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X3F TV -- XBLA in Brief: Diner Dash, Gyromancer

by Richard Mitchell { Nov 18th 2009 at 6:45PM }

This week brings two casual games to Xbox Live Arcade. For puzzle fans, we have Gyromancer (1200

, $15), an RPG take on PopCap's Bejeweled Twist. For those who prefer something a little more manic, there's Diner Dash (800

, $10), which tasks players with running a restaurant and keeping customers happy. If you've ever dealt with real customers before, you'll know that keeping them happy is harder than it sounds.

See both games in the latest episode of XBLA in Brief.

Download the trial version of Diner Dash
Download the trial version of Gyromancer

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This Wednesday: XBLA takes you out for Diner and a Gyromantic date

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Nov 16th 2009 at 2:58PM }

Xbox Live Arcade shows a belligerent disregard for productivity this week, hosting a pair of light puzzle games that are sure to weigh heavily on your mind during working hours. Why not have a go (and then just one more) at Gyromancer, the gem-shifting collaboration between Square Enix and PopCap? The cost of entry is 1200

($15). If it's a cohesive concoction of puzzles, RPG elements and item collection, your departure is likely to be at no point.

PlayFirst is also serving up an XBLA version of Diner Dash for 800

($10). The culinary-themed time management game should be an ideal snack in between gorging on Dragon Age: Origins, Modern Warfare 2, Assassin's Creed 2, Left 4 Dead 2 and ... hmm. How good are you at time management?

Diner Dash serves XBLA on Nov. 18

by Alexander Sliwinski { Nov 3rd 2009 at 9:45AM }

With the rough time a downloadable title can have finding success in the fourth quarter, it's probably a good thing that Diner Dash could likely give a plate-dropping damn how successful it ends up being on the console after it arrives on November 18th. The casual title by PlayFirst is already a hit in realm of personal com-pu-ters, having sold over five million copies.

The XBLA version of Diner Dash naturally includes HD-ified graphicals, along with a new multiplayer mode that includes support for up to eight players. The game will allow direct control over protagonist Flo, or the "traditional control scheme," which involves "point-and-click style with hotkeys." All the best to Flo in opening up her diner in the midst of the triple-A retail season ... she's going to need it.

Zoo Publishing announces four new DS titles

by Xav de Matos { May 26th 2009 at 5:00PM }

Zoo Publishing has revealed it will release four new Nintendo DS titles developed by PlayFirst, based on properties acquired from Empire Interactive earlier this month. Casual titles Diner Dash: Flo on the Go, Wedding Dash, Chocolatier, and Dream Chronicles are all scheduled to hit stores this holiday season.

Of the four, the most recognizable to gamers would be Diner Dash. In the latest edition, Flo (No, not that Flo) has decided to take a vacation; however, her undying work ethic has driven her to wait tables in five new tropical restaurants. Excuse us, Flo! You work too hard.

Awkward fights over Mario and Sonic incoming: GameStop deals next week

by JC Fletcher { May 29th 2008 at 8:45AM }

GameStop's annual "Gamedays" sale starts next week, and the list of sale items has been posted on CAG. We've excised the more choice options here, and there are some tempting games indeed. For 10 bucks, Worms is almost irresistible, especially if you happen to know any communities that frequently gather for online DS games.

Apparently, games marked down for Gamedays are also being shipped out to stores. At least, this is true in the case of the PS2 Katamari Damacy (which you should already own, but buy it now for $10 if you don't). That means you have a shot at buying some of these, maybe! And don't forget to bring the 10% off coupon that was helpfully scanned and posted by a CAG member.

Dementium: $14.99
Digimon World: Dawn/Dusk: $19.99
Diner Dash: $14.99
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games: $14.99
Nervous Brickdown: $14.99
Sega Superstars Tennis: $14.99
Worms: Open Warfare 2: $9.99

[Via CAG]

Spend Mother's Day playing games with mom

by Scott Jon Siegel { May 11th 2008 at 3:00PM }

Don't panic: It's Mother's Day today in North America. We know it crept up on you, overshadowed by more significant holidays like Gears of War 2 Gameplay Footage Day and GTAIV ~~Day~~ Month. Luckily, Susan Arendt over at Game|Life has your back, with a list of excellent gaming gifts for moms of all types (or at least, all gaming types).

Does your mom miss those classic card game nights around the kitchen table? Fire up UNO on Xbox Live Arcade. Is she a tad overprotective of her offspring? She might relate to BioShock's Big Daddies (yes, we get the irony). Does she dig cooking and adorably mispronounced English? Then it's Cooking Mama all the way.

Of course, for moms who are less than avid gamers, there are also a plethora of excellent casual games out there. Titles like Peggle, Diner Dash, and Puzzle Pirates could prove to be perfect distractions for the mom with a lot on her plate. Happy Mother's Day to all the Joystiq-reading maternal units.

Betty Boop: Double Shift: new screens in color

by JC Fletcher { Oct 25th 2007 at 7:40PM }

In a shocking turn of events, DSI Games continues to work on a Betty Boop game despite the fact that linear time continues to move away from the 1930's. If time moved backwards, or perhaps in a cycle, such that we would some day approach the first half of the 20th century, we'd totally understand, but no. Betty Boop is continually losing relevance as we speak.

As expected, Betty Boop: Double Shift features Betty dashing through a diner. For what it's worth, it includes ... a bunch of other cartoon characters we vaguely recognize but can't identify. But it's not all Diner Dash. There's an extraordinarily simple rhythm minigame as well!

Keep in mind that DSI is also publishing Barnyard Blast, which more than balances out one or two projects like this.

DS Daily: Born free

by JC Fletcher { Sep 12th 2007 at 9:00AM }

There are a lot of games on the DS whose origins are in free online games. Some, like Diner Dash, Nervous Brickdown, and the upcoming N+ and WordJong, are good, or even great. Some are Elf Bowling 1&2. In every case of a free game getting remade as a DS cartridge, money is charged.

Do you have any games based on freeware? Do you plan on getting any in the near future? Is compelling gameplay enough to warrant a purchase for a portable console, when the experience can be had for nothing on PC? Or do you require significant expansion and upgrading before you'd even consider it?

Our personal view: even if a game costs nothing, that doesn't mean it has no value. We don't want to pay strictly for portability, but we're entirely willing to shell out for new content in a game whose progenitors were once free. Not Elf Bowling 1&2, though.

Betty Boop license snapped up

by JC Fletcher { Jun 27th 2007 at 2:05PM }

Destination Software has grabbed the video game rights to the popular cartoon character Betty Boop. They've announced a game called Betty Boop Double Shift, in which Betty runs a restaurant.

Maybe Destination is at the forefront of a Betty Boop revival? Maybe the character is going to come back in a new cartoon or something? Or maybe the license was really cheap and a gimmick for a take on Diner Dash.

Informal survey: who here has seen a Betty Boop cartoon? Who Framed Roger Rabbit doesn't count. There are a lot of them available for free at the Internet Archive, having fallen into the public domain.

[Via Game|Life]