SPOnG informed you early last week that Sensible World of Soccer was one of the top ten most influential games ever – at least, according to some list compiled by clever clogs academic and Stanford professor Henry Lowood - curator of the History of Science and Technology Collections at that leading Ivy League University, no less.
 
You may well agree or disagree with the Prof’s top ten. In fact, the chances are you will have a few disagreements (we did!). However, we can agree (or at least most of us here can!) that Sensible World of Soccer should certainly be up there in the all-time hall of gaming fame.
 
Which reminded us that there is an Xbox Live Arcade version featuring online play, high def visual enhancements and other shiny, modern updates due late Summer.
 
So we immediately picked up the phone for a quick chinwag with Codemasters Online Gaming bossman, David Solari, who informed us that, “Yep, it’s going to be the first, official online multiplayer version of Sensi for home console, which we’re all quite excited about,” he told us.
 
Yep, we’re all quite excited over here too Mr.Solari!
 
David reminisced fondly, “I remember the days – and nights - of playing Sensi endlessly back at college and we’re sure the updated Xbox Live Arcade and PC versions due later in the summer are going to appeal to both old and new fans.”
 
He added, "We think it's important to stay true to the original and we'll be delivering what fans of the original SWOS have been eagerly waiting for years, SWOS online multiplayer!"
 
We are also informed to look out for some ‘very interesting new multiplayer elements’ which Codemasters will be telling us much more about in the coming months.

Deux nouvelles rumeurs d'adaptations pour le Live Arcade. D'abord Prince of Persia dans sa version d'origine (en 2D donc), qui vient d'être classifié par l'USK. Son arrivée est donc quasiment assurée, l'organisme allemand n'étant pas du genre à tester un jeu qui n'existe pas.
 
Ensuite, Vigilante 8, le titre de combat automobile sorti à la fin des années 90 sur PS1 et N64, n'a pour sa part pas été classifié mais apparaît dans la liste des projets de Dan Savage, un game designer. On apprend même que son arrivée serait programmée pour l'été. Dan va-t-il se faire taper sur les doigts ?

A l'occasion de son Gamer's Day, Capcom a présenté une foultitude de titres prévus pour sortir sur Playstation Store, PC et Xbox Live Arcade.
 
- Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix (on reprend son souffle) est une adaptation du jeu de combat presque éponyme sorti il y a quelques années. Ca risque de faire un peu doublon avec Street Fighter 2 Hyper Fighting, mais pour se démarquer, le petit nouveau bénéficiera d'animations et graphismes entièrement refaits, semble-t-il très prometteurs. Un mode online est annoncé. Le jeu devrait arriver en automne.
 
- Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (ils vont nous tuer) est l'adaptation du jeu de réflexion presque éponyme sorti il y a quelques années, mais également remise au goût du jour. Elle sera jouable en ligne.
 
- Talisman est cette fois une nouveauté, directement adaptée du jeu de plateau du même nom édité par Games Workshop (Warhammer). Jouable à quatre et en ligne. Dispo en hiver 2007.
 
- Rocketmen : Axis of Evil est, lui, une adaptation d'un jeu de stratégie édité par Wizkids qui pourra lui aussi se jouer à quatre et en ligne. Ce sera un shoot arcade. Prévu à l'automne.

The update for Worms XBLA is now in the hands of the test group and due to go into a final certification check soon. We’d hope that this means it’s available in the next couple of weeks. It’s taken some time because with the title being heavy multi-player there’s a lot to check etc. Sorry for the delay.
 
As for DLC, many of you will be delighted to know that Team17 are doing their very best to make it free. Whilst picture and theme packs will cost the usual amount, the Speech Banks are hoped to be free. Official word:
 
    Date to follow (we’re expecting the title update to come first and that’s taking priority);
 
    PREMIUM DLC
 
        * Gamerpics 150 pts (standard MS pricing)
        * Worms Dashboard Theme 150 pts (standard MS pricing)
 
    DLC
 
        * Speech Pack 1 (FREE) - A dozen or so speech banks. **
        * Space Theme & Audio (FREE) - New background level to play on
        * Audio Pack (FREE) - Various background audio and Worms theme
 
    Expect additional speech packs, level themes, more audio, gamerpics and dashboard themes from then on. Some of the content will be charged, some will be free.
 
    **Africaan, Angry Scots, Classic, Cyberworms, Danish2, DanisPyrus, DoubleohSeven, Dutch, Dutch2, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Redneck, Russian, Scouser, Stiff Upper Lip, Swedish & Swedish 2 (Note: It is currently hoped that all speech banks will be supplied FREE).
 
It’s great to see the game being constantly updated, especially if at least some of the content can be free. The patch will certainly make a big difference too, as it will also feature other bug fixes other than the hosting problems, like speeding up the ridiculously slow AI. It’s great to see the return of some of the great voice banks too, because they really do make the game what it is.