Next week, two new Xbox Live games are coming to the Marketplace! That hasn’t happened in ages. Even more unusual, both games will be free. The ‘official’ Minesweeper and Sudoku apps come to Windows Phone courtesy of developer Babaroga, who we interviewed back in June, and Microsoft Game Studios.
Head past the break for our exclusive first screenshots of the two games and lots of details!
The first thing you’ll notice about both titles – apart from the identical UI – is the Bing advertisement displayed prominently across every screen. Both games are ad-supported and will display a variety of ads upon their release. Given that Minesweeper and Sudoku don’t cost anything (and have Xbox Live Achievements), I doubt anybody will mind the advertisements too terribly much.
Each title features powerups – not something you’d find in most other versions of these games. They also have a token system which might possibly fuel those powerups. Tokens refill over time, a mechanic we recently saw in Beards and Beaks, also published by MGS. If they’re anything like that game, players may be able to purchase additional tokens via Microsoft Points, but that’s just my speculation.
Minesweeper and Sudoku both incorporate the Metro UI design principles into their actual gameplay rather than just menus. It makes for a stark, clean look that’s easily differentiated from the Minesweeper and Sudoku modes in MGS’ previous collection, Gamechest: Logic Games. However, Minesweeper doesn’t look right without a visible grid separating its cells. Let’s hope there’s an option to switch it on. I’m also hoping Minesweeper’s Achievements don’t require an interminable amount of grinding like Logic Games did. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing, developers!
Minesweeper and Sudoku reach the Marketplace on Wednesday, August 10. Fans of puzzle and logic games are going to be busy!
