Catan, Centipede, Millipede Head To Xbox Live Arcade

Microsoft has further stepped up its regular Xbox Live Arcade updates, which this week will see three new games as tabletop conversion Catan (pictured) is released alongside updates to Atari's classic Centipede and Millipede. Big Huge Games (Rise of Nations) has headed up the conversion of hit board/tabletop game Settlers of Catan for release on Xbox Live. In the game, players take on the role of colonists of a newly discovered island, where they, as the release says, "vie for control of valuable territory and resources through strategy and trading." The Xbox Live version, priced at 800 Microsoft Points ($10), will feature the option to play as 13 different historical personalities including Alexander, Cleopatra and Tokugawa, each with different play styles and difficulty levels, as well as a 'Learn As You Play' tutorial mode to help ease in new players. As with other Xbox Live conversions like Uno, the game will also feature full 4 player multiplayer capabilities over Live, animations and emotes to taunt and belittle opponents, and voice chat to further communicate with other players. Said Settlers of Catan creator Klaus Teuber of the conversion, "I had no doubts that Brian Reynolds would do a great job, and the first version of the game exceeded my highest expectations. The AI is so clever that I even lost several games in a row!" Catan will be joined by two new Live Arcade updates to Atari arcade classics this week, with Centipede and Millipede also due for Wednesday release, at a combined 400 Points ($5). Both games will, as per usual with former arcade ports, feature classic versions of the titles, as well as newly enhanced 'evolved' versions, which will include "pre-rendered, high definition graphics, special effects like motion blur, trails and particle-based explosions" as players fight against their insect foes. Said Atari product manager Emily Anadu, "Atari's classic video games, especially Centipede and Millipede, have had a huge fan base since the originals first entered the marketplace in 1980. By offering these titles on Xbox Live Arcade, Atari extends its classic library to a modern audience and further reaches a global community of gamers."