Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged Review

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(More customer reviews)Xbox Arcade Unplugged is a collection of some of the best-selling games from the Xbox Live Arcade on the Xbox 360. Included is 6 games, 3 demos and a 1 month subscription to live.
1 month of live (retail $8) - It is a great service for online play of any game. You can download and rent movies, buy tv episodic content, and chat with friends, families, and strangers around the world.
Bejeweled 2 (retail $10)- A popular puzzle game in which you try to match up jewels in order to get to the next level. There are several modes to Bejeweled, some unlockable. The game is a real challenge, and if you like puzzle games, you will be pleased with Bejeweled 2.
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved (retail $5) - An instant classic in the tradition of Asteroids. You fly around in a 'ship' trying to destroy geometric shapes, each having their own characteristics. As you progress, the games elements get harder, and more shapes are introduced. A fantastic game that is fun for just about everyone.
Hardwood Backgammon (retail $5) - Classic Backgammon action. You can play against a friend on the couch, vs. the computer, or take on someone online on Xbox Live. Hardwood Backgammon is also Camera Enabled.
Outpost Kaloki X (retail $10) - A strategy game in which you are in outer space, attempting to manage power and research. A variety of missions and scenarios to keep you busy are included.
Wik and the Fable of Souls (retail $10) - A crazy game about a small creature who uses his tongue to eat bugs and whip around treelimbs. Part puzzle game, part action, this game can be very challenging. There are over 120 levels in the game, each one being more difficult than the last.
Texas Hold 'em (retail $10) - This may be the junk of the bundle. A poorly executed attempted interface leaves most poker players wondering why they didn't copy any of the popular online poker sites and their interface. Often multiplayer works too slow, while you wait for others to take their turn. There are some scenarios to work on in single player. Overall, it isn't too bad, but it leaves a lot to be desired amongst poker players.Also included are demos of Uno, Marble Blast Ultra, and Feeding Frenzy.
Uno is the classic card game everyone knows. It translates to Xbox Live very well and is camera enabled. It has a wide variety of gameplay options, including partner play. Marble Blast Ultra is a game in which you try to move your marble around to the exit point. Each level is brilliantly designed, colorful, and challenging. Feeding Frenzy is a great game for all ages, in which you start each level as a small fish, eating other fish and growing as you do so.
If you bought everything in this package for retail price, it would cost you $58. Even if you only need a couple of the $10 games, it's still agreat bargain with the 1 month of Xbox Live for free.


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Xbox Live Arcade is fully integrated into the Xbox 360 console. You can jump straight into Xbox Live Arcade from the Xbox 360 Dashboard, where you can download new games, access their game collection, check out new releases and experience cool around-the-game features. With Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360, casual gamers will find a wide variety of game genres available for download, including action arcade titles, coin-operated and retro classics, puzzle games, casual sports games, light strategy titles, and card and board games.

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Marble Blast Ultra Review

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(More customer reviews)Marble Blast Ultra is a great game for the right audience. The graphics are great, the game play is simple and entertaining, and the achievements make for some lasting enjoyment. It's a very simple game where you roll the marble around the course, and it gets a lot harder than you might think. For five dollars, it's a very well done family-friendly game that does not get old quickly. It's also great that you can download the demo first to see if you like it. With the ability to play a few levels before buying and the fact that it's only $5, you can't go wrong with Marble Blast Ultra.

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Single Player, Xbox Live Multiplayer 1-8, HD (High Definition) You're on a roll! Buy the FULL version now and post your high scores on the leaderboards! There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts.

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Konami Classics Volume 1 Review

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(More customer reviews)The other reviewer brought up the point that $20 is a little expensive for a "classics pack". Most of the time, I would say that is a valid argument when deciding to purchase a game, but in this case, I beg to differ. Consider this:
A)Contra is awesome.
B)Frogger, while not an amazing title, is still pretty fun.
C)This package includes Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
For me SotN is the big draw here. This classic game was the epitomy of sidescrolling action, and had incredible graphics and controls. Now, Symphony of the Night was released on the original PS more than ten years ago, but it's fun and value have not diminished in the slightest. In fact, the value of SotN has skyrocketed (one word?), with the original game selling for about $130. Besides getting the game itself, the graphics have been upgraded to 720p HD (you can choose to play with the classic graphics or the upgraded ones)! An incredible deal when you consider the price of the orignal game. And you get two other classic games!

