Windows Phone & Windows 8 Deal Thread

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Windows Phone and Windows 8 Deal Thread

One Xbox game for Windows Phone and a different one for Windows 8 goes on sale every seven days as part of the weekly Red Stripe Deals. The Red Stripe Deals change every Thursday. Red Stripe Deals are open to all Windows Phone and Windows 8 owners.

Xbox Windows Phone Red Stripe Deal of the Week
January 23

  • Collapse - $2.99 $.99

Windows Phone Price Drops - Updated 04/02/13

WP7 Xbox Live Release Schedule - Titles listed from oldest to newest
2011 release dates
  • March 02, 2011 - I Love Katamari - $6.99
  • March 09 - Burn it All - $2.99
  • March 16 - Full House Poker - $2.99
  • March 23 - Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 - $2.99
  • March 30 - Fable Coin Golf - $4.99
  • April 6 - Super Monkey Ball - $4.99
  • April 13 - Centipede - $2.99, Harbor Master - $2.99
  • April 20 - Asteroids Deluxe - $2.99
  • April 27 - Pitfall! - $2.99
  • May 4 - Enigmo - $2.99
  • May 11 - Lunar Lander - $2.99
  • May 18 - Pac-Man Championship Edition DX - $6.99
  • May 25 - Hydro Thunder Go - $4.99
  • June 1 - Doodle Jump - $2.99
  • June 8 - geoDefense - $2.99
  • June 15 - Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I - $6.99
  • June 22 - Plants vs Zombies - $4.99
  • June 29 - Angry Birds - $2.99
  • July 6 - Twin Blades - $2.99
  • July 13 - Beards and Beaks - $2.99, Nokia exclusive: Mirror's Edge - $2.99
  • July 20 - Tentacles - $4.99
  • July 27 - Sally's Salon Luxury Edition - $4.99
  • August 3 - Cro-Mag Rally - $2.99
  • August 10 - Minesweeper and Sudoku - Free!
  • August 17 - IonBallEX - $2.99
  • August 24 - No US release
  • August 31 - Fight Game Rivals - $2.99
  • September 7 - Gravity Guy - $2.99
  • September 14 - Collapse! - $2.99
  • September 21 - Implode! - $2.99
  • September 28 - Burn the Rope! - $2.99
  • October 19 - Jet Car Stunts - $2.99
  • October 25 - Orbital - $2.99
  • November 2 - Kinectimals - $2.99
  • November 9 - Fusion: Sentient - $2.99.
  • November 16 - Let's Golf 2 - $4.99
  • November 21 - Farm Frenzy 2 - $2.99
  • November 28 - Ghostscape - $2.99, Shuffle Party - Free
  • December 7 - Hasta la Muerte - $2.99
  • December 14 - Battlewagon - $2.99, Doodle God - $2.99, Breeze - Free
  • December 21 - MiniSquadron - $2.99
  • December 28 - Spider Jack - $2.99

