugsbandofbugscarcassonneMicrosoft-Game-StudiosNinja-BeesoltriosolitairexblaxblmThu, 09 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Carcassonne tiles onto Arcade]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/27/carcassonne-tiles-onto-arcade/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/27/carcassonne-tiles-onto-arcade/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/27/carcassonne-tiles-onto-arcade/#commentsFiled under: ,


As we announced on Monday, today's Xbox Live Arcade offering is Carcassonne. For 800 Microsoft Points you can get your hands on some castle building action. It's got 5 player live multiplayer and 4 player local MP, Live Vision camera support, and a nice range of balanced Achievements. It hopefully will bring a similar crowd as Catan did, allowing for a more laid back and social experience, so long as the camera support isn't abused. Hopefully we'll catch you online soon.

JoystiqCarcassonne tiles onto Arcade originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Jun 2007 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ArcadeCarcassonneLive ArcadeLiveArcadeX B L AXBLAXbox Live ArcadeXboxLiveArcadeWed, 27 Jun 2007 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Carcassonne Achievements roll down the river]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/26/carcassonne-achievements-roll-down-the-river/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/26/carcassonne-achievements-roll-down-the-river/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/26/carcassonne-achievements-roll-down-the-river/#commentsFiled under: ,

GamingTalkHQ got their grubby little hands on the Achievements list for Carcassonne, which was announced as this week's Xbox Live Arcade title earlier today. The Achievements themselves seem similar to Catan's, but fortunately only have one that is tied to ranked game, requiring you to win one. The cumulative points can be obtained in player match, which is definitely handy. Which ones are you going to work toward?

JoystiqCarcassonne Achievements roll down the river originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Jun 2007 03:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CarcassonneTue, 26 Jun 2007 03:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Today in Joystiq: June 25, 2007]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/today-in-joystiq-june-25-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/today-in-joystiq-june-25-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/today-in-joystiq-june-25-2007/#commentsFiled under:

Flickr user Universal Donor made a smaller version of Carcassonne to fit in an Altoids tin. "I know this stupid, but I like creating versions of my favorite games that can fit in an Altoids tin," he writes -- we think it's cool, though. Check out the highlights for today:

Joystiquery
The Guessing Game: Sony's E3 showing
Joystiq at the Ninja Gaiden Band concert
Today's most retro action game: Die Hard (NES)

News
Believe it or not: Zelda in Smash Bros Brawl
F-Zero X, Street Fighter II Turbo rush onto Virtual Console
Nintendo officially bigger than Sony in Japan
New games this week: The Darkness edition
PSP firmware hack drives Lumines sales
Nicole Kidman the pretty face of More Brain Training DS
Newsweek's Croal, MTV's Totilo hands-on with Manhunt 2
This Wednesday: Carcassonne taunts from the castle wall
Pokemon takes Wii online in US
Concept trailer for LEGO Universe: building, battling, bricking
Sony tells PSP devs to get creative, attract customers
Romero unearths unreleased Doom music
Insomniac lands 8th in the '50 Best Companies to Work For' list
Analysing the $1mil acquistion of WoW database site
Shadowrun developer gets honest (or scary)
Square Enix: No PS3 games (Final Fantasy XIII) until after April 2008
Third-party HDMI cable coming for non-Elite Xbox 360
Turrican remake released, rocks you like a Hurrican
ESRB seeks to rate game trailers
GameTap 'leaks' franchises coming to service
Cory Barlog talks E3 inside the developers studio

Rumors & Speculation
Rumor: Hitman film trailer premiering with Die Hard

Culture & Community
MacArthur Foundation funds NYC school to teach 'Gaming Literacy'
Wiimote mod gets NES Zapper zappin' again
Nintendo hearts the environment
College librarians urged to think like gamers, play more games

JoystiqToday in Joystiq: June 25, 2007 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Jun 2007 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>board gameBoardGamecarcassonnedaily recapDailyRecapMon, 25 Jun 2007 23:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Carcassonne building up to XBLA this Wednesday]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/carcassonne-building-up-to-xbla-this-wednesday/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/carcassonne-building-up-to-xbla-this-wednesday/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/carcassonne-building-up-to-xbla-this-wednesday/#commentsFiled under: ,


Board game enthusiasts rejoice! Carcassonne is coming to town Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday. Not only does the game include the standard 72 tiles, but the "Rivers II" expansion with an additional 12 tiles. Feel free to brush up on the rules before Wednesday, but the game comes with a step-by-step tutorial that'll teach you the basics as well. The multiplayer on local allows 4 players and 5 players across Xbox Live, with support for the Vision Camera. At a price of 800 MS points, will you be picking this up Wednesday?

