Relaxed on Xbox Live

Xbox Live® is community. Throwing even the cornerstone of competition out the window, Xbox Live could still thrive based solely on its ability to connect gamers. It is our gaming gateway to friends we've lost touch with, family members that live too far away, and perhaps best of all, it is our opportunity to meet and connect with people we would have never known otherwise.

The fierce competition born of games that require the utmost concentration and offer the most intense gameplay can often reduce the social aspect of a game. Friendly chatter is hard to maintain when someone is screaming in your ear to grab the flag in a FPS.

Two can play, but more can enjoy the show.

I love getting down in the trenches for some white-knuckle gameplay as much as the next guy, but, truth be told, I'd just as soon take part in a more relaxed, party like atmosphere. To that end, I've noted the best experiences I've found for a less hectic, more socially rewarding Xbox Live experience.

DOA 4 Party
Every day for the past month I've been able to count on a 4:00 o'clock Dead or Alive® 4 bash with the same group of ardent but relaxed fight-fans. It's never organized, but like clockwork, one of us will log on and others will trickle in slowly until there's a full room. Mjr Major, Lefty 2Glocc, Brightstorm, dubz on3—they're all there every day.

You may be surprised just how much fun it is to slow down
the gameplay and relax in a more social environment.

We typically play two-round fights in a room with four to six friends-only slots. The game itself is nothing short of a blast, but what keeps me coming back isn't the game, it's the people I play it with. It's the laughter after someone gets tagged by a car Gambler's Paradise, the shouts of joy after a perfectly timed counter, or the good natured complaints after getting caught in an ongoing juggle.

With only two players fighting at any given time and the rest watching, Dead or Alive 4 provides the perfect blend of competition and camaraderie.

Time to shoot the moon.

Card Games
Nothing facilitates good conversation like a deck of cards, and with Hardwood Hearts and Hardwood Spades, you've got the perfect opportunity to settle down with a quality game sans the intensity of more traditional online fare.

This is an especially good tactic with friends that aren't hardcore gamers, but still own Xbox 360™. It's hard to get someone to agree to play a game they know they're going to lose, but put a game that requires relaxed tactics rather than complex-twitch-skill or button memorization and you'll have a much more willing player on your hands. Nothing beats card games for casual gamers.

Round of Golf
Greens fees and your proximity to friends may preclude a regular tee time on an actual course, but that's what Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 06 is for. If you're looking for a top-tier Xbox 360 game that blends competition with a more deliberate and laid back pace, a round of golf is just what you need. Plus, with the unbelievably detailed character creation available, it reinforces the idea that you're hanging out on the lush greens and fairways with your actual friends.

Enjoy a friendly foursome from your couch.

Marbles for All Ages
Returning to Xbox Live Arcade, Marble Blast Ultra provides an excellent platform for small groups of friends to get together for a brief respite. Don't feel like waiting around in the Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter™ lobby for those last couple buddies you need to form your full group? Try a few rounds of Marble Blast Ultra while you wait for them to log on. With a fast pace and excellent level design, you won't find a title that offers an easier way to pass the time before the main event.

You may be surprised just how much fun it is to slow down the gameplay and relax in a more social environment. Create sessions and play games that focus just as much on enjoying the company you play with as the game itself and you may find a whole other world on Xbox Live to enjoy.

Article by Ryan Treit