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Keep it old school and re-capture the golden age of gaming with ‘Konami Classics Vol. 1.'Featuring a popular collection of some of the most recognized brands in video game history, ‘Konami Classics' will include the original Super Contra, Frogger and Castlevania Symphony of the Night.Each game features the ability to be played in its original state, or in an enhanced mode with upgraded Hi-Def support at 720p along with a special graphics improvement filter resulting in smoother visual game quality.Re-live gaming glory with these timeless retro compilation packs!

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Ikaruga Review

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(More customer reviews)I've always wanted this game (for multiple consoles), so I was thrilled when it came my way to the Xbox so I could finally get it. You can have a lot of fun with this game, that is for sure, but you can also get very frustrated. Now that I mentioned it was frustrating, let me mention a few tips about the game to help ease the frustation (no spoilers).
This game keeps track of how much time you've spent playing it, so after you play it for one hour total, you get more continues or lives, after two hours you get some more etc.. So the longer you play, the more lives/continues you get so you can actually get further in the game and eventually beat it. (recommend Easy mode for first timers)
The other tip is, you have to learn the patterns of the enemies and get as many chains as you can for the most points. Kill three white enemies, 1 chain.. kill another three, 2 chain and so on. If you kill two white, then one black, the chain is broken. You can kill 3 white, 3 black, 3 white etc. to keep the chain going, just don't interrupt the intervals of 3 and you'll be fine. Sounds easy right? ;) Check out some youtube videos of the game and you'll see what I mean.
The achievements have a few easy ones, but the rest are just plain hard and require a LOT of practice. I managed to get 95/200 points, and I am very proud.
The graphics are also very cool and I just love the look of this game. Very fun, try the demo, just be patient and you will be rewarded!

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Single Player, Xbox LIVE Multiplayer 2, Local Multiplayer 2, HD (High Definition). Looking for more polarity-switching, freedom-fighting gameplay? Upgrade to the full version of Ikaruga to access five exciting levels, cooperative multiplayer, leaderboards, achievements, and the ability to record and replay levels, thus immortalizing your magnificent and awe-inspiring skill. There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts.

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Splatterhouse Review

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(More customer reviews)First off this game is in absolutely ZERO ways for children... blood, gore, violence, language and nudity. Seriously the opening movie is detailed in a way I've never seen in a videogame. Main character wakes up in pool of his own blood, tries to get up and his guts spill all over the floor, not a gush pf blood... his guts. Instead of finding little trinkets or packages hidden around you find pieces of nude pictures of the main character's girlfriend that get pieced together in the "collectibles" section of the menu.
I'm writing this game as a fan (not die hard) of the Splatterhouse franchise since I grew up with it. I was going to wait off until this game came down in price but I found out that it would have the original 3 splatterhouse games unlockable and that warranted a release day purchase for myself. Basically the game plays about as expected... take a classic side scroller beat 'em up and convert it into a 3rd person 3D brawler without changing the overall plot very much (guy searches haunted mansion full of beasts and other vicious looking monster type enemies to save girl). Appeal to the mature audiences by cranking up the gore and blood to cover the floor and walls (and screen), then just for good measure make the collectible items in the game torn up nude pictures of the large breasted blonde female character love interest of the game scattered about the levels.
Overall story is written by comic writer Gordon Rennie (Judge Dredd) and has a all metal soundtrack: Lamb of God, Mastadon, Five Finger Death Punch, and more.
Splatterhouse is what you'd expect... pretty much a summer horror action flick in the form of a game. It's not an artsy game in the slightest and appeals to everything that people try to deny liking. At worst it's a monument to the lack of creativity in the game market & at it's best it's a guilty pleasure for nostalgic gamers. But hey, I like it so far ;)

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Splatterhouse Xbox 360

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Xbox 360 Real Arcade Pro. EX Review

