Figured we've got enough Virtual Console threads floating around here, but I don't think we've ever had one devoted to the Playstation Network and XBox Live.  So, what sort of content have you downloaded through said services?  Any recommendations? 

I haven't tinkered around too much with PSN, other than grabbing the Call of Duty 4 Variety Map Pack and both Crash Bandicoot 2 and Crash Bandicoot 3 for play on my PSP.  But I did finally buy Super Stardust HD, and why it's taken me this long to do so is beyond me - it's AWESOME.  I'm still not totally great at it, but the intense shooting gameplay is right up my alley.  The game is bleeding gorgeous in 1080p, and the custom soundtrack is a sweet feature.  My first instinct was to front end the score with high-energy techno and hard rock; there's nothing like shootin' to the tune of the Sega Ages version of Space Harrier, TBM's Those Who Fight Further, Chaos Legion's Pledge, or Shin Contra's Jiymen-gyo.  :)

Was thinking of giving PixelJunk Monsters and Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix a try sometime.  Other than that, I'm still waiting out for Bionic Commando Rearmed and Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix.

Considered Echochrome?

Maybe.  I'll give the demo a shot sometime, although I'm not too keen with what I've been hearing about strict time limits imposed on the levels.

Have you played it?  What do you think?

Virtual games are pretty cool. They're only around $10 or so, and they take up no physical space. On the other hand, they have absolutely no resale value, which is great for the companies, but horrible for the consumer! Also, they cost very little to make (relatively speaking), and it seems to me that it's very easy to say "well, it's only a few dollars, I can afford to download a few"... and before you know it, you've spent quite a bit of money on games which may or may not live up to your expectations! Yeah, I have some virtual games, but in general I'm not a big fan. I wish there were more packages released like Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged which is a compilation of virtual games on an actual disk. Just my thoughts...

cheers,

-avatar!

Ehh...is there really much of a market for used games?   Nowadays you're lucky to get half of the full price purchase credit, (which I was surprised to get with a barely played Rainbow 6 Vegas for ps3 (*cough* horrible gameplay and load times when compared to a COD4), during a pre-order trade-in promotion Gamestop gave me for GTAIV).  Seriously, nowadays, many games are available as a demo (which is actually perfect and as it should be), to let you know if the overall game is crap or not.  Thankful for IGN, and of course, all the wonderfully relevant reviews on this site.  Bring on the cool cheap games.  BTW, that Commando 3 game by capcom for PSN (may be on Xbox, not sure), looks like alot fo fun.  As far as having games on a CD/dvd/disc, it's a bit of burden.  I have to get off my butt to put another game in??  I won't be doing that anytime soon with the Namco Arcade collection I picked up.   The games just aren't that good ('cept for dig dug)

Angela - thx for the tip on Stardust, I did hear good things about it, but haven't picked up.   Knee deep on Wii goodness (*cough* Mario Galaxy - the pinnacle of my summer gaming needs at the moment)

best,

I've been using the PSN via my PC to sample PSP demos and that's gone well so far.  I liked what I played of echocrome, but I haven't actually purchased it yet.  Don't know if I will or not.  Once I get a 360, I plan to buy Rez HD, Bionic Commando Rearmed, and SSFIITHDR.

Nope, just played the demo so far, but it seemed really neat.  I'm trying to focus my gaming, I finished Comdemned 2, so I'm aiming to finish Trials and Tribulations, so I can play Apollo Justice (or Picross DS or finish Actraiser on the VC I started a couple of weeks ago).

This Novastrike game that went up on PSN this week also has me interested, but I don't think it has a demo.  I'm going to get caught up on my backlog for now... not that I ever do.

For PSN, I can't recommend Everyday Shooter enough. Great visuals, stellar music (if you love guitar, especially), and despite the title, the gameplay mechanics that are far from everyday ordinary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at1jig-ezEw

I also recommend Super Star Dust HD if you want a more frenetic and conventional robotron style shoot em up experience. Customizable soundtrack is also a plus, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2UdDb-VG5c

There isn't a huge market for more recent games from what I've seen unless it has become a "staple" (tongue in cheek) like Guitar Hero or a newer game like GTA4. Personally, I would rather take 15 minutes to list and package up a game and get 40-50% back on my investment than have a virtual game that I can't capitalize on at all, but I also prefer having physical games to play.

Good man! I hope you're enjoying it!

Here's the commando 3 game I was talking about:  looks like it's on Xbox and PSN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw02RL-iuAA

Man, I remember the original Commando back when I was like, six years old back in 1986.  We had it for both the Commodore 64 and NES, and I vaguely remember having the patience to beat them over and over.  I think along with Contra and Ikari Warriors, Commando was one of the titles most directly responsible for getting me into twitched-based shooting games.  God bless 'em.

Full NES Playthrough:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B76JAp8TNg

And I LOVED that wicked main theme song more than anything:

Commando - Main Theme (Wingroove Midi Arranged)
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/angie_liu … ic&.view=l

Doesn't look like the new game is faring too well, though.  IGN rates it at a mediocre score 5.9.  There does look to be some good old-school fun to be had, though, especially with online multiplayer.

