If you could make an Xbox Live Arcade or PSN game

[Gamerforlife]

What's fun with digital download services is more room for retro or experimental games and smaller expectation than big retail titles.

Given all the love for 2-d beat'em ups on Xbox Live Arcade lately. I would love to make one of my own.

Here are different character types I'd use. One would have powerful offensive magic but weak close combat skills, a keep away character. Another character with the highest damage potential and smallest health bar. A third, balanced character. A fourth with high health and defense and the smallest moveset. Fourth would be a fast, combo heavy fighter, very low damage potential.

I'd love to have environmental kills, some of which use the foregrounds and backgrounds. I'd want a tag team feature where you pick two characters for every stage that you can switch between like in Marvel vs Capcom. Stat building like Guardian Heroes, branching story ala Guardian Heroes and secret areas like Final Fight 3.

No health items, but a health system that consists of permanent and temporary damage, kind of Team Ninja's Ninja Gaiden 2 of Darkstalkers:Vampire Savior. Each time you switch out a character, he/she regenerates some temporary damage on his/her health bar. NO health items in the game at all. You just get max health for both characters at the beginning of a stage

Super combos that make use of both characters on your team, but leave you unable to switch out your character for awhile and slows down health regen. Counterattack system that requires precise timing. No blocking, only counters or dodges. Weapons picked up completely change your fighting style and there is further variation based on the character you use. One time only desperation attacks when health is low. New moves that only unlock when players receive a certain rank in a stage based on damage taken, combos and best use of the environment

Unlike most old school beat'em ups, I'd have mid level boss fights

Between level bonus stages and mini-games that can grant a player a variety of interesting one time use power ups, like one that summons your partner onscreen to fight alongside you while immune to damage. Mini-games and bonus stages would be a variety of things like a shooting gallery, driving level, etc. Extra characters unlocked when you follow certain story paths or find certain secret areas.

It would be a fun title, high level of difficulty though. I'd love to throw in a fun license too, like maybe a Buffy game. So what would you guys make?

[final fight cd]

i don't know if this exists or not, but i always thought this would be cool for a shooter:

for some levels: the more enemies you kill the easier the level boss. obviously, there would be a lot of enemies to shoot and you would have to use quick thinking and reflexes to determine whether you want to go after some enemies and possibly risk losing a life or just let them fly by.

for other levels: the less enemies you kill the easier the level boss. so you would have to dodge bullets and enemy ships while trying to shoot as little as possible.

and every time you play the enemies will respawn differently so you couldn't just memorize it.

[the7k]

I want to make a Super Mario Bros parody, where you play as Bowser, 'kidnap' the Princess and have to fend off Mario and his allies in a platformer crossed with an RTS. (Names changed, of course, to avoid copyright issues)

The twist of the game, of course, is that the Princess and Bowser are eloping, and Mario is just a poor delusional fool who thinks he's being the hero.

[Lord_Santa]

Boulder Dash (the 2003 and 2009 version)

http://www.firststarsoftware.com/boulderdash.htm

not very original (since not created by me), but titles I'd definitively buy without even flinching

other than that, I'd like to remake rags to riches and add some extra features (once you've gone through college/uni and get a job, it should change into something of a life-sim akin to the Sims series, albeit with D/Generation style graphics, etc)

[lisalover1]

If I could make a downloadable game, I would want it to play to the strengths of an online service. I've talked about the concept of a "2-player level editor" for a while. I wrote an elaborate post about it, which I will find later, because I'm too lazy right now. Essentially, it would be a 2D platformer in which one player would be making a level in real time; making enemies, holes, platforms, etc., while the other player would be playing through the level as it is made. Both players have to cooperate to finish the level, but the creator wins them both more points the more obstacles he puts in a level. It makes a good risk and reward system for both players. Voice chat would also be included to make communication and cooperation easier between the creator and the player.

[lisalover1]

I want to make a Super Mario Bros parody, where you play as Bowser, 'kidnap' the Princess and have to fend off Mario and his allies in a platformer crossed with an RTS. (Names changed, of course, to avoid copyright issues)

The twist of the game, of course, is that the Princess and Bowser are eloping, and Mario is just a poor delusional fool who thinks he's being the hero.

...You really miss owning a Wii, don't you, the7k?

[ujnhunter]

Do you know that you CAN make a downloadable game for the Xbox 360? XNA Indie Games... XNA and it's toolkit are free. Then it's $99 or something to be a member and release your games once you are finished! Rock!

[the7k]

...You really miss owning a Wii, don't you, the7k?

Nah, I've got a Wii again. I bought it earlier this year, about a month after TvC came out.

Kinda wish I didn't buy it again, though. I haven't played it in about 2 months... all I got out of it the second time around was Tatsunoko vs Capcom, Data East Collection and Ultimate Shooting Collection. TvC is good, but the only game I played on Data East Collection was Magical Drop III (Which I already have on the Sega Saturn) and the only game I didn't already have on Ultimate Shooting Collection was Karous (however you spell it), and I didn't have anywhere near as much fun with it as I did Radirgy.

Now that there's finally some new games out for the Wii (Trauma Team and Sin & Punishment), I don't have any money because I had to replace a hard drive, my job isn't giving me jack for hours, and I have more pressing games I need to get before those Wii games, like DeathSmiles Limited Edition.

So, buying the Wii again was kinda a complete effing waste. On the bright side, at least I got the Wii again before that patch that disables homebrew or whatever.

[lisalover1]

...You really miss owning a Wii, don't you, the7k?

Nah, I've got a Wii again. I bought it earlier this year, about a month after TvC came out.

Kinda wish I didn't buy it again, though. I haven't played it in about 2 months... all I got out of it the second time around was Tatsunoko vs Capcom, Data East Collection and Ultimate Shooting Collection. TvC is good, but the only game I played on Data East Collection was Magical Drop III (Which I already have on the Sega Saturn) and the only game I didn't already have on Ultimate Shooting Collection was Karous (however you spell it), and I didn't have anywhere near as much fun with it as I did Radirgy.

Now that there's finally some new games out for the Wii (Trauma Team and Sin & Punishment), I don't have any money because I had to replace a hard drive, my job isn't giving me jack for hours, and I have more pressing games I need to get before those Wii games, like DeathSmiles Limited Edition.

So, buying the Wii again was kinda a complete effing waste. On the bright side, at least I got the Wii again before that patch that disables homebrew or whatever.

You thought it was a waste? Did you even watch E3 this year? Donkey Kong Country 4! Kirby: Epic Yarn! Zelda: Skyward Sword! Metroid: Other M! Goldeneye! Epic Mickey! NBA Jam! Seriously, dude, I don't know how you could have any regrets at all about it.

[the7k]

Yeah, I watched E3... and was praying I'd see SOMETHING to get excited about. In the end, the only game that was unveiled at E3 that I give a damn about is Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, a PSN/XBLA game.

Which I guess brings us back to the original topic. I'd also like to make a 2D Fighter for the networks. It would be essential that Paul Robertson does the spritework.