2012 release dates

  • January 4, 2012 - Zombies on teh Phone - $2.99
  • January 11 - Bug Village - Free
  • January 18 - TextTwist 2 - $2.99
  • January 26 - Fragger - $2.99
  • February 1 - Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit - $4.99
  • February 8 - Bullet Asylum - $2.99
  • February 15 - Chickens Can't Fly - $2.99
  • February 22 - Splinter Cell: Conviction - $4.99
  • February 29 - Toy Soldiers Boot Camp - $2.99
  • March 7 - Dodonpachi Maximum - $4.99
  • March 14 - Gerbil Physics - $2.99
  • March 21 - PES 2012 - $4.99
  • March 28 - iStunt 2 - $2.99
  • April 4 - Civilization Revolution - $2.99
  • April 11 - Pirates! - $2.99
  • April 18 - Monster Island - $2.99 (pulled)
  • April 25 - Wordament - Free!
  • May 2 - Pac-Man Kart Rally $2.99
  • May 9 - Feed Me Oil - $.99
  • May 16 - geoDefense Swarm - $2.99
  • May 23 - Droplitz Delight - $.99
  • May 30 - MonstaFish - $.99
  • June 6 Battleship - $2.99
  • June 13 Final Fantasy - $6.99
  • June 20 Fling - $.99
  • June 27 Super Monkey Ball 2 - $2.99
  • July 4 - Mush - $2.99
  • July 11 - Gun Bros - Free
  • July 18 - Contract Killer - Free, Lode Runner Classic - $2.99
  • July 25 - Asphalt 5 - $2.99
  • August 1 - Pool Pro Online 3 - $2.99
  • August 8 - Sally's Spa - $2.99
  • August 15 - Little Acorns - $2.99
  • August 22 - Shoot1UP - $2.99
  • August 29 - Roll in the Hole - $.99
  • September 5 - Galaga Legions DX - $6.99
  • September 12 - Crimson Dragon Side Story - $.99
  • September 19 - Contre Jour - $2.99
  • September 26 - Real Soccer - $2.99
  • October 3 - Extraction - $.99
  • October 10 - Babel Rising 3D $2.99
  • October 17 - Cracking Sands - $2.99
  • October 24 - Carcassonne - $2.99
  • October 31 - Big Buck Hunter Pro - $2.99
  • November 7 - Cut the Rope - $.99
  • November 9 - Nokia Exclusives: Game of Life, Jet Set Go, Parking Mania (all $2.99)
  • November 14 - Sonic CD - $4.99
  • November 20 - Nokia Exclusives: Spy Mouse, Trivial Pursuit (all $2.99)
  • November 21 - Turn N Run - $.99
  • December 4 - AlphaJax - Free
  • December 19 - KenKen - $4.99
  • December 21 - Nokia Exclusive: iBomber Defense - $2.99

Check out post # 2 for more info about Windows Phone games.

 
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[quote name='tylerh1701']Cool, grabbed Galaga for a buck. I don't particularly care for the game, but I'll buy any Xbox Live game for a dollar, partially just to support the price point. I hope this trend continues and Pac Man Rally Kart ends up being $1.



I would go to Android way before I went to Apple, but I'm with you. Achievements are the main thing that is keeping me tied to WP, and if they decide to start publishing lots of achievement-enabled games on other devices, I'll probably switch over to Android. The Windows OS is really nice, but I'm really enjoying my mom's new Galaxy S3 as well.[/QUOTE]

I wouldn't expect stuff like Angry Birds to get achievements on other phones but I wouldn't be surprised if the ones published by MS (like Tentacles) get them.
 
[quote name='eastx']Wordament comes to iOS and what that means for Windows Phone - Fairly proud of this news/editorial piece.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I read that. Quite disturbing but I am not falling for all of the doom and gloom that many others are. I think one of the most important signs for the long-term success of Windows Phone will be the announcement of the next Xbox. If they don't integrate or give WP7-WP8 users unique and compelling experiences that work with the gaming console then I'll be worried and it will be a sign that they don't really have faith in their mobile platform.
 
Kind of sounds like the guy that reviewed Wordament for the iPhone website is an idiot. I guess it's missing a couple standard iPhone 5 features, which is a legit hit against the game, but it definitely sounded like the reviewer didn't understand the concept of the game, or how it works.
 
[quote name='tylerh1701']Cool, grabbed Galaga for a buck. I don't particularly care for the game, but I'll buy any Xbox Live game for a dollar, partially just to support the price point. I hope this trend continues and Pac Man Rally Kart ends up being $1.



I would go to Android way before I went to Apple, but I'm with you. Achievements are the main thing that is keeping me tied to WP, and if they decide to start publishing lots of achievement-enabled games on other devices, I'll probably switch over to Android. The Windows OS is really nice, but I'm really enjoying my mom's new Galaxy S3 as well.[/QUOTE]

You are kidding me with this. I won't buy another iPhone, but I would consider another android despite hating google and their practices. I really don't think this is a good move unless it is the only game to give achievements, a tease perhaps. I think it will take another year for things to start moving in a direction for the wp ecosystem. So, I will make my decision then.
 
[quote name='nCogNeato']I just demoed Galaga Legions DX. It is the first $0.99 game I've passed on.[/QUOTE]

After spending about 30 minutes with the game, I don't think you'll regret it.
 