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(More customer reviews)Edit:
After 6 months of ownership of both the HRAP and the TE, I would just like to add some pros/cons for those curious.
Pros: Extremely durable feel in comparison to the TE, mods easily, going to be a comfortable purchase for previous HRAP owners on past systems.
Cons: Hori buttons out of the box are not great and should be replaced, lack of a locking mechanism for the guide button, start and back on top.
Note: I stand by my five star rating, but these are just some things to think about. I own the TE as well, and for what it lacks (build quality) it makes up for by having a full sanwa layout, a lock for the guide button (to avoid pressing it at the wrong time by accident) and rear placed back and start. If you have been teetering on the idea of getting this stick, you will not be disappointed when you do.
Easily the best stick available for the 360 RIGHT NOW, and arguably best stick for the 360 FOREVER. There is of course the TE SF4 stick due out late this month, but I have played with one recently, and I personally prefer the HRAP EX which I own. this is a super solid stick, legendary quality of past HRAP's.
Works with XBOX and PC. Great for MAME. Easily moddable. Comes with Sanwa JLF stick installed... buttons are Hori, but easy to change as hooked up to quick disconnects. I immedeately threw in some black/clear Seimitsu buttons with custom art, but thats me.
Do not hesitate. Buy this stick !!!! a must have for hardcore and budding fighting game players alike!!!This stick will far outlast the cost!


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*Licensed by Microsoft *Hi-end next generation arcade style controller. *The 8 main buttonds are designed and placed on same layout as the arcades. *Expansion port allows you to attach your headset so that you can chat while playing online. *Recommended for fighting, action, shooting, FPS, and classic games that are available through xbox live.

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NBA JAM Review

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(More customer reviews)So, if you are like me and my friends and spent lots of quarters on the original arcade game, this will take you back.
We played the heck out of the older versions on the Sega Genesis, N64, Sega Dreamcast and the odd Xbox 3-on-3 version.
Since Jam went away we switched to EA's NBA Street.
Street was fun, but it was almost became as complicated as a fighting game with all of the combos you needed to do.
This Xbox 360 version is a total remake of the original arcade game. Big Head mode and all.
This isn't a deep game, but there is more to it than just "Play Now", but it isn't NBA 2K11.
So the question is, is Jam worth the full retail price? I would say no unless you are dying for a multiplayer game that doesn't involve a gun or you
are an old school fan like me.
This is one of the few multiplayer games I can play with my son and his friends. Most games, like the Lego series are only two player games.
I rated it four stars because it is a great re-make of a great game.
It plays just like the old arcade machine.
I love the gameplay. I love the graphics and the play by play is fun.
There are some quirks.
The on-line gameplay is broken for now. That is inexcusable. You can't play anyone, I assuming this will be fixed ASAP. (right EA?)
The rosters are not the latest. Miami has Lebron and the Knick have Amare' but Ariza is still on the Rockets.
There is a championship mode which is fun for single player action and they have some unique challenges they call "Re-Mix", but the heart of the game
is just playing with one to three other friends.
This is classic Midway video game. If you have played NBA Jam or NFL Blitz you know the rules, who ever is in last place, they will have the advantage (ala Mario Kart).
This is done so every game is close, it is a fun challenge to try to put someone down by 20.
The computer cheats big time, but there are some tricks you can do to keep the CPU at bay.
The game has some fun rewards that you will earn when playing, for example if your player scores all the points you get a ball hog award.
I have tried most the teams.
I found the surprise player is Arenas on Washington.
So basically, if you are looking for a more arcade like basketball game that is not a sim like NBA 2K11, this might be for you.
If you want something to compete with your friends that will have you all screaming, yelling and insulting each other, this is it.
But if you want a deep single player type game, I would pass on this.
Try NBA Street. It has more to it.
Update: OK, the single player is more fun than I thought.
I am addicted to unlocking every player....
The campaign mode tasks you with beating every team, there are boss battles after
every few matches. This is one way you unlock the legends from the fist NBA Jam (Arcade Version).
For example you have to challenge Spud Webb and Dominique Wilkens or go to Golden State and take on Chris Mullins andTim Hardaway.
If you beat them, you can play them in the multi-player.
Also, it you pull off certain tasks like 10 blocks in a game and such you will unlock more legends.
These Legends are added to the rosters of the respective teams they played for.
So Worthy is now available with Kobe, Lamar and Pau.
i haven't gotten to the main boss battle which looks to be Magic and Bird on the same team.
The hardest team to beat on Hard Mode has been Orlando. Dwight blocks everything and he and Vince Carter dunk really hard.
It is hard to block them.
I have been using Arenas and Minute Bol as my tandem.