JoystiqCarcassonne building up to XBLA this Wednesday originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Jun 2007 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CarcassonneX B L AXBLAXbox Live ArcadeXboxLiveArcadeMon, 25 Jun 2007 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Carcassonne may see a release next week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/15/carcassonne-may-see-a-release-next-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/15/carcassonne-may-see-a-release-next-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/15/carcassonne-may-see-a-release-next-week/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Carcassonne may make an appearance next week as its Xbox.com page has received an update revealing the game's price being 800 Microsoft points. Xbox.com usually doesn't reveal detailed information about unreleased games (especially the price) which leads us to think the game is very close to making its entrance onto the XLBA. But it's not like we have a bunch of options here seeing that Sierra Online previously confirmed a June release date. And since June is coming to an end Carcassonne would have to be out either next week or the week after. We're putting our chips on next Wednesday ... place your bet.

[Via Game Stooge]

JoystiqCarcassonne may see a release next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Jun 2007 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arcadecarcassonnerumorsierraxblaxbox live arcadeXboxLiveArcadeFri, 15 Jun 2007 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Carcassonne finishes building before June release]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/18/carcassonne-finishes-building-before-june-release/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/18/carcassonne-finishes-building-before-june-release/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/18/carcassonne-finishes-building-before-june-release/#commentsFiled under: ,


If you're one of people who's been enjoying what Catan brought to XBLA, then get ready for Carcassonne, another European board game powerhouse landing next month. Carcassonne is more about tile and villager placement than Catan's resource management and diplomacy. The game, which premieres in June, had some more details released onto the villagers before the big unveil.

IGN reports that the visual style is very similar to Catan, however players will not by able to rotate the playing field, only zoom in and out and pan. Games are under 20 minutes in two-player and under 10 for five-player and includes Vision camera support. The XBLA version of Carcassonne also includes the "River I & II" expansion packs that were apparently released later for the board game. Players lay the river to begin the match in this version instead of starting with the basic castle/road starter tile of the original game. Sierra says other add-ons to the board game like Inns & Cathedral and The Tower will be released through Xbox Live. We hope the transaction ends up being truly micro. Carcassonne is expected to cost 800 MS points ($10 USD). We can only hope the Carcassonne gamers are as civilized as the Catan crew.

JoystiqCarcassonne finishes building before June release originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 May 2007 17:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>board gamecarcassonnecatanxblaxboxXbox-360Fri, 18 May 2007 17:57:00 EST<![CDATA[IGN gets its Carcassonne on]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/18/ign-gets-its-carcassonne-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/18/ign-gets-its-carcassonne-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/18/ign-gets-its-carcassonne-on/#commentsFiled under: ,


IGN has posted a lengthy preview of Carcassonne, the tile-based board game heading to Xbox Live Arcade. Like Catan, Carcassonne is a popular European strategy game. The gameboard (composed of 72 tiles) is slowly built by the players as they attempt to build structures like roads, castles, and monasteries. The Xbox Live Arcade version also includes the River I and II expansions, which have players building a river before other structures, giving gameplay a more set path and a different kind of strategy. Sierra plans to offer other expansions as future downloads. All in all, Carcassonne is sounding like a solid addition to the Live Arcade library, especially for those that got a kick out of Catan. Hit the "read" link for the full preview.

[Thanks, Jonah Falcon]

JoystiqIGN gets its Carcassonne on originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 May 2007 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arcadecarcassonnelive arcadeLiveArcadesierraxblaxbox live arcadeXboxLiveArcadeFri, 18 May 2007 16:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Carcassonne coming in June]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/18/carcassonne-coming-in-june/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/18/carcassonne-coming-in-june/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/18/carcassonne-coming-in-june/#commentsFiled under: ,


Sierra Online announced that Carcassonne will be hitting Xbox live Arcade this coming June. The last we heard from the title it was being announced back in August alongside Catan and Alhambra. There are no specifics as to when in June, but one could surmise that the release will fall on either the 6th, 13th, 20th, or 27th. How can we be so sure? Well, they're Wednesdays, for starters. If you want us to narrow our prediction down, we're going to stick with the 13th, as the number is lucky. Are you down for some tiling city action on Live Arcade?

