Hasbro Family Game Night on XBLA
If you’re itching to relive some of those classic family nights when you all sat around the table trying to sink everyone’s battleship, then EA is hoping you bring your Microsoft Points with you. The EA Play Label of Electronic Arts today launched the HASBRO FAMILY GAME NIGHT destination on Xbox LIVE® Arcade (XBLA) where players can access some of the world’s most beloved family-friendly board games. Inspired by Hasbro properties, fans can play digital versions of SCRABBLE, CONNECT 4 , BATTLESHIP, and YAHTZEE in a variety of classic and new modes of gameplay. The SCRABBLE game is available in the U.S. and Canada only.
“Hasbro’s games have always been about getting together to have a good time,” said Mark Blecher, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Digital Media and Gaming at Hasbro. “Bringing these favorite brands to Xbox LIVE Arcade and allowing long-distance family and friends to join in the fun that is unfolding in your living room is incredibly exciting and takes casual gaming to an entirely new level. HASBRO FAMILY GAME NIGHT has the potential to replace the weekly ‘check-in’ call with a weekly game night.”
The HASBRO FAMILY GAME NIGHT destination on Xbox LIVE Arcade allows fans to join MR. POTATO HEAD, who acts as host, as they play classic and new-fangled versions of the following games: SCRABBLE, CONNECT 4, BATTLESHIP and YAHTZEE. BOGGLE, SORRY! and SORRY! Sliders will also be launching on Xbox LIVE Arcade in the coming months. In addition to classic gameplay modes, each game offers brand new ways to play, including Advanced Mode and Party Mode, allowing players to play mini-game versions of each title.
HASBRO FAMILY GAME NIGHT can be played locally or taken up a notch to challenge other Xbox LIVE Arcade players to online board game showdowns. SCRABBLE and YAHTZEE offer multiplayer functionality for up to four players, while CONNECT 4 and BATTLESHIP offer multiplayer capabilities for two players, similar to traditional gameplay.
HASBRO FAMILY GAME NIGHT games are priced individually at 800 Microsoft Points. Yes, each one will have to be purchased separately if you want the complete journey back in time. You sank my points balance EA!
March 19th, 2009 at 7:38 am
You know what, I was just about to discuss this game in the ShoutBox. Then this appeared
I originally thought this seemed like a fun, interesting idea. Then I came to my senses. First off, major BOO that there’s no Scrabble for us! Second, 800 points for Connect 4… I don’t think so. Finally, how are you supposed to play more than half of those games locally, when your opponent will be able to see what you’re seeing? I’d rather just pay £18 (RRP £30) for the Wii version than £40 worth in MS points.
March 19th, 2009 at 7:48 am
guess i read your mind then Nanakai
March 19th, 2009 at 7:54 am
The only game that I would like to play would be Connect Four. Its one of those games that you could play online or with someone locally and it wouldn’t matter if your opponent see what you see.
DeaconBlade, hook me up with some MS Points!!!!!
March 19th, 2009 at 8:20 am
800 points a piece? I’m looking at 70 bucks by the time all the games are released. Umm, no thanks. I’ll spend my points on Rock Band DLC.
March 19th, 2009 at 9:44 am
This is mind boggling. I was just reading a comment on Major Nelson’s site and he said there will be 7 games + 2 more down the road. So if this ridiculous pricing structure remains, that is $90 if you want them all. Seriously?? $90 for a bunch of virtual board games?
Just when I thought pricing for DLC and arcade games couldn’t get anymore ridiculous, something crazy like this pops up.
March 19th, 2009 at 10:06 am
I agree. I’m not buying any of them just to show my dislike of the pricing. Even 400 points each would have probably been ok, but $10 each is way to much.
March 19th, 2009 at 10:25 am
well thank goodness for cell phone games
March 19th, 2009 at 10:53 am
whoah… that super expensive… if they included all games for 1200… that would be a better deal. IMO
March 19th, 2009 at 11:44 am
I was really looking forward to some of these games until I saw the price point. Count me out. Would have been a lot of fun though. Hope they rethink the pricing with all the complaints.
March 19th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
I doubt anything is going to change. When Microsoft has a price tag on games. They’re pretty confident with what they stand with.
March 19th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
just a quick note…if you don’t want the Hasbro tile in your Gamercard, don’t download the Hasbro Game Loader and play it. it’ll show up on your gamercard even if you don’t purchase the games.
March 19th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
The only game I’m really hook up with is Scrabble, and at $10 is worth it. Alas, the local multiplayer sucks (everyone can see my tiles?!? sheesh!).
Wonder why they didn’t do this with Monopoly, instead of releasing it as a retail game…
March 19th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Need to check these out for my girls for sure… Ok, I’ll love playing Battleship too.
March 19th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
I agree that $10/game is beyond steep, but I bought Yahtzee because my wife loves the traditional board game. Well, I like the idea of my wife getting more involved with video gaming and so I purchased Yahtzee yesterday. And, as I hoped she wanted to play. We had a great time last night, playing well over an hour. At the end of the day, $10 was a small amount to pay for some marital bliss.
March 20th, 2009 at 7:22 am
Don’t worry, shoedog. We know that it’s not you that’s playing Boggie Bunnies…
March 20th, 2009 at 11:42 pm
ahh this is just to much..
March 22nd, 2009 at 7:15 am
We play Scrabble almost nightly, having logged about 6 hours, so far. The $10 price tag is reasonable since spending 6 hours in an arcade, with a multitude of games, would amount to much more than $10 spent.
Next on our list is Battleship. Local multiplayer is just fine, as long as you trust the other not to look when you set your ships down. As far as Scrabble goes, we help each other out with words, so it remains fun and not seriously competitive.
It’s supposed to be “FAMILY FUN” … not Gears of War versus mode. What’s a little family fun time worth to you? $10…$20? We easily spend $40 at the movies on a Saturday night. Think about it!
March 23rd, 2009 at 8:20 pm
phuck these overpriced board games!
No thanks and FAIL at Hasbro.
April 17th, 2009 at 6:10 am
It’s not the price that I have an issue with at all. I think the price is fair compared to this:http://www.target.com/Hasbro-Scrabble-Deluxe-60th-Anniversary/dp/B0013WLX3M/sr=1-2/qid=1239969839/ref=sr_1_2/189-5923579-2227864?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=0&index=target&rh=k%3Ascrabble&page=1
However I do have a huge issues with the following:
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No customizable dictionary
Players leaving the game early ends the game and ruins it for the other players.
EA servers are unreliable and disconnect constantly.
Players without matching games are allowed to join lobbies and must be kicked before a game can commence.
Suggestions “ON” is the default mode.
There is no reference dictionary.