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NBA JAM for Xbox 360 is an unique multiplayer arcade style basketball game that mixes the over-the-top fun of the original, old school, coin-operated two-on-two game, with modern gaming graphics. Designed with Next-Gen consoles in mind, the game preserves the distinct visual 2D style of the arcade classic which incorporates specific player and coaches likeness', but adds crisp court, crowd and scoring celebration details that are only possible in modern gaming consoles. Additional features include in-game unlockables, representation from every team in the league and boss battles against some of the best NBA players in history.

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The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai Review

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(More customer reviews)Take one part goth asthetic, mix with a bit of dark humor, and then combine a fully mapped and VERY functional control scheme. What do you get, an addictive masterfully balanced sidescroller that trumps expectations and delivers mucho replayability for you DL dollar. The challenge level is high here as even easy and normal modes offer little mercy, but as you master the control scheme and your samurai levels up you will start to feel the POWER of the varied weapon sets and skills that accompany them. WIth a single player story (14 levels) , arcade mode(50 levels), local and online co-op(featuring limited guitar peripheral controls!) and FIVE difficulty settings there is alot to come back to. If you relish the frenzied chaos of games like METAL SLUG, and the pinpoint jump and strikes of a Ninja Gaiden you are about indulge in a little slice of gaming heaven. Other than some seriously sore fingers I can't think of any real drawbacks. Certain bosses QTE finishes feel a little forgiving if anything. Precision button mashing has never been finer, this is a cult classic game and one of if not the most visceral bargains LIVEARCADE has to offer. Just be prepared to be CHALLENGED and REWARDED.

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Experience 14 levels of story, the ranked story track, guitar and shadow story co-op, 50 arcade challenges, local, System Link and Xbox LIVE arcade co-op, and more weapons, bosses, and intense, stylistic action!

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Konami Classics Volume 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)It's quite simple, $[...] for 3 classic games is a complete rip off. There are many other Classic Packs from later generation consoles that package upwards of 20 games for the same price. Do yourself a favor and put that $20 towards something that is worth it. Do not let Microsoft take your money so easily, make them work for it.

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Keep it old school and re-capture the golden age of gaming with ‘Konami Classics Vol. 2.'Featuring a popular collection of some of the most recognized brands in video game history, ‘Konami Classics' will include the original Contra, Rush ‘n Attack and Track & Field.Each game features the ability to be played in its original state, or in an enhanced mode with upgraded Hi-Def support at 720p along with a special graphics improvement filter resulting in smoother visual game quality.Re-live gaming glory with these timeless retro compilation packs!

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LUMINES LIVE Review

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(More customer reviews)Really there isn't anything like it on XBLA. If you never have played it on the PSP, which I hadn't, you need to grab this game on XBLA. At 10 dollars its a steal, I grabbed it when it was full price around launch. The basic gameplay is like this. You have set puzzle pieces, like Tetris however they'll always be 4 pieces in a square, that you have to arrange either by rotating to the left or right to make a minimum of 4 corresponding colored/patterned squares adhere to each other. If you set up chain reactions you get more points, along with making bigger and bigger matches. Get x4, x8 or even x 10 bonus points and see how many different combination of bonuses you can get before the white line passes by. As the levels increase the line increases in speed while every other level returns to normal or gives you a break with a slow relaxing, or time to eliminate a pile of garbage, speed.
Ah yes, more info about this magic line. Throughout the game there is a line that travels from left to right, wrapping back to the left, and repeat. Anytime you make a match or a sequence of the same colors together in a square-like shape they highlight awaiting the white line. Then the line passes over them and your matches disappear with the total bonus points being added to your score. There are also times when the game gives you a wild card-like piece which you can use to clear all of that same touching color pieces. This can save you from defeat many times over or just clear off a good section of jumbled pieces. Why am I telling you this, grab the demo and see for yourself haha.
It's actually very addicting and the payoff is loads of bonus points, staying alive and listening to the interesting musical experience. The musical experience is always different because it is directly relatable to your inputs in the game, move the left you have a sound effect/right different sound effect/clear a match sound effect/eliminate a lot of blocks and you get yes another sound effect! There is a background loopable track being played in the background so its not like you're just playing space invaders.
The add ons might be a rip off to you but I liked the game and wanted to support the dev team, (I like Advance Challenge Pack over the original). Its a game that's easy to play, A or B rotates piece and left stick moves it, but hard to master, (to know where to put each piece and which way to rotate creating chain reactions or not hindering yourself doesn't come right off the bat).

