Small Arms (video game)

Infobox VG
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title= Small Arms


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developer= Gastronaut Studios
publisher= Microsoft Game Studios
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designer=
series=
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released= 22 November 2006
genre= Versus fighting game
modes= Single player, Multiplayer
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platforms= Xbox 360 (XBLA)
media= Download
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input= 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.

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, which pits the player against computer-controlled players in sequence; Training Mode, which teaches the player how to play the game; Challenge Mode, where the player faces an endless stream of opponents; and Shooting Range, where the player must shoot moving targets to score points. "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".

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.

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.

Achievements

"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 its 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.

See also

* Super Smash Bros.
* Metal Slug
* Power Stone

External links

* [http://www.smallarmsgame.com/ Official Small Arms Website]
* [http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/s/smallarmslivearcadexbox360/ Xbox.com Small Arms Website]