Xbox 360 Indie Game Buying Guide – 12 Games for $60
Don’t you want to get the most bang for your buck? Xbox 360 games are expensive and some are just not worth the price tag. Don’t keep stuffing the pockets of large companies that don’t even pay the developers their dues (Bad Activision). With $60 you can support a lot of independent developers and get a whole lot more games. IGM breaks down the 12 indie games you can for 4800 Microsoft Points on Xbox live. So forgo the next mediocre big budget game and use your hard earned money to get more variety, value and gaming goodness while supporting the little guy in the process:
Let’s get the bigger and better known Xbox Live Arcade Titles out of the way first.
Super Meat Boy – $15 / 1200 MSP
SMB is the best platformer around and you get a ton of game and challenge with it. This is an absolute must for every Xbox 360 owner who owned an 8-bit or 16-bit system.
Braid – $10 / 800MSP
Braid is one of those games that sticks with you even after the game is over. It’s not the longest experience, but it is a memorable one. The time-based gameplay and story blend together into something really special. This one is a work of art.
Castle Crashers – $15 / 1200MSP
Currently the bestselling XBLA of all time, Castle Crasher’s is a multiplayer beatemup masterpiece. Grab 3 friends online or locally for some classic side scrolling brawling; don’t forget the RPG elements and collectibles while you’re bashing heads.
Puzzle Quest – $10 / 800MSP
What kind of list would this be if there wasn’t a solid and addictive downloadable puzzle game in the mix? Puzzle Quest is super addictive and has a much more fleshed out adventure than most match-3 games. You’ll lose hours to this one.
Wow, $50 down and only $10 left! Run away from that expensive Arcade Channel and boot up Xbox’s Indie Games Channel. It can be tough to sift through all the junk, but there are some incredible games here at ridiculously low prices. Support these Indies and buy these games, you can’t lose at these prices:
I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES!!!1 – $1 / 80MSP
The bestselling XBLIG of all time is worth every penny here. This quality top-down zombie shooter is almost overshadowed by its catchy theme song. Trust me, you’ll be singing it.
Epic Dungeon – $1 / 80MSP
If you’re not killing, looting or selling then you’re not playing Epic Dungeon. This game is your typical dungeon crawler –but with 50 floors to explore, endless enemies to slaughter and great retro graphics, you’ll definitely be playing Epic Dungeon longer than your typical $1 iPhone game.
Miner: Dig Deep – $1 / 80MSP
Miner is a simple but wonderfully relaxing exploration game. As a miner you search for resources to sell at the surface shop, but there’s some great items to buy that help you more easily navigate your mine. This game was a deal when it was 200MSP, now it’s a steal.
Shoot1up – $1 / 80MSP
Shoot1up is an old school top-down shooter with a twist; you can take all your 1ups into battle at the same time. This mechanic introduces an awesome risk/reward dilemma. Do you risk all your lives to increase your firepower? Or play defensively?
Cthulhu Saves the World – $3 / 240MSP
It is rare to find a game that is both entertaining and funny – especially on XBLIG, but Cthulu succeeds in both departments. The game imitates the classic RPGs of the 16-bit era right down to the first person perspective battles. It’s a great quest that RPG vets will get a real kick out of.
ZP2KX: Zombies and Pterodactyls – $1 / 80MSP
ZP2KX is a fantastic and frantic 2D multiplayer deathmatch game…with jetpacks, zombies, pirates, ninjas…and you guessed it, Pterodactyls. There’s a ton of weapons, customized characters and class perks. If you like blasting friends to bits, you’ve got to try this game.
Fluid – $1 / 80MSP
Fluid is a fast and furious arcade game with amazing graphics. It’s sort of like Pac Man except you’re a tadpole and there are no ghosts. The game has top-notch production values and is a blast to play.
Explosionade – $1 / 80MSP
This is my absolute favorite Xbox Live Indie Game. Explosionade is simply a blast to play. I would pay $10 for it. In Explosionade, you control a badass mech and blast baddies away in the sewers. Grenades blow up the environment and you have this crazy shield that lets you bounce around and crush enemies. Explosionade is sort of like Contra – except it’s not as frustrating. There’s even local multiplayer! $1! I must be dreaming, but every time I pinch myself Explosionade is still just 80 MSP.
So there you have it, 12 Games for 60 bucks. I hope everyone checks out at least one of these indie gems on Xbox 360, but hey if you can’t buy them all because you’re saving some money to get an Indie Game Mag subscription, I’ll understand.
