Mini Squadron - Exclusive preview

MiniSquadron is already a hit on iOS and Android devices. Microsoft approached the game's creator, UK-based Supermono Studios, and asked them to bring the game to Xbox Live. Supermono promptly teamed upwards with Fat Pebble to do the conversion. We spoke to Fat Pebble about the game, and now we're bringing you this sectional preview.

MiniSquadron, as you might expect, involves planes. Lots of 'em. Players battles hoards of aerial opponents in a two-dimensional space. Controlling the plane is every bit simple as changing the pitch (the angle of its nose) with a virtual analog stick. This lets you pull off a variety of loops and other maneuvers as you chase down enemy planes and contrivance oncoming attacks. Just don't fly besides loftier or the airplane will stall and nosedive; hit the ground and yous'll crash and burn. Horizontal level boundaries just bounce planes safely away.

MiniSquadron 4

Incoming burn down won't bounce off and then safely, though players and enemies alike tin can take a few shots before going down. Every shipping comes equipped with one of 7 weapon types, including cannons, missiles, fireballs, lasers, and more. Each type has its own variations, with unlike impairment, firing speed, and range. Blasting enemies without getting hitting yourself increases a philharmonic multiplier, so practiced players will earn higher scores.

Wing by the jump for screenshots and details almost MiniSquadron'southward new Windows Phone features.

Modes

MiniSquadron Screen 2

MiniSquadron has two modes: Archetype and Survival. In Classic, gamers start with three lives and must survive twelve waves of enemies on a single map. It'southward possible to get more lives by picking up the heart icons, but don't follow them into enemy fire! Make it to the stop and several archetype stages culminate with i-on-one boss battles. Survival pits the player confronting endless waves of enemy shipping. Survival should be pretty competitive cheers to Xbox Live Leaderboards.

Something to fight for

MiniSquadron Freeze Willy

Not anybody wants to fight for high scores. Thankfully MiniSquadron has a huge set of shipping for players to unlock (only one is bachelor from the start). Each plane has its own ratings in speed, armor, turning, so they all handle quite differently. They come equipped with a multifariousness of weapons, also.

As for the selection of shipping, there are over sixty to win, including boss planes. Some of MiniSquadron'southward aircraft designs go really creative, to include UFOs and the Windows Telephone-exclusive Freeze Willy, a flying killer whale.

Graphics and sound

MiniSquadron 5

The light-headed unlockable aircraft are part of MiniSquadron's cartoonish amuse. Planes accept a 3D rendered expect while the backgrounds feature colorful hand-drawn fine art. A whopping twelve planes tin be on-screen at once, plus ducks! Special effects like smoke trails and screen-shaking explosions add some extra punch to the chaos.

MiniSquadron's music is also noteworthy. Nearly mobile games only come with 1 or ii songs, but MiniSquadron has a whopping ten tunes. Each one is a midi version of a famous classical melody, including the especially appropriate Flight of the Valkyries. I've always wondered why more indie games don't utilise classical tunes – they stand the exam of time and reside in the public domain to boot. Instead, they often throw in a single song that gets sometime afterwards near a infinitesimal (Helloooo Flight Command).

Windows Phone 7 features

MiniSquadron Map

The developers put lots of effort into making certain the game plays and runs very smoothly on Windows Phone. They too tweaked the menu organisation to lucifer the Xbox Alive wait and feel. Resuming, an attribute some developers tend to forget (Namco), is handled perfectly here – if the player receives a phone call, locks the screen etc., the game will automatically save and provide the option to resume when the game starts again.

Considering Xbox Alive games don't back up multiplayer still, this version of MiniSquadron lacks the original'due south two-player local Wi-Fi battles. To make upward for this omission, Fat Pebble has added some pregnant new content. Snowfall Hope is a brand-new level with its own unique music and cease boss. Seven new planes similar the Freeze Willy give players something extra to shoot for - and shoot with, one time they've got them. And of course, Xbox Live Achievements and Leaderboards come forth for the ride.

Preparing for take off

MiniSquadron Planes

MiniSquadron is nearing the end of the Xbox Alive certification procedure, and then a release date hasn't been set yet. We do know it volition cost $2.99 at launch. The complimentary trial allows players to try the entire first world and unlock upward to 8 planes, and so Xbox Alive fans should definitely take it for a test flight.

This huge Xbox 'Quick Resume' update will give gamers more control

Xbox Insiders Update

This huge Xbox 'Quick Resume' update volition give gamers more than control

Microsoft is calculation a new feature to Xbox consoles, allowing you to permanently store upwardly to ii games in a Quick Resume state at all times. The characteristic is heading out kickoff to Xbox Insiders in the Alpha testing ring earlier hit the full general public.