[Via QJ.net]

JoystiqCarcassonne coming in June originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Apr 2007 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ArcadeCarcassonneLive ArcadeLiveArcadeSierraSierra OnlineSierraOnlineX B L AXBLAXbox Live ArcadeXboxLiveArcadeWed, 18 Apr 2007 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Carcassonne making roads to Xbox Live Arcade on June 7th]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/16/carcassonne-making-roads-into-xbox-live-arcade-on-june-7th/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/16/carcassonne-making-roads-into-xbox-live-arcade-on-june-7th/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/16/carcassonne-making-roads-into-xbox-live-arcade-on-june-7th/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Click here for a larger version of this screenshot.

Although it's taken almost a year to arrive, Xbox Live Arcade players and board game lovers can rejoice: Carcassonne will finally be coming to XBLA in June.

It's no secret that we're fans of the original board game, so the announcement of a date comes as a welcome relief, and a cruel form of torture knowing we'll have to wait more than a month to get it. To whet your appetite even more, check out a slew of Carcassonne screenshots here.

Power to the Meeple.

[Via GameStooge]

JoystiqCarcassonne making roads to Xbox Live Arcade on June 7th originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 16 Apr 2007 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CarcassonneSettlers of CatanXbox Live ArcadeXbox-360Mon, 16 Apr 2007 10:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Puerto Rico coming to XBLA]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/02/rumor-puerto-rico-coming-to-xlba/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/02/rumor-puerto-rico-coming-to-xlba/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/02/rumor-puerto-rico-coming-to-xlba/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


It looks like board game lovers are going to be getting even more Euro gaming goodness. At least, that's what the signs are pointing to. We already know that Xbox Live Arcade will be getting games like Settlers of Catan, Alhambra, and our personal favorite Carcassonne, but according to some rumors at GameStooge it looks like another Rio Grande Games classic will be coming down the pipeline ... Puerto Rico.

Apparently in the threads over at BoardGameGeek.com (which is a fantastic site for board games and such, along with the equally as fantastic FunAgain.com) the German gaming site BrettSpielWelt has taken down their online version of Puerto Rico, and replaced it with a message that another company has purchased the rights for "online exploitation." And c'mon, no one is better at exploiting things than Microsoft, right?

Puerto Rico is a fun game that takes about an hour to play, and is all about shipping goods and building cities. It's been critically hailed as one of the best games of the past twenty years, already has a PC version out, and it's continually voted the number one game at board game sites, and it sure would be nice to see it on XBLA.

JoystiqRumor: Puerto Rico coming to XBLA originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Mar 2007 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AlhambraArcadeboard gamesCarcassonneOff the GridPuerto RicoRio Grande GamesSettlersSettlers of CatanXBLAXbos 360XboxXbox Live ArcadeXbox-360Fri, 02 Mar 2007 13:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox Live Aracade to get Settlers of Catan & other Euro board games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/23/xbox-live-aracade-to-get-settlers-of-catan-and-other-euro-board-ga/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/23/xbox-live-aracade-to-get-settlers-of-catan-and-other-euro-board-ga/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/23/xbox-live-aracade-to-get-settlers-of-catan-and-other-euro-board-ga/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Settlers of CatanMicrosoft has announced plans to port European tabletop favorites like The Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne and Alhambra to Xbox Live Arcade. Price details and release dates have not been revealed, but the Catan port is likely to appear first as MSN Games has been hosting an online version of the German board game for nearly two years.

JoystiqXbox Live Aracade to get Settlers of Catan & other Euro board games originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Aug 2006 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AlhambraCarcassonneSettlers of CatanSettlersOfCatanXbox LiveXbox Live ArcadeXbox-360XboxLiveXboxLiveArcadeWed, 23 Aug 2006 15:55:00 EST