The game plays very much like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book. You make choices, and advance towards one of several (largely un-related) possible endings. The game is full of science fiction references (Star Trek, Red Dwarf, etc.) and humour, and it works. There are features here I’d not seen before, such as the ability to *back up* a choice and select a different option, just in case you wanted to see how that one played out. It’s well enough written that it’s definitely worth 80 Microsoft Points for fans of Red Dwarf-style humour, and SF satire.

Here’s what the developer (RainbowDespair) has to say about the game:

“Set sail on the U.S.S. Epiphany, one of the latest additions to the Universal Galactic Space Corps fleet. As Captain (or not) Philemon K. Bort, will you triumph over all of the trials that beset you or die in obscurity? A host of plot lines and possible endings await you in this tribute (or is that parody?) to all things science fiction.”

Just kidding. Yes, you’ll be happy to know I didn’t do a Pong-related game for a third day in a row. Far from it. “Field Archer” is an impressive attempt at an archery simulation. This is not a run-and-gun experience by any means, a lot of thought has been put into it.

For example, the longer you keep the bow cocked the *worse* your aim gets (fatigue setting in, I would gather?). For another, wind plays a role. With different types of bows to choose from, dozens of different targets, different locales to play through, and scoring based on whether you would have wounded or killed the target, there’s even a fair bit of replay here. Only 80 Microsoft Points.

Here’s what the developer (Richard Mould) has to say about the game:

“This game is based on Field Archery, a pass-time which allows archers to experience bow-hunting without the need to shoot live animals. It involves shooting at a series of targets placed in a woodland setting and scoring for hitting the “wound” or “kill” zones of the target pictures. Features include, 40 targets set in scenic locations, 3 bow types, 1-4 players and high scores.”

For one, I liked how your paddle slowly wears down and gets smaller as you use it. For another, there are a tonne of crazy power-ups. If Pong is akin to “Breakout” (aka bare-bones), then “Kube Ball” is akin to “Arkanoid” (full of power-ups and features, but the same core game). But really, the personality of the game reminded me a bit of playing with Mad Balls as a kid, in a good way. 80 Microsoft Points for something that plays well, looks good, and innovates.

Here’s what the developer (Dream Titan) has to say about the game:

“Action packed ping pong with power balls that deliver intense specials online and off. Fun and kid friendly, with a challenging edge for both the casual and hardcore gamer.”

Today’s game is a ridiculous upgraded rendition of a nearly antiquated game but, like those mobile suits, manages to be worth putting into the field.

First, let’s call a spade a spade. “A Game of Tennis” is Pong. *But*, it’s Pong with system link, global leaderboards, AI opponents, multiple difficulty levels, Xbox Live online multiplayer, and more new things that take Pong to heights never dreamed of by Nolan Bushnell when he created it in the ’70s. New modes of play have been crafted to support some of the features, such as a mode where you play against the AI to support the leaderboards (how many points can you score against the CPU, before the CPU scores against you a given number of times, for example).

“A Game of Tennis” came out in early 2009, so more than four years ago, and I’ve ignored it all this time presuming it was a clone. I was wrong. The author really thought it all out, and I can’t imagine much that could be added to the Pong formula that this game doesn’t cover. If you’re jonesing for some Pong nostalgia, there’s enough added here that it may actually get you to pay 80 Microsoft Points to keep you playing past the 8 minute trial.

Here’s what the developer (UberGeekGames) has to say about the game:

“Classic tennis, updated with modern features! Single player, Local & Online Multiplayer modes, plus online Scoreboards (for Gold Members) bring this favorite into the 21st century!”

“Fish Bait” is a mash-up between two ’80s favourites: Arkanoid (it’s closer to Arkanoid than Breakout because there are power-ups) and Galaga, but with an aquatic theme. Like Arkanoid, you’re trying to destroy blocks with a “ball” (though, in this case it’s actually a fish), but like with Galaga there are enemies. The enemies don’t shoot you, but (unlike the blocks) they do move around which makes them harder to hit, and in true Galaga fashion one of them likes to occasionally swoop down and try to take you out (they even scroll off the bottom of the screen and back to the top, ala Galaga).