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Single Player, Xbox Live Multiplayer 1-2, Local Multiplayer, HD (High Definition). LUMINES LIVE! - a fresh installment to the blockbuster puzzle series has landed on Xbox Live Arcade. Harnessing the power of the Xbox 360, LUMINES LIVE! is a deeply rich and totally cool gaming experience. LUMINES LIVE! Standard Edition offers a stunning array of playable game modes including: 12 unlockable skins in Challenge Mode, Time Attack Mode, full multiplayer VS Mode on Xbox Live, 10 challenges each in Puzzle and Mission Modes, and 1 level of VS CPU Mode. All new Skin Edit Mode and plenty of downloadable content via Xbox Live Marketplace allows for customization of the LUMINES experience like never before. Don't miss out on the exciting world of LUMINES LIVE! There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts.

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Xbox 360 Arcade Play Wireless Controller Gaming Pack Review

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(More customer reviews)I don't often post reviews online, but I was so disappointed by this product that I was moved to make an exception. Three of the four games (Lumines, Geometry Wars 2, and Bomberman) are included on a disc. The box includes a code that allows you to download Ms. Pac-Man from Live. For people who have hard drives and Xbox Live (which really should be everyone), this latter solution is the only one that makes any sense at all. You dial in the code, download the game, and it's as simple as any other XBLA game from there on out. The other three games all must be played off the disc - it does not permit you to play them like you would regular XBLA games. However the software code is largely unchanged, so that the games themselves don't recognize they are being played off a disc. Bomberman simply doesn't work - it tries to force you to download an update of the game, but because you never downloaded it in the first place, the "update" would cost the full $10, and it won't allow you to play without the update. Lumines and Geometry Wars 2 are at least playable, but I don't know if Lumines DLC is compatible. That's iffy at best and I wasn't willing to risk it. I will be calling Xbox support, which isn't something you should have to do minutes after opening the box.
In sum: it is more of a hassle than necessary, poorly thought out, and one of the four games simply doesn't work. I am extremely disappointed and cannot recommend this product.

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High-performance wireless gaming is here! Using optimized technology, the Xbox 360 Wireless Controller lets you enjoy a 30-foot range and up to 40 hours of life on the two included AA batteries-and when they run low, you're given ample warning so you can connect a Play & Charge Kit for uninterrupted play. Plug the Xbox 360 Headset into the controller for full two-way voice communication: a wireless first.

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Hasbro Family Game Night: Scrabble Review

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(More customer reviews)I love me some Scrabble. Thus, picking this up was a no-brainer -- especially with the XBLA deal of the week putting it down to $5. While it's a good alternative to the physical board game, it does have some big issues.
This is Scrabble, plain and simple. Make the highest point total word you can from the seven tiles in front of you -- building off existing words. It's an awesome game, but you don't always have someone to play with. In this respect, Scrabble on XBLA is great: You can do a single-player game, then compare your final score to the leaderboards. It's also online enabled, so you can go over Xbox Live and outspell friends and strangers. Nice, right?
Where it stutters is during same-screen multiplayer. There is no good way to hide your letters, so either you make everyone else turn away during your turn, your everyone sees everyone else's letters. This isn't so bad if you're playing casually, but more competitive games are all but ruined. This can't be helped much, but no real attempt was made to position the interface to make "hiding" your tiles easy.
A few minor gripes: If you try a word that the dictionary doesn't recognize, you automatically lose your turn. This should be changeable. Also, there's no interaction to picking tiles -- which would've been a nice kind of minigame. And finally, the music is unappealing, and doesn't fully mute even if you turn it off in the options and play a hard-drive stored song.
At $5, I feel I got my money's worth. But for $10, I may have been a little disappointed. My wife and I will basically play this co-op to get the highest score. It's a shame it fails at the main way people play the "real" Scrabble, though.


