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Free Fallout 3 Premium Theme

Hey, Fallout 3 fans…if you are one of the obsessed (like we were) when it came to the Fallout 3 DLC packs, you might want to check your email and spam folders. Why’s that? Well, as it turns out, if you purchased all five of the Fallout 3 DLC offerings, you should have an email in your inbox from Microsoft containing a code redeemable for a free Fallout 3 premium Xbox 360 theme. They say it’s just a thank you to the biggest fans of the game, and we think it’s a classy touch, since we totally felt we got our money’s worth from the DLC in the first place.

Thanks, Bethesda!


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Shadow ComplexWhatever line there was between retail games and downloadable titles has essentially been torn down.

You can now download full retail games straight to your console thanks to the new Xbox 360 Dashboard Update. And the Xbox Live Summer of Arcade has been rock solid.

But wait. There’s more.

The final release of Summer of Arcade hits this week - on Wednesday precisely. And it’s been getting stellar reviews.

IGN calls it “one of the best games yet in 2009” - that’s out of all games, not just XBLA titles. MondoXbox says it’s"capable of rivaling even many of the retail games out there.”

Shadow Complex further blurs the line between retail and downloadable games - if not completely destroying that line.

Shadow Complex is a Metroid/Castlevania-style game that features 2.5D side-scrolling action gameplay. Based on the praiseworthy reviews, this one sounds like a winner.


DescriptionThat’s right, folks - the next installment in the Xbox Live Summer of Arcade is about to drop! Trials HD is coming this Wednesday for 1200 Microsoft Points ($15).

Be prepared for a “full-featured, physics-based motorcycle racing platformer” that includes fifty stages as well as a level editor. Trials HD is an enhanced version of Trials 2: Second Edition.

Sounds like it may be a solid entry in the XBLA line-up. I’m amped to check this one out.

In fact Trials HD already has a few scores listed on Metacritic. Eurogamer boasts Trials HD “may end up being the best thing on Xbox Live Arcade all year.” Woah! Could it surpass ‘Splosion Man?!


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TMNT Turtles in Time ReshelledThat’s right, the arcade classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time comes out tomorrow, August 5th, on Xbox Live Arcade - as part of ‘s ‘Summer of Arcade.’

Re-Shelled promises updated 3-D graphics with the same masterful gameplay. Four player co-op and survival modes will be available both online and locally.

It seems like if you played the 90’s arcade title, you know what to expect. Still, keep your eyes peeled on the game’s Metacritic page for reviews to start pouring in.

It’ll cost you 800 Microsoft Points ($10.)

And by the way, here’s XBLA’s ‘Summer of Arcade’ Lineup:

  • OUT NOW: ‘Splosion Man 800 Points ($10)
  • OUT NOW: Marvel vs. Capcom 2 1200 Points ($15)
  • August 5: TMNT: Turtles in Time Re-shelled 1200 Points ($15)
  • August 12: Trials HD 1200 Points ($15)
  • August 19: Shadow Complex 1200 Points ($15)

Read More | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled

Splosion Man

‘Splosion Man, currently available for the on Xbox Live Arcade, is a 2.5-D action platformer where the goal is to “splode” your way through levels.

You play as a guy who can ‘splode himself - which essentially propels him into a jump. The controls are simple - A, B, X, and Y all do the same thing; yeah you guessed it, ‘Splode. You can also perform wall-kicks, akin to many platformers like the more recent Mario games. Of course, instead of just kicking of a wall, you ‘splode off of it.

However, the game’s not so simple once you get going. The catch is that you can only ‘splode three times while in the air before either coming back down to the ground or briefly sliding down a wall to recharge your ‘splode-ability.

Click to continue reading ‘Splosion Man Review: This game is a blast!


Fat PrincessThat’s right, mark your calendar because Fat Princess is hitting the PlayStation Network tomorrow, Thursday, July 30th for $14.99.

Fat Princess is a capture-the-flag style game where one team’s goal is to get the princess to its base - a castle - and the other team’s goal is to… fatten the princess up by feeding her! And naturally - the fatter the princess is, the more difficult it will be to get her to the castle.

The gameplay appears solid - and hilarious.

Read More | PlayStation Blog

Xbox Avatar Accessories

This morning, hooked us up with an early preview of the next Dashboard Update. We were able to get a look at the new features (which no longer require a PC,) the Avatar Marketplace, Game Ratings, Games on Demand, and more. While more coveted features like Twitter, Facebook, Last.fm, and Zune Marketplace won’t be landing until the fall, the update is still a solid one. Here are our thoughts on the next update, which lands on your Xbox 360 on August 11 (or sooner if you apply for early access!)

Click to continue reading Hands-on with the August 11 Xbox 360 Dashboard Update

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Xbox 360 Avatar Marketplace

You know that Xbox 360 Dashboard Update we’ve been talking about? Microsoft has finally given it a date, and you can expect it to hit your Xbox 360 on August 11th. This update brings with it Netflix Movie Parties, along with a bunch of other updates, Games on Demand, and the Avatar Marketplace, which allows you to spend Microsoft Points on clothing and accessories. The other features, like Twitter, Facebook, Last.fm, and Zune Marketplace with 1080p instant-on movie streaming will arrive later this fall.

Remember, you still have a chance to apply for early access to the Xbox 360 Dashboard update.


Xbox 360 Avatar Marketplace Page 1

Lucky us, we are getting early access to the Fall 2009 Dashboard Update this coming Monday. We will bring you all our thoughts on everything we are able to try out. We have a list of stuff we will have access to on Monday, which you can see after the jump, but we were also able to put together a gallery of some of the things we will be playing with as well. You can find all those images over in our Xbox 360 Fall 2009 NXE Dashboard Update Preview Gallery.

Click to continue reading Xbox 360 Fall 2009 Update Preview

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Fallout 3 Mothership Zeta Alien Combat

The fifth and final Fallout 3 DLC, called Mothership Zeta, will be available on August 3rd on the Xbox Live Marketplace, as well as Games for Windows Live, for 800 Microsoft Points. It will be released for the PS3 at a later date. Here’s the synopsis from Bethesda:

Defy hostile alien abductors and fight your way off of the massive Mothership Zeta, orbiting Earth miles above the Capital Wasteland. Mothership Zeta takes Fallout 3 in an entirely new direction – outer space. Meet new characters and join with them in a desperate bid to escape the Aliens’ clutches. To do so, you’ll wield powerful new weapons, like the Alien Atomizer, Alien Disintegrator, and Drone Cannon, and deck yourself out in brand new outfits, like the Gemini-Era Spacesuit and even Samurai Armor.

You can color us excited. Now we know that the alien crash site was meant for more than just finding the fantastic Alien Blaster weapon. Who’s excited?

Read More | Fallout 3 Mothership Zeta DLC

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