Racketboy

It Should Be Worth The Wait

You may have noticed over the last few months, that I’m being a bit more selective when I hype up a new or upcoming retro-styled release. And if you have been a racketboy.com reader long, you would also notice that Castle Crashers is one of the games I have talked about most (which is especially surprising, since I don’t own an XBox 360). Sure, part of that can be attributed to the fact that it has been over a year since The Behemoth (of Alien Hominid & Dad N Me fame) first revealed the game to us in Alpha form (which would inidicate it has probably been in developement for about two years now), but there is no denying that this game will be incredibly exciting for fans of old-school beatemups and hack-n-slashs.

More Than Just A Hack-N-Slash

As the 2008 release gets closer, The Behemoth has been gracious enough to show us more enticing parts of this XBox Live Arcade blockbuster-to-be. As if the Guardian Heroes-like, hack-and-slash-with-RPG-elements adventure mode and the game’s slick and humorous style wasn’t enough to get old-school fans excited, we know have a glimpse into the additional multiplayer modes that Castle Crashers will offer.

Guardian Heroes Meets Powerstone (With Additional Quirky Goodness)

The first competitive multiplayer mode The Behemoth showed off lets you duke it out against your friends while using your character’s specific powers. The look and control is much like the main adventure mode of the game, but the gameplay is more like an arena fighter like Power Stone 2 or Rakugaki Showtime.

Next up in the Castle Crashers multiplayer demo was a similar mode that involved shooting arrows at each other and hoarding power-ups. This mode didn’t look quite as engaging, but it is unique and a little variety is always appreciated. It’s rather strange, but this mode actually reminds me most of the Monkey Fight minigame from the Super Monkey Ball series. You have very simple and identical attacks, but the quickness in picking up upgrades and agility can make all the difference in the outcome.

And finally, the Chicken Chase mode looks very out of the ordinary — but in a good way. Chickens running around the arena act as huge power-ups (much like Power Stones) and let you beat the crap out of your opponent. This mode could maybe use a little more depth, but still looks fun.

To see all the action and hear The Behemoth commentary, check out this video (feed subscribers may have to click through to see)

The Behemoth “Gets It”

The Behemoth is definately showing the industry that it understands how to bring old-school gameplay back to the mainstream and how to give a well-rounded multiplayer experience with both cooperative and competitive party gaming. Never before have I felt the need to pick up an XBox 360.

Additional Links:

Older Video Clips
Additional Screenshots
Official Website

Thanks to XBLArcade.com for pointing this video out!