Developer: Krome Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Release Date: March 24th 2010
Platforms: Xbox 360 and Games For Windows LIVE
Games Out Now:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Room#GamesComing next:· Super Breakout (Atari)
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FAQ:What is Game Room?
It's a giant virtual arcade that you fill with classic arcade and home console games and play them exactly like they were back in the day.
What makes Game Room different?
Leaderboards:
Leaderboards are available for each game and are shared between the Xbox 360 Game Room and the Games For Windows LIVE Game Room. This means that no matter what system you play Game Room on, your scores are displayed to everyone. Of course, leaderboards are only available when you are playing a ranked game, which does not allow for rewinding or changes to dip switches. No more scores being lost forever when the power is turned off.
Challenges:
These can be sent to people on your friends list to challenge them to beat a particular score, time or other metric that you have already accomplished. The things you can challenge each other on will be determined by the game. Taunts are attached to challenges, so you can celebrate your victory over your friend in style.
Rewind:
At any time during the game you can go back in time and continue from the moment before you made that last costly mistake. It's important to note that this feature is not available in a Ranked game, so you can't use it to cheat your way onto the Leaderboards.
Create your own Game Room:
The Game Room, a three story space with separate alcoves, is customizable in many ways. Of course, you can rearrange the games you have in your collection any way you want, so if you want an alcove devoted to vector graphics games, one for Konami games, another one devoted to shmups etc - go for it. Additionally you can collect decorative props to give each alcove a unique look. Mascots of various games will also be available (free if you purchase the game on release day) that will randomly move around the arcade, too. Your friends can visit your Game Room over LIVE and play your games. If you want to play a game they're playing, you can start up your own game - there is no queuing.
Range of games:
The aim is to get a thousand games into Game Room over the next three years, and that means there'll be titles you haven't heard of or played in ages. There'll be a lot of rediscovering old classics! Also: Giantbomb's pick of the bunch Jungler is included so hey, good times for all.
How much does it cost?
The Game Room application itself is free for all Xbox LIVE Gold and Silver members, and Games For Windows LIVE members.
It's 240 MS Points per game on a single platform. If you want to play the game on both the PC and Xbox 360 ("Buy Once, Play Anywhere"), it will cost 400 MS Points. Scores / medals / achievements etc obtained on one system are automatically transferred to your other system over LIVE, so you can accept a challenge on your Xbox 360 and continue trying on your PC if you like. If you've bought a title on one system and want to upgrade your purchase to play on both systems, it'll cost 160 MS Points.
Purchasing a game for your Game Room also gives you the right to play that game for free in anyone else's Game Room for as long as you like.
How about Demos?
You can play ANY game in Game Room for free - once. After that, you are given the option of dropping in some virtual quarters to continue playing (40 MS Points) or buy the game outright.
This also applies to your friends visiting your arcade, or you visiting theirs. They can try any game they don't own for free once, and any game they do own free as much as they want.
Will old arcade games I bought on XBLA appear in my Game Room?
No. The reasons for this are many, mostly to do with technical issues and rights management, but the short version is that it's like asking why the songs you purchased in Lips don't magically appear in your Rock Band setlist.
Game Room is a framework for Krome's emulation to run in, not a shell to launch other people's programs.
How is multiplayer handled?
Game Room supports same couch multiplayer for all games that had a multiplayer mode. Online multiplayer is handled via challenges only at this time.
How are Achievements handled?
Achievements are not tied to particular games. Instead, it has Medals that you earn by beating certain scores in a particular game, completing a certain number of games, winning challenges etc. These meta tasks earn you Achievements, and there are 60 Achievements in Game Room for a total of 1,000 Gamerpoints.