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Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection Review

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(More customer reviews)Do yourself a favor and pick this up. The new tables and HD textures make it worth the upgrade from the earlier PS2 and Wii release.
The physics are perfect (as they were before), and the new tables easily make it worth the budget asking price. I encourage anyone who wants to see more of this immediately buy it to support the developer.
The three new tables are all modern titles which make them very accessible. They are Arabian Nights, Medieval Madness, No Good Gofers like Amazon states. For some reason there seems to be some discrepancy between the few reviews that are online. Arabian Nights and Medieval Madness are especially good.
The HD textures are beautiful, even on my older SDTV with composite cables. Full screen (4x3) is supported as well. It's a notable improvement from the PS2 release.
The controls are straightforward. The left and right triggers are the bumpers. You pull the right analog stick back to launch the plunger and the left analog nudges the table.
If you're curious about the music it's the same cheesy set of tunes the PS2 release had. Thankfully you can turn it off and listen to a custom soundtrack on the 360 version. Otherwise you'll be rocking out to some bad synth and wanna-be metal tunes.
A welcome addition is the online leader board. This greatly improves the replay value. I was able to rank in Funhouse after only a few plays.
The price on Amazon is a steal. I bought it locally at a higher price because I've been waiting anxiously for its release ever since it was announced.

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Classic William's pinball tables from the 70's, 80's and 90's with enhanced art and physics for the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3. Tables include Gorgar, Pinbot, Funhouse, Black Knight, Space Shuttle, Whirlwind, Firepower, Taxi, Jive Time and Sorcere.There are also three new tables, Monster Bash, Medieval Madness and Tales of the Arabian Nights, not found in versions created for other formats.

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Puzzle Quest: Galactrix Review

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(More customer reviews)Compared to the first Puzzle Quest, this game is an expensive letdown that messes with the original formula too much.

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Explore the entire Galactrix universe in the exciting return of the Puzzle Quest franchise with its signature addictive RPG/Puzzle hybrid gameplay.

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Import Tuner Challenge Review

