Best Xbox Live Arcade games of 2009
Game consoles are in the midst of a short drought before the holiday season. However, downloadable games have helped bridge the months with no solid retail releases. The Xbox 360 has a few games on Xbox Live that will help hardcore gamers pass the time before the massive holiday season hits.
Today we will take a look at some of the best Xbox Live Arcade games of 2009. These games have really taken a life of their own and have filled the short void during the dry season.
3. The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition
If you are a fan of old school adventure games, then this classic remake is for you. I am a huge Monkey Island fan and have played every single game in the series. I was extremely excited to get my hands on the remake of this classic title. With all new voice acting and enhanced 3D graphics this title is more than worth the $10 price tag.
2. Splosion Man
This is a hilariously fun game that flew under the radar for most gamers on the 360. The point of the game is to explode off each other to reach seemingly impossible places. With co-op action you can play with others to solve complex puzzles. Considering the game comes with 50 levels and three boss battles, this game is more than worth the $10 price tag.
1. Battlefield 1943
There is no denying it – Battlefield 1943 is awesome. There is no game on XBL that can beat its record sales and extensive gameplay. I have literally spent more than 30 hours on this game which is more then what I have spent on some $60 full retail games. Either by air, sea or by land, this game will have you addicted.
Honorable Mention – Shadow Complex
Even though Shadow Complex won’t drop until later this month, this game is worth a mention. The game looks like its part Bionic Commando and Super Metroid, with its take on the classic 2D side-scrolling graphics. The fact that the game is developed by Epic Games should be enough to get you interested.
There you have it – a list of hot blockbuster downloadable titles straight off Xbox Live. There is no excuse to not play your Xbox 360 now as you don’t even have to get off the sofa to download these games. I highly recommend gamers to at least try out one of these titles. Make sure to stay tuned for the Best Playstation Network games of 2009.
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124 Responses to “Best Xbox Live Arcade games of 2009”
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August 11th, 2009
Battlefield 1943 the only one worth buying the rest all suck. That’s a pathetic list don’t they have something.
August 11th, 2009
is battlefield the same thing as bad company but u have land, sea, and air set in 1943?
August 11th, 2009
Check out the review in GameTrailers is very similar to Warhawk just not as good. You can Use Jeeps Vote Planes and there’s 3 classes plus ranking up doesn’t do anything. It has good graphics for PSN game. Is just $15 bucks is worth buying.
August 11th, 2009
tight thanx
August 11th, 2009
‘Splosion man demo was awesome. i may have to make a purchase.
August 11th, 2009
I love games like this i need to get this game. Also i wish EA brings Battlefield 2: Modern Combat to the PSN i love that game is awesome i used to play it a lot on PS2 it has so many in-game ribbons and medals like Killzone and the Resistance series and Uncharted series. They can put it for $20 dollars with trophies and in 1080p with background music plus some new maps and weapons plus mode they will sell a lot. EA i cannot believe I’m beginning to like them.
August 11th, 2009
Oh Mike why talk about Arcade and leave out some amazing titles. I know you said 2009 but dude your missing games like The Dishwasher, Age of Booty, Pacman CE, Castle Crashers, TMNT, Assult Heros, UNO, Dominos, Heavy Weapons, Small Arms, Exit, Portal, Worms and really there is just too much to go on. But isn’t Bubble Bobble coming to XBLA?
August 11th, 2009
CAD:
LMFAO we all know you just being sarcastic you really don’t think any of those game are any good. They all fucking SUCK SUCK SUCK i hope you were just joking. I rather play demos then those garbage you just listed. Even Gears of War and Halo are better then those XBLA mini games. Xbox Live Arcade takes flash game and makes available on the Xbox store get game from Miniclip at least they have good games to rob or buy license to. Even the name of those game are pathetic…
August 11th, 2009
CAD, I am looking forward to Bubble Bobble, I used to love that game in the arcades.
I have the full versions of Uno and TMNT. They’re always fun with the multiplayer. I’ve also got Double Dragon but there is hardly anyone online to play that one.
August 11th, 2009
CAD,
he is only naming the 2009 XBL games.
TMNT sucked balls. (talk about lag)
August 11th, 2009
How does anyone ignore Outrun on XBL?