[quote name='tylerh1701']After spending about 30 minutes with the game, I don't think you'll regret it.[/QUOTE]

I agree completely. It is a huge bummer that the controls suck and it has like 2/3 of the content from the XBLA version removed. :(
 
Personally, I'm not too worried about achievements on other phones. I think it will only be Microsoft-published games and they'll probably have a limited amount like Wordament. I see it as an attempt to entice folks into switching over. Something like "You like achievements, huh? Well, it's like this all the time on Windows Phone, mother fucker!"
 
I don't know where people get that enticement theory. It's such an unlikely thing that iOS games start offering Achievements and the user's mind leaps to switching to Windows Phone to get something they already get on iOS.
 
[quote name='ZombieToast']Personally, I'm not too worried about achievements on other phones. I think it will only be Microsoft-published games and they'll probably have a limited amount like Wordament. I see it as an attempt to entice folks into switching over. Something like "You like achievements, huh? Well, it's like this all the time on Windows Phone, mother fucker!"[/QUOTE]


That maks sense, and I hope that is the objective from MS. I will pass on galaga, for two reasons. The controls are poor, but my phone has little memory and have little I would delete.
 
[quote name='eastx']I don't know where people get that enticement theory. It's such an unlikely thing that iOS games start offering Achievements and the user's mind leaps to switching to Windows Phone to get something they already get on iOS.[/QUOTE]

I think it could be similar to how people think about PS3 vs. 360. Before the PS3 had trophies, I know of many MANY people who went out and purchased a 360 for achievements or, in most cases, purchased a multi-platform game on the 360 instead of the PS3.
 
[quote name='voormis']I think it could be similar to how people think about PS3 vs. 360. Before the PS3 had trophies, I know of many MANY people who went out and purchased a 360 for achievements or, in most cases, purchased a multi-platform game on the 360 instead of the PS3.[/QUOTE]

That's completely different. Pretty much every third party game comes out on both the Xbox and ps3. iOS gets like 4-5 big games a week while WP struggles to get one.

I'm really shocked at how MS let the ball drop again. Competition is good and they are falling behind in a huge market.
 
[quote name='eastx']I don't know where people get that enticement theory. It's such an unlikely thing that iOS games start offering Achievements and the user's mind leaps to switching to Windows Phone to get something they already get on iOS.[/QUOTE]
I just have a hard time seeing it as a bad thing. I have an even harder time thinking that anyone would ever get a Windows Phone just for a glorified Boggle game. But I know that many people are insane when it comes to achievements. If there are people who will base their purchasing decision on whether or not a game has achievements, the same nutty logic is likely to draw them into buying a phone for the chance to get even more achievements. I've talked to my fair share of people who had no idea about achievements and seemed to be genuinely interested when I informed them about it. Sure, I think Microsoft games on iOS should be limited/"Lite" versions, but I still have my doubts that this will hurt the platform.

And let's not forget that there are many, many people who don't buy phones based on what games are available. Connectivity, usability, and accessibility are huge factors these days.
 
Appreciate the intelligent response, ZombieToast. :)

Lemme add s'more context to my overall opinion about how the Wordament port is harmful, etc.

I see Wordament as being in the same league as Draw Something and Words With Friends from a potential mass-market appeal standpoint. That's why I say it could be a killer app, because I've seen how much regular people like those games and how bad it made WP look when it didn't have them. By the time we got them, their popularity had largely run its course.

In order for Wordament to function as a killer app, it would require serious promotion on Microsoft's part and non-WP users getting the chance to see it in action on friends' phones and/or the chance to play it themselves. A killer app is killer because people know about it, and that doesn't just happen by accident.

Of course, the availability of a game or even many games doesn't affect every user's purchasing decisions. But as you admitted, Achievements and games do matter to subsets of smartphone users. As one such user, I look at this decision through that lens, which a non-gamer might not be able to do.

That said, my overall point (my fear) isn't focused specifically on Wordament. It's the big picture. Wordament is just one exclusive that's gone to iOS, and it brought a formerly exclusive generalized feature (Achievements) with it. But there will be more formerly WP games that go iOS, and more formerly exclusive apps. Thus the erosion of exclusives hurts WP because WP needs those to be competitive. It can't compete on sheer number of apps or even just having all the popular games and apps (look at how it lacks Instagram or how long it took to get Words With Friends and Draw Something).