You have your traditional multi-ball (multi-fish?), you have the ability to get your fish to eat bricks (or fish) rather than bounce off them, and even the ability to shoot from your paddle, among other abilities and power-ups. It’s an 80 Microsoft Point diversion that works well and innovates on both of its inspirations.

Here’s what the developer (Dont Press X) has to say about the game:

“—–Imagine arkanoid or breakout but under the sea. 20 Levels, featuring 5 different power ups including multiball and laser guns.”

Here’s what the developer (Stinky Badger Games) has to say about the game:

“Create pixelated pictures from the number clues in this addictive puzzle game! Featuring 100 puzzles, 28 awardments, a tutorial video to get you started, and many hours of puzzling fun!”

Death Closet, “Lots of Guns”, “Tank Strike”, “Mega Monster Mania”, “This is Hard”, “Baby Maker Extreme 2″, “Blow Me Up”, and (possibly my all-time favourite indie game, go download it now!) “Battle Beat”.

“Jetpack Rapture” is a simple game where you (because of your failure to accept Christ as your saviour, presumably) have failed to make the cut for the rapture. You’re not particularly happy about this, and do what any lost soul would do: stand in the way of those trying to get to heaven by strapping on your backpack and bouncing them out of God’s “tractor beams” (or whatever they are) that are pulling the pious up to heaven.

The gameplay itself is simple fun, that is worth a download but won’t long outlast the 8 minute trial for many people. Those who choose to buy it will fall into two categories: those that enjoy the tongue-firmly-in-cheek banter between God, the pious, and you as you play (in the form of word balloons, naturally), and those that get into it as a score attack game where you keep wanting “just one more turn” to jetpack a little higher and knock around more of the faithful before finally getting taken down by an attack-angel. I think it’s fair to say that the content might be offensive to some here, but any good satire is going to be offensive to someone so that’s not necessarily an (ahem) damning indictment.

Here’s what the developer (Stegersaurus Games) has to say about the game:

“The Rapture happened. You were left behind. You own a jetpack and have a sweet punk rock mohawk. REVENGE!”

The game is full of the same gratuitous content. Unless you think it’s satire, which I suppose it may be, but that would make it gratuitous satire? Not sure if that’s a thing.

For the uninitiated, it’s got a story, it’s got puzzles, it’s got minigames, and… that’s about it. Worth picking up if you’re a fan of the series, and worth steering clear of if you’ve hated these games in the past. 80 Microsoft Points either way.

Here’s what the developer (Freelance Games) has to say about the game:

“King’s Cousin Clyde is sentenced to “Cherry Poke Prison” where the Warden has just one rule! Will the “Prince of Poke Prison” behave…”

The number of on-screen enemies reminds me of the huge fight at the end of the original Shenmue. It’s not perfect (character animation is a little wooden), but the game costs 80 MSP and it’s worth the points, and an effort to offer some replay value has been made with multiple endings, two player co-op, and even the ability to do combo moves in conjunction with your co-op partner. It’s definitely for those who like games like “Dynamite Cop” (and its prequel, “Die Hard Arcade”). Having mentioned “Dynamite Cop”, “Dreamcast”, “Irem”, “Vigilante”, and “Shenmue” in the same article has me about to say (in the immortal words of Jayne Cobb) that “I’ll be in my bunk”.

Here’s what the developer (DarthCheesiest) has to say about the game:

“-Burning Fist of Rage- Experience violence, political corruption and heroism. Where the actions you make, affect the outcome, but mostly you walk right and beat people up! + Play 2 player Co-op and use the buddy move to devastate the enemy. + Multiple endings. + Knock opponents into the air and keep them bouncing. + Save the city from the forces of evil.”

I was never a big wrestling fan, I skipped the whole WWF/WWE thing entirely as a kid. My father watched it, though, so I have some familiarity with it. And I know that the SNES through N64 era of wrestling games produced some of the highest-rated wrestling titles of all time. Modern graphics have made them look better, but by most accounts they don’t play better. This 80 Microsoft Point effort harkens back to that era in a lot of the right ways, including the create-a-wrestler modes that began around that time, and is a great walk down through memory lane that just may be better than 90% of the WWE wrestling games released on modern systems.