Talk about still being a gem & a complete classic.
August 11th, 2009
PSN best games
-Fat Princess
-Burn Zombie Burn
-Flower
-Comet Crash
-Battlefield 1943
-Marvel vs Capcom 2
-Last Guy
Upcoming:
-Trine
-PixelJunk Shooter
-Castle Crasher
-Braid
August 11th, 2009
Nothing like a good old arcade like gaming every once in a while. TMNT, Worms, Double Dragon and Portal are fantastic!
Does anyone know if “Garou: MotW” is on XBL or PSN? That is my favorite fighting game. EVER.
August 11th, 2009
I here Shatter is also pretty awesome.
August 11th, 2009
hear*
August 11th, 2009
“I here Shatter is also pretty awesome.”
oops forgot that one.. is just like Super Stardust HD but brick breaking. and for 7.99 you can go wrong.
August 11th, 2009
The Netflix exclusivity news must be a good one for US Xbox owners to –
“Netflix Partnership
This exclusive partnership offers you the ability to instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix to the television via Xbox 360. Xbox 360 will be the only game console to offer this movie-watching experience, available to Xbox LIVE Gold members who are also Netflix unlimited plan subscribers, at no additional cost.”
August 11th, 2009
^^ OLD news (2008 E3)
August 11th, 2009
Roca
Wrong again.
The exclusivity part of the deal was announced today as part of the XBL update.
The fact of the matter is that until today nobody knew Netflix was an Xbox exclusive and staying an Xbox exclusive.
August 11th, 2009
The how come I knew that since 2008????
August 11th, 2009
anyone got the game Worms?
August 11th, 2009
I bought it for the PSP and that shit sucked.
I will never buy a game with word “WORMS” in it.
August 11th, 2009
I downloaded Worms off the PSN just a few days ago and my roommates and I have been having a lot of fun with it! Amazing how playing a free demo can change your mind about a purchase.
-Arvis
August 11th, 2009
Roca
Do you understand that the exclusive part was not cemented until now. But I guess It’s just like you telling me that the list is for 2009 after I already said that.
August 11th, 2009
Happy
Your right Outrun is a great classic.
August 11th, 2009
“Amazing how playing a free demo can change your mind about a purchase.”
Yes that is the way it is on XBLA every game has a demo. I wonder if they will be doing that with the On Demand retail games.
August 11th, 2009
I certainly hope so CAD.
(don’t worry about Ivan/Roca…… some, ah, ’special needs’ kids can be a touch, er, ‘difficult’…..although I’ve yet to meet one quite as willfully stupid as our ’special one’)
August 11th, 2009
“Yes that is the way it is on XBLA every game has a demo.”
Yeah, that almost certainly drives sales on XBL. If Worms had come with a free download on PSN right away, I would have bought it when it came out back in March.
Take heed, Sony! Give us demos!
-Arvis
August 11th, 2009
****MIDWAY NEWS****
“Yeah, the UK branch of Midway has officially been purchased for less than a toothbrush at a local dollar mart for only $0.82 cents. If that’s not embarrassing enough, both the Midway France and Midway UK offices were bought by managing director of Midway in Europe, Martin Spiess, for only $1.40 or approximately £0.86 British Pounds if you want to get technical.”
August 11th, 2009
Moar demos are most certainly needed on the PSN!
Dunno bout worms tho
Played the death out of that one a looong time ago…
August 11th, 2009
“Roca
Wrong again.
The exclusivity part of the deal was announced today as part of the XBL update.
The fact of the matter is that until today nobody knew Netflix was an Xbox exclusive and staying an Xbox exclusive.”
Exclusive like “Only on Xbox”
August 11th, 2009
Mike,
“Honorable Mention – Shadow Complex”
Come on!!!! he game is not even out yet.
August 11th, 2009
My top 3 PSN games (in no particular order):
-Final Fantasy VII
-WipeOut HD
-Fat Princess
August 11th, 2009
My Top 3 :
-Super Stardust HD
-PixelJunk Monster
-Fat Princess
Honorable Mention – Burn Zombie Burn!
August 11th, 2009
Who cares if Netflix is exclusive to Xbox?
I didn’t buy a console to buy downloaded movies.
