Microsoft opens the stage presentation.

Microsoft kicked off its Xbox 360 Shooting Festa! event in Akihabara today with a stage presentation. Although only a half hour long, the stage saw multiple announcements that should have Xbox 360 shoot 'em up fans excited.

Sega kicked off the presentations with a look at After Burner Climax, showing off the long awaited port's sweet visuals, lock-on targeting and Climax Mode. The presenter likened Climax Mode to Platinum Games' Bayonetta -- an interesting comparison, as Hideki Kamiya, Bayonetta director and known retro game fan, recently made headlines by posting on the Climax blog that he's excited about the game.

The Climax blog recently gave hints that a release date announcement would be coming soon. That announcement did not take place today. Sega stuck with its original Spring time frame. As one new bit of information, it did say that the 360 version would include Avatar Awards.

5pb. followed with a couple of announcements. The company said that it's working on a new Xbox 360 shooter. It also addressed a somewhat touchy subject: DoDonPachi. The long promised patch for the game, which was pulled from store shelves quickly following its release last year, is apparently being tested by Microsoft now. Perhaps the sordid affair that some (okay, just us) have called DoDonPachi Gate will at long last be coming to an end.

The After Burner Climax presentation (left) and 5pb. presentation (right).

Ketsui's April 22 release date was announced last week.

Cave closed off the stage presentations with two major announcements. First up came word of an Xbox Live Arcade version of Guwange, for release in 2010.

Death Smiles 2 is also on the way for 360. The 360 version promises new characters, new bosses, and graphical upgrades. A limited edition version will come with a soundtrack.

Guwange set for XLA.

Death Smiles 2 on the stage and on playable display.

The information in this article is based off our event mobile blog, which was updated with the proceedings as they happened. Check back later for a more official report on all the announcements from Microsoft's shooting festival.

Her cups are so small.

[Additional reporting by Alice Blackbarn]