Joe Danger Special Edition for Xbox Live Arcade announced

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 3 November, 2011

Out soon. First screenshots revealed.

Joe Danger Special Edition launches on Xbox Live Arcade very soon, Hello Games has announced.

It features new environments, new gameplay modes, new characters and more variety over the PlayStation Network version.

UK indie developer Hello Games told Eurogamer it's shooting for a holiday 2011 launch on Xbox Live Arcade.

"We're really excited about coming to XBLA," Hello Games' Sean Murray said. "For a start my brother is finally going to be able to play Joe Danger. Well, knowing him he'll probably just download the Trial.

"It's going to be coming out real soon though, like surprisingly soon. We haven't rushed it or anything, it's just that we've been keeping it super secret."

Cute stunt bike platform game Joe Danger launched as a PlayStation Network exclusive in 2010 to critical and commercial acclaim.

A sequel, called Joe Danger: The Movie, is set for release on multiple platforms, but not before Special Edition on Xbox.

"It's been so nice to come back to, now we've watched hundreds of thousands of people play through on PS3," Murray continued. "They've been our playtesters for the changes we've made to Special Edition.

"Like Joe Danger was well received and everything, but my god there were things we didn't like about it. There were places where it was actually pretty frustrating or confusing to play, and I really think we've ironed that out."

Murray says Special Edition includes "a lot of new content". "I'm not sure anyone could 100 per cent the game in less than about 30 hours," he said. "I think that would be minimum. It's just huge now."

One stand-out new feature is the Laboratory, described as a "test-tube of gameplay bubbling away" and reminiscent of Timesplitters' Challenge mode.

"The Lab is our way of giving the player a little peek behind the scenes too, and it's filled with hidden developer challenges, which we call Pro Medals. I guess that's us having fun, but laying down the gauntlet, too."

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (29) Latest comment 7 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Nevflinn #1 7 months ago

    Missed out on Joe Danger the first time - I'll have to catch this!

  • Badassbab #2 7 months ago

    What happended to MS no ex exclusives policy?

  • neosalad #3 7 months ago

    @Badassbab Special Edition probably means it'll be different enough
    :)
    glad i didnt pick it up on PSN now (was waiting for a sale price) but will prob pick up on XBLA now, with it having "extras"

  • asphaltcowboy #4 7 months ago

    At long last! \o/

    @Badassbab They never said they wouldn't, they said they'd reserve the right not to put it on their console. Which basically means if they want to, they can. Which was an entirely pointless statement, hence why I was so confused when people were up in arms about it.
    Edited by asphaltcowboy at 03/11/11 @ 10:23

  • patch #5 7 months ago

    This begs the question as to whether there will be an update to the PSN version containing any additional content?

  • X201 #6 7 months ago

    Hello Games told Eurogamer it's shooting for a holiday 2011

    You're just doing it deliberately now aren't you.

  • erp #7 7 months ago

    PSN customers "were the playtesters" for the XBL Special Edition? Classy, guys. :eek:

  • captain_Carl #8 7 months ago

    Hey guys, you spelt "christmas" wrong

  • Stratix #9 7 months ago

    Great game, really looking forward to play this on XBLA, but guys, don't call paying Playstation customers play testers!

  • MaoZedong #10 7 months ago

    Post deleted at 09:40:08 17-12-2011

  • Murton #11 7 months ago

    I'd hope that Hello games make that additional content available via updates or DLC seeing as Sony published their game on PSN, partially funded it with the publisher fund and even gave them direct assistance via workshops with Media Molecule.

    To receive all of that support and then release a better version elsewhere without improving the original means that this small time developer may find outside in the cold funding-wise when it comes to its next title.

  • bodypopper #12 7 months ago

    Excellent news. Considering the number of top titles coming out at the moment, I've scheduled a nanosecond to check this out between now and Xmas...next year. ;)
    Edited by bodypopper at 03/11/11 @ 11:06

  • sharky_ob #13 7 months ago

    I'll definitely be picking this up - loved the look of the PSN version so I'm made up it's coming to XBL.

  • Syrette #14 7 months ago

    @Murton

    Seeing as they've already got the sequel on the go, I'm pretty sure they'll be ok funding-wise.

    Why do I get the impression you wouldn't be defending Microsoft if this was the other way around? Just that several titles have been released on PSN at a later date with extras to make up for the wait.

