XBLA Games start to appear on Windows 8
James Haresign January 16, 2013 - 11:51 amMicrosoft Studios launch PLAY initiative for Windows 8, bringing new games to the Games Store, including some XBLA veterans.
As anyone that listens to this week’s podcast will know. I’ve just got a new Windows 8 laptop. One of the first things I did (after calling it many names under the sun) was check out the Xbox tile and the Games Store within. The store seemed as much of a waste as I’d heard about, just full of games like Angry Birds, stuff that belonged on a phone or tablet more than a PC. Now Microsoft Studios are addressing this with its new PLAY initiative, bringing XBLA titles to Windows 8 and RT.
Or at least it’s a step in the right direction at least. A few XBLA titles are heading across to the store, such as Ilomilo+, Gunstringer: Dead Man Ranning and Pinball FX2 -which, if the number of tables follow, will keep you busy for years.
However, not all of the 15 games are XBLA veterans. There’s also Solitaire, Mahjong and Minesweeper. Wait, Solitaire and Minesweeper? You’re making people download these now? Think of all the office workers who won’t be able to waste the hours now! And who else is going to play them?
The full 15 titles are:
- Toy Soldiers (not available on Windows RT)
- 4 Elements: Special Edition
- Hydro Thunder Hurricane
- Rocket Riot 3D
- Reckless Racing Ultimate
- Microsoft Solitaire Collection
- Microsoft Mahjong
- Microsoft Minesweeper
- Taptiles
- Adera
- Pinball FX2
- Wordament
- Gunstringer: Dead Man Running
- Ilomilo+
- Skulls of the Shogun (launches at the end of January)
Comments (2)
Basically all the games few people play. Wonderful.
Yeah pretty much. They should add some more popular games like Happy Wars, Castle Crashers, Shadow Complex, Mark of the Ninja, Deadlight, and pretty much everything except for that initial list. Skulls of the Shogun could be good though and I quite like Ilimoli. It is very odd that they added Toy Soldiers and not Toy Soldiers: Cold War, which is basically the sequel and much newer.