If I’m going to watch crappy downloaded movies I would not pay for them.
Or if I wanted that I would use Itunes.
August 11th, 2009
^^ or better yet my laptop and a VGI cable will do the trick.
but give them a break ncaissie, you have to understand them. since M$ cant put up as many first party games as SONY they are giving 360 owner alot of non-gaming features like:
Twitter/facebook/etc which I can all that on my PS3, PC, Cell phone, PSP, Ipod Touch etc.
August 11th, 2009
“I didn’t buy a console to buy downloaded movies.”
They are streaming, not downloaded, and Netflix HD streaming with the current 1 at a time DVD/BD saves a ton of money vice buying, or even over an old 2 at a time (or more) plan. The quality through the 360 is much better than through a laptop setup, I have tested it.
For games on demand, most all of the demos are available, and they just added many 360 games. There are now a total of 24 360 games and 29 Xbox originals games.
August 11th, 2009
‘They are streaming, not downloaded,’
Oh c’mon, you knew what he was getting at
Do think what MS has done with the downloadable games is neat tho, hopefully they will fully embrace this (well, they pretty much already have).
Be neat if on the launch day of the next xbox there were launch games to download… (altho it would probably cause servers around the world to cry out in pain)
August 11th, 2009
so ncaissie your saying that if your console couldn’t paly dvd’s/blu ray, you wouldn’t be mad?? it’s similar to streaming/downloading movies so don’t get all upset about it i find it very convienent to have movies/games on the hard drive so i don’t have to swap discs and plus still be “online” at the same time… i love it… just wish sony would put in bigger hard drives in the ps3…it doesn’t cost much and they should realize ppl would buy more downloadable titles with more space given
August 11th, 2009
Yeah, the Blu-ray drive for movies in a PS3 is just not what real games want.
Who cares about HDMI etc when you have “VGI” (VGA?).
Low res rules, right Roca?
August 11th, 2009
Can you say hypocrite?
August 11th, 2009
…..and uninformed idiot.
Go look up what VGA offers Roca.
But DVD res rules for you, eh?
You don’t even realise what you’re saying, do you?
August 11th, 2009
Happyhockum:
HDMI is the VGA is fucking useless to me. I got a 58″ Bravia since early 2008 also i have a regular Blu-ray player plus my VAIO and PS3 and trust me it looks so fucking nice is amazing. DVD suck Blu-ray 4 LiFe even the Xbox 360 looks nice when connected to my Bravia. I wish i can use Wireless HDMI connection.
Roca.:
What kind TV do you have? i still use both SDTV and HDTV.
August 11th, 2009
Ivan/Roca
Try slowing down and typing English.
VGA is not HDMI dumbass.
VGA is an analogue connection, moron.
It is necessarily an inferior method of connection.
So once again you trumpet specs like slogans without understanding the 1st thing about them…..and make a total laughing stock out of yourself, once again.
August 11th, 2009
Happy you only belittle yourself by trying to reason with morons.
August 11th, 2009
Happy go suck a dick if you dont know what we are talking about…
“Who cares about HDMI etc when you have “VGI” (VGA?).
Low res rules, right Roca?”
we were talking about streaming on movie through netflix and obviosly their are not in FULL HD so HDMI wont change a thing so VGA will do just fine.
and you can keep talking about netflix all you want…talk to me when u have a good line up coming up for ur system that has more non-gaming feature than anything else.
good luck…hope Halo ODST wont be a let down like Halo Wars. if so u might have to wait until next year to get a good quality exclusive from M$
August 11th, 2009
Happy
“Go look up what VGA offers Roca.”
you obviosly didnt know what VGA was so you googled it and and now you think you know all about it….whats up with you and google??
keep up with the tech field!!
August 11th, 2009
I know CON, but when they serve you up such easy ones to smash away (and then talk as if they knew what they were bragging about) it’s just too easy.
It seems like the Netflix HD service (in “full HD”, LMAO) has passed them by too.
S’funny I know lots of people really liked Halo Wars too (I haven’t begun mine yet), it’s a strong seller.
Hilarious how the ‘it’s an awesome Blu-ray player’ PS3 gang now slam the Xbox for it’s wider media applications.