Here’s what the developer (Action937) has to say about the game:

“A tribute to retro wrestling games of the past. Select from THREE different control schemes! Play multiple match types, edit arenas and create wrestlers… all for just 80 points. A winner is STILL you! Powered by Torque X.”

This time the games I recommend looking at include:

- Grid Warrior, an implementation of “Space Invaders” that innovates by having enemies both inside and outside the playfield, with different properties to each; you can’t attack the ones outside the playfield, you can only respond to their actions, which was interesting tactically

- Seeker, science fiction dungeon crawl with randomly generated dungeons

- Storm Wheel, a game that reminds me of ’80s vehicle combat games but more frenetic

- Terror Tunnel, “Missile Command” as reimagined by Jeff Minter (the creator of Tempest 2000)

Some of the other games aren’t even bad, but they’re straight clones of games (so don’t meet the WMD test for review). The remainder are genuinely bad. But with 4 good games (plus a few clones that, if you liked the originals, you’ll probably also like here), this collection is definitely worth 80 Microsoft Points in my opinion.

Here’s what the developer (thedeadstu) has to say about the game:

“Oh no! Back despite popular demand for it not to be, here is 10 Amazingly Awful Games Volume 2 : Featuring Zombies, Platforms, Shooters and more. 10 Games for the price of 1. We take no responsibility for any anguish and torment that may come from playing, enjoy!”

For 80 Microsoft Points you get authentic 21 ball snooker, plus great gradation on the level of assistance (do you just want to know where your ball will hit, or do you want to know the direction the first rebound will go, or do you want to know where all the rebounds will go?). Decent AI, typical of Maximinus’ pool games, is also present, as is a turn-based mode for up to four players. An easy recommendation, if you’re into this style of snooker. Maybe one day Maximinus will merge all its disparate pool games into one 240 or 400 Microsoft Point game? Or perhaps he’s correctly sussed out that most people have one favourite and stick to it? I don’t really have my finger on the pulse of the video pool community. :)

Here’s what the developer (Maximinus) has to say about the game:

“Classic UK Snooker, with 4 player party mode, and cooperative play against the computer. Featuring multi rebound Cheat-O-Laser for insane trickshots!”

Here’s what the developer (Dannobot Games) has to say about the game:

“Pajamorama is a fighting game featuring up to 4 player multiplayer either local or over XBox Live, and gameplay so crunchy you could pour milk over it and eat it for breakfast. Dominatrix librarian pillow fighting in outer space! Bath time soap bubble fights with all your girlfriends! A combo engine so minty fresh, you’ll want to brush your teeth with it. It’s PAJAMORAMA, baby!”

Standard disclaimers apply: if you hate Japanese-style RPGs, you won’t get much out of this game unless the satirical element offers you something. This is not an Elder Scrolls game, there’s no rolling up a character here. But if you’re into story-based RPGs, for 80 Microsoft Points it’s worth checking out.

Here’s what the developer (HobbiSoft) has to say about the game:

“Help the city of Oakland by being the cool guy on the street to remove the evil Mayor from office and get Oakland back to normal. This is a fun and funny standard RPG.”

It was with some surprise that I realised that “Utopioneer Games”, best known for their “Hack This Game” series (as well as “Code Breaker”), is also the developer of “Spanish 101″, “German 101″, and “Vocabulary Builder”, had produced a dating sim and that it had a couple of really out there features for the genre. And that’s when I discovered that it was not at all what it pretended to be. I only got more intrigued the further I delved into it.

“Call Me” takes your answers to questions asked of you by the girls you’re trying to woo, and builds them into a personality test profile. It’s an interesting idea: use the game to get people to do something that perhaps they wouldn’t do otherwise. Further, there’s a training element of the game, where it actually offers lessons in helping you in dating situations, ones that treat the subject matter seriously and don’t (from a casual skimming of them at least) encourage you to act like a selfish jerk. It’s definitely not going to be for everyone, but it’s an interesting download and I recommend it on that basis. I won’t have to tell you whether it’s worth 80 Microsoft Points at the end of the trial or not, you’ll answer that for yourself, but it’s just so “out there” that it’s worth experiencing.