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(More customer reviews)To feed my Forza Motorsport 2 hunger, I decided to purchase this game. I'm a big fan of Japanese cars. All my cars are Japanese. Import Tuner focuses on...you guessed it...import cars, mainly Japanese brand cars- Toyota, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Mazda, and Nissan. People ask..so where's Honda? Licensing issues prevented Genki developers from including Honda.
This game delivers TONS of customizations. You can basically calibrate and modify your car based on parts you buy. However, buying upgrade parts for your car isn't that easy. All upgrade parts are level-based meaning you need to beat a boss or win races against a few rival teams to get a new level of parts to purchase. Parts don't come cheap so just racing one rival after another won't get you the goods you need once you face a fully-modified car. You'll have to go back and find a rival team you already beat and race him over and over until you get enough credit points to purchase the parts.
The game requires a lot of patience since you'll be pitted against every import car. There are two ways of challenging rivals. You either hit the streets and challenge OR you can go to the parking area and challenge racers there. To beat the game, you'll have to challenge both street racers and those who hangout by the parking lot.
The tracks are based on real highways in Japan. All the the highways have been faithfully recreated in this game. Now...since this is a race along freeway, you won't be using much of your drifting skills here since you won't find any hairpin turns. Most of the turns are like the Exit ramps you take on our Interstate highways here in the US. This should give you an idea on what's in store for you. Majority of the tracks here are straightways, a few exit ramps turns will test your turning skills. Don't be fooled though. You'll be faced with traffic on the highways. There will trucks and cars driving merrily along the highway while you're speeding at 200mph. The traffic will sharpen your skills on avoidance and overtaking. The game is quite tough on errors you make. You hit a car or a railing and chances are the rival driver will be right on your tail.
There are two modes of races here: SP battles and Time Attack. SP battles are like health meters. The farther the rival is ahead of you, the faster your health meter goes down. You hit a railing or a car and that penalizes your SP meter. The object of SP battle is to run your rival's SP meter dry. That means you'll have to outrace him or punish him by trapping him on a lane where a slow moving vehicle is right in front of him and then you accelerate at high speed to leave him behind. You can use traffic to your advantage by nudging the rival car on the side and pushing him towards an embankment. I know it's bad but hey...you gotta win by any means necessary. Time attack on the other hand is simply a race to the finish line. Why it's called Time attack just boggles the mind. This game was made in Japan so expect some translation hiccups here and there. Poorly translated Japanese terms abound in this game so expect to see weird rival names like Betelguese of the Night, Mundane Omnipotent, Cornering Opera, Mundane Zeus, Astellion Flower, and my favorite... Cat X Cat.
Graphics was where I was a bit disappointed. Genki didn't use the full power of the Xbox360. Somehow it didn't look quite next-gen to me. Also, there are horrible frame rate issues. The game just grinds to a stuttering frame rate when you have three or four rivals on screen. There are a few drawing issues as well. Sometimes, while driving, you'll notice that there's just a black empty space at the end of the ramp. Fear not, the game suffers from redrawing issues. But these issues shouldn't deter you from playing this game. AI is something that's a so-so. You will find rivals who drive like Ms. Daisy or sometimes against a rival who drives like Mario Andretti, Nicki Lauda, and Colin McRae. Most of the AI seem to be afraid to take the risk of making sharp turns at full speed. They seem to brake quite a few meters too far from the turn's entry point. As a result, you can easily take advantage of this and cut in front of them.
So...what's a good gaming tip here. Like any other tuner games, there are three things you need to focus on to win in this game: SPEED, WEIGHT, AND HANDLING. That means you need to upgrade your engine, your body, and your suspension. Don't dwell too much on making your car look like Fast and Furiousque. Concentrate first on winning a few races and invest on the three main aspects of the car. ANy part that will make your car 100lbs heavier should be compensated by a body upgrade that will make it lighter. I've beaten this game by using just one car.
Here's what I did: I purchased the Nissan Fairlady (fastest among the cheapest starter cars). I raced the hell out of it and upgraded it. Then I began challenging several rivals over and over again till I was winning 500K credit points per race. Once I got to about 4 million credit points, I bought my favorite and possibly the fastest tuner car in the game: Mitsubishi Evolution IX. I then sold my Fairlady and then upgraded the engine to the highest possible level I could get. Slowly I began upgrading the three main aspects of the car. By the time I got to about 80% of game completion, I was beating every car and rival I was up against. The Mitsubishi Evolution is by far the best tuner car I have ever dealt with, be it Forza Motorsport or Import Tuner. Try the Evolution and win every race.
In closing, this game is highly recommended. It has it's own technical issues but the fun factor is definitely in the game. Go for it.

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Import Tuner Challenge is an authentic and extremely customizable street-racing game that challenges racers to immerse themselves in Tokyo's underground to take on the fastest street-racing teams. Players can customize and race licensed import sports cars using real tuner parts and tuning techniques. More than five million combinations are possible in customizing a car's interior, exterior and engine.

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Qubed Review

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(More customer reviews)Qubed includes the following three games, Lumines: Live, RezHD, and Every Extend Extra Extreme. These 3 games are absolutely brilliant, and this package is ABSOLUTELY worth 20 bucks. If you were to buy all of them separately you would be paying at least 30 to 40 bucks. So this is a no brainer. If you have an Xbox 360, you need to have this to complete your game collection.
There is a brief interview with the designer of the games, Tetsuya Mizuguchi. It's very interesting, really shows how he strives to set his games apart as experiences that use not just your reflexes, but that stimulate both the eyes and ears. Gives you a better appreciation for the games in Qubed.
So do yourself a favor, and get this for your Xbox, you won't regret it.