Like I said, hypocrites much?
August 11th, 2009
Funnily enough for such a terrible console with no games (according to the usual suspect around here) this makes interesting reading –
Xbox 360 most active console -
tp://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/media_entertainment/hottest-june-on-record-for-video-gaming/#more-14429
August 11th, 2009
Halo Wars was a let down? It had a metarating of 82. What does that make Fat Princess then, with a metarating of 79?
August 11th, 2009
“Like I said, hypocrites much?”
Wait a minuet… what about “adding on all of these features that consumers don’t want to pay for” (Xbox Live, NetFlix, etc).
August 11th, 2009
Barnabe Jones
No one is ‘made’ to pay for anything they feel they don’t need on the Xbox.
If you want it you buy it, no big deal.
That’s in huge contrast to the PS3 where you have to buy several features whether you want them or not.
August 12th, 2009
oops i meant to say that HDMI is better then VGA lol everyone know what HDMI.
August 12th, 2009
‘Xbox 360 most active console -’
Well at least according to those charts they’ll be a higher ratio of malses to tastey female playing on the PSN instead of that sausage-fest that is the 360…
That was a joke so put your knives away…
Still, you have to say that MS did a fantastic job of hitting thier target audience on the nose.
OK OK OK, ill get back to classic blorge!.. Hm, fuel for fire…. Aha!
Does anyone wanna talk about the boot loader update MS just released that will supposedly brick 1 in a 1000 360’s?
And no I don’t believe it will happen! But the guys over at free60.org do..
August 12th, 2009
SW:
Yeah Microsoft bricks your already bad quality Xbox 360 so you have to send and they get pay more money from you the SUCKER. Most people are on denial and believe that Xbox 360 is good until they make the mistake of buying it eventually they end up buying a PS3. Microsoft’s propaganda is being done on Windows Bing Xbox 360 and was on Zune.
August 12th, 2009
kotaku.com.au/2009/08/bad-company-xbox-360-on-demand-offers-ps3-manual/
August 12th, 2009
“Halo Wars was a let down? It had a metarating of 82. What does that make Fat Princess then, with a metarating of 79″
Thanks for comparing a already established game with a huge fanbase to a new $15 downloadable IP like Fat Princess.
August 12th, 2009
You’re welcome. You’re still an idiot for saying it was a letdown when it scored an 82.
August 12th, 2009
Halo Wars suck period erase wars all Halo suck. fuck the score deal with facts.
August 12th, 2009
Yeah, because you said so, Mr Yglesia?
August 12th, 2009
No because the world say’s it. You just on full Xbot denial.
August 12th, 2009
The world says it huh? Do you listen to yourself?
August 12th, 2009
Do you?
Do you believe Halo is any good?
Do you believe Halo is the greatest FPS well i bet for you think it is LMFAO. And yes i know what i write Halo is just hype Microsoft pay more for advertising then trying to make the game worth buying. Halo is just decent.
August 12th, 2009
SW
Updated mine yesterday. not a single issue at all.
Ivan
I thought you were slamming the Halo Wars RTS game?
How come you’ve now moved to Halo FPS?
Can you ever stay on topic?
August 12th, 2009
Ivan_PSP:
“oops i meant to say that HDMI is better then VGA lol everyone know what HDMI.”
Yeah, of course you did……otherwise all the whining you did when Xbox did not have HDMI and used VGA would look pretty stupid, right?
You ought to take that up with yourself/Roca.
August 12th, 2009
Sir chub: “so ncaissie your saying that if your console couldn’t paly dvd’s/blu ray, you wouldn’t be mad?? ”
My Wii does not play movies and that was the only consol I had for a while. It didn’t make me mad. I have a DVD and BR player for that.
August 12th, 2009
@Happyhockum:
Who said I didn’t want HD in my Games?
Movies are not the only thing that uses the HDMI.
August 12th, 2009
@Ivan
I haven’t tried Halo 3 yet but so far Halo 2 is the best FPS I have played for online mode.
I wish MS didn’t F up the 360 so badly. I wanted to get one. Maybe if it reaches $99.
I really miss my Halo parties.
August 12th, 2009
ncaissie
You don’t have to have HDMI to get HD in games (which was kind of the point I was getting at with Ivan/Roca there).
