Two classic retro games are coming to Xbox Live Arcade on Wednesday. Bomberman Live and Yie Ar Kung Fu will be available for download for 800 points and 400 points respectively. I can remember playing Yie Ar Kung Fu on a friend's Commodore 64 back in the day. Retro gaming is definitely the new black, as far as I am concerned. There are no great expectations about retro games. You know what you are getting. There is no great anticipation or marketing campaign surrounding the release. It is just good old gaming at its best. Of course, both games will give Xbox players the opportunity to unlock more achievements. Microsoft are definitely making a concerted effort to roll out the games on Xbox Live Arcade.

Bomberman was first released way back in 1983. The game has seen a number of conversions to different platforms throughout the years including the Spectrum and early Nintendo consoles. More recently the game has been ported to the PSP and the DS, in the form of Bomberman Land Touch! This goes to show the strength of the game as a concept. The game itself is a puzzle based maze game. Players must guide their character around a maze while avoiding the enemies or destroying them with bombs. The Xbox Live Arcade version will feature a multiplayer version where up to four players can play on a local Xbox 360 or eight over Xbox Live.

The game will be given the Xbox Live Arcade HD makeover. This is where a software company get's four software designers to check out a game ... see that it is, in fact, old and underdone and then give it a celebrity makeover, much like that TV show. This custom makeover has been performed by Hudson Soft. As a part of this makeover players will be able to customize their own Bomberman for multiplay. The developers have incorporated over 10,000 possible combinations for your own Bomberman. Bomberman Live will feature a number of different maps including Lost World and Ghost Town. In Lost World players also have to avoid other nasties such as the ominous quick sand and in Ghost Town they have to avoid trapdoors. The game will feature 16 different power ups such as "speed up" and "Dangerous Bomb". If you would like to view more screens for Bomberman Live we have added a heap to our file library.

John Greiner, President of Hudson Soft, said

"This has been one of our most requested games, our fans have been clamoring for it, and we are thrilled to finally be able to deliver the game they want ... As our flagship series, Bomberman has been hailed as the best multiplayer game ever created. Now that Xbox LIVE Arcade delivers a truly worldwide multiplayer gaming platform, we can at last bring to market a Bomberman game that represents our long-term vision of the brand."

The game features include:

· Prove you're the best: Play at home with up to four players or hop online and challenge the best Bombermen (and women!) from around the world with up to eight players.
· Fully customizable Bomberman: With over 10,000 possible combinations, players can customize Bomberman – from the gladiator outfit to the clown costume, or mix and match! Players can make Bomberman as cute or menacing as they like.
· Do battle in eight exotic locations: Compete in eight striking arenas, each with their own traps and gimmicks.
· Annihilate enemies with power-ups: Destroy blocks to reveal 16 distinct power-ups (and power-downs).

Bomberman Live
Yie Ar Kung Fu is one of the original beat-em-ups predating such classics as Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter. Your character, Oolong, has to become the ultimate champion, which is apparently his destiny. To do so he must defeat a range of masters in a number of different disciplines, including: shuriken, nunchuck, chain and to also defeat the overall Martial Arts Champion. As a nice addition to the game the new HD version of the game will feature hand painted backgrounds, which, add a nice touch to the conversion. For more screens you can check out all of the screens which we have just added to the file library for Yie Ar Kung Fu.

Features of the game include:

* Choose to play the authentic arcade version or experienced the enhanced version, which features stunning hand painted models and backgrounds mimicking traditional Japanese art styles
* Xbox LIVE leaderboards where gamers can compare scores among friends and the rest of the Xbox LIVE world
* Earn up to 12 Achievements and 200 Gamerscore

Two examples of the hand-painted celebrity makeover - original image on the left, new HD screen on the right. Very nice.
Microsoft have managed to release a significant number of titles for Xbox Live Arcade this year. They are definitely setting the standard of their online delivery quite high, but they have also had a significant head start as well. Once again we get some more classic retro gaming action delivered to our consoles. Don't forget that you can download trial versions of the games and play them before you commit to purchase them. Look out for Bomberman Live and Yie Ar Kung Fu this Wednesday.