Some people seem to feel that WP can compete with iOS and Android simply by providing a unique user interface - by being a nice OS. Sure, that attracts a small segment of users who just want something different and are willing to give WP a chance. But the mass market won't switch to a new OS, especially when they're already invested in iOS or Android, simply to try out an OS that feels different.
Two out of three things must be present to attract the mass market and established users: timely availability of virtually all popular apps, exclusive and compelling apps, and a compelling UI.
WP has exactly one of those (thanks in large part to MS themselves), which concerns me greatly.
 
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Yeah, I get what you're saying and I suppose it does make sense. I guess I just see it differently because I'm biased. I mean, you're biased as well of course, but I'm biased and a snob. Ha ha. And perhaps it is also easier for me to just brush off alternate opinions simply because I'm not terribly familiar with iPhone. I've used it once or twice at the AT&T store, but I don't follow it at all, so I'm oblivious to what draws people to it. I mean, I only heard about Draw Something and Words With Friends a couple of months ago. I still don't even know what Instagram does besides filtering photos...all I know is that there are way too many naked teenagers using it (I get paid to sort through uploaded images and mark inappropriate ones for deletion). WP7 provides me with almost everything I need and I love the interface (something that cannot be said for iPhone), so it's hard for me to see why people could want anything else. I tend to have a somewhat egocentric way of thinking.

So, yeah, I get where you're coming from and you're probably right. But I still like to think that this could actually end up benefiting us. Microsoft doesn't always make smart decisions, but they are very good at doing whatever gets them the most money, so I tend to think they've always got something up their sleeve.
 
[quote name='oasisboy']Dumb question: do all of these games listed in the op work on a windows 8 computer?[/QUOTE]

No. Windows Phone games are not compatible with Windows 8. They do sell some of the same games for both platforms, but they're treated as separate purchases.
 
[quote name='ZombieToast']I guess I just see it differently because I'm biased. I mean, you're biased as well of course, but I'm biased and a snob. [/QUOTE]

:rofl:
 
[quote name='eastx']Crimson Dragon Side Story returns to WP8[/QUOTE]

Good to see that Crimson Dragon is back on WP8.


[quote name='eastx']MonsterUp Adventures review

Dredd vs. Zombies free on WP8[/QUOTE]

Nice to see more games on WP8. I'll try Dredd for free. I don't know if I want more jumping games, but MonsterUp looks cool.


[quote name='eastx']A little help keeping the thread alive please?

iBomber Defense review - Oddly, the game appears to be partially delisted even though the website still shows it as WP8 compatible.[/QUOTE]

I will wait for a sale on iBomber (and if it ever comes back too).

PS: I browse this thread all the time, but got nothing smart to say usually, ever.
 
When migrating from WP7 to WP8, Wordament and AlphaJax will keep your progress/stats in tact.

Does anyone know of any other XBL WP games that will do the same?
 
[quote name='nCogNeato']When migrating from WP7 to WP8, Wordament and AlphaJax will keep your progress/stats in tact.

Does anyone know of any other XBL WP games that will do the same?[/QUOTE]

Wordament did for me, I don't play AlphaJax so that I don't know.
 
Updated the OP a bit. Working on a best and worst games of the year article now. Any suggestions? The entire year's releases are listed in the OP.

nCogNeato, I can't think of any other games that use cloud saving. Gun Bros maybe?
 
[quote name='eastx']Updated the OP a bit. Working on a best and worst games of the year article now. Any suggestions? The entire year's releases are listed in the OP.

nCogNeato, I can't think of any other games that use cloud saving. Gun Bros maybe?[/QUOTE]

BEST:

1. Zombies on teh Phone
2. Little Acorns
3. Monster Island
4. Feed Me Oil
5. Wordament
6. Crimson Dragon
7. Chickens Can't Fly
8. Cut the Rope

WORST:

Bug Village (my least favorite game of the year, even for "free" it was so dumb!)
Toy Soldiers Boot Camp
Gun Bros
Galaga Legions DX
 
[quote name='tylerh1701']LOL iBomber delisted. Does anyone at MS have any idea what they're doing with WP8?[/QUOTE]

I couldn't even finish the trial because of a glitch on WP7. Might be why they delisted it.
 
