Small Arms (video game)
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| Small Arms | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Gastronaut Studios |
| Publisher(s) | Microsoft Game Studios |
| Platform(s) | Xbox 360 (XBLA) |
| Release date | 22 November 2006 |
| Genre(s) | Versus fighting game |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Multiplayer |
| Media | Download |
| Input methods | Gamepad |
Small Arms is an action Xbox Live Arcade video game, developed by Gastronaut Studios, and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It was released for the Xbox 360 video game console on November 22, 2006 for 800 Microsoft Points ($10 USD), since then the price has halved to 400 Microsoft Points as a part of the Arcade Hits Program.
Contents |
[edit] Gameplay
Small Arms is a hybrid platform, fighting and shoot 'em up video game, featuring anthropomorphic animals and super-deformed people, with ranged weapons. Similar to Geometry Wars, the player controls characters' movement with the left analog stick, and aims weapons with the right analog stick, which allows 360-degree aiming. Each weapon has primary and secondary modes, which the player can use with the right and left triggers, respectively. The player can also make characters jump or dash with the face buttons.
Small Arms features four different single-player modes: Mission Mode, Training Mode, Challenge Mode and Shooting Range. Small Arms also features competitive multiplayer for up to four players or bots, either offline or online via Xbox Live.
The gameplay can be compared to Super Smash Bros., Power Stone, Contra, and Metal Slug.
[edit] Characters and Weapons
Small Arms has 12 default characters, eight of which are initially available. Two new characters were made available as downloadable content from the Xbox Live Marketplace on June 6th 2007: Ivar, and Gullarp. Each character has four different costume colours. The costume colour of each character can be changed in the character selection screen, by using the left and right bumpers. Each character also has a unique weapon (except downloadable ones); however, these weapons can be exchanged for other characters' weapons during gameplay.
[edit] Stages
Levels are visualised in full 3D although the players can only move in one two-dimensional plane. Several levels have special quirks to them: the "Bullet Train" level slowly forces the players to move across the length of the train; and the "Sewer" level has a pit in the middle of the map, which closes shut and fills with poisonous gas. Small Arms launched with eight maps, and two more maps were available as downloadable content bundled with the Ivar and Gullarp character download.
[edit] Achievements
- See also: Six degrees of separation
Small Arms has 14 achievements, which have a total of 235 Gamerscore points. It was the first Xbox Live Arcade game to exceed both the 12 achievements limit and the 200 gamerscore limit when it's downloadable content added two additional achievements. A notable achievement is the "Six Degrees of Small Arms" achievement, which is the Xbox 360's first viral achievement: it is unlocked by playing multiplayer with someone who has already unlocked it, and so it spreads like a virus. The achievement spreads for six generations: the members of Gastronaut Studios are first-generation players, anyone who plays with one of them is a second-generation player, and so on, up to the sixth generation.
