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What: Undertow
When: 1/23 - 1/27
How Much: FREE!

Don’t forget to nab your free copy of Undertow before the 27th, and of those of you that all ready paid for a copy - don’t forget to call support and get your 800 points!  I called support earlier, about my wireless problems, and happened to bring it up - they told me that I should get 800 points within 24-72 hours.  I asked if it would just happen or if I had to call, they said it would have just happened - but if I were you, I would call to make sure.

Just got a copy of this letter last night, and can’t wait to see what free game we get!  I love free things, I just hope its not something I all ready actually paid for, and mostly useless to me

Dear Xbox LIVE Members:

During this past holiday season you helped us break a number of Xbox LIVE records. This included our largest sign-up of new members to Xbox LIVE in our 5 year history and just yesterday you broke the record for the single biggest day of concurrent members ever on the service.

As a result of this massive increase in usage we know that some of you experienced intermittent Xbox LIVE issues over the holiday break. While the service was not completely offline at any given time, we are disappointed in our performance. I would like to take this moment to thank you each and every one of you for your patience and understanding as our team has worked around the clock to return the service to a stable state.

At the same time we would like to offer a token of our appreciation to all of you in celebration of record success for the service. And as a thank you for your loyalty during this holiday period, we will be offering all of our Xbox LIVE members around the world access to a full Xbox LIVE Arcade game that will be available to download free of charge. In the coming weeks we will be sharing the specific details of this offer with you.

Thank you again for helping make Xbox LIVE everything that it is today!

Sincerely,

Marc Whitten
General Manager, Xbox LIVE
Gamertag: Notwen

Just got the media reminder about the halo 3 map pack I posted about before is available today.  So for those of you that are anxiously waiting to bust heads in standoff, or manage your way through the rat’s nest, or perhaps you are waiting to get your forge skills going on foundry…well the wait is over, the maps are available today on the marketplace - or you can wait until spring and get these 3 beauties for free

What: Asteroids & Asteroids
When: 11/28/07 5:00 AM EST
How Much: 400 MP ($5)
Screen Shots: My Gallery
More Info: Xbox.com

 VS

Another classic from back in the ‘Good Old Days’.  The days of a black screen, and a triangle used to shoot asteroids - and the space ship if you were oh so lucky.  Many of you probably aren’t even old enough to have played the this classic in its glory - hell it was originally released when I was only a wee one year old - but somehow lasted many years later.  For those of you looking for that trip down memory lane, they provided the original game format as well as a shall i say “pimped” edition.  To keep up with todays gaming demands, they upgraded the graphics - it even has COLOR now!  All joking aside the graphics look pretty sweet.  As always another 200 Gamerscore to obtain, and at the budget price of $5. 

Should you buy it?  Give the demo a spin, and decide if you like it enough to buy the full game (thats what the demo is there for) - I might pick it up just to take a walk down memory lane….well that and you all know that I am an xbox live arcade junkie.

Get ready for classic space shooting action with the release of “Asteroids” and “Asteroids Deluxe” which will be available jointly for download on Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360 this Wednesday, November 28 at 9:00 a.m. GMT (2:00 a.m. PST).

Save the earth from a deadly deluge of asteroids and re-experience the beloved arcade classics “Asteroids” and “Asteroids Deluxe” on Xbox LIVE Arcade. Players control a spaceship in an asteroid field and shoot to destroy asteroids and saucers, all while trying to avoid a costly collision. Complete with re-mastered HD visuals and the whiplash inducing high-speed “throttle monkey” mode, players will be hooked for hours! “Asteroids” and “Asteroids Deluxe” will be available worldwide as a joint download for 400 Microsoft Points and are rated E for Everyone by the ESRB.

A while back there was a contest floating around called the “Doritos Unlock Xbox Challenge”. This contest invited people to think up an xbox live arcade game “that brings to live the bold spirirt of the Doritios brand”, in other words, create a comercial for our company. Don’t get me wrong, I am willing to give the games a chance, after all I did download and try out Yaris (aka the Toyota advertisement game) and actually paid for the Burger King ad games last holiday season - a game is a game my friends. Some are good, and some not so much - time will tell with these xbox fan created ideas.

From now until Nov 18th you can go to www.snackstrongproductons.com and vote for the game you want developed as an Xbox Live Arcade Game.