Yes, Yes, a thousand times YES!  Original topic here:  http://www.soundtrackcentral.com/forums … hp?id=3331

It's no surprise that I absolutely love this game - the only thing that could make it better would be online co-op mode. 

Glad to see someone else enjoying Super Stardust HD!  The original soundtrack is decent, but just the fact that you have the option to throw in whatever strikes your fancy is the icing on the cake.  I think my highest score was up in the 100's-rank.  *pant, sweat*

Been thinking of picking up Flow.  It looks ethereal enough to relax even the most jaded gamer, and who can argue with 1080 support?  (My TV only goes to 1080i.  )

I only have XBox Live, since I don't have a PS3.

I definitely use Xbox Live to download trial games to see if I would buy them.  For XBox Live Arcade games, I do have a problem with the DRM and no resale value, but the price is low enough that I consider the price paid as a "rental."  I don't care how the vendor markets the game.  If the game is not physically on a disc, and is not easily backed up otherwise, it feels like a rental.  Most Xbox Live Arcade games are short enough that the low price is justified.  I have "bought" Ikaruga, Assault Heroes, and Triggerheart Exelica.  The only other downloadable content I bought are Rock Band songs.

Gamestop and other retail stores do not have the best prices for trade-in games.  You have to go online to recoup the maximum amount of money for the game you bought (either through selling or trading).

Angela, there is one note about Super Puzzle Fighter II HD Remix.  They remixed all the graphics in the game except the character avatars during the puzzle game.  They are the original graphics and look blurry and pixelated in HD.   This was noted in a number of reviews, so you should download the demo to see if this bothers you.

Thought this thread deserved a bump, as I'm sure we've bought a number of new games since:

PSN:
1942: Joint Strike
Bionic Commando Rearmed
Bomberman Ultra
Everyday Shooter
Flower
Mega Man 9
Shatter
Söldner-X: Himmelsstürmer
Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
---
PSOne Classics
Castlevania Chronicles
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Final Fantasy VII
Jumping Flash!
Suikoden
Wild Arms
Wild Arms 2

XBLA
Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
TMNT: Turtles In Time Re-shelled

As you can see, I definitely have more PSN titles than XBLA at this point, but I regret to say that with the exception of SSFII, I've barely played many of them AT ALL -- especially the PSOne Classics.  There are some titles I've still been meaning to check out, including the Pixeljunk games, Echochrome, and CellFactor: Psychokinetic Wars.

On the XBLA side, I've downloaded demos for Castle Crashers, Braid, and 'Splosion Man, and am least considering unlocking the full games for the latter two.  I still need to try out Puzzle Quest and Rez HD, and I'd want to pick up Ikaruga if the online co-op is really as good as they say.

I've heard only good thing about Shadow Complex and I'll likely be picking that up later tonight.

Yeah, I'm thinking I'll have to check out Shadow Complex eventually.  A current-gen Super Metroid?  I'd be down for that.

That list looks like the crem de la crem so to speak.   How are you liking 1942? 

Flower certainly deserves to be purchased by everyone who owns a PS3.  Original topic here:  http://www.soundtrackcentral.com/forums … hp?id=4639

I did pick up Final Fantasy Crystal Defenders last week, and for a tower defense title, it's decent.  There's only 12 maps (6 of which are variations of the originals) and the gameplay is a little different, but I like it.  It's got classes from FFTA2 and the same soundtrack to boot!

I downloaded it immediately yesterday cos I was quite looking forward to it, and it IS great fun actually.
It's an absolutely shameless rip-off of Super Metroid, starring Nathan Drake (well not really, but he looks like him and the voice actor is the same), but it's ripped off very WELL, so I'd definitely recommend it.

It's pretty decent, if extremely short.  The game's more enjoyable with a second player, since it takes two to take advantage of the "joint strike" aspect of the gameplay. (Powered-up attacks that both players need to coordinate to use.)  For old-time fans, the game's presentation is certainly a change of pace, due to the 16:9 widescreen presentation.  The series was always known for its vertical TATE set-up.

And, since I'm on such a shooter-high, I bought Ikaruga on XBLA last night.  It looks stunning in its new high-def resolution, but here's a question: you have the option to rotate the screen to Horizontal, but is there a way to remap the directional controls so that you can play the game as such?  (That is, without having to turn your TV vertically?)  I know the Gamecube version allows it (Vertical 2, if I'm not mistaken), provided you unlock it first..... is there a similar option for the 360 version?

On PSN, I have:

-Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
-Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
-Bionic Commando Rearmed
-Mega Man 9
-Rag Doll Kung Fu (only because it was free!)
-Trash Panic
-PixelJunk Monsters

I'd like to get Flower and Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, but I'm waiting for price drops.

Still no 360 for me, but if I had one, I'd probably get Rez HD, Shadow Complex, and maybe TMNT: The Arcade game.

Let's see...on 360 I have:
Banjo-Kazooie
Banjo-Tooie
Braid
Hexic
The Maw
Megaman 9
Portal: Still Alive
Psychonauts
Rez HD
...and plan to get 'Splosion Man and TMNT Arcade soon.

