nutjitsu-splash

Phil Spencer, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Studios, revealed on Twitter the first two games heading to Xbox One via Microsoft [email protected] program: Nutjitsu and Worms.

[email protected] is Microsoft’s self-publishing platform for independent game developers, announced shortly after the system’s launch last year. It’s been described by Microsoft has a proverbial haven for small developers looking to launch their software on a major console.

OXM notes that Nutjitsu is already available on the Windows store, available for Windows Phone and Windows 8. It looks to be a sort of Pac-Man type of game where you, a ninja squirrel, must retrieve your acorns from the samurai foxes that stole them, navigating a map of narrow paths and avoiding those foxes, preferably not alerting them.

Spencer mentioned Worms, as well, and Worms developer Team 17 followed that up with a press release with a bit more information. But just a little.

The game, titled Worms Battlegrounds, will be heading to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 as a self-published title, set for release sometime in 2014. We can surely expect mis-aimed rocket launchers and sweet ninja rope action, but what beyond that? We’ll find out later this year.

For the first titles coming through the [email protected] program, what do you think?

Use a chess clock to keep track of move and play times
Tick tock

Use a chess clock to keep track of move and play times

These chess clocks feature dual clocks for players to control their own timers, and loud alarms so everyone knows when time is up. These clocks can be used for other 2-person games, like checkers, that may benefit from a game timer.