Crystal Quest returns

Thursday, February 16, 2006 » gaming

ATTN: Xbox Live Arcade: STOP MAKING ME WANT AN XBOX 360.

Microsoft recently announced that a remake of Crystal Quest, an ancient Mac game from 1987, is scheduled to show up1 is now available on the much-acclaimed Xbox Live Arcade service. Now, reservations about playing the game with thumbsticks instead of a mouse aside, this news only adds to my interest in the quirky game download service, already piqued by all of the praise surrounding Geometry Wars.

In case you're not familiar with the service, smaller developers can put their games up on Xbox Live Arcade for people to download. It's good for gamers because they can try out free demos of major releases and download smaller games for discount prices. (I think both Crystal Quest and Geometry Wars cost about $5.) It's also good for developers because it lets them see how people will react to those smaller games that big publishers might have shied away from, given that many of the titles tend to be less elaborate (read: more retro!), and not likely to be million-copy-selling cash fonts like Grand Theft Auto and Halo, especially if they were on shelves for $50.

It's very similar to the virtual console Nintendo plans to include with the Revolution—download old (or at least old-style) games for next to nothing—except there's the advantage that 3rd party companies are contributing. Plus, I believe some of the games are netplay-enabled, including Street Fighter II Turbo, which Capcom will be adding in the near future. I really hope that'll take off and encourage more companies to put their old titles online, with online modes. Just imagine: Star Control II. Super melee. Online.

Ooh, yeah. I think I need to sit down.

1 I wrote that part last week.