The Best of Xbox Live! Arcade

Are you tired of retro games? I mean its fun to play old classics, but who wants to pay real money for Paperboy again? Anybody who wants to play games like this or Root Beer Tapper probably already is. However, just because there is an abundance of repackaged and un-optimized oldschool games on Xbox Live! Arcade doesn’t mean that there aren’t a couple of gems out there. Which ones? How about these:

Hexic HD
Yeah, it comes prepackaged on every Xbox 360 HDD, but guess what? It’s totally awesome. A totally addictive puzzle game that’s easy to pick up and difficult to master. There’s an achievement called “Hexic Addict.” Don’t be surprised if you become one.

Again, this is almost too easy. If you’ve seen Geometry Wars being played, it’s nearly impossible not to buy it. Unless maybe if you’re colorblind. I bet if you’re colorblind, this game really sucks. Tell you what…If you’ve played Geometry Wars, and you’re colorblind, please comment on this and tell me what it’s like.
If your rods and cones are both in good shape, Geo Wars makes for an addicting, challenging and beautiful deep-space shoot-em-up experience. It’s really seriously difficult, so prepare for frustration.

Cloning Clyde
Here’s a fun little sidescrolling platformer for ya. You play as some kind of medical test subject who can transmogrify into different forms like monkeys and frogs. You’ll use the special skills each character provides, as well as some cloning machines, to help get you through a large number of challenging levels. The gameplay is simple and fun, and a perfect showcase for what Live! Arcade should be all about.

Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter

These are a little hard to recommend, because the d-pad control on the 360 just kind of sucks. These are the only two retro titles I find to be worth buying, and that’s because they both play a large role in my gaming history. YMMV, but I love these games.

Marble Blast Ultimate
Remember Marble Blast on the Xbox? No? OK, well it was cool, but its sequel is better. There are lots of cheaters on the leaderboards, which really sucks, but it’s still a ton of fun nonetheless. This one is probably my favorite Arcade title to play online. Get a whole big group of people rolling around and fighting for points and powerups, and you’ve got a great online experience. I love all the skins for the marble too, and even though the graphics are simple they look spectacular in HD.

There are a ton more games coming out before long, so keep your eyes peeled on the "New Download" sections of your 360s!!