  • Darren #15 7 months ago

    Cracking little game, tons more fun to play, funnier and way cuter than Trials HD IMO. The only thing wrong with the PS3 version was that it looked a little jaggy so I'd certainly buy it again on the 360 for the new content and if it has anti-aliasing. I can't tell from those screenshots as they aren't native resolution.

  • weejok #16 7 months ago

    lol at PS3 playtesters :D Surely you should have got the game for free then?

  • Murton #17 7 months ago

    @syrette

    If an indie game was to appear on PSN later that had been supported, both monetarily and technically by MS and they handled the press for that release this way I'd still be annoyed. While it is no secret that I'm a PS3 user I'm a gamer first and foremost and I can see past the colour of the hardware to see the real issues at play.

    What grinds my gears is referring to those that have supported you as "playtesters" who have helped to create a newer, better version of the game that they may never get to play. It's the sort of piss poor PR we're used to seeing from the big publishers, not small time indie devs who actually need the support of fans to keep going.

  • Trent_Steel #18 7 months ago

    Picked it up for PS3 and loathed it. So desperate to come across as charming but I'm truth a soulless and repetitive experience.

    Eggsbawgs owners should stick to Trials HD, which I've only played a bit of but was far better from what I saw.

  • Trafford #19 7 months ago

    hah, I was going to make this my first PSN buy.

  • rotmm #20 7 months ago

    @Murton,

    It's happened often in the past with the PS3 getting a later, enhanced, version of the previously PS3 exclusive. Granted, that's in the disc based medium where Sony have long had a policy to not certifying a title to be released on it where it had been released earlier on the 360 unless there was exclusive PS3 content.

    This was especially noticable in the first few years of the 360 where MS had funded some great JRPG's, only for some of them to be later released on the PS3 with extra content that was never offered even as DLC to those that already had it on 360 due to the Sony licensing terms.

    Sadly, things like this are just the nature of the beast.

    However, your observation about the use of the term 'playtesters' is more than valid. The lack of tact is breathtaking.
    Edited by rotmm at 03/11/11 @ 12:07

  • thenastypasty #21 7 months ago

    Any mention of price?

  • cloudskipa #22 7 months ago

    Cool news that it's coming to XBLA. I quite enjoyed it on PS3, but I think to have it go head to head with Trials Evolution is a bit of a bad idea. Joe Danger is great for what it is but it doesn't even begind to compare to Trials for me.

  • RichieJohn #23 7 months ago

    I hope the PS3 version gets updated. I've not bought it yet but I played a lot of it at a friends house.
    I'll wait to see what happens to the PS3 version and pick one.

  • waggy79 #24 7 months ago

    Bought it on psn but found it average tbh. Oh and it's not really like trials at all gameplay wise.

  • wattsn26 #25 7 months ago

    Hello Games published "Joe Danger" on PSN. Not Sony.

    Unless they lower the price on PSN, I believe all the "special edition" features should be added to the PSN version.

    It seems rather unfair to still charge PSN users

    $14.99 for "Joe Danger," and then charge

    1200 MSPTS for "Joe Danger: Special Edition" (with double the content) on XBLA

    There would be literally no point in any multiplatform owner of even buying "Joe Danger" on PSN or even a sole console owner for buying "Joe Danger" if they hear about this and the price remains the same.
    Edited by wattsn26 at 03/11/11 @ 13:35

  • riz23 #26 7 months ago

    What great news. I have enjoyed playing this in the office but don't have a PS3 at home. Now I can put some serious time into it.
    Edited by riz23 at 03/11/11 @ 14:24

  • CrunchinJelly #27 7 months ago

    Hello Games putting that Pub Fund money to good use.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #28 7 months ago

    Awesome because I don't have a PS3 and I really wanted to play this game. It sucks though that 360 owners had to wait so long and PS3 owners might miss out on additional content now. Pretty much a lose/lose situation :(

  • Collymilad #29 7 months ago

    Awesome game, had it for my PS3 which I had to get rid of. Will definitely be picking this up.

    Some people need to get over themselves though. With the amount of games that have had improved versions released on PS3 that were previously 360, without any updates to the 360 version, it's laughable to expect the new features to be added.
    Edited by Collymilad at 04/11/11 @ 03:21