Here are the five finalist games that you will be playing and voting on:

• “Doritos Dash of Destruction” by Mike Borland of Sewickley, PA
  In “Doritos Dash of Destruction,” players can choose to control one of two characters.  Either a hungry T-Rex chasing a delivery truck loaded with crunchy Doritos tortilla chips or the delivery truck driver, racing to escape the clutches of the T-Rex.  As the chase begins havoc ensues as the lumbering dino barrels through the completely destructible city resulting in an intense game of cat-and-mouse.
• “Doritos Presents UDC: Ultimate Dodgeball Champions” by Devan Moore of Panama City, FL
  In this futuristic dodgeball game, inspired by Devan’s favorite childhood game and the intensity of Doritos, players start by creating a customized team from a handful of colorful characters.  Then, using special “power up” features to create fire balls, teams go at it in futuristic stadiums and compete for ultimate dodgeball dominance. 
• “Monkeys from Mt. Doritos” by Juanito Lagasco, of Algonquin, IL
  In this quick-play, high-fun, retro-style game, one or more people play as monkeys that collect Doritos chips exploding out of Mt. Doritos.  The more Doritos players collect, the more points they earn and the closer they get to winning.  But, watch out as fellow monkeys and lurking monsters want to steal your prized Doritos chips. 
• “PB’s Quest for Flavor” by Jeremy Mattsen of Colorado Springs, CO
  In “PB’s Quest for Flavor,” PB - the game’s pill bug hero - goes on his quest for the perfect chip flavor. Throughout the game, favorite Doritos flavors are introduced as weapons giving PB unique abilities.  With the strength and power of Doritos, players guide PB through a household of obstacles and enemies to successfully complete his quest.
• “Rythum Racing” by Kenneth Parker of Warner Robins, GA
  In this original racing game, players turn up the volume in game play as they import song files and use music to “drive” the game.  Players race around the equalizer race track, where sounds, beats and rhythms will alter the track.  Deep bass sounds for example might cause the race track to ripple, throwing the race cars up in the air while other elements of the music generate power-ups.

without trying the games at this time the first one gets my vote….why?  Well hes from my state, gotta support the home team!  Full press release to follow.

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In addition to all of the family friendly content on your xbox 360, microsoft just annouced they are bringing another huge arsonal of family friendly content. These include hundreds o downloadable video content, exclusive video content from “The Backyardigans” (one of my sons favorites), and some new xbox live arcade games such as “SHREK-N-ROLL” and “SpongeBob SquarePants: Underpants Slam” just to name a few.

Full press release to follow.
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Ok I just found this pretty funny the first time I loaded the Xbox.com page for Battlestar Galatica (the arcade game coming out this wednesday).  Before you ask, not it doesn’t really cost $800, but a mere 800 Microsoft points, I apparently just loaded the page at the right time to catch this interesting shot

What: Exit
When: 10/24/07 5AM EST
How Much: 800 MP ($10)
More Info: Official Xbox Page
Screenshots: My Gallery

Well I might have gotten the early scoop on Battlestar for this arcade wednesday but Microsoft was able to sneak in another live arcade title this weekend.  How is a guy able to keep up with his arcade addiction at this rate?  Looks like an interesting puzzler.  I wonder how long over 220 levels will take to complete?

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What: Battlestar Galactica
When: 10/24/07 5AM EST
How Much: 800 MP ($10)
More Info: Official Xbox.com page
Screenshots: My Gallery

 As I mentioned in a previous post, Battlestar Galatica will be coming to the Xbox Live Arcade this Arcade wednesday. 

“Battlestar Galactica,” developed by Australian-based Auran Games, involves intense space battles as players choose to side with either the Humans or Cylon forces. Piloting iconic ships from the Viper II to the Heavy Raider, players lead a squadron through fast-action multiplayer space combat or can play through the intense single-player campaign based on memorable episodes from the TV series, including the riveting first episode of the continuing series, “33,” and the 2007 Emmy Award-winning episode, “Exodus.” “Battlestar Galactica” features both single and multi-player modes for up to eight players, skill-based matchmaking and leaderboards. The game will be available worldwide, with the exception of Korea, for 800 Microsoft Points and is rated E10+.

· For more details on “Battlestar Galactica,” please visit http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/b/battlestargalacticaxboxlivearcade/default.htm

Lunies Live! has a new downloadable pack coming out this arcade wednesday. If you are a gold member for free you can pick up two new skins (”Heavenly Star” and “Breeze”) between Oct 17 and Nov 14th.

Additionally there will be a download pack “Rockin’ Holiday Pack”, which will run you 400MP ($5) also available wednesday. Finally starting wednesday Lumines Live! will be at a new discounted price of 800MP ($10)

You can check out the new skins, and the holiday pack screenshots on my gallery.  Personally I think I will be rocking breeze as my skin.