Thanks Tyler! Some more opinions would've been great (the article will probably run in the morning), but oh well. Definitely agree with you on a lot of those.

Here's a question for another article: what 5 things does Microsoft need to do differently with Xbox Windows Phone in 2013? (This one will hopefully run on Tuesday or Wednesday).

[quote name='tylerh1701']BEST:

1. Zombies on teh Phone
2. Little Acorns
3. Monster Island
4. Feed Me Oil
5. Wordament
6. Crimson Dragon
7. Chickens Can't Fly
8. Cut the Rope

WORST:

Bug Village (my least favorite game of the year, even for "free" it was so dumb!)
Toy Soldiers Boot Camp
Gun Bros
Galaga Legions DX[/QUOTE]
 
[quote name='eastx']Here's a question for another article: what 5 things does Microsoft need to do differently with Xbox Windows Phone in 2013? (This one will hopefully run on Tuesday or Wednesday).[/QUOTE]

An official & simple way to migrate from WP7 to WP8 without losing any data (especially gamesaves).

Integrated cloud saving for games, regardless of developer implementation.
 
[quote name='eastx']Here's a question for another article: what 5 things does Microsoft need to do differently with Xbox Windows Phone in 2013? (This one will hopefully run on Tuesday or Wednesday).[/QUOTE]

1. Announce an official release date for WP7.8. I understand this is up to the carriers but it's getting REALLY old.

2. Close the gap between WP7.5 and WP8 even further. I have a feeling many WP7.5 users will be upset and feel left behind after the initial excitement of receiving the updated start screen wears off.

2. Announce partnerships with big developers. Stop keeping users "in the dark". If we relied on official statements and information from MS regarding WP we'd have absolutely no idea what in the hell was going on! Many WP users are not stuck on Instagram, etc. but if they really want to compete and expand their user base, they need these types of big name applications to be taken seriously. Or...

3. Push harder with 1st party applications that replace or expand upon those missing apps.

4. Exclusive integration with Xbox 360 and Windows 8 OS. I know we have a few "perks" but most capabilities have been ported to iOS and Android as well - Smartglass, etc.

5. Offer trade-in incentives for current WP7 users to upgrade to WP8. Many people, myself included, were happy upgrading to phones like the Lumia 900 thinking we'd get WP8. While information was out there that late-model phones were not going to get WP8 it was an absolute mess of information from MS.

I love my WP and came back from iPhone 4 but if MS hasn't done as much to F everything up they could, I don't know. They mislead current WP7 users and haven't done enough on the software side to really entice a fast-growing user base.
 
[quote name='eastx']Thanks Tyler! Some more opinions would've been great (the article will probably run in the morning), but oh well. Definitely agree with you on a lot of those.

Here's a question for another article: what 5 things does Microsoft need to do differently with Xbox Windows Phone in 2013? (This one will hopefully run on Tuesday or Wednesday).[/QUOTE]

I think they really need to standardize the whole release process of games. On the 360, they do a really good job of releasing games on Wednesdays and sometimes Fridays, and Deal of the Week goes live every Tuesday morning. They need to set it up where they can release the new game and the new DotW every Wednesday morning (or another day, as long as it's set in stone). Sometimes we get games Tuesday, sometimes Thursdays, sometimes not at all, same goes with DotW, which never goes live at a consistent time or day, and sometimes disappears completely.

I also think the Xbox Live certification process clogs up the release process quite a bit. This has been a critique of Xbox Live for years, but they need to loosen up a bit.

All I really want for Xbox Live on Windows Phone is a little bit of consistency.
 
[quote name='eastx']Thanks Tyler! Some more opinions would've been great (the article will probably run in the morning), but oh well. Definitely agree with you on a lot of those.

Here's a question for another article: what 5 things does Microsoft need to do differently with Xbox Windows Phone in 2013? (This one will hopefully run on Tuesday or Wednesday).[/QUOTE]

Have constant price drops like Apple, cut out the deal of the week.

