PopCap to show XBLA title at E3

By Tom Bramwell Published 4 May, 2006

Heavy Weapon, evoking Contra.

PopCap's planning to show off the Xbox Live Arcade version of PC/web-based side-scrolling shooter Heavy Weapon at E3 next week.

The XBLA version of Heavy Weapon adds new features, including a four-player mode, and enhancements including the usual array of gamerpoint-funding achievements.

Due out later in the year, Heavy Weapon's a side-scrolling shooter along the lines of Contra, in which players take on enemies in tanks, jeeps, fighter jets, helicopters and other vehicles.

The XBLA version add an exclusive survival multiplayer mode, which will form the basis of PopCap's E3 showcase.

"This marks the first time in PopCap's history that the company has publicly unveiled a game prior to its official release date," apparently. Man, PopCap - it's only downhill from there!

"As a kid, nothing was more fun than playing collaborative-style arcade games like Contra, where you and a friend could play together as a team, working together to blow the daylights out of everything on the screen," said Jason Kapalka, chief creative officer at PopCap.

"Few things are more satisfying than total mayhem with you in the thick of it. When we first considered putting Heavy Weapon on the Xbox, it was instantly clear to us that this would be the perfect multiplayer collaborative game, and the first playable prototype totally confirmed that expectation. We haven't been able to stop playing the prototype, and expect this to be a great Xbox Live Arcade game"

PopCap's previous XBLA games include Bejeweled 2 and Zuma Deluxe.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (4) Latest comment 6 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Rayn #1 6 years ago

    Imo we can't have enough games on XBLA and Popcap games is a developer I'm quite certain will deliver something worthwhile.

  • gizmo #2 6 years ago

    Wow, that sounds great.

  • Xerx3s #3 6 years ago

    Is this something like Metal Slug then? If it is, instant dl. \0/

  • bloodflowers #4 6 years ago

    Tom - you need a refresher course in old games ;-)

    Like Contra? No, not at all. It's much more like a scrolling Cabal, or Silkworm meets Operation Wolf - the crosshair is under control of the player. Sadly it's not that great either, certainly not as great as any four of the games just mentioned.

    XBLA needs more good titles - for the love of god someone please get Microsoft to look at the wider picture of PC games, and approach some more authors. Want to sell a few units in Japan? Then try talking to the author of the Touhou game series - his games sell out in hours at the Comic Market (not just people selling homedone comics..) They're Windows, DirectX, that seems to be the prerequisite for an easy life of porting.

    Ah well. Hopefully that SF2 port will be along soon to address the balance, or maybe Hudson will finally decide to port the Saturn Bomberman.