The original Xbox 360 did not have HDMI.
It was slammed by all the PS3 fanboys for it
(mainly cos they found it hard to go beyond the Sony PR and accept that VGA – if enabled – can send 1080p signals).
Component has no spec limitation either (although its usually limited to 1080i @ max).
But both VGA & Component are analogue connections (and hampered by DRM).
Still, when we have resident ignorant cretins here who claim -
“Optical cable is as good as there is for Audio output”
I very much doubt they’d know one way or another about any of this stuff.
August 12th, 2009
ncaissie – Halo 2 was a fun game, but honestly Halo 3 is just a slightly higher res version. You’re not missing too much. It’s not bad, just not a perfect 10 either (despite fanboy reviews).
August 12th, 2009
‘Updated mine yesterday. not a single issue at all.’
I think it REALLY blew up and burnt your house down! You’re just covering… But I’m here for you buddy if you need a shoulder!
August 12th, 2009
ncassie – You should homebrew that Wii up
Can handle more ‘types’ of avi than my PS3 or 360 now…
August 12th, 2009
The original Xbox 360 did not have HDMI.
It was slammed by all the PS3 fanboys for it
(mainly cos they found it hard to go beyond the Sony PR and accept that VGA – if enabled – can send 1080p signals).
Component has no spec limitation either (although its usually limited to 1080i @ max).
But both VGA & Component are analogue connections (and hampered by DRM).
Still, when we have resident ignorant cretins here who claim -
“Optical cable is as good as there is for Audio output”
I very much doubt they’d know one way or another about any of this stuff.
^^^ another nice google work there…
keep the good work google boy!!
August 12th, 2009
Roca
“Optical cable is as good as there is for Audio output”
Still funny as f*ck.
Yeah, you really know all about it.
August 12th, 2009
Ivan,
Yes, I do listen to myself. Yes I do believe that Halo is a good game. No, I do not believe it’s the greatest FPS out there, nonetheless it’s a great game with massive longevity.
If it was a bad game which was advertised ad-nauseum, then how can you explain how it seems to top the most played Xbox Live game nearly 2 years after release?
Why do I bother trying to reason with you? You’re nothing but a lunatic.
August 12th, 2009
harry sachz:
Massive longevity LoL. Is the most play Xbox Live game because there’s nothing better that Xbox has. And you know I’m %100 correct.
And let me know if you wanna buy a hack Xbox 360. I’m selling my to buy a fourth PSP slim.
August 12th, 2009
“If it was a bad game which was advertised ad-nauseum, then how can you explain how it seems to top the most played Xbox Live game nearly 2 years after release??”
is there something esle to play besides halo and gears
August 12th, 2009
It’s just either jealousy or trolling, right?
You 2 can’t possibly be serious.
There’s a huge range of XBL classics and various new hits to play on Xbox 360.
Wake up, wise up & grow up.
August 12th, 2009
There’s plenty to play besides Halo and Gears. Just because they’re the most played well after release is testament to the developers of these games, outlasting most oncomers.
August 12th, 2009
harry sachz:
You know that is a lie.
August 12th, 2009
LMFAO
August 12th, 2009
xbox classic…..is that all u can come up with?? really!
August 12th, 2009
Were there any good Xbox exclusives games asides from Ninja Gaiden?
August 13th, 2009
What’s a lie? You two are getting dumber by the day.
August 13th, 2009
harry sachz:
You are…
August 13th, 2009
Some people need to learn how to read properly.
XBL is full of classic games (and by that I did not just mean Xbox mk1 games).
There are IIRC in total (including XBL & the b/c Xbox mk1 games) over 1000 games available to play on an Xbox 360.
But yeah, Ivan/Roca the resident deranged fanboy says there’s nothing to play on it.
Pathetic.
August 13th, 2009
Xbox Live Arcade is crap Miniclip has better flash games. Xbox owners are turning like Wii owner loving garbage.
August 13th, 2009
So says our schizophrenic fanboy.
Pathetic.
August 13th, 2009
over 1000 games and only 2 good ones…haha
August 13th, 2009
LMFAO
August 13th, 2009
The schizo twins roll in together, quell surprise.