Keep up with current mobile games. Get updates when other platforms get updates.

Make the Live certification free like Apples Game Center.

Throw money at someone to get a decent exclusive.
 
The ability to backup and transfer gamesaves is the biggest thing I want out of Windows Phone. If they do nothing else to improve the infrastructure, I'll be content as long as they at least do this. Aside from contracts, this is the absolute #1 thing keeping me from upgrading to WP8. This would be the perfect opportunity to actually make SkyDrive useful!

On a similar note, it would be nice to have cloud-based data storage so all of the data from our apps don't take up valuable resources for those of us stuck without a way to add extra space. And wasn't there talk of cloud-based apps at some point?

It would also make me happy if we could not only have some exclusivity but if Microsoft could actually make a real effort to entice developers into bringing their games and apps over to WP. I don't care if we get achievements or not; I just want to see a steadier flow of quality software. I don't expect many exclusives because Microsoft won't even do that for the Xbox, but it would be nice if more developers would start taking us into consideration.
 
Just upgraded from ios to WP8 (Nokia Lumia 920) and i am loving it so far. Thanks to everybody in this thread for helping me pick out the first few games and which ones to avoid. Only real suggestion i can make for WP is the inability to purchase giftcards for the appstore similar to itunes. It's not a huge deal but for me personally, i like to have credit stored into accounts like these where it makes purchasing more simple.
 
[quote name='D1987']Just upgraded from ios to WP8 (Nokia Lumia 920) and i am loving it so far. Thanks to everybody in this thread for helping me pick out the first few games and which ones to avoid. Only real suggestion i can make for WP is the inability to purchase giftcards for the appstore similar to itunes. It's not a huge deal but for me personally, i like to have credit stored into accounts like these where it makes purchasing more simple.[/QUOTE]

Through Bing Rewards you can get free credit for the Windows Phone store; so maybe giftcards are that far off? :)
 
[quote name='mrcheapo11']Through Bing Rewards you can get free credit for the Windows Phone store; so maybe giftcards are that far off? :)[/QUOTE]

Thanks for reminding me about Bing rewards I completely forgot about that site. And i heard somewhere that microsoft was moving away from the points system to coincide with W8 but its been awhile since i have heard any updates on that situation.
 
Just a heads up. If you're on Verizon, lumia 820s are free now. I have a trophy and my upgrade is due next week. I'll probably do it.

Verizon doesn't have great choices on WP. Lumia 820 , or HTC 8x.
 
The Lumia 820 isn't bad though, Warboss! I'd pick it over the HTC 8X because of the Nokia exclusives. Glad you'll be able to jump on WP8.

Thanks for all the comments on the articles, Tyler and MastrMeatWad. Everyone else: I am disappoint. :p
 
[quote name='warboss zorbag']Just a heads up. If you're on Verizon, lumia 820s are free now. I have a trophy and my upgrade is due next week. I'll probably do it.

Verizon doesn't have great choices on WP. Lumia 820 , or HTC 8x.[/QUOTE]

My friend just bought an 820 like a week or 2, that kinda sucks for him, and at least you have some choices, that's more then Sprint :p
 
[quote name='eastx']Thanks for all the comments on the articles, Tyler and MastrMeatWad. Everyone else: I am disappoint. :p[/QUOTE]
*sniff* I've been commenting on articles too.
 
[quote name='ZombieToast']*sniff* I've been commenting on articles too.[/QUOTE]

High five! And my bad. I thought maybe you had commented too, but I always forget your other username. We could totally change it to ZombieToast if you like... :cool:
 
[quote name='warboss zorbag']Just a heads up. If you're on Verizon, lumia 820s are free now. I have a trophy and my upgrade is due next week. I'll probably do it.

Verizon doesn't have great choices on WP. Lumia 820 , or HTC 8x.[/QUOTE]
I really really like HTC 8x. It is a very very nice phone. the camera, sound, and screen top notch. The colors are awesome and I it is one of my favorite phones out right now. I think I read Verizon will have a lumia 9** early this year.

Happy new year!
 
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