Itching for a gratis Xbox Live Arcade game? Microsoft is offering one of five titles for free, but you have to follow these three steps:

1. Sign up for 12 months of Xbox Live Gold between now and January 5. It must be done directly through Xbox Live, meaning you can't use that prepaid card your mom or significant other bought you as a gift.

2. Decide what game you want free: Zuma, Marble Blast, Sonic the Hedgehog, Assault Heroes or 3D Ultra Minigolf. Do this step in your head.

3. Download a gamer pic or theme related to the game. Only the first one counts, so make sure you didn't skip Step 2 before downloading a picture of a putter when you're hoping to nab Sonic.

See, folks? Even with digital distribution, TINSTAAFL applies: There is no such thing as a free lunch. Of course, if you were needing to upgrade or renew your subscription anyways, you might as well get something extra out of it.
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'N+' finally gets toppled by surprising casual juggernaught 'Brain Challenge', debuting its first full week on the charts with 26,000 units - #3rd overall for best full weeks. FPS classic 'Doom' increases units sold strongly by 110%, and Assault Heroes does very similarly.
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As of Wednesday, March 19, 2008, Assault Heroes and Doom are available for the discounted price of 400 Points on Xbox LIVE Arcade...
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The Entertainment Software Rating Board continues to break news of unannounced games, as this week the board updated its ratings database with assessments for new installments of Capcom's PC and Xbox 360 action game Lost Planet and Vivendi Games' Xbox Live Arcade cooperative shooter Assault Heroes.
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Todo Juegos (translated) is reporting that Microsoft is planning a new promotion for Europe. Said promotion should run between November 1st, 2007 until January 31st, 2008. The gist of it is pretty simple. Just get a friend to purchase a new 360 at some point during the promotion, attach a copy of the receipt to a special coupon (PDF link), mail it in, and both you and your friend will receive ten free Xbox Live Arcade games. The games reportedly offered are:

* Sensible World of Soccer
* Sonic the Hedgehog
* Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting
* Bomberman LIVE
* Marble Blast Ultra
* Spyglass Board Games
* Small Arms
* 3D Ultra MiniGolf Adventures
* Assault Heroes
* Zuma Deluxe
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MajorNelson just posted this past week's top Xbox Live Games. Gears Of War still on top and it will stay that way till Halo3. As far as Arcade for the first time in the past month the newest arcade title is not the top dog. Assault Heroes which came out last week is at the top, followed by this weeks release NovaDrome

Xbox 360 Top Live Titles (UU's)
1 Gears of War
2 Call Of Duty 3
3 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas
4 Assault Heroes
5 Madden NFL 07
6 Call of Duty 2
7 Oblivion
8 Ghost Recon 3
9 Saints Row
10 Tony Hawk's Project 8 Demo
Top Arcade Titles (Full Versions)
1 Assault Heroes
2 Novadrome
3 RoboBlitz
4 Contra
5 Small Arms
6 DOOM
7 Street Fighter II' Hyper Fighting
8 PAC-MAN
9 LUMINES LIVE!
10 UNO

Original Xbox Top Live Games
1 Halo 2
2 Battlefield 2: MC
3 Madden NFL 07
4 Counter-Strike
5 Star Wars: Battlfrnt 2
6 Forza Motorsport
7 Call of Duty 3
8 Conker: Live Reloaded
9 Ghost Recon 2
10 Call of Duty 2
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Assault Heroes is now available from the marketplace for 800 points. The game has the usual 12 achievements and a total of 200 points. Read more to view the complete achievement list for the game.
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In addition to its robust classic arcade roster, Microsoft also delivers a great mix of original development and independent game titles to Xbox Live members this holiday season and into the New Year
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Beginning in January 2007, Atari will release six titles on Xbox Live Arcade throughout the year. Both classic and evolved versions will be available for each of the following titles:

Centipede®/Millipede®: defend your village against an onslaught of centipedes, spiders, army ants and more. In addition to the classic mode, the evolution mode offers high definition graphics and special effects like motion blur, trails and particle-based explosions to make the experience as enjoyable today as it was decades ago.

Battlezone®: the original tank vs. tank action classic has received an Xbox Live overhaul, adding in exciting new multiplayer modes including Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag. This updated version is truly a must-have for any fan of the original, which is also included. Additionally, players can use the Xbox Live Vision camera to watch live video of their opponents. Combine these features with new special effects for weapon firing, impacts and explosions and you have one killer classic as you've never experienced it before.

Asteroids/Asteroids Deluxe
Missile Command
Tempest
Warlords

....

Xbox Live Arcade's diverse library of titles is going to keep growing, with a particular emphasis on new, originally developed games from indie developers and big studios alike. Over 100 indie developers and virtually every major console publisher in the world are working to develop games for Xbox Live Arcade. Some of the diverse titles we will be releasing by this holiday include:

Small Arms (Gastronaut Studios) ¿ an indie-developed original title designed specifically for Xbox Live Arcade, featuring frantic multiplayer brawling combined ...
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