The TeamXbox.com Hot List: June 2, 2006At A Glance
Welcome back to the TeamXbox.com Hot List! After an exhausting run of Xbox® and Xbox 360™ coverage at this year's E3 Expo, we are back and ready to change things up for our latest list. We usually take a look at the hottest upcoming releases, but as many of you know, summer is somewhat thin on video game releases. Publishers aren't stupid, they know many of you are outside, soaking up the rays, instead of hitting the sticks. For that reason, during this summer, expect us to throw you a curve in our Hot Lists with looks at more than just new releases. This time around, we are focusing on our best of the best in Xbox Live® Arcade gaming. If you're an Xbox 360 owner, then there's no reason that these three beauties shouldn't be part of your downloaded library.
Rob S. I'm sure that the folks responsible for the PGR series had no clue what a diamond in the rough they had with a little "throw-in" game that was included in Project Gotham Racing® 2. As sort of a hidden item in the garage area, Geometry Wars was a simple sprite-based shooter, similar to the classic Asteroids. While most gamers enjoyed the retro feel, not many thought twice about it thereafter. Certainly no one considered it as a standalone game … except Bizarre Creations. With the release of Xbox 360, a new version of Geometry Wars fit perfectly as a launch game for the revamped Xbox Live Arcade service. Getting an upgrade with high-definition visuals and tweaked gameplay, the new Geometry Wars became an instant smash hit. The original game is even included for those that want to go Retro. Make no mistake, there is nothing overly complex about Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved. It's pick-up-and-play nature is the most defining aspect. Everyone (seriously), can instantly pick up an Xbox 360 controller and have a blast with this simple shooter. The intensity of the advanced levels also makes Geometry Wars Evolved a perfect game for hardcore players.
Easily the most addictive Xbox Live Arcade title. Visually, it's hard to describe Geometry Wars. In HD resolution, I like to think of it as Asteroids on crack—not exactly the most PC analogy, but trust me, it fits. The particle effects pop right off the screen and it's difficult not to get drawn into the vibrant designs that come from blowing away red circles, green squares, and glowing snakes. It sounds bizarre … until you play it. If you download just one Xbox Live Arcade game ever, it should be this one. Download the free demo—I guarantee you'll be hooked! For more on this game, please visit TeamXbox.com's Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved game information page.
Dale N. Chutes 'n' Ladders or UNO? This was the conundrum I faced every Saturday evening before driving was an option. Things are a bit different these days. Video games have nearly completely replaced card and board games, but that doesn't mean the classics are gone forever. For a nominal fee, you'll be playing UNO, but without all of those easily misplaced cards. Carbonated Games has transferred the most popular, non-traditional card game of all time to zeros and ones, and conveniently placed their creation on Xbox Live Arcade. There's single player bot play, but the real fun is when up to three of your friends join in via Xbox Live.
The best version of UNO ever? We think so. To keep things fresh, Carbonated includes the ability to customize standard UNO rules, plus a chance to try Partner UNO on for size. Furthering the brand new feel of this classic is the chance to download new card patterns. Try that with your stinky old board game. The online party game aspect of UNO is why I consider it one of the best offerings ever to hit Arcade. Not only is voice chat supported in UNO, but you'll even have the opportunity to hook up the Xbox Live Vision Camera and check out the competition. Fire up Carbonated's UNO, throw in some Pet Shop Boys for nostalgia's sake, ice a few Orange Crushes … and you have yourself a retro party, twenty-first century style. Get more details at TeamXbox.com's UNO game information page.
Brent S. In today's high-end gaming industry, sometimes it's easy to overlook some of the more simplistic puzzle-type games that are surprisingly addictive and do a fantastic job of passing the time. Anyone who has found themselves bored at work has probably spent a few hours sneaking in a couple games of Bejeweled or Zuma, both from up-and-coming puzzle game creator PopCap Games. With the growing popularity of Xbox Live Arcade, it's no shock that these games have been updated for availability over Microsoft's gaming network. The enhanced version of Zuma, aptly called Zuma Deluxe, was released in November of 2005 on Xbox Live Arcade and it still remains popular six months later. Zuma Deluxe is a puzzle game, so the controls are easy for anyone to pick up. However, the challenges entailed in the game can be quite complex. Controlling a rotating frog idol, fire brightly colored balls in every direction in order to eliminate the complex ball chain presented. There is also the ability to swap balls and that about sums up the basics of Zuma Deluxe. The complexity comes into play as you set up combinations of three or more same colored balls in order to clear them from the string. The object of Zuma Deluxe is to successfully eliminate all of the balls within a growing string before it reaches the Gold Skull icon. As each level is cleared, the difficulty increases and the string of balls will become more intricate.
Easy to play, hard to master. Simply clearing balls is one way to progress through the game, but in order to really rack up some serious points, you need to create chain reactions and combinations that will clear a number of balls rapidly, and with a fair level of skill involved. Clearing levels and tallying points is the name of the game in Zuma Deluxe's Adventure mode. For around 10 bucks, Zuma Deluxe is certainly not going to break anyone's bank, but it is sure to suck up a good chunk of time from anyone ready for hours of puzzle goodness. With the availability of a free demo offered on Xbox Live Arcade, you've got nothing to lose (except some well-spent time) challenging your reflexes with PopCap Games' highly addictive Zuma Deluxe. Read more at TeamXbox.com's Zuma Deluxe game information page. |
