Handful of exciting XBLA news

Microsoft's XBox Live service has seen some rather rough times lately between unexciting releases and lots of downtime over the holidays. It seems they want to make it up to us by hitting us with how great the service will be this coming year. Over the last week, we have see three big announcements, all which have me excited.

-Microsoft is giving us a free download of the fan favorite XBLA game, Undertow, in apology for all the recent down time. It's a nice gesture for a good game. I've been on the fence about a download since I played the demo. It's a fun and frantic 2D action "King of the Hill" multiplayer game, but it also feels a little cliche as just another dual-joystick shooter waking in the success of Geometry Wars. However, I would put it in the good cliche category along with Assault Heroes. It's a very original look at an overabundant genre at the moment. I would easily recommend it for free. Now it seems would be the opportune time to obtain it. The download begins January 23 and ends January 27.

-If you have read some of my older posts, you have seen me rant and rave about how huge of a fan I am for the original Bionic Commando, and how excited I am for the new reimagined 3D game due out later this year. Well, Capcom has officially outdone itself this time with yet another recent announcement with the Bionic Commando...series...yes, we can officially call Bionic Commando a series now! See the trailer below, and it should speak for itself

-a Rare created dual-analog, online multiplayer supported, HD remake of the N64's most successful (and most popular?) game, Goldeneye, was on the verge of being of being released to the service. However, Nintendo demanded a piece of the action, and Rare has since pulled the plug on the project a mere two months from being finished. You can petition here to tell the execs to stop being stingy.