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The GamesSet in a cyberworld, the legendary fast-paced action-shooter Rez HD, created by Tetsuya Mizuguchi, will provide the ultimate audiovisual experience as the player targets the enemies and hacks the system while creating their own beats. Rez will open your senses … let's go to synaesthesia was the watchword when Rez released in 2001 to become a fan favorite. The dynamic, total integration of visual presentation, sound and player input provides the ultimate audiovisual experience. Key Features
Legendary Gaming Experience - Old-school vector style graphics, sensory response, and beat synchronization sets the title apart and is perfectly recreated in high-definition and 5.1 surround sound.
The world of Rez - Rez consists of five different levels, each with its own unique visual theme and style, musical track and a boss battle at the end.
Game Modes - Play through the five areas in regular or Score Attack modes. Go to the Beyond mode and try Direct Assault, Lost Mode, the free play Trance Mission, or take on all the bosses consecutively in Boss Rush.
Feel the Rhythm - To further enhance the Rez experience, artists including Coldcut, Adam Freeland, Joujouka, Ken Ishii and Keiichi Sugiyama (SEGA's Wave Master) contributed tracks to the game.
The Return of the Trance Vibration - An option to select "All Controllers" for all alternate controllers to receive the trance vibration signal from the Xbox 360.
Extreme Effects and Support - Enjoy new sound and visual effects, full suite of leaderboards and achievements, and the ability to view your play data and others in Replay Theater.
Frenetic puzzle action. Dazzling background videos. A fresh installment to the original blockbuster puzzle series is now available in Lumines Live! Harnessing the power of Xbox 360, Lumines Live! is a deep and entertaining game experience, enhanced with vibrant music and newly designed skins that you can custom-select in Skin Edit mode. Lumines Live! even features full multiplayer mode on Xbox LIVE, unleashing leaderboards, achievements, gamer scores, online competitive modes, and more. Expand your Lumines Live! experience with additional downloadable content via Xbox LIVE Marketplace, including new puzzles, skins, and music. Key Features
Online Multiplayer - Battle your friends head-to-head play over Xbox LIVE.
Classic Gameplay – Enjoy classic Lumines gameplay, including Challenge, Puzzle and vs. CPU modes
Off Limit Mode – All-new Skin Edit Mode allows you to re-mix the order of your unlocked skins to create a custom Lumines experience.
All-New Missions - All-new Mission Mode presents player with pre-designed Lumines puzzle scenarios.
Audio/Video Customization - Dynamic skins, sound effects and music optimized specifically for Lumines Live! in high-definition graphics and 5.1 channel surround audio.
Game Support and DLC over Xbox LIVE - Enjoy Xbox LIVE online leaderboards, achievements and gamerscore, as well as extensive downloadable content like skins, puzzles, missions, artist packs and more via Xbox LIVE Marketplace.
EVERY EXTEND EXTRA EXTREME (E4) is an action-packed shooter unlike any you have seen before. Here the goal is not to keep from dying, but to do so in the best way possible. Time your self-destruction perfectly, create chain reactions by exploding enemies, and extend the game life. Enjoy a trippy, trancey clubbing experience through the combination of highly addictive gameplay, music, and sharp visuals. E4 features five exciting game modes as you collect bonus items and detonate your craft to the beat to multiply your scores. Key Features
E4, The Game - The core of this game, where your objective is to self-destruct and aim for large chain reactions. Your stock (life) is unlimited, so use perfect timing to detonate and score as high as you can. Picking up the right items at the right time will lead you to a whole new experience of the game.
H4, Versus Live - Full online multiplayer play over Xbox LIVE where you can battle your friends head-to-head.
Xbox LIVE Support - Enjoy Xbox LIVE support including a full suite of online leaderboards, Xbox Achievements and Gamerscore points.

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Feeding Frenzy Review

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(More customer reviews)Feeding Frenzy is easy enough for children and challenging enough to keep adults occupied when they are trying to kill time. You start as a small fish move around the screen eating fish till you get bigger then you eat bigger fish and so on.
My kids love the game as there are dangers but even the youngest can play the early levels. I enjoy the game for a quick time out from something more adult-oriented. Good casual game and well worth the low price.

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Single Player, HD (High Definition) Take the plunge! You already know how much fun the Frenzy Coast can be, so go ahead and buy the FULL version now. Come on in' the water's fine! There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts.

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