August 13th, 2009
Happyhockum:
You still crying, you such a bitch.
August 13th, 2009
I’m laughing at you, you berk, those are tears of laughter.
Now, dance some more, fanboy.
August 13th, 2009
Happyhockum:
Your tears of jealousy i bet. Currently watching Watchmen on Blu-ray. Keep killing yourself.
August 13th, 2009
you what how many games my PS2 can play over 18,000 (PS1,PS2,PS3, J-PS3 Games, UK-PSN games, J-PSN games, UK-PSN)
and thats not including PC games (PC-to-PS3)
have fun with ur 1000 games
August 13th, 2009
Only you could take this up as some sort of a childish pi$$ing contest.
(I’m just surprised you did list them all.)
Once it went over a few hundred games it became irrelevant other than to laugh at your claim Xbox had no games.
FFS, try getting a clue sometime.
August 13th, 2009
Happyhockum:
I meant good idiot.
August 13th, 2009
It would be nice if you’d try English for a change.
Dance fanboy, keep dancing.
August 13th, 2009
Happyhockum:
LoL ▼
August 13th, 2009
Shadow Complex reminds me of contra more than the other mentioned games.
August 13th, 2009
phranctoast:
Try Kinetica
August 13th, 2009
isn’t kinetica the racing sled type game made my david jaffe?
August 13th, 2009
I don’t think he made it.
August 13th, 2009
isn’t kinetica the racing sled type game made my david jaffe?
yess….he didnt made it but he helped desing some of the game coolest features
August 13th, 2009
Yeah Kinetica is a sick fun game a truly classic gem.
August 13th, 2009
hopefully it finds its way up on the psn, along with the war of monsters (another jaffe game i missed).
August 13th, 2009
Maybe but is a PS2 game.
August 13th, 2009
so is WOM. it’s taking sony too long to get some of those older games on the network.
August 13th, 2009
You just can’t help heading for whaere all the action is, huh?
The PS3 uncharted thread is tumbleweed city (except for schizo-boy’s laughably feeble trolling) and yous are all here in the Xbox thread.
I bet Ivan/Roca thinks he’s ‘influencing’ people again.
August 13th, 2009
phranctoast:
Yeah there’s so many game i want from PS2 to download and play on PS3.
August 13th, 2009
ICO would be a plus on the network. I never got to play it.
August 13th, 2009
phranctoast:
ICO would be nice. The game was awesome and a little sad.
August 13th, 2009
I love how *spoiler* the end of SOTC prequels ICO.
August 13th, 2009
phranctoast:
I haven’t play that one yet i might buy it later from eBay. It has awesome reviews and i wanna try it too. The Last Guardian looks amazing a truly must have.
August 13th, 2009
Then I’ll tell you the same thing I tell everyone else who tries the game. Give it a chance. It’s a really awesome game, but can be a turnoff to some people as it is sooooo very different than anything out there.
The game is practically art!!!!
August 13th, 2009
phranctoast:
I always play games by SCEA no matter what. I different type of games.
August 13th, 2009
I was trying to finishs SotC the other day took me like an hour and a half to beat this fucking collosus…I have like 5 more to go
August 13th, 2009
The quick lion type colossi gave me a good run.
August 13th, 2009
GameVideo
August 14th, 2009
Happy – those who say there’s nothing to play on the 360 are quickly shut up by the facts:
1. more 360 are sold than ps3.
2. the 360 has a higher attach ratio of games than the ps3.
3. 360 gamers use their console waaaaaay more hours in a week than the ps3, according to Nielson…
you’re wasting your time talking sense and facts with Ivan. he’s beyond help.
altho, it’s IS funny watching you talk him into the ground only to have him become a babbling idiot… i can almost hear him banging on his keyboard in frustration…. hee, hee..
August 14th, 2009
The other colossus that climbed on the walls and shot that shit out at you was also a pain. It really is a great game and makes the Last Guardian that much more anticipated.
August 14th, 2009
phranctoast:
I want The Last Guardian so bad it looks amazing dazzling.
Ignored the troll kev like everyone has already done he a total moron.
August 14th, 2009
I hope they make a true sequel… SotC 2 or something.
August 14th, 2009
I don’t think they going to make one but they should.