On PSN I have:
Bionic Commando Rearmed
Commando 3
Crash Commando
echochrome
Everyday Shooter
Final Fantasy 7
Flock!
Gunstar Heroes
Marvel vs Capcom 2
Megaman 9
Namco Museum Essentials
Pain (great concept, terrible execution - don't bother)
PixelJunk Eden
R-Type Delta
Resident Evil Director's Cut
Shatter
Spyro 2
Spyro 3
SPF2T HD
SSF2T HD
Ten Pin Alley
Wild Arms
Wild Arms 2

...and plan to get R&C Quest For Booty and Loco Roco [funnyword] soon.

Space might be an issue soon.

I have to stress once more how great Shadow Complex is. Metroid fans should definitely check this out.

Also, I recently added Megaman Perfect Works to my PSN list.
Capcom has released the PSX rerelease of the NES game on PSN, with the rest sure to follow, and 600 yen is a steal, considering the actual PSX games go for more than their original retail price nowadays.
Seems they've become a bit of a rarity, especially the first one.
Being the Megaman whore that I am, I'll be sure to pick up the rest too, once they arrive.

I'm still debating Shadow Complex.  Dunno, I found the controls on the trial version to be just a tad loose and not quite as tight as I was expecting.

Or maybe I'm just forgetting that Metroid might have been the same way.

I found the controls to be a little sketchy at times, but I still really enjoyed the game. If enjoy Metroid / Castlevania games then I'd say Shadow Complex is definitely worth purchasing. It was a fun time and I highly recommend it!

Nope.  Super Metroid was flawless.

Except for the wall jump which is really the most broken kind of wall jump in the history of video games.

How so?

QFT
I got stuck in the area where you "learned" the wall jump for weeks. And even when I finally figured out how to wall jump, it still took me dozens of tries to get out of there. The slightest mistake, hesitation, wrong angle, or mis-timing sent you falling all the way down to where you started. I'm much better at it now, but even so it feels like sometimes you just fail for no reason at all. Frustrating. >.<

Shadow Complex is no Super Metroid but I had a good time with it. It's sadly short (beat it in just over four hours) but for the price, it's hard to complain.

This.

The timing doesn't make any sense. Rather than actually jumping off the wall, it feels like you're  jumping off a point slightly in front of the wall. It feels really 'floaty' and imprecise.
I have played many a game with wall jumps in it, and I can say with full conviction that the Metroid series is the worst of them all.

I heard one bad thing about Shadow Complex.

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_i … tory=24627

Nutt does a good job comparing this situation to the Sugiyama scenario.

Anywayz...the other day I tried out Droplitz (downloadable for PSN or XBLA, or PC) localized by Atlus. It's a super-fun puzzle game, pipe dream plus a bit of tetris (since blocks break). Very cool, got a chill soundtrack.

Ramza

^

Honestly, I think it's been blown out of proportion. I don't care for Orson Scott Card's views, but the game barely even *has* a plot. It's basically just an excuse to go around blowing up bad guys.

I really enjoyed that article! As I was reading it I started thinking about Mackey's editorial and how some people have chosen to boycott Whole Foods... and then Nutt mentioned it. I think everyone needs to do what they feel is right - if you are gay and don't want to support Shadow Complex, then you should be proud to spend your money elsewhere or voice your concerns (respectfully, in all debates). If you want to boycott Whole Foods because of Mackey's editorial, then you should do it if that's what resonates with you.

Personally, I've struggled with issues like this fairly often since I went vegan. Like, do I want to support restaurants that serve meat? What about grocery stores? Or companies that have non-vegan products? The ethical conversations I had with myself went on for months until I reached a point where I felt comfortable; for example, by requesting vegan meals at non-vegan restaurants, I hope that cooks or restaurant owners will see there is a market for meals like that and perhaps will offer vegan entrees in the future. However, I will not buy any non-grocery items that are produced by companies that do any animal testing (either raw materials or final form) or use animal ingredients in their products; instead I support companies like Avalon Organics, J/A/S/O/N, Desert Essence, Kiss My Face, etc.

I shop at Whole Foods for all of my major grocery and cosmetic needs, despite the fact that they do serve and sell meat and non-vegan products. The way I see it is that I am not only getting great food (especially local, organic produce!), but I am also casting a vote in a non-vegan arena for more vegan products. I feel that if I completely boycotted all non-vegan people, places and things, I'd be limiting my world view exponentially and would be eating cucumbers that I grew out of my backyard and drinking rainwater (although that does not sound half bad, actually). That could even cross over to VGM - what if Mitsuda puts out a new album, and I purchase it from Play-Asia, and then the CEO of PA puts that money toward leather shoes and then Mitsuda uses my commission to buy tuna sushi? I can't worry about everything, but I just do what I can and I do what feels right.

And I guess that's my point, despite my rambling. I liked the article. I'm not gay, and I'm not going to download Shadow Complex, but it's good to hear about people doing what they feel is right.

I can tell you that you are missing out by not doing at least one of those

This was the conclusion we reached in one of the podcasts I record...

http://www.gameosaurus.com/?p=825

But I think Christian Nutt's article on the matter was very even-handed.