Special Report:
Xbox Live Arcade: TriXie's Fall Classics
There's no doubting the appeal of those deceptively simple yet addictive games from the past. As for myself, I have to admit to having an addiction to Bejeweled. And, after sitting at a computer all day, it's tough on the boot-tay to spend an additional few hours at my home PC playing games on the Zone. So I for one can't wait to kick back in my giant beanbag chair, wireless controller in hand, and play my beloved Bejeweled in complete comfort.
Yeah, you heard me. Now you can play a boatload of your favorite games from the Zone, plus a whole bunch of classic favorites—including arcade, puzzle, trivia, card, and board games—on Xbox Live Arcade. Awesome, right? It gets better. In games that support it, like Fuzzee Fever, you can also play with friends over Xbox Live, and chat while you play. Once I can combine my Bejeweled fix with my nightly two-hour debriefing with my girls, I don't think I'll ever leave the beanbag chair. All I need now is an intravenous drip of Diet Coke.
But wait, there's more! We've got these fabulous knives that can cut through soda cans! Okay, not really. It's better than Ginsu! You can get the Xbox Live Arcade launcher disc free! Just pony up $4.99 U.S./$7.99 Canadian for shipping and handling, and we'll send you the disc that will enable your Xbox® console for Xbox Live Arcade. And, for a limited time—in North America only—, the disc comes with a full version of retro arcade classic Ms. Pac-Man.
What else can I play on XboxLiveArcade?
Retro classics like Dig Dug, Pole Position,Galaga, Joust,Defender,Robotron, and Gauntlet from publishing partners that include Namco Ltd. and Midway Games Inc. These games are true to the original arcade titles, as originally designed for coin-operated machines.
Card and board games like poker, hearts, spades, backgammon, and chess.
Puzzle and trivia titles includingBejeweled,Zuma, Hexic™, Fuzzee Fever, and Mah Jong Tiles.
Action and arcade games, with new takes on classic action games as well as side-scrolling shoot-’em-ups and old-school 2-D platformers. These titles include Alien Sky,Hamsterball, Feeding Frenzy, andMarble Blast.
Social sports. This genre includes the types of games that you would play with a group of friends on a Friday night while hanging out, such as bowling, billiards, and golf. Awwww yeah!
You can try out any and all of these games on XboxLiveArcade. Then you can purchase and download the full versions of your favorites. New games will be added monthly, so there will always be something new and cool on tap. By the time summer rolls around, there will be over 40 games to choose from!
What's the damage?
Every game has a playable demo, so you can check them all out and see if they rock your world. If you want to purchase the full version of a game, here's the skinny: Some basic games likeBejeweled and Alien Sky are $9.99 U.S./$14.99 Canadian; other, more fully-featured games—likeGuardianand Fuzzee Fever—will set ya back $19.99 U.S./$24.99 Canadian. There's also an awesome $14.99 U.S. ($19.99 Canadian) bundle from Namco that includes Galaga,DigDug, and Pole Position. The sweet thing is that the cost will just be charged to your Xbox Liveaccount (like when you buy premium downloadable content on XboxLive). You don't have to mess around with entering your credit card info each time. Then your new game is downloaded right to your Xbox so you can play it whenever you want!
I have to have it! What do I do?
Settle down, Sparky. It's completely easy. Here's what you need:
- An Xbox Live account. (See your options here.)
- A launcher disc.
- There is no third thing … that's it! See? Easy!
If you're already an XboxLivemember, just get yourself the Xbox LiveArcade launcher disc with Ms Pac-Man. Order it here.
If you haven't yet joined the Xbox Live community, this is a great time to start (Halo® 2, anyone?). Get yourself a Starter Kit. Then order that launcher disc. In the near future, the XboxLive Arcade launcher disc will be included in XboxLive Starter Kits, but if you can't wait, order it now!
