Tech: The Best of Xbox Live Arcade, Part II

I'm a big fan of Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade - it's the best digital download service of the three consoles, since it has the best catalog of games (as well as free demos for every game). A few months back I covered some standout titles for XBLA...here's a couple more you may have missed:

Zuma Deluxe



Zuma is an action-puzzle game that demands quick reactions and quick thinking. You control a frog that shoots colored marbles out in all directions. Unfortunately, a multicolored stream of marbles is inexorably rolling towards you. The game is a frantic race to dispose of them all before they reach the end of the track and kill you.

Although basic editions of Zuma can be played for free on the PC, there's a lot of value here for your 400 Microsoft Points ($5). There are achievements and leaderboards for the people who care about high scores, and easily digestable casual gameplay for those who don't. Zuma's design is a clone of some other games, but the tight controls and decent gameplay depth make it worth the points in the long term.

Penny Arcade Adventures: On The Rainslick Precipice of Darkness - Episode 1




The name is long, but the pedigree is well-known - Penny Arcade, the popular gaming webcomic, is finally being adapted into a video game. Jerry and Mike, the PA creators, had an extensive role in the art, story, and gameplay design, and it shows; the game is stuffed to the gills with references to PA staples like the Fruit F**ker 2000.

It all boils down to a simple turn-based JRPG a la FFVII, but one infused with funny writing and great artwork. The only catch is the exorbitant price - $20 for an episode that'll last 6 hours at the most. But for fans of the strip, it's a no-brainer.