If there where, say, 10 games of the genre and quality of Castle Crashers on XBLA, I think even Microsoft would try to charge less, to make it stand out more.
But right now, the game is probably going to be the best, most expansive game of it's genre on the service, and will probably be for a long while. Unless Technos and Treasure get together, and make "Guardian Heroes of the River City", allowing Kunio-Kun and Han Samuel to team up against Khan, Zur, and the Ripoff Lee Brothers...
For that matter, it's probably the most developed game of it's time to come out on home consoles in the past 10 years... and that's a real shame!
WHY AREN'T THERE MORE RPG/BEAT-EM-UP HYBRIDS IN THIS WORLD!?!?! -ahem- They're like... the perfect genre for online game services, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on Live proved Beat-em-ups are great sellers. Yet we're still going without so many of the big classics... I know why we don't have Dungeons and Dragons, X-men the Arcade game, and Alien VS Predator... but what about things like Sengoku 3, Captain Commando, Undercover Cops, The Combatribes? (And did I mention I'll always and forever want a big-budget Guardian Heroes Remake?)
Getting a game as memorable (heck, possibly more so) than those, for below 50 dollars, heck, below 30 dollars, is a steal. I love the way Digital Downloads have brought us great games, from talented gamers-turned-game-designers, who really GET what made those games of the past great. Full priced 60 dollar games don't always deliver such timeless, enjoyable gameplay, so just because it comes in a cover with a manual, doesn't make every clearance game on a shelf better than some of the downloadable wonders we're starting to receive. Unfortunately, the price of retail seem to keep a lot of certain genres out of our hands. So I've really started to appreciate digital sales.
ANYway, Have you guys seen the Alien Hominid character videos on the Devblog? The vine-magic his opponent shoots out are wonderfully animated, and the Hominid's Magic jump is to teleport into the air by a column of light! The variety and quality of the games magic effects are really impressive. Each character is looking more and more individualized and memorable...