This week will see the release of the "Big One" for Xbox Live Arcade–that’s right, the one that was so rad, it broke Microsoft’s downloadable file size limit. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night will step out from the shadows to continue the 360’s current winning streak that started with Alien Hominid and TMNT 1989. Clobbering expectations of what you can get for $10 (800 Microsoft Points, that is), this PlayStation classic will floor you, as it did us back in–what was it, 1997?–when fans of the series united to proclaim it the greatest, deepest and boldest Castlevania ever made, a claim that still holds up after six proceeding iterations. Live Arcade fans, do not hesitate–I’d be so bold as to say that this is the best game to hit the digital marketplace since Geometry Wars.
Unfortunately, Nintendo fans won’t have as much to brag about–Excitebike, Beyond Oasis, and Splatterhouse were made available this past Monday. Excitebike, clocking in at $5 (500 Wii Points), is that enormously fun motorcycle game that you probably remember plunking in your NES between bouts of Tecmo Bowl and Baseball Stars. A solid purchase if there ever was one. Splatterhouse, on the other hand, is a little iffy. Don’t deny yourself the monotony of a crappy side-scroller if boring, dated horror movie motifs are your thing; but if it’s gameplay you seek, you won’t find anything worthwhile here. So, for those of you out there who dress up like the Crow just to brush your teeth, $6 (600 Wii Points) will be well spent. Everyone else should just set their sights on Beyond Oasis, which is a little more at $8 (800 Wii Points), but entirely worth it for its beautiful 2-D graphics and competent RPG stylings.
Sorry, PS3 fans; you’re out of luck this week. No new games, but I hear that a firmware update is coming soon and will allow background downloading…
