Lumines Live Gets Promotionally Priced Bonus Packs

Officials from Microsoft have announced that Q-Entertainment's music puzzle game Lumines Live will receive three bonus packs, each value priced for a month, following online backlash to its previous break-out pricing. The base edition of Lumines Live, released last October, sold at 1200 Microsoft Points ($15). Gamers were vocally dismayed to find, however, that in order to access additional skins, they would have to pay an additional 600 Points ($7.50). Further functionality, including a Vs. CPU mode and Puzzle Mode, would also require additional purchases, unlike the retail versions of the game, which came with all content for one price. With the latest announcement, Microsoft and Q Entertainment have apparently heard gamers' requests, as the new updates, which will be released next Wednesday, January 24th, are being value-priced for a month-long promotion. The first such addon is the Heavenly Star Skin, a new level for the game featuring a video for the Genki Stars original song directed by Q Entertainment's Tetsuya Mizuguchi himself, recently nominated for Best Song at the 2006 Spike TV Video Game Awards. The skin will be available for a limited time only, and will be free for Xbox Live Gold-level members from January 24 to February 21st. The other two addons include the VS CPU Pack, which includes new skin and character designs for each of the CPU stages, and the Puzzle/Mission Pack, featuring an additional 90 puzzles and 40 missions to add to the base game's 10 puzzles and 10 missions. Both of these addons will be available for just 100 Microsoft Points ($1.25) for the promotional period of January 24 to February 21st, after which they will be available for 300 Microsoft Points ($3.75).