Here’s what the developer (Utopioneer Games) has to say about the game:

“”Call Me” teaches you to read and adapt to different personalities. Using simulated conversation, “Call Me” will also give you a snapshot of your own personality.”

My first exposure to console FPS gameplay was Alien Vs. Predator on the Atari Jaguar. Long before Goldeneye on the N64, and LONG before Halo, AvP on the Jaguar showed how good a console FPS could be. “SEncounter” looks and plays like a classic console FPS. It actually reminded me of the un-released Rainbow 6: Rogue Spear for the Dreamcast (which I played a pre-release demo of on a magazine Demo Disc). It’s an impressive effort and only costs 80 Microsoft Points, and is much better than most XBLIG first-person shooters. No one seems to talk about it and… I really have no idea why. Definitely worth a download for fans of the genre.

Here’s what the developer (WSBSoftware) has to say about the game:

“At the end of World War II a selection of elite military personnel and scientists established a secret base on the Antarctic continent. Your mission is to infiltrate this secret base and collect all technical information pertaining to their new weapons development.”

Word on the street at the time was that it was a gorgeous game but that it was missing that certain something. I’m here to politely disagree.

I think expectations for this game weren’t realistic. It was early in the history of Xbox Live Indie Games so there was not much to measure it against. Also, the game looking as good as XBLA games of the day further muddled the issue. Looking at the game on its own merits, and with the benefit of a price drop somewhere along the way down to 240 Microsoft Points, and the game looks a lot better.

The game is a 3D brawler (think what “Power Stone 3″ might have looked like) with some cell-shaded graphics that are still pretty gorgeous 3.5 years later, and some interesting features (such as character creation and editing features that lots of fighting games in this genre don’t have) and is worth a download for those who like casual multiplayer (up to 4) fighting games.

Here’s what the developer (Shortfuse Games) has to say about the game:

“Fight your way to the glorious Grand Master title! Colosseum features a 6-level singleplayer-campaign and five different 1-4 player local multiplayer game modes, four of which can be enjoyed in teams. Take your time to master each of the four different fighting styles and their combos, picking up some new threads for your characters along the way. This is Colosseum. Enjoy!”

It’s a topic that’s near and dear to my heart, as I own and run a bicycle shop. I love running a business, and I enjoyed this 240 Microsoft Point sim. How low can you set prices while still being profitable? How high can you go without turning off your clientele? Which machines are best situated next to each other? If you’ve enjoyed any kind of business sim in the past, and given you probably enjoy video games since you’re reading this site, this is a magic combination that’s worth a download.

Here’s what the developer (firebase) has to say about the game:

“Enter the exciting world of Arcade ownership! Play through the start of the 1980′s arcade revolution by buying and placing video games for your customers to play! Customize your arcade to increase its popularity! Modify machine parameters, manage your finances, capitalize on newly released games, but beware of the events and pitfalls that could bankrupt you!”

The premise is amusing: you are paving the way for a repo spaceship. Apparently there are a lot of spaceships out there where the owners are sufficiently behind on their payments that creditors are attempting to repossess their ships. Your job is go invade the ship, disable its many defences, and prepare it for the repo team.

Controls are good, chiptunes are sufficiently bleepy and bloopy, levels give you a good sense of exploration, and the price is right at 80 Microsoft Points. Absolutely worth a download.

Here’s what the developer (Centurion Games) has to say about the game:

“Take on the role of Slug a freelance inter-galatic repossessions agent as you track down, board, and shut down rogue space ships, regardless of protest. Features: – 12 levels of action packed fun, across three unique ships. – Unique environmental hazards ranging from blasting flamethrowers and bubbling plasma, to disintegrating pulse barriers. – Rocking Pixel art. – Chiptunes!”

Here’s what the developer (OnekSoft Games) has to say about the game:

“Solve equations and catch the falling guys with the correct answers! Lose a life if you miss correct answers, lose points if you grab the wrong answer!”